Ottawa - Phenomenal Come Rain or Shine

Lorna Jones

May 23, 20193 min read

Updated: Jun 6, 2019

My second day with Cathy in Ottawa was incredible. I've never seen so much street art in one place. Parliament Hill is certainly a must see but within a few blocks of that are monuments, statues of various Canadian heroes, the canal, markets, and terrific restaurants. The architecture is a mix of very modern and very old. It was threatening rain but we were lucky and the downpour we expected never happened, at least not while we were walking.

We started our afternoon by having a super lunch at "The Blue Cactus." There were so many healthy choices and I thoroughly enjoyed my salad. Cathy's Margarita Pizza and salad looked delicious too.

Now we had the energy to face whatever the weather could throw at us. We headed toward Parliament Hill but around every corner there was something interesting, unique, beautiful. I've visited Ottawa before but with Cathy's guidance, I saw things I'd never seen before. By the way, I think every Canadian city should have a giant sign of their name. I for one, would make it my mission to visit every sign right across the country, just to have my picture taken beside it!

The Valiants Memorial

Before we reached Parliament Hill, we walked around the Valiants Memorial adjacent to the National War Memorial.

Statue of Gentleman in period costume in Ottawa — Pierre LeMoyne d Iberville

Statue of an indigenous man in Ottawa — Joseph Brant

Statue of a woman in period costume in Ottawa — Laura Secord

Statue of a man in uniform in Ottawa — Sir Arthur William Currie

The National War Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

I can never think of this place, let alone see it, without thinking of Corporal Nathan Cirillo. His death was so senseless. Gunned down on October 22, 2014 while standing guard at the monument. I think the stormy sky made it seem even more spectacular.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa — The Canadian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the National War Memorial

We continued on to view the parliament buildings. I had seen the inside on a guided tour many years prior, even venturing up to the clock, so we did not go in this time. Cathy took me around the back of the building and to see the fabulous architecture of the library. The grounds, statues and buildings are well worth seeing.

Statue on Parliament Hill of Queen Elizabeth II — Queen Elizabeth II

When I first came to Canada from England in 1971, I was placed in Social 10 to learn Canadian History. The teacher said there were no stupid questions. Was she wrong! We began reading our text book and one man was mentioned over and over. I had no idea who he was and the book didn't tell you. I raised my hand and asked, "Who is John A MacDonald?" Fits of laughter erupted! I never forgot who he was from that day forward and somehow, even now, I hold him responsible for my embarrassment that day.

Statue of Sir John A MacDonald — Sir John A MacDonald - First Priminister of Canada

I love this particular monument - "Women are Persons!" statues. Led by Judge Emily Murphy, the group included Henrietta Muir Edwards, Nellie McClung, Louise Crummy McKinney and Irene Parlby.

The last monument we saw as we left the hill was the one remembering the War of 1812. All the statues are really magnificent.

Statue of men with guns and canons in Ottawa — War of 1812 monument

On our way back to the car we passed the canal and then wandered through the market area. It's amazing how bright everything looks when the sky is cloudy and there's been a recent rain.

Treat Time!

Believe it or not, I had never eaten the sweet Canadian treat called a Beaver Tail. Who knew there were so many versions of it? Luckily the notice, including how many calories each contained, helped me decide which I would choose. Cinnamon and Sugar - 390 Calories, pretty much a meal in itself but a bit better than 680 - Garlic Butter and Cheese!

The Cancer Survivor Park

We were meeting Stan (Cathy's husband) for supper but on our way to his office we took the time to stop at the Cancer Survivor Park. My first husband, Brian, died in 2008 after a three year battle with cancer, so this interested me very much. We both walked in silence through the "labyrinth" and read the inspirational sayings and the signs explaining how to face cancer with the best attitude possible. Many people go to the park to meditate and reflect.

It was time to meet Stan at his office and have some supper. The building he works in fascinated me. It's such an unusual design and the view from there is incredible. We walked a few blocks from there to Johnny Farina's Casual Italian Eatery where we enjoyed a fine meal. On route to the restaurant, I saw some delicious looking cookies in a bakery shop. I'm glad it was closed as I would have bought them all!