Ottawa Downtown Tour

We traveled to Ottawa, Ontario this morning arriving shortly after noon. While crossing the border we drove across a bridge with steel decking. The decking made the car lurch left to right as the tires aligned with the slats in the bridge decking. The second photo: A monument was built to honor the men who fought in WW 1 and then was later rededicated to all military who served in forgein wars. There are two military personnel posted at the site and when there is a change of the guards, the replacement guards along with a Commander and bagpiper in full dress march to the monument and have a short ceremony. After the exchange of guards, the group marches away to music by the piper. It was good to see. We booked a tour on an anphibious bus...yup, a bus that floats. They close the loading ramp in back, tell us where the life jackets are and then later in the tour, drive right into the river. I did not notice many (any) leaks.
After the tour, we ate at an outdoor restaurant about a block from the US Embassy. After eating, we drove most of the loop we made on the bus with the car. I wanted to stop at the gated US Embasador's residence but Jean could not be coerced into ringing the bell...I couldn't do it...I was driving.
We saw the Parliament Building, War Museum, Museum of History, the Prime Minister's residence, National Museum, National Gallery, US Embassy and then the views from the river. It has been unusually hot where and while we have been traveling the past week. The usual temp in Ottawa this time of the year is 19 degrees Celsius. Today it was 31. So much for planning a road trip in the fall to avoid the heat. We have been moving early in the day to avoid the worst.Read more