Happy Birthday Canada 7-1-10

We have toured plenty of beautiful cities all over the Great Circle Loop but our favorite, by far, is visiting Quebec, Montreal and now Ottawa during the June 15th to July 1st time period. Ottawa for Canada Day is the icing on the cake.

This town really knows how to throw a birthday bash starting with carillon bells at 9am and going none stop to 10pm fireworks and beyond. All the museums and arts centers are free and jam packed with activities; 6 city parks also host multiple events with hundreds of dance and musical groups to celebrate the history and diversity of Canada captured in the Guess Who song refrain, “shake your hand…..share the land….”

Parliament Hill is the scene for the Changing of the Guard, the Royal Mountie Ride, 2 free extravaganza shows broadcast on national TV as well as the royal reception for the Queen. Here she is looking resplendent in a Canadian red ensemble accented with a diamond studded maple leaf broach. My outfit was an orange red REI shirt, 2 Canadian stick flags weaved through my hair, a free pin and a Molson beer. I’m guessing that I had way more fun.

The Queen is Coming…the Queen is Coming 6-30-10

We are in Ottawa at the junction of the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal which was built by the English to protect Canada from an invasion from the United States after the War of 1812. However, American boaters invade here every summer and our turn was on Sunday, June 27th. We climbed the flight of 8 locks with some effort as we had to fend off to protect our varnished teak rails and the townspeople welcomed us with open arms. What a difference 200 years makes in the foe vs. ally configuration! I wish we had a better picture to show you (this is from our flybridge at the top lock)…we were in about 50 photos today from people lining the walls and bridges and I should have asked one of them to take our picture.

We are no longer in French Canadian territory as you can tell from the architecture of Parliament Hill and the accompanying sound of Westminster chimes noting every ¼ hour. This is Loyalist territory and the whole town is getting ready for a visit from the Queen. Canada is a constitutional monarchy and they are still crazy about their connection to the UK and the Queen enough to spend millions for her visit here on Canada Day, July 1st . You know how you have to clean and polish everything when your mother is coming for a visit, that’s what it’s like in Ottawa this week with the Mounties practicing their steps, bagpipers blowing under bridges to test their wind power and workers even cleaning lampposts---really. We decided that we wanted to stay for Canada Day as we’ve been Minnesotans for 33 years which is practically a kissin’ cousin and it is going to be a great party. There is a lot of camaraderie here on the wall and we even met more Loopers, Jim and Linda from Selah.

We are having a great time. Ottawa is hosting a Jazz festival in Confederation Park which is located adjacent to the docking wall. George Benson is here on Wednesday, Dave Brubeck, on Saturday and I wish we had time to stay next week to finally hear Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Look closely at the picture from the Peace Tower and you can see a line of boats right in the middle of town—great location for everything. We toured Parliament and the Supreme Court yesterday without advance reservations which is way less complicated than touring our capitol. So many museums (Bytown, National Gallery, Rideau Hall, War Museum, Museum of Nature, Aviation Museum, Cold War Museum, Museum of Civilization….the list is endless, and with a few rainy days, this is a good option. We did a ghost tour and learned of the spirits that frequent the Canal—does it look like there is a spirit casting a shadow next to our boat???????? How am I going to sleep tonight?????

There are plenty of places to reprovision. By Market is the oldest farmer’s market in the country and open every day, and also has great ethnic restaurants. Take the # 7, 12, 14 or 18 bus east on Rideau Ave. and you will find the Metro grocery store open 24/7 or Lablaws, open 9am to 8pm. It was laundry day again for me but less complicated at the Rideau Coin Wash at 436 Rideau also on the above bus routes. Public library at 377 Rideau has Wi-Fi, and you can also find it in the Rideau Centre Shopping Mall about 3 blocks from the dock wall. It has plenty of shops, movie complex and an LCBO store.

The big story is the Queen’s visit and I wonder what outfit she’ll be wearing and if I will get to see the famous wave. Stay tuned……….