continuing in the 'enormous' theme

and also the 'window' theme, although this is an enormous thing seen through a window, not an enormous window through which things are seen...

the monterey bay aquarium has two Mola mola, or ocean sunfish - an animal the approximate size and shape of a millstone (excellent modern reference point, tintenfisch!) that can grow to 3m long and 4m from fin-tip to fin-tip.  before  seeing these unlikely giants alive in california  (rivalled on this trip only by the manatees in miami), i had only had a good look at a dead one.  someone found a large specimen near whangarei last year and notified us; the carcass was duly carted to the university and deposited in the carpark, where a latex cast was made as it began to defrost.  then a dedicated crew of staff and students (including bumbly) took turns carving away the flesh with the eventual goal of articulating and displaying the skeleton.

while impressive, the stiffly frozen corpse didn't really compare to seeing the live 700-800kg bulk moving ponderously through the water, fins waving slowly and strange eye rolling.  see?  (warning: probably best to mute the sound first - lots of small children shrieking.)