National Leviathan Habitat : Persona Recursion cordibus

[sassybird]

If Green Valley's massive school can be considered Eddan's radiant diamond, then the National Leviathan Habitat located at Royal Mount is without a doubt its breathtaking sapphire. Many websites, television shows, and magazines easily put it in the top ten of aquariums in the entire world, which is no small feat. The number of gallons it carries in its closed tanks easily breaches the million mark, and the sheer variety of animals it carries is stunning as are their numbers.

However, besides the typical aquarium fare, National Leviathan Habitat has many more activities for everyone! Within the city, it is an absolute leviathan, and is spread heavily along the coastline where it has been established. Not only does it have multiple levels and buildings in order to represent a variety of different marine habitats from tropical waters to arctic ones, but it has its own museum focused on aquatic life, various food stops including a cafe and restaurant, and a wealth of children's activities.





As with any aquarium worth its weight in water, the National Leviathan Habitat has underwater glass tunnels through which visitors can get a more up close view of the various aquatic animals that are housed there. What makes the place unique is the plural aspect of that feature. To showcase and appreciate the sheer variety of aquatic habitats throughout the world, each one has its own tunnel which can be walked through. Due to the way light goes through the water, being down in any of the tunnels lends an ethereal and hauntingly beautiful feeling even when surrounded by a crowd of people.

To add to the feeling of submersion, there are areas above the water which can be viewed, and entering the tunnel begins with an escalator that slowly takes people into it staring from above the water to under it.





There is also a great deal of areas which focus on a particular species, something that can be accomplished due to its tremendous size. Not only do these areas of the aquarium display tanks or viewing areas into much larger areas to let people see that majestic creatures in question for themselves, but they also double as educational areas.

For some exhibits, such as those revolving around endangered animals, it discusses what threatens them and lists organizations that visitors can support. For others, there is more of a focus on educating people about misunderstood animals, with the shark exhibit being a primary example.

Special notice should be paid to the cephalod exhibit. Octopi, squids, and cuttlefish are all on display there in a variety of ways for a number of reasons. With octopi, visitors are encouraged to interact with them and many of the creatures showcase their intelligence. Not only do cuttlefish demonstrate an amazing ability to mimic other animals (much like their octopi kin), but some researchers have learned that they demonstrate the capacity for language by communicating with their tentacles. Visitors are encouraged to try and communicate back by following along a video guide near the tank, all while being recorded for research purposes. As for the squid? On display in a sealed tank is the corpse of one of the largest squid ever discovered.





Strictly aquatic creatures are not the only ones which are on display, either!

The Dead Sea Shoal Aquarium is more than happy to house any sort of animal, so long as water hunting or living is a major component of its life. This means it has on display various avian life, penguins being the primary bird that comes to mind where it dwells in the arctic exhibit, and also with reptiles and amphibians such as crocodiles in their own exhibit areas.

Because of their part-water and part-land lifestyles, the areas of the aquarium which house these creatures tend to be somewhat different, having more land-focused areas which gladly inform visitors about the unique struggles and lifestyles they face due to this. As with so many areas in Eddan, these areas of the exhibit tend to be bursting with plantlife, all related to the areas in which these creatures live.





Tanks aren't the only way to see marine life, either!

Due to its position on Eddan's beautiful coast, the aquarium is open to resources that landlocked facilities wouldn't. Thus, it has plenty of areas that can be walked to outside of the aquarium to see what coastal life thrives on Eddan. There are also special underwater areas which can be traversed to, showing the open sea instead of peering out into closed off tanks.

Special offers are also available for those who want to go a little step further! Depending on the time of year, both shark cage visits and whale seeing tours on boats are offered to those interested.

The website, front desks, and various commercials all gladly let the people of Eddan know when certain species have migrated into the area, along with any particularly famous tagged animals.





Since it's spread over such an enormous area, it's only fair the that aquarium tend to the needs of its visitors. In-between the exhibits, there are a variety of restrooms and food stops.

In most cases, those food stops are simple stalls whose vendors often change depending on the seasons. However, no matter the season, there is always something suitable for visitors who want to walk and eat without missing a thing. To that end, some of the foods that can be found sold by stall are crêpes, egg waffles, espetinho, hot dogs, and many other handy foods.

However, some people want to take a breather. To that end, two notable places are to be kept in mind: the What's Krackin' Cafe and High Scale, the more indepth restaurant.

The What's Krackin' Cafe is for anyone looking for the cheaper and lighter option. Decorated with various smaller aquariums and skeletons (love those itty bitty cuttlefish!), it serves soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches, and all sorts of seafood dishes like lobster risotto. Kid menus and baby seats are available upon request!

In contrast, High Scale is where you go to impress someone. With entire aquarium walls, including a window which shows into an enormous tank, plus a variety of pillars filled with bioluminescent jellyfish, it makes for a stunning view. Much more than its cafe counterpart, it focuses on seafood dishes more than other things (although classics such as steak are available). Those who eat at High Scale are treated to the most beautiful arrangements of sushi along with things such as broiled lobster tail or scallop crudo.





As with so many other businesses, the aquarium has had to adjust to the curfew affecting it. Part of its way of dealing has been to open up a unique offer that nowhere else can give: an overnight stay in the aquarium itself!

Visitors who accept this amazing deal are permitted to stay long past when the aquarium closes to the public and can still view certain closed areas (although of course they are not permitted to visit between buildings). When the aquarium goes dark, they can drift to sleep beneath the windows leading into an aquatic world.

As a part of this deal, customers are given blow up mattresses, pillows, and blankets to sleep in. Those who wish to can purchase them permanently as a memento of the occasion, although they can also in turn get a discount for their stay if they bring their own thing like a sleeping bag. It is recommended that people also bring their own change of clothes and toiletries, although the aquarium will gladly sell them anything they're lacking. That night's dinner and breakfast are included in the deal, provided happily by What's Krackin', although it is possible to upgrade to something from High Scale if that is what the customer desires and has the cash for.

Those who decide to stay the night are given a microchipped ring, with the centerpiece being scale-like patterns. The rings come in a variety of colors, so the customer can choose which suits them. Besides being a souvenir, the rings also function essentially as a hand-stamp. By scanning the ring, aquarium employees can check if the user has paid for a nights stay and put them into the system so that other employees recognize them. It is encouraged that repeat customers reuse the rings! Recycling is important.







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