Tag: montreal

Travel

Jardin botanique de Montréal

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red and white rose with greenery in the background

Whether following a frenetic F1 race weekend or simply enjoying several days of international sightseeing, the Jardin botanique de Montréal is always on my itinerary when visiting this beautiful city.

With dozens of thematic gardens showcasing everything from fragile alpine flowers to monastic medicinal plants even including an opportunity to discovery Indigenous knowledge in the First Nations Garden, the colors and fragrances are ever changing. A stroll through the rose garden offers riotous hues as displayed by this variegated beauty; perfect for this week’s #SimplyRed Squares contribution. The Jardin botanique de Montréal Rose Garden was created in 1976 to mark the Olympic Games and features over 7,000 roses, representing more than 900 species and cultivars.

Check out the #SimplyRed offerings from BeckyB and others participating in this Squares challenge.

Other items of interest · Travel

Geometric January: Square Challenge #1

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square photo of cobblestones set in geometric shapes with the toes of black shoes poking into the frame at the very bottom

Rather than simply start the new year by sharing good wishes (although I certainly offer those!) I am joining Becky for her GeometricJanuary challenge. With other bloggers from around the world, I will share images (all squares) that convey this quarter’s topic. The rules are simple: post a square picture that expresses the geometric theme. If you blog, consider joining the fun as the posts are always creatively entertaining.

While I cannot envision posting daily, I promise an assortment of the fresh images throughout the month starting with the cobblestone paths at the Montreal Botanical Garden that I traversed with friends in August 2022.

Racing

20 Drivers & 24 Races – New F1 Season

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red F1 Ferrari in the lead at hairpin corner at the Montreal Gran Prix June 7, 1998
Schumacher wins in Montréal for Ferrari – 1998

In not quite a decade, between meeting Richard (June 7, 1981) and June 1989, I went from watching races only sporadically to track side attendance at the inaugural Formula 1 street race in Phoenix. In my early days of race viewing, the challenge was simply finding a re-play of a race as only the “jewel” in the racing crown – Monaco – might, just might be aired in real time.

Six seasons of Drive to Survive has increased viewership and a variety of streaming services now ensures race coverage with experienced commentary. And, with more viewing my familiarity with tire degradation and slip stream passes also expands. The longest season ever run started this weekend in Bahrain and we will follow this most expensive motor sport from lights out starts to checkered flag finishes all the way to Abu Dhabi.

Bahrain podium finishers: 1- Max Verstappen, Red Bull; 2- Sergio Perez, Red Bull; 3- Carlos Sainz, Ferrari.

Photo details:  Canadian Gran Prix, Montréal, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, June 7, 1998.  Last lap, with Michael Schumacher in the lead and winning the race for Ferrari.