When we visited Paris in December 2010 we were mesmerized by the rose windows in the Notre Dame Cathedral. We stood admiring the colours, the shapes and how the light played through the ancient 13^th century glass masterpieces. That year Paris experienced one of the coldest winters with accompanying snowstorms and temperatures reaching a shocking -10°C to -20°C. We have never experienced cold like that before. We could only stand to be outside a few hours before escaping indoors, searching for some warmth. We wanted to pay tribute to that amazing experience with this design. The colourful rose windows and refuge of the Cathedral contrasted with the bitter cold and white snow outside.

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In April 2017 we visited Cape Town’s Two Oceans aquarium. Being two very enthusiastic scuba divers, we decided to dive in two of the aquarium’s exhibits. Unfortunately the predator exhibit was under construction at the time so we did not get the chance to swim with the ragged-tooth sharks. We will next time…if we are brave enough (insert nervous laughter here).

The exhibit we enjoyed the most was the cold water Kelp Forest exhibit. The water temperature was a shockingly cold 13°C which was a big change from the tropical waters in our usual dive spot in Sodwana Bay.

The exhibit is open to the sky above so that the kelp can have ample sunlight to grow. As we were standing on the edge of the tank, fully geared up and ready to jump in an excitement started growing in us. There was a salty, fishy sea smell on the air. The penguins were diving in and out of the water. As the sunlight was playing on the waters surface, we took the plunge and dove into the stinging cold.

As we caught our breaths, we were welcomed by a bustling underwater world. The aquarium installed pumps and systems that create circulation and water movement within the tank. This gives a magical and enchanting feeling when you are submerged. It mimics the open ocean. The kelp dances and sways while the sun shimmers on the lustrous scales of the fish hiding in the forest.

The teeming exhibit with its dense kelp and multitude of fish inspired this mysterious and magical design.

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