Sea Paradise in Yokohama

Yesterday Sydney and I went to the Aqua Museum of Sea Paradise in Yokohama. It was Sydney's first trip to an aquarium and she enjoyed it even more than I had anticipated. Thanks in part to the "sea life" theme in her room, she has recently learned how to say "fish." In fact, almost every morning when I come into her room to get her, she points at a fish on her sheet and emphatically says, "Fish! Fish!"

It was an especially fun trip because we went with Sydney's friend Violet and her family. The two girls are already like teenagers, mimicking each other and cackling at each other's silliness. (Here's a cute video that shows it best.) Unfortunately, they are preparing to leave Japan next month and we will be very sad to see them go. But we've had some great times together. Here the girls look very seriously at the walruses and their big "teeth."

Sydney especially got excited about the penguins swimming by her at her eye level. She shouted out, "Whoa!" And she had to get down lower for a better view.

We ended our visit to the aquarium at the dolphin show, where Sydney was too excited to sit down to eat our picnic lunch. So, she grazed in between dancing to the music played at the show. Here's a video where she's clapping to the beat. I'm not sure why she doesn't look happier...if she's my daughter, I guess she's concentrating on keeping the beat.