Following a comfortable day on Rouge Valley Drive settling into our new surroundings we found ourselves on the 401 East en route to Ottawa! Denise (minus Cliff) and us in the immaculate yet well traveled Acura heading north to see Denises older brother Sandy and family.

Interrupting Sandy on the drive on mower we arrive at the bungalow on Marina Drive. “Hows my cousin Shona?!” followed by a few handshakes and hugs and in we go. Great place situated on the Rideau River around 30 ‘clicks’ from Ottawa.

We settle down at the back of the house and catch up with James, Sandy’s youngest son whom I had met on my last visit 7 years ago until Dee and Sandy head to the store for some weekend supplies. Also find time to meet the other residents:

A sociable Friday evening on the waterfront ensued, meeting Moe, Sandy’s wife and hearing the ins and outs of everything from 1931 fires in Aberdeen to Peregrine Woodpeckers which have taken residence in the garden! Early night in the ‘sun room’ for us and a healthy ten hour sleep on a nifty and un-slanted pullout bed… once we found the legs! Out onto our wee patio for a morning coffee followed by a kayak on the Rideau, great fun.

Kayaked out we headed in to Downtown Ottawa for an afternoon checking off the sites and getting our bearings. We were yet to see downtown Toronto so was quite surreal to be 4 hours up the high way sightseeing in Ottawa. Nice compact city with lots going on.

Some of the sites below:
National War memorial – Lynsey in on the Rideau canal in the rain – Parliament buildings – Alexandra Bridge – Rideau Canal Locks.

(Above: The Peace Tower and the Market District)

Rounded up the weekend with a Saturday night playing the board game Kazink with Sandy, Moe, James and Denise – actually pretty good fun. Woken in the night by a crying baby/ghost/unidentified foreign object…?! With this on our minds I swiftly drove the three of us back to Toronto – All in all, a busy first weekend in Canada!

Posted by: Greig