The Florida Aquarium

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I think no trip to Tampa would have been complete without a visit to the Florida Aquarium. It was within walking distance of the hotel, so a few of us grabbed an opportunity to check it out. Here is Jaylyn, Amanda, Sara and Melanie out front.
Amanda, Sara, E.J. and Grayson check out the touch tank.
We saw some mighty big tanks... awesome!
And some very odd creatures. These are apparently called 'Rhinopias'.
We saw giant clams with iridescent eyes...
I have no earthly idea what this thing was, but it was moving... wiggling like jello filled with crawling bugs. Bizarre.
The gulls down there were very different from the ones here, much smaller and very beautiful.
And of course, the requisite alligator display. They are so gorgeous. From a distance and/or with 2 inch thick acrylic between us...
Mel got some neat pics of the jelly tank as the lights changed colors... trippy.
This is a Roseate Spoonbill. About as big as a pelican, and very unusual looking.
What a great experience. We all had a fun time on our visit. More pics to come!

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