Author: Katherine Gougeon

Entertainment

Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters… Arrrr!

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Have you ever wondered what life was like for the pirates who terrorized the high seas from the 17th to 19th centuries?

Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters is an incredible interactive exhibit in Quebec City, Quebec.

It invites you to climb aboard a historically accurate reproduction of a pirate ship (complete with pirates) and experience the life and living conditions of these treasure-seeking scoundrels.

Unlike what Hollywood movies would have you believe, women were not permitted on pirate ships.

Pirates considered them bad luck – along with dice, rabbits and whistling.

But superstition did not stop adventurous females from disguising themselves as men and living the pirate life.

Two of the most successful were Anne Bonney and Mary Read.

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Environment Lighter

Chuck And Vince: We Want ‘Em!

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Recently the City of Toronto started a new recycling program. It lets people safely recycle unwanted electronic equipment like TVs, computers and phones. Before the new program, people had to take these things to a special depot. Now, they can just put them out by the sidewalk with their regular recycling bin, and workers from the City of Toronto will pick them up.

But how could Toronto spread the word about the new program? An ad agency called Publicis came up with a series of catchy TV ads featuring “Chuck” and “Vince.” They’re actors pretending to be wacky recycling workers.

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Kids

Great Things To Do In Quebec

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In grade four, students in Ontario, PEI and Nova Scotia start to learn French in school. To show our son Anton just how wonderful French culture is, I suggested our family visit Quebec City over March Break.

Then I put Anton in charge of planning the trip.

Anton started his research sites like www.TripAdvisor.com and www.bonjourquebec.com, Quebec’s tourism site. He also talked with Micheline Lachance from Tourisme Quebec.

Anton: I’m dying to see the Ice Hotel. It seems impossible. What’s it like?

Micheline: The tour shows you what each type of room is like and how you can sleep on an ice bed and drink in ice glasses. Each room has ice sculptures with different scenes of nature.

Anton: I read Quebec produces about 80 per cent of the world’s maple syrup. Is March a good time to visit a sugar shack?

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