24 hours in Ottawa, Canada

In August of last year, we did a road trip to New England (from Tn), visiting several places for the first time - Gettysburg (Pa), York and Ogunquit (Me), New Bedford (Ma) and Ottawa, Ontaria in Canada. We covered quite a bit as we also made side trips to Cape Cod (Ma), New York, Philadelphia, and Montreal.

While visiting friends in Montreal, we decided to go for a day trip to Ottawa; it's less than two hour's drive from their place. What a charming capital city! It's clean, nicely organized with wide boulevards, impressive architecture and history, and not crowded like Montreal or Toronto. We were impressed. 

Perhaps we were early, parking was a breeze. Our first stop was the Parliament buildings. Apparently, the historic Centre Block Parliament building has been undergoing a major overhaul for a decade, and the massive renovation won't be completed for another eight years. You can read more about the project here. Despite all the construction equipment and cranes photo bombing the picture, the iconic landmark is still majestic.
Centre Block, main Parliament building
East Block
Had we known to reserve tickets in advance, we could've gotten a free tour of the East Block building and learned what life at Parliament was like in the 19th century.

Next stop: lunch at Sansotei Ramen noodle shop. We chose it after reading their rave reviews. Our ramen and pork belly were delicious! We had come early and were seated immediately. When we left, the place was packed, and when we passed the location later, there was a line.
Miso Black Chashu (pork belly) ramen
After lunch, we strolled over to the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Flanked by Fairmont Château Laurier on one side, Bytown Museum on the other, the Rideau Canal connects the Ottawa River to the St Lawrence River at Kingston, Ontario. The Ottawa Locks has 8 locks providing a total lift of 79 feet (24m). Watching the operators crank open the wooden gates (by hand!) at each lock was fascinating. It captivated us for three hours as we followed the boats going through the locks along the Rideau Canal. For more detail information on the Ottawa locks, click here. This attraction is also  popular for bicycling, kayaking and weddings (we saw two on this lovely day).
Rideau Canal viewed from the Plaza Bridge
Boats entering the locks
Map and history of the Rideau Canal
Fairmont Château Laurier
On our way to the Byward Market., we ambled over to the National Gallery of Canada and the lovely Notre Dame Basilica.
National Gallery of Canada
Notre Dame Basillica
The Byward Market is a vibrant market that encompasses four blocks, offering produce, handicrafts, all sorts of goods and goodies. There are eateries, pubs and restaurants galore. By the time we got past all the buskers and outdoor entertainment, our stomachs were rumbling.
We had selected a restaurant, but found it closed for a private party. Thanks to wifi, we found Luxe Bistro, where we had a superb al fresco dinner. 
Crispy duck leg
Steak Frites with a side salad
Moules (mussels)
Ottawa is a wonderful side trip from Montreal. Highly recommended.
  

Comments

  1. You saw some great sights and ate some great food. That is what I call a wonderful outing.

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    1. Thanks. I've never taken so many sky pictures until I participated in Skywatch Friday.

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  2. It looks like a beautiful and interesting city. I like the giant spider!

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  3. Such a charming city!
    I enjoyed seeing the lovely photos, Eileen

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    1. Thank you. I enjoy your blog; you always post interesting info.

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  4. It was a beautiful day on your visit.

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  5. Hi mvmaithai, nice to meet you. Your "about"-section is super-interesting, to have the courage to really live such a dream!
    Via an external company I worked 16 years for Volkseagen Wolfsburg (B2E-project), but I happily live in Braunschweig and am now in railway.

    As you like Ottawa... maybe visit William!
    As you said, we learn from each other!

    Hehe. Yes, early bird here, also.
    How did you mix dill with cucumber? I´m so boring I use salt and eat it cold....

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    1. Hi Iris,
      Thanks for reading. Not everyone has the "time" or interest to read the history about someone. Like you, I like to know who is behind a blog or website. Yeah, we caught the cruising bug and just quit the rat race early. No regrets :-)

      The recipe I got for Knorr Salat Kronung
      is to add 3 tablespoons of water and 3 tablespoons of oil to the packet of seasonings, and add to the cucumbers or salad. The next time, I will use mayonnaise with the seasonings and mix with penne pasta and cucumbers.

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  6. You visited a lot of beautiful places also full of history (es. Gettysburg).
    Of course Ottawa deserves a visit! Great photos.

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    1. Traveling sure open our eyes to different cultures, cuisines and history. Hopefully history doesn't repeat itself :-)

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  7. That sounds like such a neat day trip. I find locks fascinating; we once took our boys on a short boat trip through some locks along the Erie Canal.

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  8. ...24 hours isn'y long enough for Ottawow!

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  9. Happy that you enjoyed Ottawa.it’s a great city and I hope you will spend more time on the next occasion. My daughter lives there.

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  10. I'm glad to hear you had a good time in Ottawa. Those are really stunning photographs.
    Feel free to read my new fashion post: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2023/10/9-fall-mother-of-bride-dress-ideas.html

    Thank you

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