Not quite Marco Polo: Ottawa, Ontario

As we drove north from Midland we went into Gravenhurst, the gateway to the Muskoka Lakes region, a very popular holiday area. Formally people arrived here by train, up to 5 trains a day from as far away as Chicago and took steamers which fanned out across the various lakes. The now largely unused area of the docks and railway station has been redeveloped and has a landscaped boardwalk around the harbour.

One of the local products for sale in Gravenhurst Farmers Market

Just in case you run short of cash at the Farmers market.

RMS Segwan, the last of the steamships. Built in 1887 originally as a paddle steamer.

Grace and Speed museum in Gravenhurst. I thought heritage wooden boats would be sailing boats. These wooden boats are pristine runabouts dating back to the 1920s. They are all privately owned and lent to the museum for a few weeks at a time. I got no marks for asking if they were used for fishing!

We stayed in Huntsville and explored the area. It is a bit frustrating as this is "Cottage Country" and so from the road, you often do not see much water. We tried following a boat ramp sign, as we thought that would be a public road leading to the water, but it rapidly deteriorated into a goat track!

However the Trans Canada Trail runs through Huntsville and we walked along a section of it beside a lake.

View of the lake from Lion's Lookout, Huntsville

Cottages near Huntsville

Waterside picnic spot.

Algonquin Park reflections

In Ontario, beer is sold in special shops, separate from liquor stores which sell wine and spirits,

We came to Ottawa on July 1st, Canada Day and the crowds were out for the holiday and to see Prince William and Kate who were also in town. The motel man said we should catch the free bus downtown to see the Fireworks. Our guardian angel was napping and as we walked to the bus stop we saw the bus disappearing. We waited nearly an hour for the next bus, but then our luck turned. First a man on the bus told us where to go for a good view. The city was full of people mostly dressed in red and white and carrying flags or wrapped in them.

The fireworks were spectacular and we had an excellent view. The next good luck was as we walked to where we thought the bus stop would be, we saw our No 12 and managed to elbow our way aboard and even get off at the right stop!

Today we have been checking out Ottawa. Our luck held. Parking is free at the weekend and we found a spot very near to the Parliament building, just in time to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony.

Changing the guard at Parliament House. There were still marquees etc from the Canada Day celebrations

Job done, the guards march back to their barracks.

Ottawa is a very attractive city, with several parkways and open space along the Ottawa and Rideau rivers and as today was pretty warm, people were out cycling and sunbathing on the river beach. We probably should have visited the Art gallery or one of the museums, but we were a bit weary. We did drive past the Aviation Museum which apart from its indoor display has a whole paddock of light planes.

The staircase of 8 hand operated locks along the Rideau Canal next to Parliament Hill, Ottawa.The Rideau canal was built in 1832 and still operates along its original 202 km with most of its original structures.