Breakfast of Champions

That's all.

Ottawa, Canada

I returned yesterday from a ten day business trip to Ottawa, Canada (two days of travel, six days of classes, and the two weekend days free). One of my flights on the way there was canceled, and so I spent seven hours at the Philadelphia airport. I read for quite awhile in the rocking chairs in one of the terminals.

My classes were on the University of Ottawa campus, and it wasn't too far out of my way to walk along the Rideau canal to get to and from campus. Many people commute by bike and on foot along the canal--it is a nice way to start and end a work day.



Ken was able to join me over the weekend (and ended up staying a little longer than anticipated due to his return flight being canceled). We walked along the Rideau Canal, stopping here to take a picture of ourselves in front of the Parliament buildings, and at the locks in the canal to watch four boats go through a couple of the locks. While we were watching the locks, the changing of the guard parade went by on a nearby bridge, and so we could sort-of see the guards and could easily hear the bagpipe and marching band music.

Of course we did some geocaching. One clever multi-cache pointed out this sign from under the Laurier Bridge, and I would have missed it, despite walking under that bridge every day for eight days.

I found a nice restaurant in Ottawa that serves wine flights (small glasses of three wines) and has a very knowledgeable proprietor and staff. Over the eight days in Ottawa, I had three flights and some other wines suggested by the proprietor specific to questions I was asking. I discovered what "green" tastes like, and tasted a wine that has undergone malo-lactic fermentation. I learned that pinot noir is very finicky, and that I happened to discover my favorite pinot noir first (which happens to only be sold to restaurants--Ruth's Chris Steakhouse sells it for ~$100 a bottle) and I may be forever chasing another one I like as much and be forever disappointed.

The Rideau Falls are a very under-advertised part of Ottawa. They were mentioned on the last page of a pamphlet that I picked up at the information center, and they were within walking distance from my hotel, and so I went. There were no signs on the street to direct people back there. They are near the French and British embassies and are most easily accessed via random parking lots. I would have missed them if I hadn't been geocaching.

Despite the fact that I was told time and again about how safe Canada is, I always wanted to be back at my hotel room before dark when I was alone. One night I was welcomed by this view of the (nearly) full moon and a rainbow from my room window.

The entire trip was very enjoyable, but it is good to be home (and to know that the DC metro area does feel like home).