This year’s Summer is coming to an end. It has been a fun and adventurous journey for me and my family. We discovered a lot of beautiful places that brought us happiness and inspiration. We made a lot of unforgettable memories that we will treasure in the years to come.
As promised, I bring you my 10th and last adventure of the Summer titled ” Life Under The Pyramids.”
I used to connote the pyramids with mummies, of pharaoh’s curses and hidden treasures but all of that changed when two weeks ago my family and I discovered the pyramids of Moody Gardens in Galveston. There were three pyramids and 2 of them holds many fascinating life forms. Today, you will walk with me as we explore the living gems of the pyramids.
A green dinosaur with sharp teeth greeted us at the Visitor’s Center entrance. A world of excitement was about to unfold.
The adventure begins...
We bought a season pass. We were certain that we will be back several times to fully appreciate the many wonders of the place. The Moody Garden is also famous for its mesmerizing Festival of Lights during the Winter Holidays. As an added bonus, the tickets were good till next year’s Summer. Yipee!
My son enjoyed the 4-D Dora and Diego’s jungle adventure. We jolted a few times from our seats when we unexpectedly got sprayed with cold water . My son had a great time popping the bubbles that were hovering above our heads. At the end of the movie, I heard my son say, ” that was so cool!” I couldn’t agree more.
We were all eager to see the newly renovated Rainforest Pyramid. The first friendly creatures that caught our attention were the playful River Otters. My son was so thrilled by their swimming movements while they tossed a plastic yellow tube back and forth, up and down.
The Rainforest Pyramid
We climbed up the stairs that led to a canopy walkway that has a breathtaking view of the rainforest from above. We saw several bright-colored birds resting on the top most part of the trees. Some were too comfortable with humans that they would rest on the walkway’s guard rail.
Speaking about grooming, this two cuddly white-faced Saki monkeys showed us that you can look great under pressure.
Impressive makeover. This gorgeous Saki monkey didn’t mind posing for the camera. In fact, it patiently waited for the kids to finish their picture-taking before climbing up the trees.
It was time to mingle with the butterflies. My son had a lot of fun trying to catch them. He learned about their interesting life cycle.
These choice of fruits attracted several butterflies. My son curiously watched this one sip the grape’s juice.
Upon reaching the rainforest floor, a different, rich and colorful life forms greeted us. There were cascading waterfalls and ponds with fishes like Cichlids , giant Catfish, silver and red Arowanas.
Arowanas can leap more than 6 feet from the surface water to catch an insect or even a small bird. I cautioned my son not to place his finger in the water. They sure don’t nibble like a goldfish does.
One of the most beautiful and stunning creatures were the Macaws. We spotted a couple of blue, red and green ones. These three looked at each other as soon as a group of tourist took their pictures. It made me wonder if they gossip too. Hmm?
Some interesting finds were a green lizard with a red-head and a chinese alligator.
These ancient pillars led to an aquarium with Piranhas and a humongous Anaconda. The Anaconda appeared motionless. It can easily be mistaken as a log by an unsuspecting prey. Although it looked scary to some, I felt bad that it’s being confined to a small space. I bet it misses its home in the wild.
We encountered several more animals while passing through this tunnel. The Vampire bats were creepy. The cave felt damp. We felt drops of water dripping from the cave’s ceiling.
Before leaving the rainforest, we saw two Tamarins running on this plastic beam. One of them stared at us. I guess it was his way of saying, “goodbye, come back soon.”
A message we must pass on so the next generation will have the chance to see how incredible our rainforests are. We all take part in its preservation.
It was time to discover the fascinating creatures of our vast oceans. My son was basically dragging me to see the sharks. He thinks that they’re the coolest fish out there.
It was a thrilling experience to walk through an aquarium tunnel. We saw several species of sharks including a Hammerhead. We also saw a huge yellow eel, a stingray and a sea turtle.
As much as I admired the sharks, they’re one of the reasons that will make me think twice before jumping into an unknown deep water. Those cold, glassy eyes and rows of sharp teeth are some of the images that comes to my mind when I think about them.
In reality, sharks help clean our oceans and has a role in keeping a balance to our ecosystem. Nowadays, they are sadly the ones being hunted. Knowing this makes me feel bad for them. Knowledge is a key tool to prevent their extinction.
The source of false fears, ” Jaws” the movie. I remember covering my face when I was a kid as the shark’s fin surface the water, heading towards a clueless swimmer with the famous eerie background music heightening the suspense and fear.
Meet Nemo’s friend.
Do sea horses gallop? They seemed to bounce as they swam around the corals. There was one aquarium full of baby sea horses. My wife whispered, “they’re so cute!”
Looks can be deceiving. Lionfish has venomous spiky tentacles.
The graceful seals would swim close to the spectators. There’s a section where a trained seal would pose and keep still as soon as you raise you camera to take its picture.
The first group of these handsome penguins came from incubated eggs. Finally, we met the “Happy Feet” family. Totally awesome.
The red pyramid exhibits the skeleton of both man and animals. My favorite was the Gorilla because their bones closely resembled that of humans and it reminded me of the classic movie, “Kingkong.”
A walk to the pre-historic times. The Dino Alive exhibit made everyone feel the Jurassic vibe.
The mighty T-rex. Every few minutes, its head would move as its mouth opens to make a loud growl. Just like what you see on T.V. Size wise, it was enormous.
Newly hatched Dinosaurs.
My son’s favorite was digging for the dinosaur’s fossilized remains. He got to keep the tiny bones.
The Colonel boat gave as an hour ride along the bay. It was a great way to just stare at the sea and let my life’s worries drift with the waves. I wish it’s something I could do everyday.
My wife was having a moment of her own. Everyone seemed to be in a trance except for my active 5-year old who kept exploring the boat.
It was time to get wet and go wild at the Palm Beach. Best way to cool off the 101 degrees simmering heat.
We went water sliding, tubing and wave riding. My son was so happy. He loves anything that involves the water. I had to stop him several times so he could eat and drink. Every time I tell him that it was time to leave, he would say, “10 more minutes,dad.” Those 10 minutes turned into an hour. Oh well, this Summer was all about him having the best time of his life.
We went back Friday afternoon for the last live band and fireworks of the Summer. Those who came without kids chilled by the beach as they listened to some upbeat music. When the night came and the full moon shining brightly like some shimmering ” disco ball,” several people including children started dancing in front of the stage.
People were clapping and cheering as the amazing fireworks lit the coastal skies with bright colors of yellows and reds. It was the perfect ending for a well celebrated Summer.
I will miss the adventures and the wonderful memories of this year’s Summer. I am thankful that me and my family were blessed to have experienced them. Thank you for following those adventures. Till next year.
