Two weeks in Ottawa

We have been busy with Richard and Sarah from England for the last two weeks, who seemed to make the most of their time here. I thought I'd write down what they did, in case in future we ever run out of ideas for entertaining other visitors. The following list also explains why I haven't had time for blogging recently, especially since the Music and Beyond festival started; I have a festival pass that I'm using on most days, at the moment.

Thursday, 26 June, having arrived on Air Canada flight 889, Richard and Sarah walked with us to the Minto Bridges and Rideau Falls at sunset.

Friday, 27 June. I took them in the car through Chelsea, to both ends of Meech Lake, then back to Chelsea, where we saw the Gatineau Park visitors' info. centre and a few shops. Then we had a drink in the garden of a cafe and drove back to Ottawa. In the afternoon Richard and Sarah walked around Parliament Hill and the Byward Market. Elva, Laurie, Carol and Don came round to join us for supper.

Saturday, 28 June. To the Natural History museum, and then they walked home through town. Richard went flying in PTN with Chris in the afternoon while Sarah had a rest, and after supper I took both visitors to the “sunset ceremonies” and “musical ride” in the grounds of the RCMP headquarters. We were lucky that this free public show coincided with their visit.

Sunday, 29 June. Outing to Upper Canada Village by car with lunch at the Morrisburg golf club.

Monday, 30 June. Day’s outing to Omega Park, Quebec, taking the river ferry from Cumberland on the way there and back. We stopped at the flying club on the way back too.

Tuesday, 1 July. Canada Day. Our visitors claim to have walked 6 miles round town in the extreme heat and thunderstorms that day.

Wednesday, 2 July. Visited National Art Gallery and Royal Mint, on foot.

Thursday, 3 July. River boat ride from Gatineau. Lunch outdoors at Canadian History Museum’s cafeteria. In the afternoon Richard visited to Aviation and Space museum without Sarah, driven there and back by Ali.

Friday, 4 July. Chris took a day off work so he could drive us to Mud Lake via riverside stone sculptures. We fed the wild birds and stopped for a pub lunch. Richard and Sarah visited the War Museum in the afternoon and in the evening we all went out for a barbecue supper at Elva’s and Laurie’s house.

Saturday, 5 July. Richard visited Science and Technology museum, while Sarah kept her feet up, reading and watching videos. In the evening, Richard and Sarah fed the geese in our local park.

Sunday, 6 July. Visit to the Museum of Canadian History, taking the water taxi back to Ottawa.

Monday, 7 July. Taxi to Science and Tech museum (Richard’s 2nd visit). Bus back to town. Canal boat ride. Walked through local parks to Rideau Hall side gate at sunset.

Tuesday, 8 July. I had the car so could drive Richard and Sarah to Wakefield: we saw Wakefield Mill, the covered bridge, Wakefield's tourist information centre (an old farmhouse converted into a museum) and shops. Lunch at Chamberlin’s Lookout with a view of the Gatineau River. After that, I drove them back to Ottawa where they saw the RCMP visitors’ centre by the RCMP stables, then home through Rockcliffe Park, seeing the houses of Ottawa's upper classes.

Wednesday, 9 July. Our visitors walked to Rideau Hall for a tour of the Hall, visitors’ centre and grounds. From there, they walked into town and had lunch at the Earl of Sussex Pub. In the evening, we all went to Parliament Hill to watch Mosaika, the national capital's sound and light show.

Thursday, 10 July. Lunch at the Canal Ritz restaurant beside the canal. I drove them to Parliament Hill afterwards and they walked home, one last time, from there. In the late afternoon, we drove to QNX via the Nepean Sailing Club. They departed on Air Canada flight 888 in the late evening, while Chris and I began to recover from this hectic fortnight, spending an hour or so at the Clocktower Pub in New Edinburgh, with friends.