Canada's capital city is just brimming with culture and history. It's not too big so that you'd feel absolutely lost, but is compact and manageable enough for a day or two of touring. Best of all, you can visit Ottawa's top attractions, gratis.
What to see
Parliament Hill is where Canada’s legislature meets. Three stately Gothic buildings sit atop a hill, overlooking the city and the Ottawa River.
In the summer from late June to late August, a must-see is the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Members of two reserve units (Governor General's Footguard from Ottawa (red plumes) and the Canadian Grenadier Guards from Montreal (white plumes) don their ceremonial scarlet and large bear skin hats for this military tradition.
Another seasonal treat is the nightly sound and light show which is projected on the Centre Block building. The show usually happens in early July to mid-September (check the website for the exact dates for this year). The nice thing about the Changing of the Guard and the Light and Sound show is that you don’t have to pay anything to watch.
Canadian Museum of Civilization (100 Laurier Street, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M8) is right across the Ottawa River. It’s generally open from 9 am to 6 pm, although the times may vary based on the time of the year (visit http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/plan-your-visit/hours-of-operation for exact operating hours).
The Canada Hall is arguably the highlight of the museum. Canada’s history, beginning with the arrival of Norse explorers, is chronicled through life-size reproductions of buildings, ships, boats and artifacts. Towards the latter part of the exhibit, I was surprised to see a portion on Filipino immigrants.
Exhibit on Filipino immigrants (from the website of the Canadian Museum of Civilization)
According to the exhibit, by the mid-1970s, Filipino immigrants to Canada, mostly female medical personnel, numbered more than 40,000. Filipino immigrants were consulted for this exhibit, and excerpts of their interviews are presented in audio and video. Also on display are objects which these immigrants had brought as souvenirs from the Philippines, such as a terno (dress), a Santo Nino figurine, and even a parol (Christmas lantern).
The museum building also houses the Canadian Children’s Museum. Don’t let the name fool you though, because adults (or at least those who are kids at heart) will find this quite interesting too. A permanent exhibition, the Great Adventure, features interactive exhibits of exciting locations around the world. There’s a mini-pyramid inspired by Egypt’s famous landmarks, and a Japanese room where kids can don kimonos (sorry, no adult sizes though). There’s even a recreation of a cargo ship where little tots can play crane operators and help unload cargo from the ship’s hold.
Prince William stamps (from the website of the Canadian Museum of Civilization)
For stamp enthusiasts, the Canadian Postal Museum is also in the same building. When I was there, the stamp collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was one of the special exhibitions. On display was the world’s first postage stamp and stamps of Prince William, which were issued to mark his 21st birthday. I joined the exhibit’s trivia contest that afternoon and won (ta-da!) a bookmark.
If you have time to spare, drop by the balcony for a view of the National Parliament and the cityscape across the Ottawa River.
The National Parliament
However, the best thing about the Canadian Museum of Civilization is that admission fees are waived from 4 pm to 8 pm on Thursdays. Still, even if you can’t go on a Thursday afternoon, the admission fee is not that bad. At CAN$12 (adults) / $8 (children) (around PhP540 / PhP360 ), it’s quite a steal since you’ll actually be visiting three museums. I was fortunate enough to visit on a Thursday afternoon and didn’t have to pay admission. I was even luckier because the meter of the bus to the museum was broken, so the driver allowed all of us to ride free of charge.
What to eat
Locals usually dare tourists to try poutine. This bowl of French fries has been labeled, rather fondly, as a heart attack in a bowl. Our guide told us how the fries must be cooked in nothing but pure lard (vegetable and other oils will reputedly spoil the taste). White cheddar cheese curds are then put on top of the fries. Finally, thick, hot gravy is poured on top.
Poutine
We tried the poutine (CAN$7.99 / around PhP360) at Dunn’s Famous Delicatessen (355 Dalhousie; Phone: 613-562-4966). It tasted exactly like fries, cheese and gravy – nothing spectacular actually, and I didn’t feel my arteries getting blocked or something. But then again, it’s not the kind of snack that you can eat every day, not unless you want to pack in the calories.
For healthier options, take your pick from the fresh produce at ByWard Market (55 Byward Market Square, Ottawa, ON K1N 9C3, Canada).
ByWard Market
Farmers hawk small baskets of berries, green leafy vegetables and juicy red apples. Unlike some other market experiences, there are vendors at ByWard Market all year round, except Christmas and New Year’s Day. Come here before dusk as the fruits and vegetable stalls close at around 6 pm.
Where to sleep
We stayed at Capital Hill Hotel & Suites (88 Albert Street. Phone: (613) 235-1413. Website: www.capitalhill.com). You can walk two blocks to Parliament Hill, or three blocks to ByWard Market. Aside from such a great location, the hotel personnel are very accommodating. I asked the front desk for directions to the Canadian Museum of Civilization and they printed me directions from Google Maps, complete with bus times, route numbers and even the estimated walking times to bus stations. They also allowed us to occupy our rooms four hours earlier than the check-in time and even upgraded our room to a suite. At around CAN$118 (around PhP5310) for a double room, you can’t get any better bargain than this. And did I say that you can surf the Internet and print out as many pages as you want at the business center, at no extra charge?
But then again, if you time your trip right, and can visit Parliament Hill and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in one day, you might not even have to stay overnight in a hotel. It’s true that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but the best things in Ottawa are definitely free.
What to see
Parliament Hill is where Canada’s legislature meets. Three stately Gothic buildings sit atop a hill, overlooking the city and the Ottawa River.
In the summer from late June to late August, a must-see is the Changing of the Guard ceremony. Members of two reserve units (Governor General's Footguard from Ottawa (red plumes) and the Canadian Grenadier Guards from Montreal (white plumes) don their ceremonial scarlet and large bear skin hats for this military tradition.
Another seasonal treat is the nightly sound and light show which is projected on the Centre Block building. The show usually happens in early July to mid-September (check the website for the exact dates for this year). The nice thing about the Changing of the Guard and the Light and Sound show is that you don’t have to pay anything to watch.
Canadian Museum of Civilization (100 Laurier Street, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M8) is right across the Ottawa River. It’s generally open from 9 am to 6 pm, although the times may vary based on the time of the year (visit http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/plan-your-visit/hours-of-operation for exact operating hours).
The Canada Hall is arguably the highlight of the museum. Canada’s history, beginning with the arrival of Norse explorers, is chronicled through life-size reproductions of buildings, ships, boats and artifacts. Towards the latter part of the exhibit, I was surprised to see a portion on Filipino immigrants.
Exhibit on Filipino immigrants (from the website of the Canadian Museum of Civilization)According to the exhibit, by the mid-1970s, Filipino immigrants to Canada, mostly female medical personnel, numbered more than 40,000. Filipino immigrants were consulted for this exhibit, and excerpts of their interviews are presented in audio and video. Also on display are objects which these immigrants had brought as souvenirs from the Philippines, such as a terno (dress), a Santo Nino figurine, and even a parol (Christmas lantern).
The museum building also houses the Canadian Children’s Museum. Don’t let the name fool you though, because adults (or at least those who are kids at heart) will find this quite interesting too. A permanent exhibition, the Great Adventure, features interactive exhibits of exciting locations around the world. There’s a mini-pyramid inspired by Egypt’s famous landmarks, and a Japanese room where kids can don kimonos (sorry, no adult sizes though). There’s even a recreation of a cargo ship where little tots can play crane operators and help unload cargo from the ship’s hold.
Prince William stamps (from the website of the Canadian Museum of Civilization)For stamp enthusiasts, the Canadian Postal Museum is also in the same building. When I was there, the stamp collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was one of the special exhibitions. On display was the world’s first postage stamp and stamps of Prince William, which were issued to mark his 21st birthday. I joined the exhibit’s trivia contest that afternoon and won (ta-da!) a bookmark.
If you have time to spare, drop by the balcony for a view of the National Parliament and the cityscape across the Ottawa River.
View of National Parliament from the museum
The National Parliament
However, the best thing about the Canadian Museum of Civilization is that admission fees are waived from 4 pm to 8 pm on Thursdays. Still, even if you can’t go on a Thursday afternoon, the admission fee is not that bad. At CAN$12 (adults) / $8 (children) (around PhP540 / PhP360 ), it’s quite a steal since you’ll actually be visiting three museums. I was fortunate enough to visit on a Thursday afternoon and didn’t have to pay admission. I was even luckier because the meter of the bus to the museum was broken, so the driver allowed all of us to ride free of charge.
What to eat
Locals usually dare tourists to try poutine. This bowl of French fries has been labeled, rather fondly, as a heart attack in a bowl. Our guide told us how the fries must be cooked in nothing but pure lard (vegetable and other oils will reputedly spoil the taste). White cheddar cheese curds are then put on top of the fries. Finally, thick, hot gravy is poured on top.
PoutineWe tried the poutine (CAN$7.99 / around PhP360) at Dunn’s Famous Delicatessen (355 Dalhousie; Phone: 613-562-4966). It tasted exactly like fries, cheese and gravy – nothing spectacular actually, and I didn’t feel my arteries getting blocked or something. But then again, it’s not the kind of snack that you can eat every day, not unless you want to pack in the calories.
For healthier options, take your pick from the fresh produce at ByWard Market (55 Byward Market Square, Ottawa, ON K1N 9C3, Canada).
ByWard MarketFarmers hawk small baskets of berries, green leafy vegetables and juicy red apples. Unlike some other market experiences, there are vendors at ByWard Market all year round, except Christmas and New Year’s Day. Come here before dusk as the fruits and vegetable stalls close at around 6 pm.
Where to sleep
We stayed at Capital Hill Hotel & Suites (88 Albert Street. Phone: (613) 235-1413. Website: www.capitalhill.com). You can walk two blocks to Parliament Hill, or three blocks to ByWard Market. Aside from such a great location, the hotel personnel are very accommodating. I asked the front desk for directions to the Canadian Museum of Civilization and they printed me directions from Google Maps, complete with bus times, route numbers and even the estimated walking times to bus stations. They also allowed us to occupy our rooms four hours earlier than the check-in time and even upgraded our room to a suite. At around CAN$118 (around PhP5310) for a double room, you can’t get any better bargain than this. And did I say that you can surf the Internet and print out as many pages as you want at the business center, at no extra charge?
But then again, if you time your trip right, and can visit Parliament Hill and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in one day, you might not even have to stay overnight in a hotel. It’s true that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but the best things in Ottawa are definitely free.
