Montreal

The kids really wanted to go to La Ronde, the amusement park just across the river from Montreal's downtown. It's there, tempting them with a visible roller coaster, and the usual Six Flags whirling spinning crashing stuff. We set aside Monday for this.

Wait, today is Monday! And the weather is great! A bit warm perhaps, but we'll take warm! No rain.

We do not go. 

When it came time to purchase tickets on line, we noted the park was open yesterday, but closed today. And the next day. And the day after that. Basically, until the Canadian kids are out of school, the park opens only on weekends.

Sweet kids that they are, Snowdrop and Sparrow swallowed their disappointment. While the grownups mulled over the alternatives, I had a quick breakfast downstairs in my hotel...

And then I had a Zoom meeting about my book,  Like A Swallow. One needs to do these things if you want your work to reach an audience. You discuss distribution. You discuss promotion. I suppose it becomes part of your job as author person to do this stuff.

And afterwards, I went for a leisurely walk. 

It's quite pleasant to window-shop here...

And it struck me that it might be a good time to look at some sweet Canadian stuff for the grandkids. And so I went further north, and further west, walking, walking, until I came across a perfect little store.

(This is how far I wondered away from Old Montreal...)

This is when I got a text from my son-in-law. He and the two older kids were right now on their way to the Biodome -- an incredible place where you can come face to face with animals from very diverse biospheres. Penguins and puffins, parrots, beavers and so much more! Let's meet up there!

But first, we pause at the planetarium, where the kids get about as close to Mars as they'll ever come. We dont have access to rocks and minerals from that planet except when flying debris comes our way. Here,  you can see it, touch it, get close to it.

And you can, with the help of a joy stick, propel a buggy across Mars in search of water. Now that's really fun!

Lunch. With Montreal bagels which both kids agreed are better than the American version. 

And now the Biodome. Just an amazing place for kids, for adults as well.

I thought we had run them ragged inside, but no -- they were willing to continue. On the other end of the park you'll find the Botanical Gardens. It's a hike, much of it uphill and, too, we pause at the Olympic exercise station and the kids, especially Snowdrop, really get a workout there...

And still, they continue, even Sparrow with his short little legs, surely tired by now...

The Botanical Gardens are vast and I'm sure we touched only a few of the corners, but what we saw was just so beautiful! 

We were lucky. The Gardens have extensive Japanese and Chinese segments and of course, the iris will be emphasized and of course this is the week of the iris.

I could not get enough of it all!

How could you not reach for the camera again and again!

And again.

It's a long walk back to the subway. I thought their feet would surely give out but they continued, with only the occasional pause for a rest. Such good travelers, both of them!

I zipped on the metro to the hotel to dump my shopping bag which had been my companion all day long and to freshen up (I needed a hand scrub!) and then I set out again, this time meeting up with the whole pack at Vices et Versa. I'd call it a pub with pub food, though they swear it's very fresh and honest. From the poutine to the fried chicken.

We were ten for dinner today. A group shot was taken.

And then the young family and I took the metro home. They got off first, I got off much later. It's good thing I didn't doze off with the sway of the rapidly moving train. I am that sleepy tonight!

Good night, with love...