Our First Visit to Virginia Beach (It Will NOT Be Our Last!)

This weekend we made our first visit to Virginia Beach.  Jason was at a conference (in exciting Trenton, NJ) so he couldn't join us, but mom, dad, the girls and I went and had so much fun we are already planning to go back (and bring Jason with us!).

Of course, the reason most people go on vacation to Virginia Beach is for the BEACH, but this weekend was cold and rainy and we needed to find something to do indoors.  So, we headed to the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center.  We were delighted by what we found there!

Watching the playful seals.

Grandma and Elise discuss animals and habitats.

Magnifying underwater life.

A real Komodo Dragon!  Elise has been fascinated
with these for a while and finally got to see one!

Elise LOVED the tunnel through the fish.

Anja communed with the sea life.

There were snakes, too!

A crocodile!  The girls ham it up :)

This was beautiful to watch.  This tank had several
sea turtles that kept coming back again and again to
the girls.  They would swim right up to the glass
and just hover there while the girls held up their hands.

Learning about echolocation.

Oh, no, scary shark teeth! (yes, these dramatic
girls were having fun!)

Help!  We're being eaten by a shark!

One building at the Marine Center was the Marsh Pavilion, where there was information on the animal life in the surrounding marsh.  There was a lot of information on birds in this building, including an interactive display where the girls practiced their bird calls.  See a short video of Anja doing a gull call here.

Even though it was cold and rainy, we were in Virginia Beach and we HAD to go out to the beach!  The first day we were there was just a little cold, and the girls (and grandpa) were pretty adventurous in getting their feet wet.

They started out fully clothed,
with swimsuits underneath.

They started out not wanting to let the waves get them.

Then grandpa decided to see how much of the
cold water he could stand.

And, following grandpa's example,
the girls decided to get wet.

The day we left was even colder than the previous day, but the girls wanted to go out on the beach once more before we left. 



Heading to the beach to collect shells,
Elise thought the bucket on her head
would help keep her warm.

Anja's goal was to make a sandcastle.



Collecting shells



Mission accomplished!

Seeing the girls enjoying nature and the outdoors
brings me a special kind of happiness.