Day 43: Travel day. Ottawa to Montreal

 Dear Gilles, 

We had a much nicer Lyft driver going to the train station than we did getting to the hotel. Holy moly someone was having a bad day on Tuesday. This happy Ottawa driver had just finished playing in a pool tournament, winning some good cash with his team. 

We were able to check in to our hotel early. Which also left us with an afternoon available to do 'stuff'.  So just before 2:00 we headed down the street to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

We started at the top floor of the main building - and we were on a mission for James Tissot's October - Tissot - October.  It took us forever to find it - and in the end we had to ask after which gallery it may be located in. 

The first piece we encountered of the visit is this one. I loved the juxtaposition of the language barrier. The boys of course thought it was about how Minecraft works.

And, in the same gallery, Patric found a beaded 20-sided dice. Beautiful work, but I don't think the artist had Dungeons and Dragons in mind. 

By starting on the top floor, we had a great view of the other two buildings across the street. The three galleries are all connected by a tunnel in the second basement.  

We met up with your brother at 6 - and headed out for some Montreal smoked meat at Dunn's. Patric got hot dog poutine. Luc got a plain hotdog. I got a smoked meat sandwich - with Patric's had photo-bombing for fries. 

We were also able to keep tabs on the Montreal - Washington game (6-3 for the Habs). A sea of red jerseys all around. But, a different red from the sea of Ottawa Senators neighbourhood we just came from. 

The weather was nice - but misting rain, so your brother gave us a short tour of downtown and pointed out landmarks etc. Including The Bay - which will be history very soon. The building is so pretty at night. 

Montreal is so pretty at night. The churches (almost one on every block it seems), the office buildings and the modern stores. Old and new all meshed together. 

Day 42: Ottawa

 Dear Gilles, 

Today we went to the Canadian Museum of Nature. 

We spent a solid four hours exploring and learning and tiring out our already tired feet. We visited the basement with butterflies and insects first. 

Then went up to the fourth floor to make our way downward. 

                                                

Luc explaining insects to Mummi. There were some leaf cutter ants - doing their thing and lots of stickbugs. 

There was a large display of dead bugs found in an empty lot in a city. The artist took each bug and added gold leaf and joined them with gold string then mounted them. Lots of work - I guess it belongs in a museum. It's so huge I'm not sure where else it would go. 

After the museum, we had some lunch back at the hotel and then walked over to the Royal Canadian Mint. We got to hold a $4Million gold brick. 

We only walked 11km today. Found these potatoe chips and thought we should buy them in your honour. 

Day 41: Ottawa

 Dear Gilles, 

We're staying at the Inn - a 1 km walk from almost everywhere we need to be. We woke up and enjoyed the complimentary breakfast which had all the niceties. 

Then we headed over to where the Senate is currently housed. It's the Government Convention Centre, which originally was a train station built in 1912. The outside blends in with all the stone and greyness of the area. The inside is very ornate in the stonework of the time. 

Each tour requires a security check point and we were there in plenty of time. 

Parliament Tours

Three weeks ago, I tried to book both the Senate and the House of Commons tours back-to-back. But for some reason - the website kept cancelling and kicking me out from booking the House of Commons tour. But since we had arrived early for the Senate - the guides suggested we go to the "Hut" and ask for walk up tour tickets. We secured 4 spots for the 11:40 am tour of the House of Commons. 

Now we've had ALL the levels of Ontario government and I think we're politically processed out. It does help that the news is currently filled with election talk and the boys are old enough to absorb some the talks, issues and see the process happen in real life. 

In front of the War Memorial, we observed a live bagpipe march.

Centre Block - including the Peace Tower is under construction until 2032. Hence the change in chambers for the Senate and the House of Commons. It will be interesting to come back in 10 years to see the renovations. Geothermal systems are going in for heating, with the thought that there will be a surplus of energy available. 

                                                    

The temporary House of Commons was built in an outside courtyard and retrofitted with a roof. 

After the guided tours, we headed over to the Mint to see if we could gain a spot on a tour (we have a booked spot for tomorrow). Unfortunately they were full. 

Mom was interested in touring the National Gallery of Canada. A place I would never have visited on my own accord. I was pleasantly impressed and enjoyed the time there. 

National Gallery of Canada

We also saw our 'big thing' - spider with eggs - Maman.

Maman

This is a miniature of the artist's mother-in-law. It was staged in a way that as you rounded a corner, you were hit with this sight. 

The original from our main room. The boys asked if we would put it up again since we've painted. But I'm still looking for something new for our walls. 

We ended the day - including 13 km of walking - with BeaverTails. 

We got original cinnamon and sugar - none of this loaded up menu of ideas - though the mEHple ones would have been acceptable.

Beaver Tails

Day 40: Travel Day. Toronto to Ottawa

 Dear Gilles 

We're on our way to Ottawa. 

Via Rail Map

We checked in to the hotel and then went for a walk to Byward Market and generally get our bearings. 

Everything shuts down at 5:00. Literally. 

We visited the City Hall before closing and asked about pins. They didn't have any. 

On our way back from the walk - we stopped by the grocery store to pick up lunch items to pack with us the next day.