Ottawa

Canada

Canada facts & history in brief

Ottawa, in the province of Ontario, on the south bank of the Ottawa River is the capital of Canada, about 193 kilometres west of Montreal.
The Algonquian Indians lived around present day Ottawa (Algonquian word adawe, meaning to trade), before British troops building the Rideau Canal, linking the Ottawa River with Lake Ontario founded the first settlement in the area that is Ottawa, in 1826 and became known as Bytown.
In 1855, it was changed to Ottawa, an English version of the Adawe.
In 1857 Queen Victoria chose it to be the capital of the United Province of Canada.
The Dominion of Canada was established in 1867, with Ottawa as its capital.
The city's layout has been modified over the years in keeping with Ottawa's standing as a national capital.
The Rideau River flows through Ottawa, forming the Rideau Falls as it plunges 11 metres over a cliff into the Ottawa River, near the northeastern end of the city, on its way from the Ottawa River to Lake Ontario.
The metropolitan area of Ottawa includes the municipalities of Rockcliffe Park, Vanier and Hull.
The city's main shopping districts centre around the Sparks Street Mall in Upper Town and Byward Market and Rideau Street in Lower Town.
Attractive parks, government buildings, and scenic drives add beauty to the city.
Millions of people visit the city annually to see Parliament in action, the Peace Tower and the eight locks of the Rideau Canal.
Other interesting sight in Ottawa includes the neo-Gothic Parliament Buildings the War Museum, the Royal Mint, many grand old homes, the National Gallery, displaying an large collection and in summer the red coats of the Royal Canadian Mounties.
Ottawa's downtown is divided into eastern and western sections by the Rideau Canal.
The eastern section has a good collection of central guesthouses, most of them with heritage listings.
Byward Market, east of the canal, has many cheap eateries, and western downtown is the place to go for more upmarket eating.
Ottawa's annual festivals and fairs also attract many visitors, including the 10-day Festival of Spring in May, when more than 3 million bulbs bloom in parks, roadways, and on the grounds of public buildings.
Former Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, (Who as princess Juliana, lived in Ottawa during World War II, while the Germans occupied her country), sent the bulbs as a gift to Ottawa.
Since 1980, the government of the Netherlands has continued to send the tulip bulbs for the annual festival.
A nine-day winter festival, called Winterlude, is held in mid-February.
Ottawa hold many other events and festivals annually.
About half the city's population have British, others are of French or other European ancestry.
The official languages are English and French.
The Canadian government is Ottawa's largest employer.
Electronics firms and tourism are other major employers.
The city covers 119 square kilometres, including 13 square kilometres of inland water with a population of around 500,000.

It was about 8 pm when we've arrived to Ottawa.
Quick browse through the available accommodation and chose one across the fence from the Bus Station.
Booked out, as was the next 10 or 12 we knock on the door.
We had to walk and drag our bags for about 2 hours to the Laurie Guest House, (329 Laurie St. $Can50 for 2 p/n with breakfast).
Well!
I ask you?
What can we do, when everybody is full.
Conducted tour the morning and a lot more walking after.
Around and around the Parliament building, downtown etc.
Very cold.
The city and the markets very interesting and very clean and tidy.
Ottawa Ok.

You can click on these photos for an enlargement.

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