While spending Christmas at my sisters house in Toronto, we decided one day to check out the city's newly opened aquarium. I can't believe I'm still talking about Christmas, but anywho. The aquarium has been open for a couple of months now but, lemme tell you, this place was still super, super busy when we were there and, from what I heard, we even picked a good day (New Year's Day) to go, in terms of the lineups.
It's located right next to the CN Tower so if you're ever in the area you should definitely check it out. Our favourite part was the moving conveyor belt through a tunnel where there were swarms of fish and sharks all around you and even above your head. I'm not sure who loved this part more; my two and a half year old nephew or the adults. I'm thinking Nathan would win, though, because the entire time he was bawling out "OH SHARKS" to the top of his lungs. It was seriously the cutest.
And it was here where I met my very first blogger; Mar from t.o. & fro.
I've been following Mar for a few months now and over those months we've exchanged a few emails and stalked each other on Instagram. Okay, well more like I stalked her, but there's really no need to get into the specifics here. So when my sister mentioned that she wanted to go to the aquarium, I instantly remembered hearing Mar say she worked there so I messaged her and told her that we were planning to go on Sunday or Monday and then asked what days were usually the least crowded. It turned out that we didn't go until Wednesday, so my plan was to message her again on our way to the aquarium that day. Buttt, since we were outside for a little bit beforehand, the freezing cold literally drained my battery in seconds and I was completely bummed that I had no way to message her.
It was early in the afternoon when we went there and as soon as I stepped foot inside the building I started looking around to see if I could see her. I had no idea if she was working that day, or if she would be there at that particular time, or even if her job included being out front or if it was more of a "behind the scenes" kind of thing. So, I knew my chances were very, very slim.
After about an hour going through the aquarium, Todd and I stopped at a large touch fish tank and as soon as I looked up I saw three employees, one of which who happened to look like Mar. But I wasn't sure. And there was no way I was going to walk up to someone and introduce myself as "the blogger" if I wasn't one gazillion percent sure.
So what does one do? A few things, actually. I immediately told Todd that I thought it was Mar behind the tank so we took a few steps back, hauled out his phone and looked at pictures of her on her blog. You know, a second opinion really doesn't hurt in these types of situations. After scanning through multiple pictures he kept saying "I think", "I think it is". But, that wasn't good enough. Again, I needed to be sure.
We took a few more steps back so I could figure out how I was going to figure that out. As the sweet fiancé that I am, I made Todd go back to the tank and see if she wearing a name tag. I waited and I waited and still nothing. I discretely walked backed up to him and said, "did you see it?". He then informed me that the task at hand was quite more difficult because he really didn't want to be caught staring at her, like a creep. I believe his exact words were, "Renee, I'm trying not to get caught staring at another girls chest for the last ten minutes here". I guess the man had a point. Luckily after a few more minutes Todd's detective skills worked because he said her name tag said Mariella. Sorry Mar if I spelled that wrong. Bingo!!
I walked up to her and she seemed to know me right away. Obviously she was a lot better at this than I was. Or maybe it was because we weren't very discrete in that whole "trying to figure out if it was her" process. Either way, it was seriously so strange, yet so exciting. No introductions were needed, we automatically started talking and even from those few minutes I could tell that she was as sweet as she seemed. You know, it's so amazing to think that we were able to meet because of blogging. And feeling like, regardless if you're so similar or completely different from a person, you have so much in common because of it. I'm telling you, this internet thing is pretty amazing!
Unfortunately we didn't get a picture, and both of us now regret that big time! If there is one thing that the two of us have learned through this whole blogging thing, it's that you always, always get a picture. But at least we now know that the other one is "real", as we've now said a few times already.
My visit to Toronto will now be known as the time I met my very first blogger. So thanks Mar for that! Now go say hi to her because she really is the "real" deal. Promise!!
