Walking Tour 1: The National Landmarks

As stated previously, on Saturday I embarked on my guidebook's 'Walking Tour 1: The National Landmarks'.  And as mentioned prior to that, I stated something like, "On Saturday, I think I'll walk to Quebec.  If the weather is good."  

Well, lucky me (and a vicariously lucky you), for the sun was shining, the day was beautiful, and 'Walking Tour 1' heads directly into Quebec.

For starters, a different view of the US Embassy, showcasing the lovely... sculpture.

This is the nice park near the National Gallery where I frequently go visit during lunch. 

 

I was chilling there, at the beginning of Walking Tour 1, forming the plan, and some Australian tourist comes up and asks me how to get to Parliament.  I must be very non-threatening in appearance; the Australian was like the Australian version of me, early twenties, in Ottawa, having no idea where Parliament is located.  So I pulled out the guidebook and we figured it out.  After that, some power-walking headset-wearing Canadian speeds past me and says very loudly, "Yeah, there's a lot of tourists here, aren't familiar with Ottawa," as though I was Canadian and familiar with Ottawa.  I replied, "I'm not from Ottawa.  I don't know the city."  But he had spend away, not hearing me.

What are these Rats of the Sea doing here in inland Ottawa?  Following a series of canals?

The locks: you know this part of the story. 

In a semi-related note, I got this bubble tea at this little noodle shop in Byward Market.  I swear it was made with whipping cream: it was very rich and held the bubbles from the shaking step for at least twenty minutes.

Heading up Parliament Hill.  Apparently I was partially correct by calling every single pointy-roofed building Parliament, as Parliament Hill is a complex of three large pointy-roofed buildings, all of which are governmental/Parliamentary.

Elizabeth II as an equestrian statue.  How often do you see a woman-equestrian statue?

A Notable Canadian and a Bird.

Some old retired man maintains this house for stray cats up on Parliament Hill.  The cats have this nice condo to live in, they get fed, and they have all their shots and are fixed.  No cats were home when I stopped by.

One of the Parliament buildings.  For real.

Walking past Parliament Hill.

Diverse architecture.

Library and Archives Canada.

What I think is likely the border between Ontario (left) and Quebec (right).  

How do you know you are in Quebec?  Easy, all of the decorative banners are Quebec designs.

So does Ottawa span two provinces?  No, silly, the city on the Quebec side is Gatineau!

I saw these huge pipes along the road as soon as I crossed into Quebec and was like, "Huh?"  Then I remembered that the guidebook informed me that papermaking was, and still is, big business in Gatineau.  Whatever the Canadian papermills are doing they need to share with the papermills in Johnsonburg because I did not smell a bad smell the whole time I was there.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization.  I went there solely to see one temporary exhibit, one that will close this coming weekend.  'The Greeks'.  It was small, but had really spectacular gold jewels from the Hellenic era.  

I really enjoy the name of the Canadian Museum of Civilization.  It has such a grand scale to it.

Sculptures outside of the Canadian Museum of Civilization.  They are apparently meant to be people (that is what the sign told me).  Sorry, I cannot remember the artist or title.

And over there in Ontario, you can see Parliament and the glass towers of the National Gallery.

Heading onto the bridge back into Ontario.

Kind of halfway along the bridge, possibly simultaneously in both or neither Ontario and Quebec!

This is the interior of the oldest French Catholic church in Ottawa, the Cathedral of Notre Dame.  It has two very tall, pointy, and shiny silver towers outside at the entrance.  At this point in the walking tour, I really wasn't into photographing the outside, and was mainly thinking about buying blueberries at the market.  Anyway, it may look like marble and other various stones, but it is not!  The church interior is wooden and completely faux-finished to look like marble.  Very nice.