Atlantis Aquarium & Before and After

While at the Atlantis resort we took in the aquarium.  It has a cost of $45 each, but was well worth it.  I am sharing a few of the pictures we took.

Lobster Exhibit

These spiny lobsters grow by molting.  Their shell spits apart which exposes the new shell that has developed under it.

Moon Jellyfish

Jellyfish are 98% water and do not have a brain, central nervous system or eyes.  I can tell you first hand that they are not without a defense system.  I was stung by jellyfish a few years ago and it was a terrible experience.  I never want to feel that pain again!

Sea Urchin

Walter snapped a good picture of the sea urchin.  The aquarium is downstairs under the Atlantis.  At points you can see the water above where you are walking.

Clownfish

 That's right.  We found the fish in the movie "Finding Nemo".  The grandchildren were happy to see a clownfish for real rather than the animated type.  They are so colorful.

Brandon, Chris & Tracy

The tanks were large and contained hundreds of fish.  The layout mimicked ancient streets that contained art and artifacts.  We saw manna rays, starfish, conchs and seahorses, to name a few.

Navigation Room

The literature says that city models such as the one found here projected information about the weather, acessible routes and planetary positions.  To view this information, helmets were donned which were fitted with specialized lenses that corresponded to either land, sea or air travel.

Unidentified Fish

One of Many Schools of Fish We Saw

These aquatic fish and animals were breathtaking to admire.  We all enjoyed the tour in our own ways.  Although they did not rival the aquarium experience, the towel animals we found almost every time we returned to our cabin were fun, too.

Our room was spacious and allowed for rest and recuperation in privacy.



Walter (One of the Few Pictures I Took)

Anteater Towel

Us Holding the Camera Out for a Self-Portrait

Martha and the Towel Animal

Elephant?  Not Sure.

Swan

The towel animals were fun to receive.  The rooms were always cleaned when we returned each day and the animals gave us something to look forward to.  The others stayed in rooms across the hall, so they usually had a different towel animal than we had.

Prior to leaving the Nashville airport to fly to Orlando we were full of anticipation and eager for the trip.

Before the Trip - All Smiles & Eager for Our Departure

When the above picture was taken, I joked that this was our BEFORE picture.

The AFTER Picture - Waiting for the Call to Leave the Cruise Line

As we waited to be called to leave the cruise line, half of us tried to catch a few minutes of sleep.  Some worked puzzles or read.  Another traveler's phone rang in the distance for about one hour while we waited.  When it finally stopped, the other waiting cruisers were relieved.

Then the call came.  We gathered up our things and left for the Orlando airport for a few hours of shopping and layover.  And then it was over.  We were back in Nashville.  Hugs and kisses to all and back to our homes.

The cruise to the Bahamas was over and we were back to our normal life.  Everyone has good memories of several days spent together in love and fellowship.  God is good!

Atlantis Architecture and Grounds

The grounds of the Atlantis are beautifully landscaped.  We spent some time enjoying both the features of the buildings and the flowers and walkways on the property.



Me Admiring the Royal Towers

Beautiful Front Facade

Dolphin Detail on Building Top

Me by Flower Bed

Walter by Flower Bed

Seashell Covered Pavilion

Dolphin Detail at the Rooftop

Bird Sculpture on Atlantis Grounds

View Outside "The Dig" Aquarium

Palm Tree Amid the Umbrellas

Span Between Buildings

Rental of These Rooms is Expensive

Well Tended Flower Beds

Tropical Plantings at the Resort

The Overcast Sky Made the Visit Comfortable

I Wish We Could Have Seen One of These Rooms

Roofline Tourists See From Across Town

Elaborate Head Dress Displayed in the Hallway

Me, Mick, Gloria, Brandon, Chris, Austin & Tracy Overlook the Extensive Landscapes

The above picture is one of my favorites.  It was unplanned and Walter took it before anyone knew he was focusing.  It shows that all eight of us were unified in our enjoyment of our trip.  Like Chris said, "We came together and we will leave together!"

On our last trip to the Bahamas, Walter & I had not visited the Atlantis.  This trip I wanted to see the grand resort and I am glad we did.  It offered a half day of seeing sculptures, elaborate decoration, well-designed grounds, shopping at high-end stores, a dolphin area and an aquarium.

After we left the resort area, we went into Nassau.  Walter bought $14.00 of jelly beans.  By contrast, Tracy & Chris bought diamond earrings and necklace.   They are sweet!

And thus ended our day in Nassau.

Atlantis

The Atlantis hotel and aquarium in Nassau is not to be missed.  The eight of us caught an early taxi to explore the large resort.  The Royal Towers, conference center, the Digs and the casino are all a part of the massive complex.

We made so many pictures that I will not post all of them.  The lobby of the hotel was filled with ornamentation and sculptures.

Glass Sculpture in Royal Tower Lobby

Walter & I in Lobby

Temple of the Sun in the Casino

Dale Chihuly Blue Sculpture

Large Bull/Fish Sculpture in Lobby

The Grand Hall

Close-up of the Overhead Painted Ceiling

Seahorse Encased Lantern Inside Lobby

The lobby and casino are full of breath-taking design and sculptures.  We had time to look at the building decor but when we left we knew we had not been able to take it all in.  It was so ornate and decorative.  The Dale Chihuly glass art pieces were spectacular!

Everyone Discovering the Atlantis Decorations

The Atlantis is in Paradise Island, Bahamas.  Since we were there in the early morning, the casino was not open.  The staff made sure that no underage people were inside its confines though.  We were mainly interested in seeing the aquarium named "The Dig" so that didn't interfere with our good times.

God is good!

Portraits from Our Bahama Cruise

I suppose the cruise lines don't like any amateur photographers working behind them.  Although any time a series of poses are being done, it is almost impossible not to snap a few pictures on your own camera.

As we found out later, you can spend hundreds of dollars on the professional photos.  So with an apology to the professionals, the following pictures found their way into our camera.

A Shared Moment Like This is Special to Behold

When you see your child and her husband having a loving moment, after twenty years and two children, the rules just fade.  Walter took these pictures from the floor level above the stairs as they prepared for the photographer.



Tracy & Chris - Tender Together

I don't think I have ever seen a picture of Tracy's smile without seeing her sweet heart.  She is very photogenic, and also a joy to be around.

Walter & I Ready a Pose

Our gray hair is our crowning glory!  Truly sometimes we even convince ourselves that we do not have either white or gray hair.  Then some rogue photographer comes along and makes liars of us.

We Were Not Dressed for Formal Night

During the cruise I watched what I ate, exercised in the onboard gym and walked the deck.  I did not gain even one pound on the trip.  Sadly, the day after retuning, I weighed again.  I had gained two pounds.  My friend said it was a "delayed reaction".  Drat!

Beautiful Pose

Back to the young adults.  These are nice pictures of Tracy & Chris that I don't believe they bought.

Bench Prop

This was a fun photo with a different twist.

Chris Shows a Little Ankle

It was nice to see Chris smiling and relaxed.  He holds down a high-stress, "respectable" position back in Tennessee.  A little joke there.   No phone calls or texts on the ship for him.  Not until the airline boarding passes had to be printed did he even sign on to the internet.  That is the way to have a peaceful vacation, in my opinion.