Today was my last full day in Ottawa. So I decided to make like my first full day in Ottawa and go exploring for a final time. And boy did I see a lot of Ottawa! In fact, I saw everything from Rockliffe Park to Lac Dow and everything in between. A heat wave has come to the city and it's bemusing to be sitting in Colonal By Park with all the sun bathers and frisbee players when just one month ago the ground was still covered in snow. What a crazy city this is!
What a completely and utterly incredible city this is.
I had my final poutine, a delicacy I'm definitely going to miss. Maybe I'll try and recreate it or else it will have to live on in my memories as the calorific delight I know and love and have consumed so much of this past year. I spent what must have been hours just staring out over the Ottawa River and Parliament. It's a view I will never ever tire of. Ever ever!
I also went and checked out the Canadian Tulip Festival. It's exactly what it sounds like. Basically, during World War Two, whilst the British royal family stayed put in Buckingham Palace and risked getting bombed, the Dutch royal family hot-footed it over to Canada. But there was a slight problem in that Queen Holland was preggers and, in order for her child to take the throne, Baby Holland had to be born in Holland and not Ottawa. To combat this problem, Ottawa decommissioned a room in Ottawa and made it Dutch. And that is the story of how the former Queen Beatrix was able to be queen. As a thank you gift, the Dutch gave Ottawa a load of tulips, et voila, the Canadian Tulip Festival was born. You are very welcome for that insightful history lesson.
I styaued out until the sun went down and I spent a few more glorious hours on Parliament Hill, soaking up the sunset and the beauty of the Peace Tower by night. Finally, I ambled back along the canal, pondering my year from my favourite view of the city and just feeling so incredibly blessed.
Oh Ottawa, what a home you've been!
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