We spent most of the day at the Ringling museum, which was very interesting. I had never seen a circus museum. They have a huge model of a circus, a labor of love by Mr. Howard. It is almost unbelievable, the size and detail. It really helps you understand how much is involved in putting together a circus.
Here is the cannon that launches the human cannonball.
The photo below shows Sandi practicing for her high wire act.
We spent perhaps an hour in the art museum, mostly looking at Islamic art, as well as Reuben's the Triumph of the Eucharist, four huge canvases.
After enquiring about kayak tours, we checked the weather forecast. There was enough wind in the forecast that we decided that a bigger boat would be better.
On Monday, we headed for the Mote aquarium, and signed up for the combination boat tour and aquarium ticket. The boat tour included houses of the rich and famous, a bird rookery, and some marine life dredged up from the sea bottom. It was fun to watch the puffer fish puff up. It was also interesting to see pelicans and other birds in breeding plumage. The roseate spoonbill was beautiful.
In the aquarium, we got to see two manatees relatively close, and enjoyed watching the river otters play.
Tuesday we headed home, through Atlanta. We were sad to leave.
