Ottawa

From Toronto I took a rideshare to Ottawa. I stayed with a lovely newly wed Ukrainian couple. The husband is in training to become a priest (don't worry Ukrainian Catholics can marry as long as it is before priesthood) They were delightful and generous hosts. They taught m a lot about Ukrainian culture and continued to feed me. They took me to a party and we joked that they planned it just for me. 

As for city exploration... it was COLD. Yes i know at home everyone is still enjoying their 80 degree Fahrenheit weather, but here it was snowing! But that isn't enough to stop me. I walked around the town and went into parliament, i even went up the peace tower (where there is a view of the city) after it was closed because i convinced all of the security to let me be an exception. 

I also spent one of the days with a couchsurfing crew. One person from Ottawa, one from Germany and two from France. We took a lovely stroll through Gatineau Park. 

Finally on my last day there I went to the remembrance day ceremony. In Canada Nov. 11 is their equivalent of veterans day and through November people wear red poppies to respect those who have died in war. Now I just so happened to be in the capital of Canada the 11th of November and went to their Remembrance Day ceremony in the center of town. They had veterans march around and they did some speeches, the airforce flew over, and we all went to lunch after. Lastly I went to the museum of civilization (which was free for remembrance day) and that was a really cool museum with a special exhibition in vodou. 

 Still hanging on to the few colors left

 So what it is snowing that shouldn't stop anyone from dancing or jamming out

 Parliament, the center is peace tower

 Remembrance Day

 Please read that sign... yes in the middle of the forest they felt it necessary to post that sign. I guess it was becoming too much of a problem? But as one of the couchsurfers said "you don't need to put a sign up it is too cold to be naked"