Tag: gardens

Parrot Mountain

On By reneemarie31In TravelLeave a comment

My absolute favorite thing that I did on my recent trip to Pigeon Forge was my visit to Parrot Mountain. No one else in my extended family seemed particularly interested in going, so I borrowed my sister’s car and drove myself and my daughter up the mountain to see the parrots! I love any kind of animal encounter experience. These gardens are full of tropical birds to see, hold, and feed. It was heaven!

As you walk the paths, you come across so many different birds. Some just sitting on their perches, others in large cages.

They were all so beautiful and full of personality.

The place is clearly run by Christians with many spots throughout the gardens having Scripture quotes or religious statues. A reminder that we are among God’s creations.

Eventually, we came across an entrance to a “Secret Garden.” This led to a small enclosed aviary.

Next, we came across the first truly interactive portion of the gardens. There is a designated area with lots of parrots sitting on their perches. You can buy seeds from what looks like a candy dispenser for 25 cents per handful. Then you can walk around and hold your hand out flat and allow the parrots to eat seeds directly from your hand!

This was exciting enough until I came across one parrot who wanted to leave her perch and come onto my arm! I was so excited to hold her, even if she did try to eat the buttons on my shirt and take a little nibble at my purse!

She (or he) was so pretty and pink! I believe the name was Valentine!

We continued on to visit more birds.

Next, we went into another little aviary where you could feed the lorikeets. We had purchased tickets to get small cups of nectar for this experience. As soon as you walk in with the nectar, the birds are all over you. I loved it!

The gardens are so beautiful, as are the gorgeous birds.

The end of our visit was in the baby nursery. You walk inside and there are baby birds everywhere, hanging out in their little boxes. Many like to be held.

If you can’t already tell, I had a great time at Parrot Mountain. I highly recommend visiting if you are ever in Pigeon Forge. I would go back again and again to see the beautiful birds.

L’Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont Royal

On By reneemarie31In TravelLeave a comment

Another major church on my tour of Montreal is Saint Joseph’s Oratory. This is a huge Catholic shrine dedicated to St. Joseph. It was founded by St. Brother André. The oratory is located on top of a mountain and there is a lot of stair climbing involved in visiting. It is a pilgrimage site.

Due to the great amount of walking, stairs, and lack of air conditioning, I did a lot of the exploring on my own. My husband and daughter saw some of the sights, but also chose to sit and rest, while I explored. The first area I explored was the Gardens of the Way of the Cross. As you walk up and around the expansive gardens, you follow the stations, which are statues depicting Christ on the day of his crucifixion.

The whole sight is dedicated to Saint Joseph, Jesus’ father on Earth. There are several chapels located throughout the property, along with the main church.

I liked these statues of the twelve apostles located in the main church.

Brother André, the founder of the Oratory, was canonized a saint in 2010. As the humble doorkeeper at Notre Dame College in Montreal, he welcomed and prayed with and even healed countless visitors. There are several areas of the Oratory with presentations on Saint André Bessette.

  • his tomb
  • crutches left by those who have been healed
  • a recreation of his office

I walked to the original chapel, where Brother André lived on the top floor.

If you enjoy visiting churches and religious sites, as I do, then I definitely recommend a visit to Saint Joseph’s Oratory. Just be aware that there is a great deal of walking and climbing involved, although there are escalators inside. You can get a great view of the city from the top. There are many people visiting, but also some quiet spots for prayer, where no pictures are allowed. Mass was also being held in the crypt chapel during my visit.