It was a beautiful August day. We were on our week-long trip through Quebec. Since we both love zoos and aquariums, I ensured that Aquarium Du Quebec was included in our exploration of this incredible province.
Our visit was during the restrictive COVID times, and we were fortunate enough that many unnecessary regulations had been set aside. One was crossing inter-provincial borders, which were no longer banned, and significant attractions, like zoos, were allowed to be open. But, there were still restrictions on the size of crowds permitted to visit any particular area. I had to get timed entry tickets; the earliest I could do it was 12:00.
Typically, when I am planning a trip, an attraction that has the potential to take a significant portion of our time is placed at the beginning of the day. I want to get there at the opening. Nothing is worse than not having enough time for a big-ticket attraction and being made to leave before we finish exploring it.
Once we were allowed to enter, the first place we visited was the restroom. The places we were exploring before the zoo were all outdoor locations with nowhere to go if you needed to go. The second place we went to was the jellyfish.
There is something about these brainless (literally, they have no brains) creatures and how they float peacefully in the water. Aquariums that house these jellyfish often have changing lights to enhance the meditative effect one gets while watching them.
We left the jellyfish after we satiated our need for tranquillity from all the COVID-19 mania. The zoo is not very large and is very family-oriented. We would visit the various creatures on display and eventually come to the walrus exhibit. These large creatures were attracting a crowd because they were active, and they were all leisurely swimming in the enclosure. There is a grace and elegance to them gliding under the water in peaceful ease. As more and more people gathered to watch, one walrus decided it needed to poop.
Okay, this happens. It is normal, natural and healthy. What goes in our mouth eventually makes its way out the other end. Every living creature poop and these walrus were no different. Although the stain floating in the water took away from their swim’s gracefulness, people stayed to watch.
The walrus that pooped was not have been finished with the act. It exited the water and unloaded even more onto the ledge of its pool. Again, the crowd said nothing and accepted the unpleasantry with the same grace these creatures had while swimming. Even when the smell reached the crowd, there was the minimalest protest.
Canada is a bilingual nation. Quebec has the largest French population in the country. We have been to Quebec before and several times after this trip and have always managed to get by with communicating with others. I regret that I was never able to understand the French language.
What happened next required no knowledge of the French spoken word. No French language training was necessary for what everyone said. Anyone from any culture, creed, religion, nationality, or ethnicity would have understood what the French onlookers were saying.
At first, it appeared to be accidental. The crowd murmured to themselves when one of the walruses went through the floating “leavings” of the other. The murmurs changed into a roar of disgust and dismay when the walrus then intentionally went out of the pool, motioned toward the steaming pile of smelly poop and ate it.
At no time was I confused about what the crowd was saying. Children loudly asked their parents, couples exchanged words between themselves, and even strangers expressed themselves to other strangers.
And then it got worse.
The poop-eating walrus went for seconds, then thirds, rolled in it, played with it for a bit, and finally finished it off in an apparent moment of glee.
The people could not leave fast enough. There had been a large crowd, and dispersing as quickly as was needed in this situation was not happening fast enough. Everyone, including me, very much understood the loud French proclamations people were making.
We eventually relieved ourselves of this disgusting sight and tried to forget the feast the one walrus enjoyed. Being a small zoo, we were able to finish exploring it and would make our way around it a second time. The question did arise of whether we wanted to see the walrus again or maybe skip it.
- Even though COVID has long been forgotten, timed tickets need to be purchased before entry.
- View my All The Places We Have Been To Map to find out how to get to Aquarium Du Quebec. This oldest city in Canada has many other attractions worth visiting.
- Remember, everybody poops, but please do not be like this walrus. If you see poop, leave it, not eat it.
- Visiting this zoo will take two to three hours.
