22nd April, 2007

This is hardly the way to write a blog, but my only excuse is the wonderful fact that Aquaworld has had a start to the season like no other! Finding time to update the blog has just been impossible - but I'll try to make it up now by adding new postings with a date at the top which corresponds to (roughly) when the events described actually happened...

Dimitris Revisits Aquaworld – With a Few Friends!

Dimitris enjoying his return visit

Dimitris Cartas first met the inhabitants of Aquaworld Aquarium in August last year, and when he paid a return visit this month it was with thirty-five of his environmental studies class-mates and four of their teachers for company.

The Cartas family was on holiday in Crete last summer and searched out Aquaworld after having read about it on the aquarium website. Mr Cartas senior was so impressed that he wrote in the Visitors’ Book that:

“This is a very well done job. I really enjoyed the facility. The philosophy of this aquarium and reptile base is really pet oriented where I got the opportunity to be very close to reptiles that most of the time we consider unfriendly and dangerous. I was very pleased. I recommend this visit to families with young kids.”

When Dimitris’ school (the 2nd Senior High of Haidariou) decided to visit Crete for their annual excursion, he remembered the little aquarium in Hersonissos and advised his class and teachers to visit it as part of their itinerary. When they agreed, Dimitris took it on himself to make all the arrangements with John & Judith McLaren - curators of Aquaworld.

As part of the proceedings, Dimitris had asked John to give them all a talk on environmental issues – but all notions of formality quickly evaporated when the party met some of the ‘kids’ of Aquaworld. There was a happy, excited and totally uncontrollable buzz as the young students found themselves holding snakes and lizards – very often for the first time in their lives – and delighting in very ‘up close and personal’ experiences.

“Although a lecture proved impossible,” remarked John, “we did have a prolonged and very fruitful Q&A session on an individual basis. The discussion ranged from such things as the reputation of reptiles versus the hard facts, animal conservation and protection of the environment. I found it very satisfying to talk with such an enthusiastic group of youngsters and I feel this bodes well for the future of environmental studies in Greece.”

On leaving, Dimitris added his thoughts to his father’s in the Visitors’ Book:
“This is a very great learning experience and it changes your point of view towards the environment.”

Some of Dimitris' classmates get up close & personal with a rescued boa