Quebec, Canada (2): Summer 2010 - Around Montreal

The greatest summer activities for us are always to go to swim in the lake or go camping. Since Victoire is too young to do camping at that time, we went for swim. Lac (lac means lake in french) Bromont is the place where she took her first swim in the lake.

Not too far from Montreal

Bromont Lake



Bromont is more well known with its ski resort than the lake, obviously there must be a reason! The lake was affected by blue algaes at a time and there are quite a bit of the plants growing on the small beach. It is really not the best place to swim. However, as small as the beach, there are still 3 life guards on duty at the time that we were there.

Venice-en-Quebec



The name of the place sounds good, but the beach is really so so. First of all, ALL the beaches are private or owned by some companies. So there is a whole day parking or access fees of $12, even though you plan to stay just 2 hours. The lake is big, but you will be swimming with the birds feathers and some water plants.

Further from Montreal

Breeches Lake



It takes more than 3 hours to get here. The land surrounding the lake is privately owned. Including the membership fees to the club and taxes to the council, expected to pay more than one thousand per year for just having a chalet by this lake. A big parts of the land around this lake have the status as 'reserve'. The water is very clear and warm enough to swim during summer.



The same place, but in autumn, there is a different look. Nothing much to do at this time of the year.



Just for comparison. During winter, the snow is so thick that the foot path to the chalet was totally disappeared. It is so icy cold that the water tap got frozen, so no water supply. Luckily there is a spring water near by. The lake is also totally frozen and covered by the snow.

Quebec, Canada (1): Summer 2010

Dorwin Falls, Rawdon, Lanaudière



The magnificient 60 feet Dorwin falls are on the Ouareau river.
The falls are within the walking distance from the Rawdon town centre.



Swimming is not allowed in the river as there are sly and fast currents. But we climbed down the small slope to soak our feet in the clear and cold water.



There are picnic facilities under the pine trees. Camping is not allowed though. This place is definitely baby friendly!



Mont Tremblant Ski Resort

Mont Tremblant is a well known ski place in Quebec. During summer, they have a series of activities such as the International Blues Festival, to keep the place busy.





Activities for children, like the 'spider web', incorporates all favorite kids activities such as climbing, crawling, dangling and bouncing.
Visitors can also take paranomic gondola to the highest peak in the Laurentians and enjoy Mont-Tremblant's spectacular views.



We saw children keep playing this: Taking the ski cable up to the mountain and then coming down with this go-kart thing.



This town at the base of Mont Tremblant is merely for the tourists. There are only hotels, resorts, restaurants, shops ... Nobody really live here. The 'real' town is at the other side. The 'old Tremblant' areas are the replica of the old town.



There is a free public parting below of Old Tremblant. From there, visitors can take the free cable to go to the base of the mountain. Otherwise, it is an easy and pleasant walking up for 15-20 minutes. There are shops and restaurants all the way up.



The beach of Tremblant Lake is only opened to the tourists who staying in the resorts or the local residents. Other visitors have to go to the public beach which is around 1-2km from the 'old Tremblant'. Even summer, the water is still quite cold when the weather is not hot hot hot.

Singapore (4 of 4): Sept 2009 - May 2010

The Integrated Resorts

The integrated resorts are the efforts of the Singapore government to diversify the country's economy by getting a share in the ever growing gambling business around the world (as least this is how i feel). The two large-scale resorts were conceived to meet Singapore's economic and tourism objectives for the next decade and they will have 30-year casino licenses, exclusive for the first ten years. We were there to catch the partially opening of the both resorts.

Resort World Sentosa



What are the major differences between Disneyland and Universal Studio? The cartoon characters? i think both are rather similar in the nature, to cater the need of small children and adults, with either the cartoons or the thrill games.



The foreigner got free entry, while the Singaporean and permanent residents have admission fees of SGD 100.



My sister said this part of the escalator with the wall murals of fishes and forest, the background music of birds and water, gave her a feeling of being in the tropical forest.



In general, i think resort world sentosa live up its name to cater the needs of the family. There are well equipped nursing room around and the areas are wheel chair or baby pram friendly. I later found out that, these facilities are not come in handy at the other integrated resort.

Marina Bay Sands



The Helix Bridge is a pedestrian bridge linking Marina Centre with Marina South. The bridge also functions as a gallery where children's paintings and drawings are exhibited for public viewing. When we were there, it was only half opened due to ongoing construction at the Marina Bay Sands.



The SkyPark is supposed to be home to the world's longest elevated swimming pool and also boasts rooftop restaurants, nightclubs, gardens hundreds of trees and plants and a public observatory with 360-degree views of the Singapore skyline.
It wasn't completed by the time we were there.



The casino is expecting to generate at least $1 billion in annual profit. People said, the interior of this casino looked more 'class' than the one in Sentosa.



At The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands or The Sands Expo and Convention Center, there is a good view from the deck to the opposite Esplanade.
The whole shopping mall has only one nursing room and poorly equipped, by the time of our visit. They probably do not plan to accepat any expo or convention relavant to baby or parenting.