Going Buggy - July 3

Montreal.  The first things we decided to go and see was the Olympic Park area.  This is where the Biodome, Insectarium, and Botanical Gardens are as well.  It was amazing.  We purchased a package to see all three things and decided not to take the very expensive elevator to the top of the Olympic Tower.  Navras came here last year with my parents and said while it was a nice view it may not be worth the over $50 it would have cost us.  The other three things were worth it though.  The Biodome is four different environments under one roof. The first was a Tropical Rainforest.  It was amazing – the birds and other animals wandering around and the lush foliage was worth seeing.  Next we went to the Maple Forests and then to the St Lawrence area – both under the water and above.  It was fantastic how they made you feel like you were right there.  Lastly, we went to the Sub Arctic and saw puffins and penguins!  It was amazing.

We then had to walk quite a ways to get to the Insectarium which is where they had much information on a variety of bugs.  From honey bees to butterflies to beetles.  Not being a big fan of bugs, this was not my favourite stop but the kids loved it.  We all (yes, I was brave enough to) held a walking stick bug as well.  Sorry the photo is a little dark.

Just outside the Insectarium area the Botanical Gardens.  It was a beautiful place to wander around.  I would have loved to have brought a picnic and sat and enjoyed in one of the many gardens they had featured.  It reminded me of a smaller version of Butchard Gardens in Victoria.

We had driven to the Olympic Park area thanks to an info sheet given to us at the campsite.  We then had to turn around but instead of going home we decided to visit a cousin of mine who lives in the city.  Rammi and her daughter had invited us for dinner and I thought it would be no problem driving to their house.  Our GPS gave us decent directions, but at the last minute we missed the turn.... and, unlike most other places I have ever driven, you couldn’t just turn around – you had to do a 10 minute circuit to get back to the house.  Such poor signage.  The visit, however, was worth it.  Yummy food made by not me was a welcome change for sure!  I have to remember to plan little stops like this to visit friends and family throughout the trip next time!