QMSB Trip - Day 5

Also Olson Family Vacation 2025 Day 1.

  • Up early to pack up, get car, and unload out of Airbnb. Delightful time in Quebec.
  • Drive to Laval, suburb of Montreal.
  • Go to Escaparium in Laval.
  • Did the The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen room — amazing!
  • Went to Birdhouse Wings for lunch.
  • Returned to Escaparium and completed Wardrobe for Sale. Was incredible as well. Had us talking for a while after.
  • Drove into Montreal.
  • Parked at Victoria Place.
  • 5:12 PM: Official beginning of Olson Family Vacation 2025!
  • Walk to Notre Dame Basilica for Aura Lightshow.
  • Walk to Bevo Pizza for great pizza, beers, and pasta.
  • Family pictures after pizza.
  • Kaye and Fernandez’s return to Sonder.
  • Us, Lundeen’s, and Daily’s have an ice cream and walk down to the Grande roue de Montréal.
  • Check out the waterfront.
  • Casual walk back to Sonder.
  • We return to Victoria Place parking to get our luggage but find the elevator doesn’t go down. After a while find staircases to get to the parking levels and find the car without too much difficulty. Retrieve luggage.
  • Return to Sonder, respective rooms, turn in for the night.

Go to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or see index.

Wardrobe for Sale at Escaparium

After our morning defeating the Voodoo Queen we had a break for lunch and then returned to Escaparium. We were guided through a number of hallways until we came upon a wardrobe sitting in the hall. We were left and upon inspection the wardrobe transported us to another world where we made many new friends and were guided by Moss along the way. The room had many hidden secrets to find and at one point we even ventured down a river on a raft to a hidden cave where we ultimately saved Moss and all of her friends before coming back to this world through another wardrobe.

This was a two hour room and was an incredible story.

Happy 10 year anniversary to Ethereum! I just minted my NFT to celebrate the day!

Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen at Escaparium

We started another double header of escape rooms today at Escaparium. Our first room was Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen. As we entered our first “room” at Escaparium we realized it wasn’t really a room. We were taken to a dock by our guide and after a mysterious disappearance we boarded our ship filled with spirits.

This felt more like we were on a movie set than an escape room. The ship was moving at times and we were solving very cool puzzles. After successfully navigating the ship through storms we landed at the Island and had to save lost souls.

We did complete the experience and break the spell of the Voodoo Queen. It was amazing and made us all eager to see the other Escaparium rooms we were doing.

QMSB Trip - Day 4

  • Tammy went out and returned with pastries for breakfast.
  • Checking out storm damage at cabin via cameras. Some tree damage from very heavy winds overnight.
  • Drive to Mont Sainte-Anne. Left place too late.
  • Arrived late to drop off Tammy, Mazie, and Tyler for their Canyoning-Quebec excursion. 😬
  • Jamie explores mountain area and decides to spend his time hiking. Jamie takes Télécabine gondola up and does Les Chemin des belvédères loop. Then take La Pichard intending to descend to bottom but after 1 mile and descending 800 feet in the sun turn back and return to summit to take Télécabine gondola down.
  • We all meet up in cafe at resort.
  • Unplanned ice cream visit to Sammys and it is delicious.
  • Unplanned stop to see Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
  • Visit Montmorency Falls, the upper area, and check out the suspended bridge above the falls.
  • Go to Ile d’Orleans.
  • Amazing strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries from Ferme le Bunker.
  • A double cheeseburger so good Tyler ordered a second, and classic poutine from Casse-croûte Roquette.
  • Stop at 3 Poules en Ligne.
  • Stopped at Saint-Jean-de-l’Île-d’Orléans.
  • stopped in Sainte famille and visited the Boulangerie Boulin and Petite Marche.
  • Stopped in Sainte Petronille had ice cream at cafe next door to the Chocolaterie de l’Île d’Orléans and walked along the pier.
  • Finished driving the Ile d’Orleans loop.
  • A second stop at Ferme le Bunker for more fruit for tomorrow.
  • Returned to Montmorency Falls to walk the boardwalk and see it from the bottom.
  • Returned to Cabinet Mysteriis to do Screaming Metal escape room!

Go to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or see index.

Screaming Metal at Cabinet Mysteriis

We again returned to Cabinet Mysteriis to do a third room. Tonight we were doing Screaming Metal. There are a lot of escape rooms that are intentionally scary and that isn’t our thing. This room does have “fright” components but we felt we were up to it. The story is set in a post apocalyptic world and you are taken hostage by a group that is going to kill you. You have an hour to escape.

This room also had actors with the “screaming” part courtesy of the first actor who is threatening and carrying a baseball bat. The other actor is trying to help you.

We did escape! It was a complicated room but we worked through all the various steps and ultimately made it out. I really liked how authentic the ending was and how immersive the story got. Well done.

Poutine achievement unlocked! 🇨🇦😊

QMSB Trip - Day 3

  • Relaxed morning. Tyler and Mazie sleep in. Tammy on a run. Jamie having fun with some projects.
  • 10:30 AM Breakfast at La Buche.
  • Walk around the Old City and explore.
  • Walk the promenade by the Fairmont past the Tobaggan Slides.
  • Descend stairs to Côte de la Montagne.
  • Explore Parc Montmorency.
  • Descend stairs to Rue Sous-le-Fort.
  • Explore shops in lower area.
  • Made our way to Beauchamp Art Gallery and found a piece of art we all liked.
  • Returned back to Airbnb.
  • Jamie goes to Strøm Nordic Spa for an afternoon of relaxing and a massage. On the way there descend the Cap-Blanc Staircase, all 398 steps of it.
  • Tammy, Mazie, and Tyler went out of town and did an afternoon with horses.
  • All meet at Nina Pizza Napolitaine for dinner.
  • Take Lyft to Cabinet Mysteriis to do two escape rooms: Dreamwalkers and 2002: A Bovine Odyssey.
  • Take Lyft back to Airbnb.

Go to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or see index.

2002: A Bovine Odyssey at Cabinet Mysteriis

This was part two of our double header. After doing Dreamwalkers we went back to the lobby and got set for room two of the night. In 2002: A Bovine Odyssey we were aided by the onboard AI in the spaceship that we were on. The room made us laugh a lot and had challenging puzzles. We definitely needed the AI (game master) to help us. We found ourselves stumped a number of times.

Cabinet Mysteriis again showed their incredible focus on have an immersive experience. At one point one of the puzzles in our room wasn’t operating right. This happens rarely but isn’t the first time we’ve seen it. However, instead of just walking in the room we have a space pizza delivery man show up and deliver us some pizza and tend to the malfunctioning puzzle. Brilliantly done.

Great time for all!