Aug 19, 2010: A Cool Aquarium

[xoxoxoBruce]

A cool aquarium... very cool... as a matter of fact it's minus 5 degrees F.

Welcome to The Big Chill, Japanese style! The "Kori no Suizokukan" (Ice Aquarium) in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, displays around 450 specimens of fish from over 80 different species, flash frozen in a life-like state after being unloaded from fishing vessels at a nearby port.
The ice columns are exposed to the open air inside the Aquarium so a powerful refrigeration system is constantly working to keep the ambient temperature at a bone-chilling minus 20 degrees Celsius (-5F). On hot days, the temperature differential between the Aquarium's interior and the outside air can exceed 50 degrees Celsius (58F). Visitors are able to don protective clothing to help them stay warm while browsing the eerily motionless displays, which are illuminated with icy pale blue lighting to enhance the "frozen world" effect.

What, hot days don't exceed 53 degrees F?
Oh, and there's a Maguro (tuna) Sashimi restaurant next door.

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