Flying

Sunday
We walk to vieux Montréal and see the protesters outside Notre Dame but don't go in (family vote - 4 to 1). We visit the historic home of George Etienne Cartier (no relation to that other famous Cartier) and learn how instrumental he was in selling Confederation to the French-speaking population of Lower Canada (to lower the risk of attack by the Americans). He pushed for one civil code in the province (can you believe there were British laws and French laws, and you never knew which ones would be imposed on you!), abolishing the seigneurial system, and building a cross Canada railway. We also read various diary entries from his 2 daughters, and it's like a Jane Austen novel with much devoted to what people wore, who danced with whom, and which suitor came to visit today.
The gardens of the Chateau Ramezay are glorious - geometrically layed out vegetable, herb and flower gardens with an ingenious orchard - apple trees trained as vine to grow up the courtyard wall! This place was so fine, the Americans chose it as their headquarters for the brief time that Montreal was an American city. When it starts to rain, we hang out at Jacques Cartier pavillion, then enter the Labyrith at Shed 16 where we become honouree pirates and search for treasure amid the 2 floors of craze-maze fun (and I've got the rope burns to prove it!)
When evening falls, we struggle through Montreal traffic - worse than Toronto traffic even - and miss our appointment at Skyventure, but it turns out Tim, too, has misjudged the traffic, and Skyventure can give us another flight time. We all meet and watch, in awe, at the seasoned 'fliers' and their antics. Then we are next: a training session, and gearing up in jumpsuits, earplugs, googles and helmets, and we are ready to go!
Two 60 second flights a piece. Fierce goes first, then the rest of the kids (Bosco does his flying on his back) and when I see that I'm the first adult, I panic and shove Rob in front of me. MAN! The wind is powerful, and it's hard to breathe (or maybe it's hard for your body to believe it can take in oxygen) but that one minute feels so long as I hang there in mid-air.
Afterwards, it's a celebratory dinner at nearby Boston Pizza - we all now know what it feels like to freefall through the sky. What lucky kids to experience what Daddy does when he parachutes!
 
 
Rob thinks this is Fred Flintstone on Notre Dame
 
 
 
 
Fierce:
 
Pepper:
 
Bosco:
 
Rob:
 
me: