May 17 2025 - Ottawa ON
Bus 3.5 hrs
Steps 13,000
We have the breakfast buffet at the hotel in a separate room for the tour group.
9 AM depart hotel for a 3 hour city tour. It starts raining as we get on the bus. Rachel, a local guide with Hidden InSite will be our guide for the city tour.
How did we miss these guys last night?
The Valiants Memorial, located in downtown Ottawa, is a collection of nine busts and five statues depicting individuals who have played a role in major conflicts throughout our history. It also includes a bronze wall inscription that reads, "No day will ever erase you from the memory of time", which is from The Aeneid by Virgil.
The monument pays tribute to the people who have served this country in times of war and the contribution they have made in building our nation. These 14 men and women were chosen for their heroism, and because they represent critical moments in Canada’s military history.
The Valiants Memorial was created by Marlene Hilton Moore and John McEwen in 2006.
We stopped at the War Museum. There is a section in the lobby that doesn't require a paid admission.
The building, designed by Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama, reflects the concept of regeneration. The Museum emerges slowly from the landscape, its grass-covered roof and low profile reminding us of nature's ability to recover from the devastation of human conflict.
Moriyama, was forcefully relocated with his family to a camp in the B.C. interior during the Second World War.
Born in Vancouver, he went on to a storied career as an internationally-known architect, designing everything from the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo to the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto — the latter now at the centre of a heritage dispute between preservationists and the provincial government.
But the Canadian War Museum, opened in 2005 in time for the 60th anniversary of Victory Day, remains Moriyama's signature work, at least here in Ottawa.
In 1993, Australia marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the First World War by repatriating from France the remains of its own Unknown Soldier, the first Commonwealth country to have done so since 1920. He was buried in the Australian War Memorial’s Hall of Memory in Canberra.
Canada followed the Australian example in 2000 at the suggestion of the Royal Canadian Legion and other groups. A single set of remains was selected from among Canada’s 6,846 unknown soldiers of the First World War for return to Canada and re-interment at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. The Unknown Soldier ultimately came from a cemetery near Vimy Ridge and was flown home to lie in state in the Hall of Honour in the Centre Block of Parliament from 25 May to 28 May 2000, where tens of thousands filed past to pay their respects.
When the Unknown Soldier was reinterred at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, soil from each Canadian province and territory, as well as from France, was placed on the coffin.
The embedded wind landscape inside the hall — renamed in Moriyama's honour in 2021 — is one example of the experiential design touches that made Moriyama unique.
"It reminded him of his experiences as a young boy interned in camp ... which is really at the core of much of Raymond's inspiration for the museum," said Caroline Dromaguet, the museum's CEO.
Moriyama's intention was "for people to feel a little bit destabilized right when they walked into the lobby," with the museum's uneven floors and exposed raw materials.
On Remembrance Day, at precisely 11 a.m., weather permitting, sunlight shines through a single window in Memorial Hall at the Canadian War Museum to frame the headstone representing Canada’s Unknown Soldier. This dramatic moment happens only once a year at the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.
This is the tombstone of Canada's Unknown Soldier. It marked the grave of one of the 6,846 Canadians buried during the First World War as “unknown soldiers,” meaning their bodies were recovered but their identities could not be confirmed.
In 1916, ten-year-old Aileen Rogers sent to France a special gift for her father, Lieutenant Lawrence Browning Rogers of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles, who was serving on the Western Front. Intended as both a good luck charm and a memento of home, Aileen's gift was a small teddy bear. The following year, Lieutenant Rogers, along with thousands of other Canadian soldiers, was killed at the battle of Passchendaele.
In one of his pockets, his comrades found Aileen's teddy bear, which they shipped back to her family in Canada. Eighty-five years later, Lieutenant Rogers' granddaughter, Roberta Rogers Innes, found an old briefcase. Inside was the teddy bear, along with letters and other war memorabilia. Roberta later donated the teddy bear to the Canadian War Museum, where it became one of the Museum's most beloved artifacts.
Ten-year-old Aileen Rogers gave this bear to her father, Lieutenant Lawrence Browning Rogers, before he left for war. The gift was meant as both a good luck charm and as a memento of home. Rogers, a lieutenant with the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles, was killed by enemy fire at Passchendaele in 1917, as he tended to a wounded soldier. This bear was found in Rogers' pocket and returned home to his family.
Lieutenant Lawrence Rogers carried this teddy bear with him every day in the trenches. It was a gift from his ten-year old daughter, Aileen, who hoped it would keep him safe. When Rogers was killed in battle in 1917, the bear was found in his pocket. Rogers never had a chance to read this letter from his 7-year old son, Howard. It arrived after his death. The military returned both items to the family. They remain treasured links to a father, and then a grandfather, who had left to fight for King and country, and never returned.
National Gallery of Canada
Presiding over the plaza of the National Gallery of Canada, Maman – a giant egg-carrying arachnid cast in bronze – was inspired by the artist’s own mother, and stands as a nurturing and protective symbol of fertility, shelter and the home. With its potentially terrifying scale, however, the sculpture also incites a mixture of fear and curiosity.
We drove along Sussex Drive, known as Canada's ceremonial road, Sussex Drive is a boulevard through the ByWard Market, Lower Town and New Edinburgh neighbourhoods. A number of landmarks, embassies and institutions line the road, many of which are designated National Historical Sites. In addition, a number of parks and monuments are located throughout the length of the route, several of which overlook the Ottawa River. The entire route forms a portion of Confederation Boulevard, a ceremonial route around Ottawa and Gatineau used by foreign dignitaries and during royal visits to Canada.
Adjacent to the traffic circle are Rideau Hall at 1 Sussex Drive, home to the Governor General, the Prime Minister's residence at 24 Sussex Drive directly opposite Rideau Hall.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will be moving into Rideau Cottage, as the federal government decides what to do with the vacant 24 Sussex Drive.
The official residence of the prime minister in Ottawa has been vacant since 2015, when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family opted to live across the street at Rideau Cottage on the grounds of Rideau Hall. Parks Canada photo.
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon was sworn in on July 26, 2021, as Canada’s first Indigenous governor general.
Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence of the governor general of Canada, the representative of the monarch of Canada. Located in Ottawa, the capital of the country on a 36-hectare (88-acre) estate at 1 Sussex Drive, the main building consists of approximately 175 rooms across 9,500 square metres (102,000 sq ft), and 27 outbuildings around the grounds. Rideau Hall's site lies just outside the centre of Ottawa. It is one of two official vice-regal residences maintained by the federal Crown, the other being the Citadelle of Quebec.
The Governor General's flag, flown over Rideau Hall in Ottawa, is blue with the crest of the Canadian Coat of Arms in the center. This crest depicts a gold lion wearing the Royal Crown and holding a red maple leaf. The flag is a symbol of the sovereignty of Canada and is flown when the Governor General is in residence.
The governor general’s flag has precedence over all flags in Canada except:
The King’s personal Canadian flag
the flag of the lieutenant governor of a province at the lieutenant governor’s residence
when the lieutenant governor is performing his duties as The King’s representative in the province
The same provisions specified for the Sovereign’s flag and other personal standards apply to the governor general’s flag.
The coat of arms of the governor general changes with each new governor general while the flag remains the same: the crest of the Canada Coat of Arms on a blue field. The crest depicts a lion wearing the St. Edward’s Crown, holding a red maple leaf in its front right paw, and standing on a wreath of red and white cloth. This flag was approved by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981.
Ottawa’s Old City Hall is an iconic building that embodies both the rich history and architectural evolution of Canada’s capital city. Located on Sussex Street, on the banks of the Rideau River.
Ottawa’s Old City Hall, often confused with today’s City Hall on Laurier Avenue, has a history dating back to the mid-20th century. Before its existence, Ottawa (formerly Bytown) grew rapidly, requiring an administrative center capable of meeting the needs of a growing population. Initially, municipal affairs were managed in much more modest buildings.
Little Italy
Incredibly it stops raining as we approach the Tulip Festival.
I must say John was a teensy bit disappointed. He expected it to be more like tulip fields such as
when we went to Fenwick a couple of years ago.
The Rideau Canal National Historic Site is a 202km water route that connects Canada’s vibrant national capital in Ottawa, with Kingston and Lake Ontario to the south.
The Rideau Canal opened in 1832 for commercial shipping. Freight was eventually moved to railways and the St. Lawrence Seaway, but the canal remains in use today for pleasure boating, operated by Parks Canada from May through October. It is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America,[5] and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Then time to wander and pick up some cheeses for lunch tomorrow as we have a tight schedule.
The Supreme Court of Canada building features two bronze statues flanking the main entrance steps. These statues are named Veritas (Truth) and Ivstitia (Justice), representing the principles of truth and justice. They were created by Walter S. Allward, who also designed the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.
Louis St. Laurent and his cabinet oversaw Canada's expanding international role in the postwar world. His stated desire was for Canada to occupy a social, military, and economic middle power role in the post-World War II world.
The festival began with a special gift. The Royal Family of the Kingdom of the Netherlands took refuge in Ottawa during the Second World War, and Her Royal Highness, Princess Margriet was born here in 1943. Two years later, Canadian troops played a key role in liberating the Netherlands. In gratitude, the Dutch government has sent Canada a gift of tulip bulbs every year since 1945, inspiring what has become the Canadian Tulip Festival.
Dow's Lake in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada is a small man-made lake on the Rideau Canal, situated two kilometres north of Hog's Back Falls in the middle of Ottawa.
The lake is named after Abram Dow, an American-born settler who came to Ontario in the early 19th century and who owned land in this area in 1816. Before construction of the canal, this area was known as Dow's Great Swamp.
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Thee Canadian Tulip Festival also features an "Upcycle Garden" that celebrates sustainability by using 100% recycled materials. This garden, located along the lake's scenic boardwalk, is a whimsical display of creativity and a testament to the festival's commitment to environmental practices.
Thee Canadian Tulip Festival also features an "Upcycle Garden" that celebrates sustainability by using 100% recycled materials. This garden, located along the lake's scenic boardwalk, is a whimsical display of creativity and a testament to the festival's commitment to environmental practices.
Like the tulips that are the focus of the festival, the statue Man With Two Hats which stands in Commissioners Park was gifted to Canada in thanks for the role that Canadian soldiers played in liberating the Netherlands during the Second World War.
The monument was designed by Dutch artist, Henk Visch, and an identical statue stands in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. According to the commemorative plaque “the twin monuments symbolically link Canada and the Netherlands, though separated by an ocean, the two countries will forever be close friends“. The two hats are said to symbolize Canada and the Netherlands and his outstretched arms represent the liberation of the Netherlands and the cooperation between the two countries.
The Rideau Canal opened in 1832 for commercial shipping. Freight was eventually moved to railways and the St. Lawrence Seaway, but the canal remains in use today for pleasure boating, operated by Parks Canada from May through October. It is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America,[5] and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
ByWard Market (French: Marché By), is a retail and entertainment district in the downtown core. It is located east of the government and business district. The Market district includes the market buildings and open-air market along George, York, ByWard, and William street.
The name refers to the old "By Ward" of the City of Ottawa ('By' deriving from the surname of the engineer, John By, who was the area's original surveyor). The district comprises the main commercial part of the historic Lower Town area of Ottawa.
Our meeting point is the totem pole should you decide to take the bus back to the hotel which we did as we wanted to visit some places closer to the hotel. We will also be back here in Sunday for dinner.
One had the poutine.
My wings.
John had chorizo tacos which he said were delicious.
A uniquely Canadian tradition, hand-made Beavertail pastries are served up with a variety of toppings at special events throughout the year and at the permanent kiosk in the ByWard Market.
This humorous paper-mache sculpture was created by Victor Tolgesy in 1978. The sculpture depicting a cloud with various people and animals on top hangs from the ceiling of the ByWard Market building.
From the hotel we headed out to Parliament Hill.
As we went by the War Memorial the guards were there unlike last night.
And it was getting very warm!
Prominently located on Parliament Hill, the War of 1812 Monument occupies a site with direct views of, and a symbolic connection to, the National War Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and The Valiants Memorial, all of which mark major conflicts in Canada’s history. This monument is a dynamic national tribute to the spirit, courage and bravery of those who served and successfully defended their land in the fight for Canada.
The rough-hewn central granite plinth evokes the ruggedness of the land in the 1800s and the nearby rocky cliff of Parliament Hill. The two granite boat-shaped pieces represent the maritime theatre of war and echo the Gothic arches of the Parliament Buildings. Atop the three plinths, seven bronze figures, each approximately two metres tall, represent the key combatants that came together to defeat the American invasion: a Métis fighter firing a cannon; a woman bandaging the arm of a Voltigeur; a Royal Navy sailor pulling a rope; a First Nations warrior pointing to the distance; a Canadian militiaman raising his arm in triumph, and a member of a British Army unit, specifically the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, firing a musket.
The monument, entitled Triumph Through Diversity, was created by Toronto sculptor Adrienne Alison.
The Parliamentary Protective Service is the office of the Parliament of Canada which provides physical security within the Parliamentary Precinct in Ottawa, Ontario. Policy direction is set by the speakers of the Senate and House of Commons.
The flag atop the Peace Tower gets replaced every day. Canadians can get on a waiting list to receive a used flag, at the moment the waitlist is over 100 years!
The building is undergoing extensive restoration.
Bank of Canada plaque across from it. We will visit the museum later.
The Supreme Court of Canada building features two bronze statues flanking the main entrance steps. These statues are named Veritas (Truth) and Ivstitia (Justice), representing the principles of truth and justice. They were created by Walter S. Allward, who also designed the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.
They were forgotten for almost 50 years. In 1969, they were found in their crates buried under a parking lot. They were erected on their present site in 1970.
Surprisingly it is open to the public even on a Saturday. It is free to enter the lobby once you go through their intense and thorough security procedures. John even had to taste the water in his water bottle and open up our umbrellas.
Message from the Chief Justice, Richard Wagner
Welcome to the Supreme Court of Canada, our country’s highest court.
We are the only bilingual and bijural supreme court in the world. We work and decide cases in both English and French and from both common law and civil law.
Our job is to make independent and impartial decisions on legal issues of public importance. The Court hears cases in all areas of the law, including constitutional law, administrative law, criminal law and private law.
The decisions we make here affect the lives of all Canadians, and that of your family and community. We are proud to share that work with you.
The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C., C.C.
Supreme Court of Canada Collection
Chief Justice of Canada from January 7, 2000 until December 14, 2017. Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada from March 30, 1989 until January 7, 2000.
She is also an author!
Louis St. Laurent and his cabinet oversaw Canada's expanding international role in the postwar world. His stated desire was for Canada to occupy a social, military, and economic middle power role in the post-World War II world.
Look at the sunshine!! We lucked out.
We stopped into the Bank of Canada Museum.
In late 2018 Desmond became the first black Canadian-born woman to appear alone on a Canadian bank note—a $10 bill.
Our newly elected Prime Minister.
6 PM bus departs for Oh Canada EH? dinner theatre (included)
This two hour show features all-Canadian music from Maritime folk songs to modern pop. Come be serenaded by our singing Mountie, hockey player, Anne of Green Gables, Klondike Kitty, and many other special guests.
This high-energy, family friendly production features over 70 songs from Canadian artists including Paul Anka, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, the Barenaked Ladies, Avril Lavigne, Justin Bieber, and many more.
While you’re taking in the show, you’ll be served by the performers. Sink your teeth into our famous all-Canadian meal. Where else are you served your dinner by a singing Mountie?
Dinner menu includes French Canadian pea soup, fresh bread and salad. The entrees that are served during intermission consist of fried Atlantic haddock, mini meat tourtiere and roasted chicken, along with roasted vegetables and potatoes. Dessert, coffee or tea. Cocktails, wine and beer are available for purchase.
We had torrential rainfall as we headed to dinner!
We sat down and were quickly served GF pea soup, rolls and salad.
Then the show started. These entertainers were excellent and had an abundant amount of energy!
This glass somehow made it back with me!
John and K both got special meals, gluten free and vegetarian.
Otherwise the meal is served family style for two people with 2 mini-Tourtiere, 2 pieces of breaded haddock (very small) and 2 pieces of chicken with very overcooked vegetables.
Other than the tourtiere nothing was particularly Canadian.
What annoys me the most about these meals is the absolute waste of food. Hardly anyone finished their plates, it was lukewarm and so dry. If you are going to make the cost/effort to cook for people perhaps serve less and make it appetizing.
Or come up with a buffet style, simpler menu. No one who attends this show is expecting gourmet dining but let's not waste food. People want to try different, local dishes, especially non-Canadian tourists are adventuresome.
Off the top of my head I came up with:
You could do split pea soup, seafood chowder, maple syrup baked beans with peameal bacon) cold meats (Montreal-style smoked meat), potato salad, breads (rye, bannock) and fresh salads, perhaps fiddle heads, cod (Canadian) is more cost effective than haddock,
Desserts! butter tarts, Saskatoon berry pie, beavertails, Nanimo bars (too sweet for me).
Or simply offer lobster rolls (cold) and rolls and a non-fish item. Lobster is expensive but rolls are usually on little hot buns. Then use soups and salads as fillers and a stew.
Include some Indigenous items such as:
Wild rice, also known as manoomin, is a native cereal grain that has been a staple food for many Indigenous communities for thousands of years.
Buffalo beef stew filled out with 3 Sisters corn, beans and squash.
One of the interesting dishes you’ll find in Indigenous and northern Canadian cuisine is jellied moose nose. To prepare this, the moose's nose is simmered until it becomes tender, then left to cool and set into a terrine with a jelly-like texture. This delicacy beautifully highlights the resourcefulness of the communities in Canada's northern regions.
Jigg's Dinner is a hearty meal that has its origins in Newfoundland and Labrador. This satisfying dish features salted beef or pork, along with a variety of root vegetables such as potatoes, turnips, and carrots that may be served with pease pudding. It is deeply connected with Canada’s maritime history. Simple, effective.
Touton, a popular breakfast or brunch dish in Newfoundland and Labrador, is a delightful pan-fried bread dough. It can be enjoyed with savoury toppings or drizzled with molasses and syrup. This comforting Eastern Canadian delicacy is simple, yet incredibly satisfying.
Desserts! butter tarts, Saskatoon berry pie, beavertails, Nanimo bars (too sweet for me).
We are not looking for large portions (no one here is starving) but simply provide a sampling with more of a Canadian slant.
This was definitely a case of quantity over quality and is such a waste.
BTW lest anyone think it was only me complaining, I heard plenty of complaints at breakfast.
HOWEVER The show was great.
Here is a list of some of the songs with their original performers. every song has a Canadian connection.
Another popular Maritime song of mine Sonny's Dream.
Paul Anka's songs including Frank Sinatra's most famous "I Did It My Way"!
The "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" music video has a notable connection to Canada. While the song itself was written and originally recorded by Robert Hazard, the video for the Cyndi Lauper version, which catapulted the song to fame, utilized state-of-the-art digital editing equipment belonging to Lorne Michaels, a Canadian television producer.
He included some French Canadian old favourites.
The Newfoundland and Labrador folk song "Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's," written by Otto Kelland, was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) on May 8, 2025, at the 37th East Coast Music Awards Gala in St. John's. The song, which was written in 1947, is a beloved ballad about fishing off Cape St. Mary's.
Anne of Green Acres, of course!
Titanic song and skit.
One popular version, "The Mounties," is a song sung by Nelson Eddy, as featured in the 1933 film "Rose Marie".
Vince, our tour guide, up riding his horse with the Mounties!
I Wear My Sunglasses At Night!
They ended with Leonard Cohen's Halleluiah.
And a song I had totally forgotten, from Girl Guides!
9 PM return to hotel
I would like one of those candy apples and I am adding Beaver Tail to my bucket list.
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