On day three in Montreal we headed up to the Olympic Park, the site of the 1976 Summer Olympics. Up near the park we visited the Biodome, the Botanical Gardens and also the Insectarium.
The Biodome contains over 4500 animals in five distinct Ecosystems, four of which you have the opportunity to experience the animals within their actual Ecosystem. The five Ecosystems experienced include: Tropical Rain forest; Laurentian Maple Forest; Gulf of St. Lawrence and Labrador Coast. The Labrador Coast is the one Ecosystem where the animals were behind glass, where the animals are kept much cooler than the rest of us. We very much enjoyed the Biodome and found it a great way to display animals. Most of the animals were free to roam within their environments that we had pathways to walk through. Certain animals, were tactfully kept within a certain area of their ecosystem, when those animals would harm the other animals within (such as the lynx or alligator). This sort of enclosure created great viewing for us and also exceptional photo opportunities.
From the Biodome we hiked over to the Montreal Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Gardens covers an impressive 190 acres and displays over 22,000 plant species. While we walked and viewed a good portion of the gardens, there is just too much here to see in one day. What a lovely place, however, being very peaceful. If you lived near Montreal, it would be a wonderful place to visit on a regular basis for a stroll or moment of solitude. One of the most amazing things we saw in the garden were Hibiscus blooms the size of a human head. We had no idea that Hibiscus blooms could get so large. We saw many beautiful blooms, edible plants, trees and various gardens including the Japanese garden. The Botanical Gardens could easily be an all day adventure. We had one more thing we really wanted to see in this area, however, so after a good deal of walking in the gardens we were off to the Insectarium.
With 250,000 insect specimens, many living, the Montreal Insectarium is one of the largest in North America. There is an incredible amount of things to see here. We were most fascinated, however, with the leaf-cutter ant display. It was fascinating to watch their complex and efficient teamwork as together these ants cut off leafs, then others carried those leaves to their nest that feed the fungus that the ants feed on. There were so many unusual insects to see here and many we were able to see alive and watch how they live their lives.
The Biodome, Botanical Gardens and Insectarium all in one day was a whole lot to see. It was a fun day, but very, very full and once again we returned home well spent
The Biodome contains over 4500 animals in five distinct Ecosystems, four of which you have the opportunity to experience the animals within their actual Ecosystem. The five Ecosystems experienced include: Tropical Rain forest; Laurentian Maple Forest; Gulf of St. Lawrence and Labrador Coast. The Labrador Coast is the one Ecosystem where the animals were behind glass, where the animals are kept much cooler than the rest of us. We very much enjoyed the Biodome and found it a great way to display animals. Most of the animals were free to roam within their environments that we had pathways to walk through. Certain animals, were tactfully kept within a certain area of their ecosystem, when those animals would harm the other animals within (such as the lynx or alligator). This sort of enclosure created great viewing for us and also exceptional photo opportunities.
From the Biodome we hiked over to the Montreal Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Gardens covers an impressive 190 acres and displays over 22,000 plant species. While we walked and viewed a good portion of the gardens, there is just too much here to see in one day. What a lovely place, however, being very peaceful. If you lived near Montreal, it would be a wonderful place to visit on a regular basis for a stroll or moment of solitude. One of the most amazing things we saw in the garden were Hibiscus blooms the size of a human head. We had no idea that Hibiscus blooms could get so large. We saw many beautiful blooms, edible plants, trees and various gardens including the Japanese garden. The Botanical Gardens could easily be an all day adventure. We had one more thing we really wanted to see in this area, however, so after a good deal of walking in the gardens we were off to the Insectarium.
With 250,000 insect specimens, many living, the Montreal Insectarium is one of the largest in North America. There is an incredible amount of things to see here. We were most fascinated, however, with the leaf-cutter ant display. It was fascinating to watch their complex and efficient teamwork as together these ants cut off leafs, then others carried those leaves to their nest that feed the fungus that the ants feed on. There were so many unusual insects to see here and many we were able to see alive and watch how they live their lives.
The Biodome, Botanical Gardens and Insectarium all in one day was a whole lot to see. It was a fun day, but very, very full and once again we returned home well spent
          Montreal Biodome    
Montreal Botanical Gardens
             Montreal Botanical Gardens  Montreal Botanical Gardens 
Trident Maple 90 years old
Montreal Botanical Gardens
  Montreal Insectarium  Montreal Insectarium  Montreal Insectarium  to nourish the fungus on which they feed Montreal Insectarium  These are unable to reproduce Montreal Insectarium  Montreal Insectarium  
Montreal Insectarium
|
No comments:
Post a Comment