Salt Water Kisses

A kiss!

We finally, now that we're faced with leaving, swallowed the price and did the Dolphin Encounter at Sea Life Park Hawaii.

Dolphin-Hand shake :)

Lovies!

It was so amazing! I wish they would let you do it twice, just so you could look at the dolphin once and then the camera. It was funny because we got a good talking to prior to entering the pool - no touching unless you're told to. Why? Because these dolphins don't know you. You are strangers and you wouldn't want a strangers hands all over you. It makes sense.

Our dolphin, Kaleo, is 32 years old. He's an Atlantic Bottlenose. He's actually the father of the new baby dolphin at the park and he was in the movie '50 First Dates'.

We bought the DVD, all 8 minutes of it, so that we could show Galina that she actually did hold onto his fins. She just couldn't look at the camera and hold his fins. She absolutely LOVED this whole experience!

Kisses!!

We've been prepping Galina for a few weeks. Telling her that we were going to swim with a dolphin, that it was going to kiss her on the cheek and she could give it a kiss and dance with it. She was thrilled with all of it. Brian and I both thought that she might flip out once we got into the water and she saw how big the dolphin was. Nope. She bugged me the entire time because she wanted to get down and swim. I guess we should've been telling her that she'd get to stand with the dolphin! We kept telling her that we'd go to the beach later to let her swim. She didn't stop asking once we were done. I guess this didn't scar her for life. She kills me. Such a trooper.

At any rate, she loved it. Was happy the whole time. Wanted to stay in and swim. Ate a 1/4 lb. hotdog after the whole thing, while we waited for the pictures to print so that we could pay an exorbitant amount for them :) But how could I say no?

We came to the park when she was still very tiny - but I'm glad we brought her back. She enjoyed seeing the sea turtles and reef tank, the sea lions (well, the first time she heard one bark she was a little taken aback, but got used to it and was barking back at them after a bit) and enjoyed the penguins. I got a smashed penny and Brian got a Dr. Pepper - yes that makes for a good day.

We've decided to bring her back in 6 years, she'll be old enough to do the Royal Adventure and actually swim with the dolphins. I'm looking forward to it for her!