Due to my mother’s profound love for Pottery Barn furniture and clean beige walls, I have long been denied the privilege of my very own pet. Over the years, my constant begging has led to nothing more than a few trips to the zoo and a set of olive green animal-printed bed sheets, my envy towards pet owners growing greener than blonde hair in chlorine. However, since leaving for university, all the lucky pet owner peers of my youth have suddenly and abruptly found themselves on the same page I’ve always found myself on- deprived of furry companionship- and from what I’ve heard, even Skype dates with Mr. Whiskers don’t do much to help. Sorry mom and dad, but we just can’t deny that we miss Buster- (his silly, drooling face and twinkling eyes that scream, “you are the best!”)- easily more than your home-cooked meals, e-mailed rent money, and ‘I-love-yous’.
Recently, after an exhaustive Google marathon of word combos to produce images of fuzzy faces onto the screen, I began the search for the nearest zoo. In most cases, I could create a long list of ways on how much better Montréal is in every aspect than my hometown of Toronto, Ontario, but on this one count, the Toronto Zoo is hard to beat. Through more Googling, I learn that the closest thing to a zoo for miles around is the indoor Montréal Biodome- so I hop on the metro in search of some furry faces to make my friends, only hopping off when I reach the stop at Station Viau.
Constructed from the bones of the old Olympic Velodrome- part of the notorious Big Owe- the one-time racing track was transformed in 1992 into its current gig as the Montréal Biodome. It probably helped pay off the Big Owe’s 30-year debt by turning it into a new home for puffins and penguins than to leave it for track cycling and Judo- (would you pay money to see track cycling?)- but the Biodome isn’t a zoo per se. Nonetheless, I must mention that for once during another unforgiving Montréal winter, I found myself in a place with temperatures over twenty degrees: prodigiously exciting- practically bikini weather!
The Biodome is divided into five ecosystems of the Americas. The first one you enter is the tropical rainforest. Upon entrance, you will immediately be greeted by two giant capybaras. Though they may be the world’s largest rodents, weighing in at just around 110 pounds on average, I promise you that capybaras are way cuter than just some oversized lab rat. A lazy two-toed sloth hides somewhere in the trees and orange golden lion tamarins swing with elongated arms from tree to tree. To namedrop a few other charming faces, the Biodome is also home to two extremely hyper river otters, a crowd of Atlantic puffins, and FOUR different types of penguin, all looking incredibly dapper in what I can only assume are Tom Ford tailored tuxedos. I should also mention the Madagascar hissing cockroach with whom I shared an intimate hand-holding experience. I assure you it was memorable.
Students of the world, stop repressing your childish excitement and confusing your poor dog by scheduling weekly Skype sessions; instead, hop over to the Biodome just a few metro stations away. It’s a nice change-up from the McGill bubble to be surrounded not by cold, hungover, stressed out students but by hyper little kids, textbook-free minds, and fuzzy animals on a lazy Saturday afternoon. I even learned to perfect my waddle from the experts themselves- handy skill for the icy sidewalks of Montréal.
Biodome-4777 avenue Pierre-De Coubertin (Viau metro station) $12.50 for students, 9am-5pm