DAY 5

Touring in Ottawa Canada

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.)

        

DAY 4

DAY 4-Travel Day from Toronto to Ottawa, Canada

Today we were on the road for several hours busing it from Toronto to Ottawa.   While I usually hate riding in a car for long periods, I really enjoyed our trip today as I feel like I’m riding in the lap of luxury.  We are traveling in a 9-month old Mid America Coach and it has every convenience imaginable including phone charging stations behind each seat, wifi, a bar in the back and extremely comfortable seats with overhead vent controls and reading lights.   It’s truly a pleasurable ride!  

Also, I’ve got to compliment our driver, Dave Bruning, for the excellent driving job.   It’s not easy maneuvering this huge coach on some of the smaller side streets, but he makes every tight turn look effortless.  You can’t beat it..safe, comfortable and I don’t have to worry about driving.

After arriving in Ottawa, we spent some time touring the Canadian Museum of History.   It has four floors crammed with numerous art works and interesting exhibits from chronicling the founding of Canada to clothing exhibits from the ‘60s.  

There just wasn’t enough time to cover it all, but here’s some pics of the art I found most interesting including a life size replica of an Inuit man who lived over 800 years ago on the northern Baffin Island.    From the ivory tools and other items found in his grave they were able to determine he was a skilled kayaker and hunter who lived a very eventful life.

The Inuit are an Aboriginal people, the majority of whom inhabit the northern regions of Canada. An Inuit person is known as an Inuk. The Inuit homeland is known as Inuit Nunangat, which refers to the land, water and ice contained in the Arctic region

Nuvumiutag, the Arctic Bay Kayaker

         

               

 

       Designed by artist Christi Belcourt and titled “Looking Ahead”.  

The above is a picture of people who identify as “First Nations People” and who were a vital presence in the development of Canada.  These people were not the first immigrants but they identify themselves by the nation to which they belong, for example Mohawk, Cree, Oneida.   There were more than 1 million indigenous people living in 800 villages, towns, and cities spread across the land country. They spoke over 50 different indigenous languages.  This was quite a large exhibit as these people have contributed so much to the growth of Canada.  

We stayed in the majestic hotel Fairmont Château Laurier, conveniently located within walking distance of both the Parliament Building and with steps leading right into the famous Byward Market District.  The hotel was very comfortably appointed with modern day conveniences while still conveying old world charm from it’s elegant front entrance to the regally appointed lobby.   

This hotel is built next to the Rideau Canal, an officially designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.  You can walk, bike or in the winter skate all the way from Kingston to Ottawa.  UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization with their primary missions being to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.   The Organization currently focuses on  2 global priorities - Africa and gender equality.

After a brief stop at our hotel, we ate dinner at the “The Fish Market” Restaurant which is located in the historic Byward district.  The Byward Market is a charming hub of outdoor market stalls, specialty food shops and restaurants.  It’s home to one of the oldest and largest farmers markets.  A delicious treat of this area is the BeaverTail which is a sweet fried pastry in the shape of a beaver’s tail.

DAY 3-City Tour-Toronto Highlights

MORNING

We had such a fun-filled day, that I had to divide it into 2 parts.  

After a filling breakfast at a quaint breakfast cafe, Chez Cora, we explored the highlights of Toronto, a multi-cultural city, bursting at the seams with growth.  Everywhere I looked was a booming crane creating an exciting modern sculpture next to a stately, historic-looking building.   The city is quite beautiful with a vibrant aura and vibe.   I’ve not been here since 1969 and at that time, I recall it having more of an industrial feel.  Our first stop was on the banks of Lake Ontario, looking back towards the picturesque skyline.  

Next we visited the world famous St. Lawrence Market which was quite interesting.   Not familiar with this Marketplace, I fully expected to see small booths of dresses, jewelry and knick-knacks.  What a shock!  It’s an electric feeling market bristling with merchants selling everything from meats, sea food and bakery goods to the most colorful, mouth-watering fruits and vegetables.

It was a sensory delight.   You can further explore the highlights of this interesting Market at St. Lawrence Market

Here are some shots of the market and our group.      

Next we were off to THE PATH, which is a network of underground pedestrian tunnels, elevated walkways and walkways connecting the office towers of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is more than 30 kilometres long.   It’s billed as the largest underground shopping/business district in the world.  It would have been fascinating to explore, but with time restrictions, the group stuck close together.  It’s just too easy to get lost down there.   It’s very interesting too that the first level also has sculpture and art exhibits which I really enjoyed.   The ceiling is structurally stunning and illuminates the entire first floor.  

The other pictures are of buildings and scenery as we were driving Thursday Toronto, including the Hockey Hall of Fame and Casa Loma.  I love Casa Loma as it’s the first castle I ever visited.  I went there in 1969 with my friend Ruth Smith who is the Tour Director on this trip.

 

Pictures of Casa Loma

DAY 3-AFTERNOON 

We dined at the Hot House Restaurant which offered us several menu choices including char-grilled salmon, chicken marsala and New York Sirloin.  The service was prompt and everyone enjoyed the food.  I love how Sunrise Tours insures that all diners needs are met by offering several menu choices and accommodating special dietary requests such as for vegetarians or food allergies.

From there we went to the CN Tower which is a 553.3 meter high concrete communications and observation tower located in Downtown Toronto.  From the floor-to-ceiling panoramic window walls to the thrilling descent in just 58 seconds, it’s an exciting landmark to visit.  You’re so high up, that when looking out, you feel like you’re eye level with the jets flying by.  

Here’s some shots taken from the top floor of the tower.

      

SUNRISE TOURS:  Creme de la Creme Tour - May, 2018

NOTE:  For additional trip pictures, go to Facebook and ask to join the group Sunrise-Canada Creme, created for this trip.

DAY 1 - Travel to Marshall, MI. 
               The bus travelers departed St. Louis on their journey to Toronto, Canada spending the night in Marshall, MI known for its world famous Schuler’s Restaurant.  The guests were quite pleased with the tasty menu offerings and raved about the delicious bread pudding.  

                Sunrise Tours is extremely accommodating to its guests as travelers can choose to take a scenic bus ride to their destination or for those who prefer the fastest route, for an additional fee, they have the option of flying.

DAY 2 - Travel to Toronto, CA

               This was a very busy day for the “Wanderlusters”, my nickname for our tour group as the bus riders and flyers all rendezvoused at the conveniently located Holiday Inn Toronto Downtown Centre.   I thought the hotel lobby area was stunning, especially for a Holiday Inn.

          While several of us flyers, including me, had some harrowing airline adventures en route to Toronto, ranging from cancelled flights to mechanical issues, we all managed to make it to the hotel in time for a flavorful Italian dinner at The Badali Bar and Cucina, located right in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment District.  The service was prompt, the food choices quite appetizing and the scrumptious tiramisu was the best ever.

               From there it was a quick ride to our evening’s entertainment, the play ‘Annie’ shown at the historic Ed Mirvish Theater.  While Annie is the named star of the show, the true highlight of the evening was the renowned actress Lesley Nicol, famous for her role in Downton Abbey, playing the deceiving Miss Hannigan.  The show was quite entertaining with stunning stage sets, well-designed era costumes and exciting dance numbers.  We all enjoyed a fun-filled evening.