Wednesday 20 February 2008

Marineland France - 20th February 2008

Marineland! Damn, 4 years exactly since one of my first trips.
So we got there, roughly 10.20am, methinks. Mum booked me up for a Sea Lion encounter at 1.30 =].
So, headed straight for the orcas. I noticed the bottom section was all chained up, so I couldn't even get down to the glass for interactions - gutted! Wikie and Inouk were in the show pool, Valentin and Freya in the back, and Sharkane in the middle. The trainers came in, and got Wikie to do some moves, like her full flip and speed swim. Val was also being worked with, and involved in a backstage thing. I then lost mum - ha. Well she went off without telling me, so I went around to the dolphins. No one there, just me. I brought out my pink dolphin stuffie, and not long, the guys were at the glass =]. About 3 of them. They all came over, wide mouthed, looking at the stuffue, and rolling about abit =). I also trailed around the class and they followed. They then started to lose interest I think. They'd come over, look, then go away. So I got out a dolphin stencil thiny, which gained some interest back.
I then noticed alot of people at the orca stadium, So I went back. It was an educational show. I found mum! and sat with her. Well it was all spoken in French, but in English on the boards. About orca communication and stuff. They then 'proudly presented an extract of the afternoon show'. After the show, it was possible to have your photo taken with one of the orcas. Had to pay of course. I was first in que, and I had Freya =]. I had to lean against the glass, and the trainer made Freya pose wide mouthed, and with her tongue out =). I'm glad I got Freya.
We then had lunch - stone cold chips. We then went around the park, and at 1.20 went over for the Sea Lion interaction. It was me and a younger boy. We were taken into an enclosed room. They had trouble getting the right sea lions in :P. Both girls, both 14. One from Argentina, one from South Africa. The SA one was called Nelson, heh. So we had to pose a photo with Nelson, holding her flipper. I was taken to the Argentina one. I was told facts about her, fed her fish and made her wave. Then I got swapped to Nelson. I was allowed to stroke her, and again was told facts, fed ger fish, and got to give ger the clap signal, tell her off signal, but she wouldnt do the handstand one correctly. Instead she like held her flippers out heh.
So then it was over. Twas nice, and something different. The dolphin show was on next, so we ewnt over to that. I watched, no photos. There were 8 dolphins, and 2 young ones ^_^.
After the show, we hung about a bit, and then it was time where we could get our photos. I picked 2 Freya ones and a Nelson one.
It was time for the orcca show, we watched that and then we left the park.

Pics here: http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562576663eKovIo