The way we tour(ist)

Scott flew down to meet me here for the weekend and we decided to do the touristy things. On Saturday we went to the historic naval dockyards and on Sunday we went to the aquarium.

At the dockyards, we went into the maritime museum, I was pretty fascinated by the outside with all the cannons and the walls and such. Inside I was impressed by the award-winning renovations to the structure. Soon I asked if it was time to go see the dolphins. I just couldn’t handle being inside a museum on a beautiful sunny day in the tropics reading plaques about the history of the island. Yawn.

We sat and watched the dolphins at the ‘dolphin quest’ exhibit – same museum facility – but the dolphin quest offers the chance to swim with the dolphins. The water is really too cold at this time of year to do it, but it was great fun to watch them chase each other and play.

We had some lunch, wandered around the island, and were eager to find the Hagen Daas ice cream shop. Then we had had our fill and we took the ferry back.

On Sunday we spent our time at the aquarium admiring the fish and going through all the zoo exhibits, but we bolted through the geological museum offerings. Again it was a beautiful day outside and neither of us had any interest in reading informative plaques regarding sediment changes over the history of the island when we could watch the seals, peacocks, and wallabies throughout the zoo.

Given what information geeks we both are I found it kind of amusing. I realize that our penchant for technology has made us (me at least) too fidgety to stand inside a museum, reading all the walls upon walls of information, when there are glorious seals just out the door frolicking in their pool (or, in this case, sunning themselves and grunting, but still). It was exactly the same the day before – cannons = cool, museum = dull, dolphins =excellent!

It may be where I am in my life, or the fact that I am on a business trip taking advantage of the weekend to sight see with my husband, or maybe I just don’t get enough sunshine anymore.

But at least my partner in tourism is okay when I say, “I’m done with the history, let’s go see the dolphins!” because really, shouldn’t you do these things with someone who will enjoy what you enjoy and won’t be horribly disappointed when you tell them you need more sunshine and less time reading about sediment?