National Gallery of Canada

We had an appointment with a hematologist this morning and while Ron rested this afternoon I did a quick look through the National Art Gallery, the largest collection of art in Canada. It has a 30' Spider sculpture in front and is a amazing structure. It has 3 levels, a Water court, a Garden Court and the original Rideau Street Convent Chapel incorporated into the center of the building. I enjoyed pictures by Emily Carr, Group of Seven and Allan Sapp. The modern stuff in wasted on me. One was a type of dinosaur? made from white plastic garden chairs. There is art from the Gothic, Renaissance, Aboriginal, Asian - you name it - they've got it. A very interesting place.

Goodbye to Suzanne

Up at 5 and off to the airport. We had our double doubles at Tim Horton's; she's getting me hooked and had our last visit for a while. Ron and I really enjoyed having Suz here and she was very good for us. All the provinces flags were at the airport. We spent a quiet day. Here's some of the neat things I've seen, a souvenir store, a mural of nurses through history in the Parliament building, statue, Bytown Market and bearskin hats of the Sentries..

A Sightseeing Day

It was pouring cats and dogs so we settled Ron in the RV and went out to sightsee. We started at the National War Memorial, standing in front of the Unknown Soldier. In May 2000, these remains were recovered from the Cabernet-Rouge Cemetery near Vimy Ridge from WWI representing more than 16,000 Canadians who have died in the service of our country, 28,000, having no known grave. We both had tears. The Variant's Memorial next depicts 14 people who have served the country from the French regime to WWII. We drove out Sussex Drive past all the different Embassies from countries around the world. We didn't see Stephen at 24 Sussex, but drove past Rideau Hall as well. We toured the Parliament buildings which was very interesting. Today's guide was different form the one I had so I learned new things. We went into the Notre Dame Basilica and it was beautiful. The first mission was built here in 1827, a wooden chapel in 1832 and the first nave, 1839. The first organ was blessed in 1850, reconstructed in 1998 with a total of 4700 pipes to recreate it as it sounded in 1892.

Got him Home Again

Ron had his heart shocked back into normal rhythm yesterday from 145 to 70 and it's stayed normal so home we went at 4 p.m. We have been so lucky to have this happen here instead of out in the wilds somewhere. Ottawa General is a teaching hospital that is liaised with the Ontario Heart Institute, how lucky can you get? We couldn't have been treated better, just wonderful care. It is nice to have Suzanne here. We played cards and that was fun. Early to bed for we tired people. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the hospital, someone used hundreds of small pictures of the staff to make a mosaic picture looking like the hospital buildings, that is hung in the hall.

Suzanne arrives

dear friends, I feel like I've been lying to you and I have. Ron collapsed on the street Sunday and is in Ottawa General. He's had so many tests, that I whipped out to sightsee when I couldn't be with him. Things have been challenging so I picked Suzanne up at the airport this morning and am very glad for the support. I sat with John A and Wilfred while I waited. It was found late today that Ron has a congenital bucuspid valve defect in his heart which has caused many problems but they now have the correct information to get things in control. After we tucked Ron in, S and I left the hospital about 9 p.m., starving, and celebrated with a steak dinner and glass of wine. We practically drooled over the delicious food. Walking back to the car, we saw the Light and Music show at 10 which is nightly at the Parliament buildings, ending with a lovely rendition of Oh Canada.

Rideau Hall

Today it was a tour of Rideau Hall, the official government House where all the Governor Generals of Canada have lived from Confederation in 1867 to date. The official residence was built in 1838 by a Scottish stonemason who worked on the building of the Rideau Canal and lived there with this wife and 16 children. It has had about 10 additions, all in stone in keeping with the original plan. It is situated on 79 acres and there are about 1000 trees planted by different world leaders. There is also an Inukshuk and Totem pole, gifts to the Governor General. There is a round overflowing fountain in the rose garden; the gardens are beautiful. The blue ensign with gold Lion was flying above the building which signified that Michaelle Jean was in residence today. The entrance Hall was very welcoming with portraits of 10 Governor Generals. The tent room was originally built as an indoor tennis court and had fabric that rolled down from the roof to cover the walls when need for a more official capacity. The Ambassadors Hall and 2 conversation rooms from the original building were amazing. The Ballroom is huge with blue velvet chairs lining the walls and Heads of State have the official dinners here. There is a fountain of Hope outside the front entrance as a tribute to Terry Fox. It is a residence that Canadians can be proud of, presenting our image to the world. I was lucky to see the Sentries being piped down the curved road to change places with the ones guarding the front gate.

Parliment Buildings

This area, like most, was initially a rendezvous site for fur traders, explorers and lumbermen. Because of its position at the confluence of the Ottawa and Rideau rivers, Samuel de Champlain established a base camp in 1631 for future expeditions for Lake Huron and points west. For 2 centuries the Ottawa River was the only means of travel.
Toured the Parliament Buildings today and was very impressed. I hadn't realized there are 3 blocks and we toured the Center block, starting at the 302' Peace tower in front, dedicated to Canadians killed in the First World War. You also see the House of Commons, done in green, and the guide explains where everyone sits and how things work. The rotundas with pillars and marble are very detailed and ornate. Then is the Senate, done in red, Hall of Honor and the Library with a statue of Queen Victoria who choose Ottawa as the capital of Canada.The buildings are in a classic Gothic style with green copper roofs, built in 1859-66 and quite impressive. I am sitting in front of the Eternal Flame in front of the East Block, which has all the crests of the provinces in the water.

Up to Ottawa

We left Milton at 8:45, a lovely sunny day. After the purchase of a tract of land from the Mississauga Indians in 1806, construction began on the old York Road, encouraging settlers to go to the lands west of Toronto, the first village in the new frontier. We drove on the old York road to the 401 and sailed through Toronto.

We had the OPP stop traffic in the other lane and escort about 100 motorcycles past us.

We’ve found driving on the weekends means much less traffic and it was great. We passed Oshawa, the center of Canada’s automotive industry and site of General Motors headquarters. We’re driving along the north shore of Lake Ontario. We passed Port Hope nestled in the Northumberland hills, started by 2 United Empire Loyalists, retreating form the American Revolution in the States, in 1792. Coburg, situated on a stretch of sandy shore of the lake, was the most popular retreat in all of Canda by 1900 with a summer population of 2000. Every mile you pass, you see where history has taken place. It’s fun to see the places that you see on the National News. We passed Kingston founded by Count Frontenac, governor of New France in 1763 as a fur trading post and strategic military stronghold. Lots of history there. It is at the junction of the Catarqui (gateway to the Rideau Canal) and St. Lawrence rivers and provides access to the Thousand Islands, a vast unspoiled water playground. We went north on Hwy 417 and joined Rog and Myrna at Camp Hither Hills RV just 20 min outside Ottawa.

Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum

We went back into TO today to the Yorkdale Shopping Center parking lot again and took the subway down to the Royal Ontario Museum. This trip is the first time I've been on subway. Even the subway station is interesting with statues and designs where we got off at Museum station. Ron had a coffee and people watched on Bloor St. while I toured the exhibits. I enjoyed Africa where these shields were made of fur, woven reeds, bark and skin. This 'gate' was an entrance to a tomb in China. Japan showed fighting masks and a palanquin a royal Lady would ride in., while Egypt was showing mummies and early warriers. There were hundreds of neat things and only 5 % can be displayed at once, the rest in storage.

The current main exhibit is the Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in 1947. These extraordinary 2000 year old artifacts are the earliest record of biblical patriarch and prophets known to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The museum is incredibly interesting but you would need a month to do this whole museum justice and really see everything.

Tornado in Toronto!!!!

Today was a wash and clean day to catch up. I did 4 loads of wash while Ron washed the car and moho. About 3:30, it started raining so hard Ron had to quit and then the heavens opened up and it poured. Thunder and lightning started, became very severe and the news came on that a tornado had been sited and one actually touched down north of Toronto so we were all on tornado alert. I’ve never seen such continuous lightning strikes and loud thunder. It was directly overhead and finally passed east and cleared up by 8 p.m.and we could see a pretty sunset between the trees. Another interesting experience on this trip. This campground has been the best location for us. A couple bought the property and were going to make it a farm but the fellow was allergic to hay so they turned it into this campground abour 45 years ago. The 81 yr old lady still lives in the original brick farmhouse which has a lovely front porch and plaque by the door saying, John Smith, Farmer with the dates, 1893 - 1934.