Spring Break
Adam and Calli both had a week of holidays, so we took the opportunity to get out and explore some of the things Montreal has to offer!
Our first stop was the Botanical Gardens. After the snowstorm we had a few weeks ago, the temperature REALLY dropped. Sure enough we chose the coldest day to head into the city. With the wind chill, we were exposed to a -33 degree walk on our way there. Unfortunately, we didn't know exactly where to park and realized once we were on our "5-7 minute" walk" (quoted from the ticket seller), that we could have parked much closer...maybe a 1-2 minute walk!!
Nevertheless, we bundled the kids up in their strollers and with their scarves over their faces we made a run for it. Here are the two frozen little troopers and their Dad with the Olympic Stadium in the background. Apparently it's taken 30 years to pay the building off and it is now possibly going to be torn down. You can read more with the link I have provided.
The Botanical Gardens are closed for the winter, obviously, but there was still a very interesting tour through the exhibition greenhouses. The last greenhouse was a
butterfly exhibit. We had a great time walking through the greenhouse with butterflies fluttering around our heads. For anyone who really knows me...it was a bit of a test for me to participate. If it were a moth exhibit.... The only moths there were, luckily for me, slowly hatching out of their horrible huge brown cocoons. The flipping moths were approximately the size of a grown mans hand. Disgusting.
Calli was quite amazed at how the butterflies were snacking on the plates of fruit set up around the building. She kept creeping as close as she could to the plates to inspect the suckers on the bugs and see how much juice they were taking from the kiwis and oranges.
Here, a whole horde of butteflies feast on their fruit plate.
It was bound to happen to one of us at some point...
There was an entire greenhouse filled with every different kind of orchid a person could imagine. There were endless photo opportunities and I tried my hardest to limit the images I captured.
Adam, Marin and Calli peering out through a waterfall in one of the greenhouses.
Calli loved looking at all the plants and searching for flowers she'd never seen before.
Some amazingly huge palm trees were growing in one of the environments.
We eventually made our way to this arid region housing all sorts of prickly cactuses (cactii?), aloe plants and even a string hemp plant! I loved the way they had faux houses along the side walls with a full garden out front!
Marin decided she wanted to walk along the path of the cactus greenhouse and the railing was the perfect height for her. She managed to touch a few plants along the way and even poked herself on one of the cactus'! I suppose it's a good way to learn what "sharp" means! She wasn't seriously injured.
One greenhouse/garden was completely Japanese. They had a multitude of Bonsai trees on beautiful stone pedestals and plaques with the ages of each tree.
Adam made it his special mission to find the oldest tree. It was 103 years old! I could fib and tell you it was the one in this picture, but I don't think it was actually!!
Our first stop was the Botanical Gardens. After the snowstorm we had a few weeks ago, the temperature REALLY dropped. Sure enough we chose the coldest day to head into the city. With the wind chill, we were exposed to a -33 degree walk on our way there. Unfortunately, we didn't know exactly where to park and realized once we were on our "5-7 minute" walk" (quoted from the ticket seller), that we could have parked much closer...maybe a 1-2 minute walk!!
Nevertheless, we bundled the kids up in their strollers and with their scarves over their faces we made a run for it. Here are the two frozen little troopers and their Dad with the Olympic Stadium in the background. Apparently it's taken 30 years to pay the building off and it is now possibly going to be torn down. You can read more with the link I have provided.
The Botanical Gardens are closed for the winter, obviously, but there was still a very interesting tour through the exhibition greenhouses. The last greenhouse was a
butterfly exhibit. We had a great time walking through the greenhouse with butterflies fluttering around our heads. For anyone who really knows me...it was a bit of a test for me to participate. If it were a moth exhibit.... The only moths there were, luckily for me, slowly hatching out of their horrible huge brown cocoons. The flipping moths were approximately the size of a grown mans hand. Disgusting.
Calli was quite amazed at how the butterflies were snacking on the plates of fruit set up around the building. She kept creeping as close as she could to the plates to inspect the suckers on the bugs and see how much juice they were taking from the kiwis and oranges.
Here, a whole horde of butteflies feast on their fruit plate.
It was bound to happen to one of us at some point...
There was an entire greenhouse filled with every different kind of orchid a person could imagine. There were endless photo opportunities and I tried my hardest to limit the images I captured.
Adam, Marin and Calli peering out through a waterfall in one of the greenhouses.
Calli loved looking at all the plants and searching for flowers she'd never seen before.
Some amazingly huge palm trees were growing in one of the environments.
We eventually made our way to this arid region housing all sorts of prickly cactuses (cactii?), aloe plants and even a string hemp plant! I loved the way they had faux houses along the side walls with a full garden out front!
Marin decided she wanted to walk along the path of the cactus greenhouse and the railing was the perfect height for her. She managed to touch a few plants along the way and even poked herself on one of the cactus'! I suppose it's a good way to learn what "sharp" means! She wasn't seriously injured.
One greenhouse/garden was completely Japanese. They had a multitude of Bonsai trees on beautiful stone pedestals and plaques with the ages of each tree.
Adam made it his special mission to find the oldest tree. It was 103 years old! I could fib and tell you it was the one in this picture, but I don't think it was actually!!
Comments
Damn it looks cold. Guess I shouldn't mention how I ran along the waterfront in my tank top.