Atlantis Beats Disney World!

The Grands have made their preference known:  Atlantis is "way better" than Disney World!  Mom and Dad agreed.  Having made one short trip to Orlando 40 years ago, Grandma Roe tends to side with the kids:  Yes, Atlantis has the amusement park rides beat, hands down.  Maybe it's my partiality to aquariums.  Maybe the kids like water play more than being flung around in mechanical circles.  Maybe Son #1 likes dolphins more than Mickey Mouse.  Whatever!  We have just spent a week of over-the-top fun in one of my favourite places.

Immaculate gardens, fountains, pools, water slides, aquaria (is that right, the plural of aquarium???)

Check out this Goliath Grouper!  These two are on opposite sides of the thick glass wall.

You'll never have a better (read: safer) chance to see a SawTooth Shark up close than this.

I will be sure to recognize a Reef Shark now, should I be unlucky enough to meet one while snorkelling.

The highlight of the week was the Dolphin Shallow Water Encounter.

At $150.00 a person, only three got to participate.  Three of us got complimentary passes to sit on the beach and take pictures.

 I couldn't stop taking pictures of these smiling beauties!!!

And then there were the Aqua-Adventures!

You will recall last year's post about the Not-So-Lazy River.  Grand #1 was NOT impressed.  As a matter of fact, neither was anyone near her, as she screamed through the whole trip!  Grand #2 was a trooper, but he didn't take up any offers to go again.  Smile.

The gentle, children's water slides were more to their liking.

The water play was unending...pool after pool, fountains, ponds...

One of my favs was the afternoon we took Steadfast out to Rose Island, dropped the anchor, had a picnic and a swim off the back swim platform; no one around, just us.

Some things are just better in the wild.

My water camera has seen better days.  There seems to be water inside of it now...groan!

The whole park is an aquarium.  This suspension bridge crosses the pool with the deadly Hammerhead Shark.  Every lush garden has waterfalls, lilly pad pools, fish pools--acre after acre of beauty and fascination.  I am continually amazed at the layout and design, the cleanliness and the courteous, friendly manner of all the staff.

It was hard to say goodbye when the time came for the Albertans to head back to the snow and for Steadfast to loose the ties and head south.  Next stop--Highbourne Cay, Nelson's all-time favourite island, or should I say, his most fav beach ever. 

Any news from home?  Is the weather being kind to you?  Are the tulips beginning to poke their heads up yet?

Hope you are enjoying a restful Sunday and that you have a good week ahead.  As Papa Buz says, "Make it count!"