Doors Open Ottawa

I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend my last day here in Ottawa then by taking part in Doors Open Ottawa. The weather was fantastic. It was sunny and warm with a light breeze which made walking from location to location quite delightful.

J and I had decided the evening before that we would focus on seeing Embassies and Consulates as these are typically not open to the public on a day-to-day basis.

We were able to view the Algerian and Croatian Embassies, the Brazilian Ambassador's private residence and the British High Commissioners Residence. Unfortunately all of these locations didn't not permit photography inside. We did however manage to get some nice photos of the exterior and gardens of many of the locations. Oh I almost forgot, we also got to meet in person (and shake hands) with the British High Commissioner and his wife!!! Pretty nifty eh?

Our first stop, the Algerian Embassy. A beautiful building with beautiful gardens. We were also treated to figs and wine as we left. Such wonderful hospitality!


Flowers in the garden of the Algerian Embassy.


"Wildlife" in the garden of the Algerian Embassy.

A photo in front of the Brazilian Ambassador's Residence.

In addition to these locations we also visited the Lester B. Pearson Building (headquarters of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade [DFAIT]) and we had a chance to visit Rideau Hall and the surrounding gardens.

Holding the torch that will be used for the 2010 Olympic torch relay.

We were fortunate enough to be able to take a tour of the the building but had to wait a while before our tour time came up. With it being around the noon hour, J and I nipped back to a cute little shop called Sconewitch to grab some lunch. We bought AMAZING goat cheese, tomato and pesto scone sandwiches and headed back to Rideau Hall to enjoy them. If you are in Ottawa, stopping at a Sconewitch shop is a MUST!

The delightfully delicious scone sandwich.

During our tour of Rideau Hall we found out during the tour that Her Excellency (the Governor General) was actually in residence. Just like royalty, the flag of the Governor General is only flown when she is actually in the building.

The flag of the Governor General.


J and I in front of Rideau Hall.

As I write I'm in the midst of packing and watching the hockey game. I really cannot believe how quickly the time has gone. I will miss Ottawa and all that it has to offer yet at the same time, I am looking forward to seeing friends and family back home. While I have done a great deal while here, there is still so much I'd like to see. I guess this means that I'll just have to come back to visit!!!

Cheers,

T.

Poutine and Patty Boland's...

Friday night I was able to experience a little of Ottawa's night life.

The weekend got of to an excellent start with a barbeaue (can't get much better then that). While the weather wasn't entirely cooperating (cooler), we did manage to make it downtown to a popular pub called Patty Boland's. There was a live band and they played fantastic music.

The band. You can clearly see everyone was enjoying themselves!

After dancing for a while, it was time to head out to find a late night snack before heading home. I was fortunate enough to be with some knowledgeable folk who knew all the best places for poutine and we found ourselves at Mello's Restaurant. Walking in it looks like the place hasn't changed since the 1950's!

The nice French man that made our poutine for us.

Mmmm, poutine.

All in all, a fantastic night!

Cheers,

T.

Tulips, Tulips and More Tulips...

Tulips are one of my favourite flowers. There is something refreshing about their vibrant colours and how their appearance seems to signal the entrance of spring weather. I`ve always wanted to see the Tulip Festival in Ottawa and fortunately this past Sunday I had my chance.
It was a bit cooler than I would have liked, but I`m told that was better for the tulips as it keeps them from opening too much. I started my day off at Confederation Park where there was quite a display of blooms.

I made my way through the park and then took the path along the canal to my next destination – Lansdowne Park. On my way I happened across a mother duck and her ducklings.

Lansdowne Park housed the International Pavilion at the Tulip Festival this year. Over 20 different countries participated and of course, Holland was one of them. Many of the booths had traditional food and drink for sale and at some you could even dress up in national costumes and get your photo taken.

Here is a short synopsis of my time at the pavilion. Get poffertjes (little small pancakes) from the Dutch display. Mmm, lekker!

Purchase mittens from the Ecuadorian display (It was CHILLY!) Check out the Turkish display where two ladies were making roti. I bought one filled with ground beef. Very Tasty.



Try on Korean traditional dress (Hanbok). Very cool!

Purchase coffee from Colombian display and a donut from the Portuguese showcase and head out to catch the bus to downtown.

The final stop on my tour was at Major Hill Park. There were some more tulips on display as well as a carnival for the children and a display of art made from canned goods (with donations going to the local food bank I believe).

I capped off my day with a trip to the parliament buildings. This is worthy of a post in itself and so stay tuned to hear more about this!

Cheers,

T.