Ottawa is small compared to other countries’ capitals but the miles of parks, tended lawns, trees, plants and bike paths lining the Rideau Canal and the other two waterways flowing into downtown gives the city a natural charm. The bilingual, multicultural city retains remnants of its British heritage.
The Parliament Buildings, the seat of Canada’s government, resemble England’s Houses of Parliament. Scarlet-coated Royal Mounted Police patrol Parliament Hill on horseback in the summer. The Canadian Grenadier Guards and the Governor General’s Foot Guards in their tall bearskin hats enact the Changing of the Guard Ceremony on Parliament Hill summer mornings.
The soldiers also guard the residence of the Governor General. The house and grounds are open for tours. The new Canadian War Museum traces military history from the Indian battles to Canada’s peacekeeping missions. Other major museums include the National Gallery, the Canadian Museum of Civilization covering the history of Canada’s people, the Canadian Museum of Nature inside a Scottish-style castle, the Canadian Aviation Museum and the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
The Aviation museum conducts short flights over Ottawa while an old-fashioned steam train travels through woods uphill to Wakefield, Quebec.
Gatineau Park, a vast wildlife and nature reserve, draws hikers and campers in the summer and skiers in the winter. The Rideau Canal in winter becomes a five-mile skating rink, the world’s longest. In summer, masses of flowers bloom along the canal, starting with the Tulip Festival. This outdoor party is followed by the Ottawa International Jazz Festival, the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival and the Ottawa Folk Festival, to name just a few events.
The Casino du Lac-Leamy offers gambling, comedy and musical performances in the theater and dining at one of the region’s best restaurants, La Bacara. North America’s only branch of France’s Cordon Bleu cooking school has another French-style dining spot, Signatures. Beckta Dining and Wine serves highly rated market-fresh cuisine. Sidewalk cafes, restaurants and clubs surround the boutiques and local farmers’ stands at Byward Market. The action is nearly as lively on Elgin Street. Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants populate Chinatown. Italian restaurants dominate Preston Street.
Written by: Mary Ann Simpkins
