Montreal: Final Day (Day 3)

Montreal:  Day 3

Between our own walking, the bus tour, and the horse ride from yesterday...we felt like we really had seen a lot of the major sights of Montreal and it was time to do something a little different.  So, we chose to go to the Montreal Biodome!  The Biodome housed the 1976 Olympics velodrome.  

I am in love with sloths and this place touted an entire exhibit featuring "Nature's Slowpokes"!  The line to get in was a mile long. (I'm kind of not exaggerating.)  While the kids and I held a place in the line, the others went to see if they could find out more about the venue...and possibly another shorter line. 

 

I was determined to stay because if there was a chance of getting to see a sloth up close...I wanted to do it!  (Years ago when I started this blog of 45 things to do before I turned 45, I considered putting "hold a sloth" as an item.  I'm not sure why I didn't; I guess that I just thought that it was too out there and not "worthy" of taking up a spot on my list.) 

Kissy face with a sloth poster.

We finally did get in.  It turned out that there was a much shorter line at the planetarium entrance.  We bought a package set of two movies at the planetarium, entrance into the gardens, insectarium, and the Biodome.

 

Needless to say, I made a not so slow-poke bee-line to the sloth habitat!  Natural light from the dome's glass roof and soothing creamy colors set a very sloth like tone.  We lounged around on the couches and waited for the "sloth show".  But, alas...there was no sloth show.  Apparently, the sloths are not trained and the visitors are not allowed to interact with them either.  They simply lay around, come out if they feel like it, and just basically act like sloths.  Although I was glad that they didn't pester them, I wanted to hold one and kiss its little shiny nose.

 

The Biodome had other sloths in the "Tropical Rainforest".  I was on a mission to find the FOUR sloths who lived in that ecosystem.  And while I was looking for the sloths, there were other little lovelies to see. 

Tamarind

Alligator

Scarlet Ibis

Otter

Bobcat

Eventually, I asked one of the workers where the sloths were.  Her reply, "They are nocturnal and hide in the tops of the trees against the roof."  My heart was a little bit broken.  I truly had envisioned myself as magnet for the sloths.  I just knew that they would come running to me...seeking comfort in my presence. 

Moving on, we went through the other exhibits and marveled at those creatures.

Starfish

My little hatchling.

Once we (my folks, Nicholas, and I) had completed all of the ecosystem displays, we met back up with Summer and Shawn who were hanging around the sloths.  Not thinking anything of it, I asked if they had seen the sloths.  AND THEY HAD!!!  A worker had put out some food for the them AND THEY CAME OUT!  THE MAMMA AND THE BABY!!!  WHAT?!?  And neither Summer nor Shawn came to get me or text me.  Seriously?!  Uh. 

 

From that moment on, I was determined to sit on the couch and wait as long as it would take for my own personal sloth show. 

 

My folks, Shawn, and Nicholas went to the insectarium and gardens while Summer and I stayed with the sloths.  It was after 2:00 and the movie tickets were for the 6:00 showing...and I wasn't moving until those sloths came out, the place closed, or it was time for the movie.  The Biodome had wifi.  So, Summer and I just tapped away on our phones and luxuriated in the presence of the sloths.

 

Near 5:00, they poked their heads out and adjusted their grips. Ta da!  That's all folks!  

 

Mamma

 

Baby

My mom snapped a nice shot of a yellow jacket while they were touring the gardens and the insectarium.

Two!

By the time we were done with all of the attractions and the planetarium, we learned a lot!  And had darn near walked ourselves to death.

Another meal and drinks along the rue... with entertainment by some unique street performers.  These two dogs and rabbit appeared to be on break but we tipped them anyway.