MACNA REDUX

Hi,  Blennieluvr and I went to the Marine Aquarium Conference of North America, last weekend.  MACNA as it is called is the CandyLand of saltwater.  OMGoodness!  If they don't have it you don't need it.
 If I had had any brains I would have done a blow by blow Blog about it, but since I don't,  have a blog or a brain, I will give you a shortened version.

 There are plenty of hotels near the Colorado Convention Center, it's the one with the giant blue bear peeking in the windows.  Some artist made a fortune on that idea!  We were only a half block away, so hauling luggage and bags of goodies was easy.  
         NOTE:  for future trips, Get the closest hotel, so you unload your bags regularly and go back if you forget your tickets for this or that.  They are pretty much sticklers for having credentials.
 The showroom will give you asthma, anxiety, or heart palpitations or some kind of medical trauma.  It is wall to wall fish, aquariums and electronic equipment.  Candy Candy Candy.  Expensive Candy Candy Candy.
All biotopes are well represented.  That in itself is fun to wander around, look at, study and take a picture.  Unfortunately most tanks are under heavy actinic so most photos turn out blue, unless you are clever and know which filter to use, OK I went to the lecture and it's a Barium filter, but a good piece of yellow gel film will work.  
 MACNA has a Button Hunt.  That is where you go to the various vendors and collect buttons with their logo on them.  If you are one of the first 200 people with 25 buttons you get a prize.  I was one of the very first.  What was my prize.  Well, apparently you have to have a cell phone.  Oops.  Next time I'll be prepared.
       NOTE:  A cell phone really is handy, so you can connect with lost companions.  There were 3200 people at this conference.
 Cammie aka Blennieluvr, and I did a little shopping/looking before our first lecture.  Frags here I come.

Later:  You need to stay awake in the classroom.