Friday, July 30, 2010

GETTING TIED UP IN KNOTS

It was not quite the kind of visitor I would have expected to be introduced to, but there it was, being offered a morsel of fish.  "So, will Arsenal win their next football match?"......  no recognisable response, the visitor  obviously was not going to play ball.   He was too busy tying himself in knots.

There before my disbelieving eyes was an Octopus.  Paul, the football eight-leggéd foreteller, much revered by the Germans who have him, and even more deified by the Spanish, who he foretold would win the Football World Cup and want Paul,  has nothing to worry about.  My unexpected guest has a long way to develop and grow in global and physical stature. 



  





It is highly doubtful that this ,junior octopus will be as gifted as his German counterpart.  His tastes in mates is a bit suspect.  He was tempted by a lure that looked a bit like him in miniature, however, it had many more fronds, than he has legs!


14 comments:

keiko amano said...

ZACL,

That's a good looking octopus. Did you name him Paul? Well, if you name him Paul, then you can't eat it, right? I love octopus sashimi, but not after my personal meeting with him.

By the way, how do you know it is he? Are there male and female octopus? Paul and Paula?

ZACL said...

Hello Keiko,

No, I didn't name my visitor. Paul is the octopus that lives in Germany and correctly foretold who would win The World Cup Football that was recently held in South Africa. I assume the zoo where he lives have sexed Paul.

I'm assuming it my visitor was a 'he' I don't know for certain. I would have to research the sexing of this item of marine life to positively know.

We didn't eat the Octopus; it was brought to 'visit me' by hubby who caught it, then taken back to the sea, after the visit, where it swam off, presumably into the deep waters.

ZACL said...

PS What is Octopus sashimi, Keiko.?

Anonymous said...

whether he's psychic or not, he looks absolutely charming...what a gracious visitor to entertain!

Paul might be said to be England's only success in the World Cup as he was born at Weymouth Sealife Centre before becoming a naturalised Germany octopus.

ZACL said...

Hi Ax,

Do you think there might be something in the Weymouth Sea-Life waters that develops psychic ability in 8 leggéd marine life?

As visitors come and go, the bit of blob, was quite different and interesting.

Flighty said...

Fascinating creatures, although I wouldn't like to encounter one whilst swimming in the sea! Flighty xx

ZACL said...

Meeting an octopus on a swim would not be my idea of companionship either Mr F. xx

Anonymous said...

maybe all octopi are psychic and we just never realised it?

ZACL said...

There's an earth shattering thought Ax. Maybe we should have asked our visitor to foretell Pompey's fate, instead of Arsenal's. The fish morsel was not the problem, it was very fresh indeed. I guess it was the question asked and the way it was framed. Ho hum.

keiko amano said...

ZACL,

Oh, you don't eat octopus? Sashimi is to cut fresh fish and seafood and eat with a bit of soysauce and wasabi. Wasabi is green and like horseradish.

A dish of chunky octopus, thin slices of cucumber mixed with rice vinegar and a bit of soy sauce is excellent.

ZACL said...

Hello Keiko,

I have eaten various kinds of sushi, it sounds similar to your description. I do like wasabi, because it is so much like a good horseradish sauce.

In truth, yes, I have eaten octopus and squid. We decided not to keep the octopus and decided to let it carry on with its sea life.

Regarding your query about the gender of the octopus. We think ours may have been female as neither of us recalled seeing anything that resembled the male member that a male octopus would have.

keiko amano said...

ZACL,

Oh, the last I heard about the World Cup was from a German friend of mine, and she said the German team was doing pretty well. But that was more than two weeks ago. I'm sorry I wan't keeping up with the World Cup. The only game of going after a ball I'm excited is throwing it for my neighbor dogs. They jump up and down and kiss me on my cheeks.

About the octopus, You're so lucky to have the kind of husband who brings an octopus to entertain you and then so kind to let it go back to the Ocean. Come to think of it, I neither want to eat it after our eyes met.

Thank you for the great photo!

P.S. I don't see three photos under each blog. They are gone.

keiko amano said...

Excuse me. I scrolled down and found three photos.

ZACL said...

Hello Keiko,

I was momentarily concerned about the three photos, I am so glad they haven't disappeared.

I didn't follow the world cup football, just the reports from Germany of the psychic octopus named Paul, who foretold all the main stage results for the Germans and the final outcome.

I like watching dogs catch balls. It can be very entertaining.