Thursday, September 1, 2011

Montreal - The Olympic Stadium and Botanical Gardens

Saturday dawned bright, warm and with a clear blue sky. Now, least you think all we did was drink alchohol and watch naked men dance, after breakfast we headed off to the Olympic Stadium and Botanical Gardens.

The Stadium, with it's soaring observation tower, is monumental enough that it can be seen from many, if not most, parts of the city. A short distance up a hill are the Botanical Gardens.

They are divided into themed areas. Traditional English and Asian gardens. Another area exhibiting plants native to harsh, cold, rocky terrain. Looking for the restrooms I came upon a hidden courtyard filled with a large variety of Bonsai trees. A tram runs along the road connecting the various displays to carry visitors from one area to another.

We had lunch in another courtyard area, this one with a fountain in it's center, across from the greenhouses. After lunch, upon entering the greenhouses, we found ourselves in a world of foliage so lush it seemed to have the ability to absorb the sounds and voices of the people around us.

After our visit to the gardens, we headed back to St Catherine Street to check out some of the shops we had seen on our earlier visits. We ended the afternoon, shopping bags in hand, at the rooftop deck of one of the bars on the street. As it was Saturday afternoon with pleasant temperatures and a sunny,  clear blue sky the deck was busy and crowded. We found a table, ordered drinks and relaxed as the beautiful afternoon waned.

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