Travel: Postcards from Ottawa

As the capital city progresses, Ottawa’s Canadian capital, despite being the fourth largest city in the country, is a somewhat overlooked destination.

Perhaps it’s because it’s not easy to get here thanks to limited non-stop flights with the US. Many readers who have decided to fly here will have to make one or two connections or fly to Montreal to rent a car and drive for two hours.

My visit came just before Christmas. This is after President Donald Trump first came up with the idea of ​​annexation and the idea of ​​entering the coalition as the 51st state.

It never happens, but it’s almost a new idea. In fact, this year marks the 250th anniversary of Quebec’s failed invasion during the American Revolution.

If I had to explain Ottawa in a single sentence, I think I felt that it was totally different from what I was familiar with.

The city is familiar as it is regularly used in television shows and films as a substitute for the metropolitan America. But Ottawa, Ontario, is British, but is different because they can (or can hear) the French influences of Quebec across the Ottawa River.

The streets pass as Americans, but when you look good, you’ll see a clear difference. Street and place names, for example, are clearly British, making sense as is Ottawa, the capital of the territory that Ottawa belongs to Charles III. And his great grandmother, Queen Victoria, chose Ottawa to serve as the capital.

This British influence is nowhere near as clear as Parliament Hill, the Canadian version of Capitol Hill in Washington.

The various Victorian Gothic Revival Buildings are home to the Canadian Parliament. However, the two elected House and Senate-appointed legislative rooms moved elsewhere until the 10-year restoration and modernization projects were completed.

Despite construction fencing and large holes in the ground, the iconic Peace Tower is still visible. The tower replaced the original tower after the fire in 1916. It contains 53 Bell Carillons (World War I) that are over 300 feet tall and dedicated to Canadians who died fighting for their kings and nations during World War I.

It’s not hard to imagine Washington looking a little more like Ottawa didn’t have American independence.

One of the best places to learn about the confluence of historical events that have brought Canada to the present day is the Canadian History Museum.

The museum, on the Quebec side of the river Gatineau, features a vast collection. The exhibit covers everything from Indigenous and Mixed Race Metis to the French influence of Quebec and the cultural blending pots accompanied by the waves of later immigration. Oddly, the thousands of Americans loyal to the crown that left the revolution seemed like an afterthought.

I thought the Canadian War Museum was better due to the significant North American history of Britain, particularly the loss of France in Quebec in 1759. We know them today.

If you’re going

Byward Market is a short walk from Parliamentary Hill and the imposing architecture of the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel. It is named after the military engineer who built the Rideau Canal. This is a 123-mile passageway built as a backup to the American-controlled St. Lawrence River, when Ottawa was named Ottawa, dated by the brick market. From open markets featuring seasonal produce to modern bars and restaurants, it remains a popular place despite several ups and downs.

The canal brings visitors and locals alike all year round. After some disappointing seasons, the ice got thick enough and recently opened for skating.

The Congress’ temporary rooms are open for tours, similar to the well-deserved, immersive experience. Reservations are required, but tickets are free. In the summer, ritual guards appear by soldiers in full dress uniforms that include the same bearskin ammunition hat as the British. Also, visit Rideau Hall, where the governor lives. Free tours are much easier to book than comparable White House or Buckingham Palace tours.

Other museums worth visiting are the Canadian National Gallery and the Canadian Air and Space Museum, offering tourist flights.

I stayed at Hyatt Andaz, about the block from Byward Market. The 4-star hotel is located in a skyscraper with a million dollar views of Ottawa. The restaurant is 1 Elgin, a luxury restaurant located within the National Center for the Arts. Paris-inspired Metropolitan Brasserie and restaurant. Additionally, the two-storey Irish pub Aulde Dubliner & Pour House is recommended.

Dennis Lennox is a travel column for Christian Post.