"Ottawa" a Ottawa Travel Page by MDH

Canada's capital is nestled along the green banks of the river that gave the city's name in Eastern Ontario. Ottawa in an interesting mix of beautiful, world-class museums, modern high rises, bureaucratic institutions and bland housing projects, all of which center on the politcal workings of Parliament Hill, the various ministries, and of course Sussex Dr.

Ottawa is seen with mixed feelings by many Canadians. A political capital but not a cultural hubris like Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver. An Eastern city, but not quite the focus of the East. A scenic city, but not in the British Columbia sense.

Ottawa is essentially a city of dualities, where English and French coexist with each other on an almost equal basis (rare for Canada), political institutions not far from unattractive apartment blocks, and wide boulevards connecting to confusing one-way streets.

Ottawa offers a lot for the visitor curious to what makes this city and Canada's running tick. Eye candy abounds around Parliament Hill, where museums, monuments, politician sitings and Mounties are never far removed from each other. Nearby, the Rideau Canal--an engineering feat of the the early 19th century--runs gracefully through tree-lined parks and the city center. Across the Ottawa river lies Hull, Quebec; the Francophone world begins here.