Just a Canadian curious about the world
I have posted the story and photos from my business trip to Beijing, China. I was there for 10 days to provide training and knowledge transfer. I also met some of Rosa’s extended family.
The trip story is here http://myredbmw.net/travel/beijing-dec-2011/.
The photo gallery is here: http://gallery.myredbmw.net/v/Travel/Beijing2011/.
Today, Rosa, Lemin and I went to see the new Cirque du Soleil show, Amaluna. It premiered in Montreal two days ago. It was the first time any of us had seen a Cirque du Soleil show. I have wanted to see a show for years.
Amaluna was performed in a big tent (Le Grand Chapiteau – The Big Top) at Quais du Vieux-Port de Montréal. It was a bitterly cold day in Montréal.
It was warmer inside the tent. There were big heating units attached to the outside of the tent that blew warm air into the tent. The performers, many of whom wear very little, need to stay warm and limber.
The show was wonderful. Before the show starts, performers work their way through the audience, providing some entertainment while everyone takes their seats.
Once the performance began, we were awestruck. The artists were fantastic. Some of the moves were so incredible it was more like stunt work than an artistic performance. The music was played live by an all-girl rock band.
I look forward to seeing more Cirque du Soleil performances.
Rosa, Lemin and I went to the annual Ottawa Orchid Show, hosted by the Ottawa Orchid Society. Although the ambiance of the Nepean Sportsplex leaves a lot to be desired, the orchids themselves were very beautiful.
Although I don’t have a macro lens, I was able to use my Canon 50mm f/1.4 to get some nice shots.
Today Rosa, Lemin and I went to the Butterflies Go Free (Papillons en Liberté) show at the Montreal Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botanique de Montréal).
The Botanical Garden has a series of long connected greenhouses for their indoors exhibitions. Each contains a different ecosystem, such as tropical, subtropical climates, bonsai trees, deciduous forest and desert. There was also a display of carnivorous plants like Venus Flytraps, Lady’s Slipper orchids and Pitcher plants. Trés Cool!
At each end we’re larger greenhouses (the Main Exhibition Greenhouse and the Fern Greenhouse). The Fern Greenhouse housed hundreds of moths. Some were feeding on orange slices. Most were sleeping, as moths are nocturnal. At the far other end of the was the Main Exhibition Greenhouse containing the butterflies. There were hundreds multi-coloured butterflies flying through the building. I could not get any photos of the butterflies flying, because they darted around too fast and too chaotically. I could only get photos when they were standing on a leaf or branch or eating.
Afterwards, Rosa and Lemin went shopping on Saint Laurent Boulevard. I found a quiet place where I could write.
We met up for dinner at Casa Minhota.
Photos are posted at http://gallery.myredbmw.net/v/Events/Butterflies2012/