Alive in the Snow

Yesterday we went to visit the Olympic area, which has some places with incredible living things, despite all the snow on the ground here in Montreal.

First stop was the Biodome. This is a big stadium that now has a tropical rainforest, a Canadian forest and river, and an Antarctic exhibit.


The Biodome is the big building in the front.

First stop was the tropical rainforest. Everything was warm and humid in there, just like in Hawaii!


This birdie followed me around

Then it was on to the Canadian forests and rivers.


Porcupines sleeping in the trees


Looking at anemones and sea stars


Exploring the river in my canoe was one of the best parts of the forest


Of course, so was playing with this little canoe


I got to wear an Innu hat


... and boots

Later we went to the Discovery Centre in the basement of the Biodome. I thought it was going to be like the one in the Boston science museum. It was not as fun, but I did get to carry around a big sea turtle and spell words out using blocks.


"Ono" scorpion fish

Then it was lunch and on to the insect zoo. Unfortunately, lunch lately means nap right away, so mommy and daddy went for a walk while I slept inside the bubble.

I figured they were going to walk to the insect zoo. It's inside Montreal Botanical Garden, which is a huge area. Of course, there wasn't much to see outside except snow.


And mini-trains, which sadly, were also stuck in the snow

Inside the botanical gardens' greenhouse were lots of flowers. While I napped, daddy took some pictures of them. Here are some of my favorites.


Purple flowers that mommy likes


Bumpy leaf


My size mini-tree

When I woke up, I was surprised that we weren't at the insect zoo. I couldn't believe they didn't go straight there and sit and wait for me to wake up! But I was still sleepy so it didn't matter


Big yawn

And then there was the music. We saw a Christmas concert by this group called Trio No Parking.


Guess which one is my favorite?

Then, it was on to the Insectarium. There were lots of cool bugs and stories about bugs.


Rhinoceros beetles wrestling


Thai money. Apparently Thai people gamble on beetle wrestling.


Looking at spiders


Walking around, I found a little peep hole at my level!


It was filled with little ladybugs sleeping. I know, because I watched them for 10 minutes, and they didn't move.

Aside from the ladybugs, the coolest thing at the zoo was the ant colony. The ants are taking little bits of flower petals across these branches to feed their workers who make fungi by pooping on it.


It's pretty though

By then it was getting late, so we left. Of course, it was only like 5 pm, but by the time we got back to the city, it was like 5:30 pm, which is apparently closing time for the underground malls and their restaurants. 5:30. On Saturday night. I know I go to bed early, but what about all the older kids? This really is a foreign country.

Ok, one more full day in Montreal to go, and then it's back to Boston for the New Year!