The Rideau Canal

In winter, a skate or walk on the Rideau Canal is a must. The Rideau Canal is the longest outdoor skating rink in the world, and the Winterlude Festival turns it into a fairytale on ice. In summer, take a lazy stroll to the locks, and visit the Canal Museum.

Ottawa Theatre

If theater is your thing, go to the National Arts Centre, just west of the Rideau Canal. The Arts Centre is the Grand Duchess of theater in Ottawa, and hosts dance, music and international theater events such as the smash "Wicked" and the popular comedy "Beer". From the intimate Fourth Stage to the splendor of Southam Hall, the National Arts Centre has theater shows to suit your tastes.

For an artsy flair, go immediately east of the Rideau Centre, to Arts Court. The stone heritage building was once the Ottawa Courthouse. Arts Court is home to arts groups, modern art galleries, and a theater. The Arts Court Theatre runs popular art and music events all year. The 2008 fall lineup includes the Animation Festival, Le Groupe Dance Lab, and the original musical comedy, "Making Necrophiliac".

Arts Court also features a progressive artist-run gallery and performance space, in the basement.

The Ottawa Jail

Right next door to Arts Court is the old Ottawa jail and gallows. Condemned prisoners could walk from the courthouse, straight to the hanging! The jail is now a hostel, and offers tours for the brave. Many claim it's haunted. Death row is sure to send shivers down your spine.

The Ottawa Byward Market

The historic Byward Market runs for several blocks, just north of Rideau Street. Restaurants, bars, shops and buskers abound. Seasonal fresh vegetables, maple syrup, arts and crafts are available from the outdoor vendors. In the evening, many bars and venues have live entertainment. In summer, the Market parties every night!

The Rideau Centre

For mall shopping and window-gazing, visit the Rideau Centre on the south side of Rideau Street, at Sussex. Sussex Avenue runs north, between the Byward Market and the Chateau Laurier Hotel. Behind the Chateau Laurier, you can stroll among the flowers in Major's Hill Park, until you arrive at the National Art Gallery.

The National Art Gallery

The Gallery has free admission on Thursdays, from 4-9pm, and half-price admission on Sundays. It houses a vast collection of Canadian and world art, from ancient to modern. From there, it's a ten-minute walk over the picturesque Interprovincial Bridge, to the National Museum of Civilization. As you cross the bridge, you enter the province of Quebec. Bienvenue!

The Museum of Civilization

The Museum of Civilization features special exhibits, along with its permanent collection. For children, educational activities run throughout the day. Arrive early for IMAX Theatre shows -- there's always a lineup. Have a coffee on the Museum's cafe patio, overlooking the Ottawa River. Like the National Gallery, the Museum is free on Thursdays after four, and half-price on Sundays.

Trolley Tours, Bus Tours and Boat Tours

There's no shortage of Ottawa tours. You can even take a Harley motorcycle tour! Popular tours include Paul's Boat Tours, along the Rideau Canal; double-decker bus tours, heritage trolley tours, or a trip into the Ottawa River on an amphibious bus. The Haunted Walk offers a walking tour of Ottawa's spookiest places.

Parliament Hill

You can't miss Parliament Hill! The Peace Tower, with its immense clock, is visible from most of downtown Ottawa. Tour the seat of government in Canada. Watch the Changing of The Guard, every day at 9:45 am. Parliament Hill also features the RCMP Musical Ride. The Parliament Buildings are rich in art and political heritage, and are a striking example of neo-Gothic architecture.

Tourist Info

The Capital Infocentre at 90 Wellington St (www.capcan.ca), is directly opposite Parliament Hill, and has a wealth of tourist information, facts and tips. From Rideau Street, follow Rideau west past the Chateau Laurier, where it turns into Wellington.

For nightlife and entertainment, pick up a copy of the free local paper, the Ottawa Xpress.

Language

In Ottawa, services are available in both French and English. Quebec is officially French-speaking, but all services are available in English. Many residents speak English and French.

Enjoy your visit to Ottawa, Canada!

The Ottawa of today is a beautiful little city (one can walk across the city centre quite easily) with its parks, architecture and the Rideau Canal. There is something for everyone, as the saying goes. For the more culturally inclined, Ottawa has the National Art Gallery, the National Art Centre and the Bytowne Cinema. One can keep the kids (and parents) amused at the Bytown Museum, the Currency Museum, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Experimental Farm and the Aviation Museum. For a spot of reflection, visit the War Museum and the Canadian War Memorial. Elgin Street and the Byward Market are full of restaurants and bars. Athletes can run or bicycle to their hearts’ content along the Rideau Canal or boat on Dow’s Lake. There are plenty of hotels that cater to all types of people and many have suites, which include a kitchen (the Byward Market sells fresh local fruit and veg in the summer… time to fry up a fiddlehead).

Technically, Ottawa is in a temperate climate and therefore has four seasons. I have been visiting the capital of Canada for years and I think of it as having two seasons – weather- wise and culturally. Currently, I am in summer – the time of Open Doors Ottawa, Canada Day and – if you stretch the season a bit – the Tulip festival. Music and cultural festivals rule the summer season in Ottawa. At times, the list seems endless: Chamber Music, Bluesfest, Folk Festival, Ottawa International Jazz Festival, Capital Pride, Ottawa Fringe, CHIN Picnic, Carnival of Culture ….

In 1953, the Ottawa Tulip Festival became a date on the city’s calendar. The Tulip Festival occurs each May and brings to Ottawa colour so desperately needed after the long (exceedingly long) grey winter. It brings in visitors from all over the world (a sight in themselves). The tulips are planted all over the city but the majority are to be found along Dow’s Lake, which is part of the Rideau Canal. Other main sites are Parliament Hill, the Capital Infocentre, Commissioner’s Park, Major’s Hill Park and the banks of the Canal. At City Hall can be found wooden four-foot tulips, each painted with a different motif. The Tulip Festival owes its beginnings to World War II. Princess Juliana of the Netherlands and her family were evacuated to Ottawa and here she gave birth to her third daughter in a hospital room declared Dutch territory for the day. In gratitude, tulips were sent and are still being sent.

Ottawa’s Open Doors Day is a yearly event that I attended for the first time. Over one weekend in June, buildings of historical or architectural significance open their doors to the public and volunteers lead tours. One of the most popular places to enter is the Ottawa Hostel, probably because of its appearance on the TV show Creepy Canada. Formerly the Carleton County Jail, this hostel (yes, you sleep in a cell… really) is noted for being the execution place of Patrick James Whelan for the murder of Thomas D’Arcy McGee, a member of the first Canadian Parliament. It is thought Whelan was framed, so his rather perturbed spirit is said to still reside within the thick walls on this 19^th Century structure. If ghost sighting is not for you, there are plenty of other places to see like the Cartier Square Drill Hall, the Laurentian Club, the Conference Centre, the Heritage Building of City Hall – hmm, there is a ghost there too.

Canada Day is the country’s birthday celebrating Canada’s becoming a self-governing Dominion on 1 July, 1867. The city is covered in red and white and maple leaves – on people as well as places! The main part of the celebration takes place on Parliament Hill where one can see the Mounties perform the Musical Ride, the raising of the Queen’s Flag, the presentation of the Ceremonial Guard to the Governor General (Queen Elizabeth’s representative), various musical acts and, to me the most stunning and dramatic event, the flyover of the Snowbirds. In addition, at Rideau Hall, a select group of immigrants attend a special citizenship ceremony. A recent addition to the day is the CHIN picnic. The CHIN multicultural radio station is the creation of the late bandleader Johnny Lombardi.  His experiences in World War II led him to believe that by learning about other peoples’ cultures through music and dance we could develop understanding and acceptance. One mustn’t forget the fireworks – the best place to see them – the new Corktown Footbridge.

Summer is not to be outdone in Canada’s capital. Winter boasts its own attractions in the Christmas Lights, Winterlude and the frozen Rideau Canal. As long as one is bundled up (winter is indescribably bitter and not for the fainthearted – frostbite awaits the unprepared), there is no stopping one enjoying an Ottawa winter.

From early December to early January, Parliament Hill is as colourful as it is during the Tulip Festival but with colour of another kind. As part of the Christmas Lights Across Canada, the Hill is festooned with thousands of bulbs. Varying images and hues are cast against the Parliament buildings themselves. There is nothing quite like standing in the queue for the free hot chocolate and the pastry known as Beavertails, while you wait for the illumination opening ceremonies with its dignitaries and choir.  Afterwards there is the chance to toast marshmallows on the Hill and munch on popcorn at the Infocentre (a good place to defrost fingers and toes). Get to the Hill by way of Confederation Boulevard, also a sea of colour in lights.

February sees the arrival of Winterlude and often then the Rideau Canal Skateway is at its best. Winterlude was created to celebrate the northern climate and culture. The best parts of Winterlude are in the city centre. At City Hall, the visitor will find musical entertainment and an ice cafe. During the day, head to Confederation Park to see the ice sculptures in progress – try to guess what they will be when finished and check back a few days later. Artists from all over the world create the sculptures and they range from the hilarious to the fantastic to the poignant. At night they are illuminated and the park takes on an ethereal atmosphere – it truly is a Crystal Garden. More musical events occur in the Snowbowl and if you are lucky you will get to see waiters on skates compete in races on the canal.  In winter, part of the Rideau Canal is lowered and it freezes creating the “world’s largest skating rink” – 7.8 km (4.8m) from Dow’s Lake to Parliament Hill. Once the ice is thick enough and the temperature is low enough, the ice is prepared for skaters (and we walkers). At night, holes are drilled through the ice to allow water to flood the surface and provide a fairly smooth skating ice sheet. Stalls (those Beavertails once again) are set up along the canal’s length for Winterlude. Once the canal is officially open, everyone is on it (including me, but rarely do I stay upright on the ice for long)!

With so much to do – summer and winter – check out the National Capital Commission’s and the city’s websites. You never know what you might be missing!

So people hate Montreal politics and may eye Ottawa for its scenic Rideau canal but then again Montreal has its mountain in the middle with its tam-tam goers that frequent the slopes religiously. It has become the city of festivals which although attractive has had its downside. There are two many festivals concentrated not only over the summer period but also over the winter as well. I used to think that planners would run out of buyers but it appears the city is strong enough to sustain all of them yet the viewing public for some may be less than others.

Toronto has the atmosphere of being like a middle American city. I get the impression of not being able to make more than several appointments in a day, something I can do in Montreal with relative ease. Alright the city is on an island whereas Toronto has now spread out to encompass cities that were once suburbs like Scarborough. Rent in Toronto is astronomical compared to Montreal, one would have to pay at least 700 bucks for a basement apartment which may nit be conveniently located. While in Montreal it is still possible to live on your own, above ground for 500 near the center of the city.

One way to choose affordable housing is not just by looking on the web but by scanning ads in local papers and consulting bulletin boards. I would check in with the older tenant to see what the rental hike would be before jumping in.

Since I am into directing/producing short films these days besides finding artsy venues to show my art, I'll choose Montreal over Ottawa or Toronto as a place to get people involved and by the relative easiness to find spaces and venues to put on shows or do rehearsals. Again with Ottawa there aren't as many repertoire cinemas or joints with a screen as there are in Montreal be it a café or converted cinema establishment. Toronto is too spread out. When I was there a couple of years ago for their festival it took me too long to combine visiting venues that I was able to do in Montreal or Ottawa.

One can still get volunteers by the dozen in this city, people who will work in order to further their expertise or if they are students to add something on their resume or school curriculum that they were able to assist a production company in order to make a marketable product. This may be true for Toronto and Ottawa but then again because of the higher standard of living and working low budgets I wouldn't choose Toronto unless I were able to crash at someone. The number of student films and student work posted on the web for Toronto puts Montreal and Quebec to shame.