The Canadian Adventured, Continued
After a two-hour flight from Winnipeg, we arrived in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada. The city is located on the river which separates the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, creating a metropolitan area that includes both English and French communities. Our hosts were members of FF Canadian Capital Region, a French-speaking club.
The welcome banquet was a wonderful buffet dinner, highlighted by a music and dance group who performed traditional French Canadian songs. After watching the performers, the dancing was opened to the audience, and members from both clubs joined on the dance floor.
For our next day, we explored some of the buildings of the Canadian government, including the Governor General’s Residence and the Parliament building.
The following day we visited Ottawa City Hall, where we were greeted by the Deputy Mayor and his protocol aide. After lunch, we visited the stables where elite members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police train for their famous riding exhibitions.
For dinner that evening, we ate at a culinary school. The meal was prepared and served by some of the student chefs. Everything was delicious!
Our next excursion was to the fantastic Canadian Museum of Civilizations, where we saw exhibits about Canada’s history and aboriginal peoples. Later we drove to Gatineau Park, Quebec. The fall colors were beautiful and the scenery was breathtaking.
On the next day we boarded a bus to take us to Papineau Manoir, a home built in the 18th century, for a guided tour. Nearby was the Chateau Montebello, a resort where many celebrities have stayed, and world leaders have held meetings.
After lunch, we continued to Omega Park, which has habitats for many animals native to Canada. We were able to feed them with carrots, which was a lot of fun.
Our final day in Ottawa featured another ride in the country, this time to the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, a re-created village of buildings from the 1920’s showing rural life at that time. We enjoyed a pot-luck picnic provided by the host club.
Our last event was the farewell dinner. We will remember this visit and the wonderful hospitality shown by all of our Friendship Force colleagues and hosts.
