We started our day with a wonderful breakfast at Zak’s Diner. It was a cute, nostalgic restaurant decorated in rock’n’roll memorabilia and even had the tiny jukebox players on the tables. We had fast service and huge portions for breakfast so all were pleased with the diner. As a Mother’s Day Treat, all the ladies received a carnation.
Then it was off to a very interesting tour of the Canadian Parliament which is the federal legislature of Canada seated on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. It consists of the Canadian Monarch, the governor general, an upper house- the Senate and a lower house-The House of Commons. Each section has its own officers and organization. By their constitutional convention, The House of Commons is dominant, with the Senate and monarchy rarely opposing its will.
With both fire and water, the Centennial Flame, was a most unique monument. It was built to commemorate Canada’s 100th anniversary as a federation. The flame was first lit as the climax of the centennial celebrations on January 1st, 1967. The Flame is fueled by natural gas and surrounded by a ledge which contains the shields of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories. It was intended to be a temporary monument, but was so popular with the public and tourists that it still operates today.
To see a video of the flame, go to Facebook, search for Sunrise-Canada Creme
The archways and ceilings in the Parliament building also offered many fascinating visual treats.
I enjoyed touring the building, especially the library which was just a beautifully designed room with intricate wrought iron and wood work throughout. There was a fire in 1916 that engulfed large sections of the Parliament buildings. I found it most interesting that the structure was saved by the foresight of the librarian Alpheus Todd who insisted on iron fire proof doors and the quick thinking of the clerk on duty who shut them before evacuating the building. It would have been disastrous to have lost such a stunning room.
I especially was intrigued by the wood carvings on panels near the door and the unique combination of the wrought iron railing in the 2nd floor area with the wood flower carvings.
Above are a few of our fellow travelers enjoying the library tour.
After a leisurely lunch on our own, we took a 4 hour guided bus tour of Ottawa with our final destination being the World of Tulips Festival in Commissioners Park located at Dow’s Lake.
While we enjoyed a lovely stroll through the tulip gardens on a warm, sunny afternoon, I was a little disappointed as we were told that at this time last year, the blooms were much more plentiful. Since we can’t control Mother Nature, you just never know what to expect in the gardens.
As shown below, some of the areas were resplendent with color and just made me feel good!
The next tulip - the Princess Irene - was my favorite. I loved the orange flowers with a purple flame at the base of the bulb. Such a lively color combination. This is a 1949-award winning flower and is quite fragrant. (I know they look red, but in person were definitely orange.)
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