Ottawa

January 2019 by AW

Did you know Ottawa is the capital of Canada? A lot of people think it is Toronto but it's not. I have a special connection with this place and would definitely recommend you to have a visit.

Ottawa is the fourth largest city in Canada after Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in that order. What I liked most about Ottawa was the bilingualism. For me a new migrant who started learning French as one of my objectives, I really appreciated the fact that I was greeted in French and spoken to in English based on my response. At any given time if I felt adventurous enough I could try to say something in French and not be too intimidated since English was a ready fall back option. Of course not everyone was bilingual but French speakers were easy enough to find. Even the guests staying at my hotel spoke French and English

Activities

Ottawa has lots to do, it’s not possible to list all but here are a few.

  • Visit parliament building
  • Visit the royal mint
  • Visit the art galleries and museums
  • Visit the Rideau Canal
  • Visit the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica (This is my now second favourite church in the world thus far, it is breath taking)

Things to be aware of

Ottawa is nice but there are a few thing to note:

  • It can be a bit cold (Going between Toronto and Ottawa I found sometimes a big different in temperature. When you are talking coldness this means you should check the temperature before arriving so you can pack the (necessary clothing)
  • Rideau Canal has seasons (check before based on the activity you are planning to undertake)
  • Very Historic (Building and Sites)
  • Easy to get around walking

Final thoughts mood

Ottawa was not as hectic as Toronto and it was much easier to get around walking. A good 15-30 min walk and you can get to most sites in the downtown area going any direction. The blocks were smaller so I guess this helped in terms of walking and getting around. Ottawa has a historic feel to it and may not suit everyone’s taste but it is a must see place in Canada and on my top 2 favourites places in Canada thus far.

Bonne Journée