July 7 to 9 - Ottawa

Day One
We arrived in Ottawa late afternoon on the July 7 in the middle of the heavy downpour we narrowly escaped in Algonquin Park. Looking for shelter (and to get off the freeway), we proceeded directly to Jason's aunt's house in Napean where we were graciously being hosted for a few days. After a visit and dinner, the rain cleared, and Judy took us on a tour of some local attractions. Some were personal, like the apartment building where Jason's grandparents used to live, and others had broader significance.  Hogs Back Falls and Mooney's Bay are an appealing local park for running or cycling, but more importantly, this is the location where the Rideau Canal splits from the Rideau River. The combined appeal of the falls, park and canal make this a great spot to take in this National Historic Site even though it is also easily accessible throughout downtown.

Hogs Back Falls, Ottawa 2017

A drive downtown from the falls via Colonel By Drive provided iconic views of the canal and Parliament buildings. We made a stop in Byward Market for Beaver Tails, then continued our tour down Sussex Drive - past the official residence of the Prime Minister, and Rideau Hall (residence of the Governor General) as well as several impressive embassies. Our final stop of the evening was Beechwood Cemetery, which has both historic (as the National Cemetery of Canada), and personal (as both the birthplace and resting place of Jason's grandmother) significance.

Byward Market, Ottawa 2017

Day 2

Despite our busy evening the previous night, we were up early to visit the Parliament Hill. Knowing that tour tickets were first-come-first-serve, we arrived at the ticket office at around 9:30. Unfortunately, that was not early enough to score a Centre Block tour, but there were still a few tickets for late afternoon East Block tours that we eagerly snapped up. A tip for anyone trying to view the Centre Block - even though the ticket office doesn't open until 9:00 am, people begin queuing up several hours prior. In order to obtain English Centre Block tickets, it is recommended you are in line by 8:00 am.

With some time before our tour, we walked across the bridge to Gatineau to visit the Canadian Museum of History. The walk is just over 2 km and provides great views of the Parliament buildings, Chateau Laurier, the Ottawa River and the National Gallery - it is worth it as much for the scenery as it is a means of accessing the museum. I had been to the museum before in its previous iteration - the Museum of Civilization, but was blown away by the latest incarnation. The kids and hubby had a lot of fun with the Hockey special exhibit filled with interesting memorabilia.

The main gallery takes you through a very comprehensive account of Canadian history from pre-colonization indigenous cultures through to the early battles between First Nations, French, British and Americans, to Confederation, to Canada stepping on the world stage in WWI and WWII and finally to modern concerns such as the FLQ crisis, reconciliation for residential schools and LGBQ rights. Not only is it a comprehensive display, but a startling honest one - highlighting not only the highlights of history, but some of the ugly truths behind them as well. It is all done in a straightforward manner that serves to enlighten but not judge.

After a couple of hours at the museum (Jay and I could have spent much longer there, but the kids had had their fill), we made our way back across the bridge. We grabbed a quick lunch from a hot dog vendor (a treat for Colin who had never had street food before), and then explored the area around Parliament Hill and the Parliament grounds until it was time for our tour.

Our tour took us to the East Block, which today houses the Senator's offices. However, historically it housed the offices of important dignitaries such as the Governor General, the Prime Minister and the Privy Council. Four of these offices have been restored to their original glory, and this is what the tour takes you through. It was short, but very interesting.

We ended our busy day there, and spent a quiet evening with Judy, and taking care of some essentials such as laundry (much needed after over a week on the road).

Center Block, Parliament Hill 2017

East Block, Parliament Hill 2017

Sir John A. MacDonald's Office, Parliament Hill 2017

Day 3
We started the third day with a visit to the Canadian Museum of Nature. Again, another fantastic, well-done museum. We particularly enjoyed the exhibits on prehistoric life, the Arctic and marine life. One of our party made a very quick trip through the live bug exhibit, but the rest of us quite enjoyed this one as well.

From there, we went to visit friends just outside in Embrun. They took us to St. Albert Cheese Co-op for what they described to be the "best poutine we'll ever try". Not only was it fascinating to watch the cheese production from their viewing platform, but it was indeed some of the best poutine we've ever had. We also popped into Etienne Brule Brewery in Embrun to sample some local craft brews. We enjoyed a lovely afternoon before heading back to the city to prep for the next leg of our journey.

Canadian Museum of Nature 2017