It was a glorious weekday morning in Ottawa to walk around Parliament Hill, located just across the Rideau Canal from the Fairmont Chateau Laurier (that's a photo from my room). I was surprised at how lax security was, and only encountered one security patrol and a few uniformed people standing outside Canada's seat of government. It's a far cry from The White House! At the center of Parliament Hill is the Peace Tower pictured here -- a campanile or freestanding bell tower. The bells chime every quarter hour and the tower houses a carillon.
They're called the Canadian Parliamentary Cats and they live within meowing distance of the iconic buildings of Parliament Hill. The so-called Cat Sanctuary was developed in the 1970s by Irene Desormeaux and is funded by personal donations and aided by volunteers.
Ottawa's Byward Market is Canada's oldest continuously running farmers' market, opening in 1826. The four-block square area includes restaurants, clubs, boutiques, galleries and open air stalls with fresh produce, flowers and no shortage of handcrafted items. I bought two winter caps from Nepal for $25.
President Barack Obama's visit to a Byward Market bakery in Ottawa created a huge increase in orders for their signature maple leaf cookies. Walk in to Le Moulin de Provence and there they are, in a huge showcase. Right now, they're interspersed with Christmas tree cookies. I bought one and ate it on the train to Toronto. It was OK, but not great. Sort of nicer to look it and keep as a souvenir but ... too late!
No surprise that Le Moulin de Provence has plenty of proof that the POTUS was actually there in February 2009. There's also a sign outside.
I took VIA Rail from Ottawa to Toronto. Here the sun begins to set during the five-hour train ride, which included views out to Lake Ontario and no shortage of photo-friendly sky.
After checking into The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto for a two-night stay, I headed out for dinner at this Japanese restaurant, located just a few blocks from the hotel. Tomorrow's itinerary: explore Toronto and see Jersey Boys!Photos by Sue Frause
NEXT: Toronto
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