Stuff only Alan Dean Foster or Steve Perry could dream up

Having just completed a few ADF novels I often marvel at the imagination they employ to create some of the alien creatures that they do. Foster's imagination in Quofum really stands out.

But then you see this seadragon and realize there's actual stuff that you don't need to imagine.





On a recent trip to Chicago we decided to stop by the Shedd Aquarium. Having kept and raised fish for some 25yrs I'm always up for a trip to an aquarium where ever we are. A spur of the moment decision to go to the one in Seattle paid rich dividends some time back. Great place.
Of course one of my past trips to Shedd resulted in the purchase of a 6' 130gal tank so there was some risk.......
It's been a while since I'd personally been to Shedd, in fact it was when the road still went right by the front door which is now a more pedestrian area.

Cole and Megan being cast out by the Penquins

They've added a reef display that depicts a coastal village of Apo in the Phillippines (Apo is actually a volcano). I must say, the display tanks, smells and recordings were really quite well done.