Dear Diary,
Last week the family took a trip north of the border for the first time since we came to the United States last year. The trip was about as good as can be expected with a five and two year old in the back seat, which is to say it was exhausting.
See? The kids were so annoying they even exhausted themselves.
On the way to Montreal (our destination) we stopped at the Ben & Jerry’s Factory in Waterbury, Vermont. I know people say that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth. Those people have obviously never been here:
We ate ice cream…
…toured the factory (and I use the term “tour” very loosely as they basically played a short video and then we walked into a room with big windows overlooking the factory floor and we could watch the machines chugging out the ice cream), and spent some time hanging the children in trees romping outside…
…and honouring the dearly departed.
We were thrilled to cross the border to our home and native land and to see that great maple leaf flying in the breeze. Also, Tim Hortons beckoned us from the side of the highway. Mmmmm…
Our arrival in Montreal was heralded by the hourly generation of fire (!!!) ON water (!!!!), which was seven kinds of awesome!
The second day we went to Montreal’s Biodome where our good friend T decided to feed our youngest child to the birds R.O.U.S. (Rodents Of Unusual Size) (R.O.U.S. not pictured here).
Not that I blame him. The kids were a bit annoying what with the “show me” and the “carry me” and the “feed me”. Â I’ll be damned if having kids isn’t a bit trying at times.Â
The biodome features four sections with varying climates from arctic to hot as the surface of the sun tropical and most popular with kids was this slide straight into the sea otter tank which amused the offspring for quite a while. I was amused by another parent who continued to exclaim “Look! It’s a BEAVER! A BEEEEEAVER!!!” to everyone around her when the animal was clearly NOT a beaver. Not everyone can be as smart as I am though.Â
As I watched my daughter observing the marine life in the tank I couldn’t help but be struck by one thought: fish are boring.Â
What isn’t boring, is watching adorable little duck feet paddling around in the water and watching ducks dive under water. Ducks are cool. Fish are dumb.
Giant penguins heads are also cool.
Slightly less cool is how I looked in these rocking 3D glasses at the IMAX theatre at the Montreal Science Centre, where we arrived too late to explore the centre but still early enough to see a sea creature IMAX film (are there any IMAX movies about something other than sea creatures? Because if there are, I’ve never seen one.) narrated by Jim Carrey. I’d go so far as to say there’s nothing funnier than Jim Carrey making cracks with sexual innuendo about cuddle fish.
Highlight of the day for me was eating awesome poutine at a great little restaurant with good friends. And speaking of good friends…here they are!
Well, diary. This blog post entry is getting long so I will try and finish it tomorrow as I know how excited you are to hear about the rest of our trip.Â
Affectionately yours,
Shannon
