Their experiences were all different, but one thing’s certain: the extended Steenkamp family all had a fabulous adventure at the Two Oceans Aquarium.
Myself (who works in the Johannesburg office of Flow Communications, a service provider to the aquarium), mom Tania, daughter Lily (5), niece Fenn Woodman (13) and the family’s domestic worker, Jeanette Ramoolla, had come to Cape Town on holiday – and what better place to visit on a blazing hot day than the really cool Two Oceans Aquarium?
It was guaranteed to be great outing; the kids love the aquarium, and this was Jeanette’s first-ever visit to the coast. If seeing the ocean for the first time was awe-inspiring for her, seeing what was under it was simply mind-blowing.
“So beautiful,” was Jeanette’s constant refrain throughout the visit. She said little else, but she beamed a lot.
Of course, kids being the meticulous explorers they are, we saw everything in the place at least once. The ragged-tooth sharks were naturally a hit, and the penguins, the clownfish and the touch pool. The myriad fish were fascinating, and the art was thought-provoking.
Lily took in a lot more of the educational side of things than in her previous visit; it was delightful to witness her inquisitive nature at work. Fenn, on the other hand, explored her newly-discovered interest in photography – many of the accompanying photographs are hers (camerawork was shared). Tania and I, of course, got to relax and enjoy both the aquarium, and our companions’ wonderment.
And everyone’s favourite? The answer was, surprisingly, unanimous and unusual: it was the mermaid’s purse, one of the smallest exhibits in the aquarium. Backlit in its own little tank, one can see the embryonic shark wriggling inside. All were entranced by the sight of a life beginning.
And so it was, indeed, a truly special outing. All too soon, however, it was time for lunch at the Shoreline Café before the family set off, hearts, minds and tummies filled, into the baking Capetonian afternoon.
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