To China and back.

A few days ago, I wrote about my visit to the Butterfly Pavilion in the Botanical Garden, one of the coolest places I've visited while I've been in Montreal. 

Today, I want to share a bit more of the things I did that day, including a walk around the Chinese Gardens and this magnificent place called Beaver Lake.

After visiting the Pavilion, I decided to walk around the actual Botanical Garden, which extends for about 75 acres and includes everything from a Greenhouse to an Insectarium & Planetarium, among other things. As one of Montreal's most popular tourist attractions, and judging by how peaceful Beaver Lake is, the Botanical Gardens did not disappoint.

Even though the winter in Montreal was still going strong at that time, there were a few people sitting around the lake, presumably enjoying the cold, cold air of the north. 

After freezing my nose for a while there, I headed to the Chinese Gardens, celebrated because of the Chinese Lights Festival that takes place there sometime during the fall. Even though there were no lights at this time of year, or even any of the huge sculptures that were installed in the summer of 2012, I loved the gardens.

Possibly because it was so cold, there were very few people around and taking photos was super easy. The light was not optimal and the cold was definitely taking its toll on me, but the garden is so aesthetically pleasing, it is impossible to not want to spend more time there.

This was the first thing I saw once I entered the Garden:

From there, it's a super short walk to the main building of the Garden, which (depending on the angle from which you see it), looks like this:

Or like this:

Standing there it is possible to get an impressive view of the Sunset Pavilion. 

It is said that during the fall, the sun sets just behind this small structure, giving the Garden the most impressive view of the sunset, hence the name.

Since the days were still pretty cold and the plants were quite dead when I first visited, I had been dying to go back to the Gardens and eventually persuaded some friends to go back (actually, scratch that. It was their idea to go to the Botanical Gardens, I just dragged them to the Chinese Garden and made them eat there). 

The place was looking much more alive. There were flowers and the landscape was greener, but...just as I started taking photos, the rain started to fall in biblical quantities...so, this is what we ended up with.

Once we were kicked out of there (and the rain had almost stopped!), we decided to carry on with our picnic at the Emilie-Gamelin Park. Funny story: this park is conveniently located between Montreal's Gay Village and the University of Quebec in Montreal, which would ideally make it a cool spot to hang out in. However, not many people go there because (among other things) it is an excellent place in which to pick a fight, get robbed and buy drugs...just like we discovered that day. 

In the time that we were there, we got to see two actual fist fights (one of which started right next to us) and some guy came up to our group and talked to us for about half an hour only to eventually walk away with our bottles of soda (¿?).

Apart from that though, we had a good time. There are several cafes in the park, and there's always music playing after sunset (really good music, like The Kooks ;) ). Also, the Warner Bro's building is located right in front, and they project images & short clips into it! Which is to say, even though some people are quite crazy, we had a good time. And we learned which places to avoid from now on.

This weekend I'm going to be visiting Ottawa, and I will be sharing that trip on the blog some time next week! 

Thanks for reading!

*No butterflies were harmed in the making of this post.

It's funny how time goes by so fast. 

Two weeks ago I was promising to update the blog often and look at me, breaking promises so soon. I have an excuse, as always, and it's just that I've been having the greatest time possible. I've been here three months (1 more to go!) and I keep on discovering places and things...it's insane.

Anyway. 

I had planned a completely different post for this week involving a video of the places where you are most likely to find me should you come to Montreal any time soon. However, given the fact that I am the Queen of Clumsiness and I can barely walk without getting run over (let alone with the camera on hand!), that will have to wait.

Meanwhile, I will share with you one of the best things I've done while in Montreal: visit the Botanical Gardens.

When I first heard about them, I wasn't really sold. Plants sound cool, but I could think of about a thousand cooler things to do with my time. That is, until I heard about the Free Butterflies Exhibit, which is when I finally dragged myself to the metro and then walked uphill for about a half hour until I reached the Gardens. 

My first stop was the Butterfly Pavilion, obviously. 

Once you cross the blue curtain that separates this area from the rest of the Greenhouse, it's like you've walked into a parallel universe.

Flowers with vivid colours cover every space. You can instantly feel the sweet smell of every flower imaginable in your nose and it doesn't even bother you. The most impressive thing, however, is the silence. There are people everywhere and yet the only thing you hear is the sound of water...and nothing else. 

It takes you a while to notice the coloured wings fluttering about...hidden in the trees, standing on a flower, silently making their way around your head. That is when you start seeing butterflies everywhere. Literally, everywhere. 

You start feeling like a huge intruder. That is, until a huge, bright-blue butterfly uses your shoulder as her resting place. From then on, mesmerised is about the only word that can describe you.

I was in the Pavilion for about an hour. At first just walking around, and then snapping photos of absolutely everything and anything that happened to be in front of my face. I really, really enjoyed being there, and saying that I was happy of how things turned out would be an understatement. Butterflies are awesome, you guys!

Afterwards I made my made through the Greenhouse (which is immense, you have no idea!). 

My favourite part had to be the Mexican Hacienda & Gardens because even though the Hacienda did not look like anything we have in Mexico, everything else is pretty accurate. I felt right at home.

Although I didn't think I would enjoy looking at plants much, the truth is the Greenhouse is too stunning not to like. Plants are very interesting creatures. 

Here are some of my favourite snaps:

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have already seen some of these photos a while ago. I took about a million of them, and there are actually many more snaps that I want to share, but since I'm afraid this post is already stuffed with photos of wings, I will be posting the rest of them on my IG during the course of the week. (You will also be able to see them here on the blog, on the left side of this page). 

I will be back soon to put you up to date with my adventures. As always, thanks for reading!