Lanterns and Pumpkins

One observation I must make: being in the province of Quebec definitely makes us realize we’re in a foreign country. I know that sounds strange (given that Canada is a foreign country) but to be honest, when we visit anywhere else in Canada it’s so much like being in the US that most times we don’t even think about it . . . only when we’re buying something and have to use Canadian currency, or following road signs which list distances in kilometers instead of miles, for example. In Quebec, however, French is spoken much more often than English. We knew this would be true in Quebec City, but it is also the case in Montreal. Everyone we’ve come across also speaks English, so we haven’t had a problem communicating, but lots of signs are only in French so that’s been a little of a challenge.

Today, we visited the world class Montreal Botanical Garden. One of the first items we noticed was an example of mosaiculture, which reminds me of topiary. Isn’t this dog adorable? I should have had Bill stand next to him so you could tell he’s about 6 feet tall.

In addition to the extensive and impressive permanent gardens (notably Chinese, Japanese, Alpine, Aquatic, and First Nations) there are 2 special exhibitions right now, “The Magic of Lanterns” and “The Great Pumpkin Ball”.

The lanterns were all made in Shanghai especially for this exhibit, which is presented annually here with a new theme each year. Over 700 traditional lanterns are on display

as well as more than 200 thematic ones.

The pumpkin exhibit features jack-o-lanterns decorated by children, teens, and adults in the community. Some are quite creative! Here’s the solar system:

Here’s a caterpillar munching on a leaf:

and finally, a black cat and a colorful butterfly:

The largest pumpkin on display weighs more than half a ton –-- 1,273 pounds to be exact!

What an enjoyable way to spend a beautiful, cool fall afternoon.