Mermaid Monday: Ariel visits the aquarium

Welcome, March! And welcome to my first post of the year! I seriously can't believe how fast time flies. It feels like it was yesterday that I made my last blog post, when in reality it's been three months. Ooops! Lots of things have been going on these months, but today I wanted to share our experience at the Barcelona Aquarium, a place I'd been wanting to visit since we arrived to the city, for a really cool Mermaid Monday (though I know it's actually Thursday).

First of all, no good visit to any aquarium could be complete without a proper Disneybound of an ocean-related character. Honestly, I feel it's very hard to find a comfortable and beautiful outfit with these cold temperatures. I wish I could Disneybound every day of my life, which is already quite a daunting task, but it's even more difficult when you have to wear three or four layers of clothes to protect yourself from the cold. I'm so not feeling like Elsa in winter! But with a bit of planning I was able to choose a nice ensemble to portray Ariel during my trip to the aquarium honoring a lovely Mermaid Monday.

My outfit was simple, but highly recognizable. The beautiful green mermaid dress by Retrolicious, which I got from The Oblong Box Shop, served as a wonderful base to channel Ariel. You can read a detailed review of this dress if you go back a few posts in the blog, or simply click here. Its green scaley pattern perfectly resembles the little mermaid's tail, while the dark purple cardigan tied over it evokes her sea shell top. Everything came together nicely with a pair of tropical-themed flats in a similar color scheme. Those weren't my first shoe option, but given that we had a long walk ahead of us, they started to seem like a pretty good choice. We left our coats and scarves inside a locker at the aquarium's entrance, since the building is completely enclosed and has no outdoor tanks or shows. Here's a little side-by-side:

We had a *splash* at the aquarium, where we got to see dozens of large fish tanks with around 450 different species of marine animals. Fish, eels, sharks, starfish, mantas, jellyfish, and even penguins made their appearances throughout the place. There are special daily "feeding show" schedules, where you can see crew members feeding some of the animals. My absolute favorite part was a long underwater tunnel filled with fish and sharks, which reminded me of the similar tunnels at the Boston Aquarium and Sea World Orlando. However, I must say that larger animals like orcas, walruses, dolphins and others were nowhere to be found. We really expected to see some big mammals, but the only sizable beast we saw was a really hunchbacked bull shark. He is the pride of the Barcelona Aquarium, and you can actually opt to swim with the sharks in that tank... for quite a high price!

Tickets are also a bit overpriced in relation to what you get to see, at least according to us, so it's nice to wait for discounts and offers. We actually got a great coupon with 4€ off each ticket. Savings, savings, come to me! Although it was a fun adventure, I think the Barcelona Aquarium definitely doesn't rank in my top three favorite aquariums. Regardless, it was a wonderful experience and this little Ariel is always glad to visit fishy friends. I truly felt like a mermaid in the ocean for a whole day. Aquariums are one of my go-to places all around the world... I think I'll be going back soon to get a new shark plushie from the aquarium store to add to my collection.

By the way, I was able to identify all the fish species from Finding Nemo swimming in different tanks. I'm guessing that after the movie became so popular, hundreds of aquariums around the world began to place these fish together for Disney fans to discover. You can use my guide "A study on Finding Nemo's aquarium fish" to look for them next time you go to any aquarium! Just follow this link. And speaking of Nemo, have you checked out @TheDisneybound 's new March Disneybound challenge? I will be partaking in this, so stick around my Instagram account to check all the Disney-inspired outfits I post this month. Let's get our Disney on!

Come back later for new posts and cool findings! 

Wake me up when September ends

September has been a month of big changes and transformations for me, although I haven't yet felt a dramatic whirlwind of difference. The transitions have been slow but steady, with most events being planned ahead of time. I've always thought that planning and getting prepared can go a long way, even when things don't actually go as planned. Anyway, the blog has rarely seen an entry in this period of time, due to the fact that I've been busy as a bee. But now it feels good to be back. Let's hope I can get back to my semi-regular posting schedule!

Hopping onto the "second-quarter" wagon

I would really appreciate skipping this topic, since I've decided I won't be aging anymore, but I do feel the need to talk about something related to growing old. Some people say that age is not a number, and that's absolutely true. I couldn't agree more with Walt Disney's famous quote that reads:

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional"

Keeping a young spirit can go on forever, no matter how old you get. It all depends on how you live your life and stick to your authenticity. But now that I've surpassed the "first quarter of a lifetime" I've come to understand how adults feel when they see their kids, nephews, grandchildren, and other younglings growing up. You can't really put a finger on how it is that time goes by so fast. After all, once you develop as an adult you'll probably remain pretty much the same during two or three decades... but the truth is that kids can make you feel old. In fact, kids WILL make you feel old, and there's no escaping this. My advice is to let it sink in for a while and accept the circle of life.

Reaching our first year of civil marriage

Again with the thing about time, but seriously though: Does anyone have any secret to make time slow down? It has already been a year since my husband and I exchanged our vows at the local civil registry, and a little over half a year since our memorable wedding day. To this point, we've been together for more than five years, which is basically a fifth of my life. I'm really looking forward to spending the rest of our lives together but, c'mon life, take it easy!

Both the tiny matters and the big things a couple does together will bring forth chances for them to become stronger or drift apart. Being kind, flexible, respectful and loving are some of the most important stepping stones in a relationship. I've only been married for a year, but I've realized that knowing when to yield and when to stay put can make a great difference in any given situation with your couple. It's all about finding balance and complementing each other almost rhythmically... like ice skating. And whenever you lose your stability, working as a team to get back on track and finish your course with grace.

Moving into a different and wonderful city

Last, but not least, moving away from home for any reason can feel frustrating and depressing, but it also opens up a whole new range of possibilities for you. Finding an apartment to rent has been especially annoying, but we've got our hopes up that once we get past this we'll have our own little love nest to start sprouting together properly. I'm thrilled about living in a different continent now, reaching out to fresh perspectives and a new lifestyle. Since I was a little girl I've always felt like I don't really belong in my home country, so switching it out for European ways feels like the fresh start we were desperately in need of.

"Venture outside your comfort zone. The rewards are worth it".

-Rapunzel (from Tangled)

So here we are with only but our feet on this land, a mix of courage and excitement, and the best of us to give to the world! We've definitely pushed ourselves outside our comfort zone, and it feels good.

I know this post falls out of the ordinary, but after the short moving hiatus it was necessary to publish something more personal.

Stay tuned for new fashion, crafts and sewing articles, videos, tutorials and much more through my blog and social media. Follow me if you don't already!