rashbre central: this time it's Ottawa

Saturday 7 July 2018

this time it's Ottawa


My first visit to Ottawa, which is a very pretty city. We are staying in a hotel next to the Parliament buildings, and we have a view out towards the Rideau canal and parliament.

This city has a human scale, with less high rise and big roads than Toronto. It somehow reminds me of Paris, with the green areas and landmark buildings.

We've been out exploring, both the city and the Ottawa River, which curves dramatically through the city. Founded by John By, who features on prominent landmarks as well as originally naming the city, which was Bytown.

John By was responsible for the construction of the Rideau Canal, which was completed in around six years and links a 200 kilometre stretch from Montreal to Kingston (which is on Lake Ontario), as well as neatly bypassing an often US-controlled stretch of the River Lawrence.

Olden days maybe, but perhaps in these trade war times there's some history repeating itself?

No comments: