We woke up around 7:30 am next day. We had our breakfast by 9:00 am and started to Ottawa. It was 4 and half hour drive and again mostly on highway. we reached around 2:10 pm the hotel Fairmont Chateau Lauri-er.
It is near the Parliament hill and one of the prestigious hotels of Canada built in 1903 and opened by then British Queen Elizabeth. The hotel was like a Royal Palace. It was so huge. We checked in the hotel and our room had courtyard view. It takes almost 10 mins to reach to our room from the reception. Room was so beautiful. We then went to Kothu rotti Indian restaurant to have lunch around 4 pm. The Food was delicious. Since we have been to this place on our first day so we now have good idea about the streets and places. Felt little comfortable in roaming the streets.
Around 4:50 pm we decided to go to Pink Lake but when we reached there the lake was closed. We came back to hotel and decided to tour the hotel. Around 7 pm we started exploring the hotel. There were many old paintings of the hotel and the famous VIPs that visited the hotel when it was newly built. We saw the elegant dining rooms, conference rooms, swimming pool, gym centers and various other rooms. There are many tea pots, flower vessels and other decorative items which are lavish and the ceiling has excellent finishings, designs and beautiful chandeliers hanging from the roof. The floors had superb carpets and the lightnings, colors all gave the floors a majestic look. It was so huge that we couldn't cover the entire hotel in a day. We then went to dinner around 9:15 pm to Roast N Curries Indian restaurant. Food was average. We left to hotel room around 10:30 pm and off to bed. Woke up around 7:30 am next day and started to Mint(Royal Canadian Mint) around 9:30 am which was at walking distance from the hotel.
It was not open yet and we decided to come in the afternoon. We went to Starbucks and then decided to go to Gloucester Center in Ottawa. It is like a shopping center with various Countrie's food courts and also has Bulk Barn (whole sale grain market). We had our lunch at Bagan Indian Restaurant around 11:30 am. Food was delicious. Then we started for Rideau canal. It was the canal that passes behind the parliament. we then went to see the Rideau falls around 1:00 pm. It was a lengthy walk and since we parked our car little far off from the falls we almost walked for 40 mins before we reached back to the parking. The falls were not so big, but good enough to do the evening walk around the canal and watch the water. Around 2 pm we again went to Mint. We came to know that there are tours for the Mint and we booked the English tour at 4:00 pm. As it was walking distance from our hotel, we went back to hotel took some rest and came back around 4 pm for the tour. The tour was very good. We saw how the silver and gold coins were minted and how it operates with precession. Also saw various old coins that have been minted for various countries. It was a great experience. The machines used are very expensive and some of the minting machines were only been used here and nowhere else. We came out of Mint around 5 pm and then went to Art Museum which is beside the Mint. It was a huge Museum and it has collection of various paintings and old art styles. It has movie theaters displaying the subtle science in various sounds and light. They have some competition for kids to perform art with given pieces. It was a great museum for art lovers. around 6:30 pm we went to our room. Around 7:30 pm went to Kochin Indian restaurant for dinner. It is 15 mins walk from the hotel. Food was just above average. After dinner we went to our hotel room and dozed off. Next day woke up around 7:00 am and started to Olympic park Montreal, we have not visited the observatory tower and decided to see that as there were not much places to visit as per our plan.
Around 10 am we had our breakfast on our way and 10:55 am we reached the observatory tower. Since we have already been to the Montreal before, we did not had much difficulty in roaming around the place and get near the tower. It was the tallest leaning tower in the world. It was a great experience to be in the tower and go to the top most point. The view of entire park from the top of the tower is amazing. Could see entire Montreal from the tower. We had lunch around 12:55 in the same canteen where we had our lunch before going to planetarium. Around 1:25 pm we started back to Ottawa and went to Gloucester Center and had slight snacks and around 5 pm reached our room. We took some rest and then around 7:30 pm went to Shafali restaurant where we first our dinner. Food was good. we decided to walk around the hotel and visit the Parliament.
We reached the Parliament building. It was an old castle style building and there are couple other buildings for Government Officials nearby. We came to know that there are tours to visit the parliament and starts from 9 am in the morning. We decided to go to the tour and came back to room and slept. Woke up around 7:30 am next day and got ready and went to see the Parliament around 8:45 am. There was a huge line to take the tour tickets. After 25 mins of Standing in the cold weather we were able to get the tickets and our tour starts at 9:50 am. The ticket counter is in a small building in front of the parliament. We rushed to the entrance of the Parliament.The Parliament building was huge and very beautiful.we saw the great halls inside, we visited the House of commons and Senate where discussions happen by the Elected Representatives.
There was a huge library in the center block and it was astounding. It was built in such a fashion that even when the Parliament building was on fire decades ago, the library was not damaged. It has collection of almost every book including children fantasies to abstract editorial topics. We then went to the top most point of the Parliament tower, from there we can see the Parliament hill, Prime minister residence and all other office buildings of the elected officers. It was great experience being inside the Government building. We then came back to our hotel room around 11:25 am. We checked out around 11:45 am and went to Hindu Temple of Ottawa. There were no cars in the parking lot.
We felt that temple might have been closed. To our surprise it is open and we were the only people inside except for the priest. We took the blessings of the Gods and then we said by to the Great Hotel where we stayed and left to Airport to return the rental car. Our flight time was 7:30 pm. we checked our bags around 1:50 pm and waited to board the flight. After hours of waiting finally our time as come to say good bye to Canada. we boarded the plane. Due to heavy snowfall, our flight was delayed and flight was taken to melt the snow and spray the defrost liquid so that it can be ready for flight. we reached IAD around 9:10 pm and reached home around 10:00 pm. Finally back to sweet home. It was a great memorable experience visiting Canada and enjoyed it thoroughly. All is Well.
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