| Page Views: 7,678 Last Visit to Ottawa: December, 2008 I Used To Live Here | Ottawa by Kaspian - last update: Aug 18, 2009 |
| Ottawa - Parliament Hill (2006) |
Travel Dates: Many times, December 8-10 2006, November 30 - December 2 2007, August 8-10 2008, December 12-14 2008, August 14-16 2009.
I lived in Ottawa (pronounced "aw-ta-wah") for two years in the early 90s while attending Ottawa University taking history. Memories of this city are sweet and sour. It's a great place to live, lots of nice neighbourhoods, restaurants, and shopping area. Great pubs and bars! But it's a difficult place to carve out your existence. It can be really rough to find a decent job and if you're a student not doing so well in school, it can be a sad place to try and determine where your future lies. |
| Ottawa - Post Office Lion (2006) |
Thoughts On Canada's Capital Having drinks with my old roommate, who's now a political reporter for a large Canadian magazine and sometimes television personality, she asked me from a political outsider's perspective what Canadians I know thought about Ottawa. "They adore it!", I answered. "They think it's a beautiful, fun, and fantastic place. They don't even tie the city itself to the politics they see on television. Everyone I've ever met who's visited loved it here." She was really surprised to hear that. |
| Ottawa - Sussex Dr. at Christmas (2006) |
Rejuvenated! How it's Changed in the Last 15 Years When I lived in Ottawa, from 1989 to 1991, it was during a small Canadian depression--a depression I still blame squarely on the government of the day. The Byward Market, a gem in the heart of the town, was decrepit and abandoned. Bank Street was strewn with litter. Graffiti plagued the town. No longer! Almost all of the popular areas of Ottawa have been cleaned up, repainted, opened for business. The city has gone from having a scum element to almost having too cute of a feeling now. Lots of trendy gift stores, clothes shops, international cuisine restaurants, brand new "olde" Irish pubs, and upscale metrosexual coffee shops. There are still lots of panhandlers though, but they have a confused look these days. Like the boat left without them. In a city where wealth, lifestyle, and image have become more important, they've forgotten to deal with that issue and should take it to heart and find a solution. |
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| Pros: | "One of the best places in Canada to spend a day strolling." | | Cons: | "Very little nightlife Mondays to Wednesdays." |
Kaspian's Ottawa Travel Tips
| Overview | Things to Do | | | Restaurants
Tips: 2 - Photos: 8 | Hotels & Accommodations
Tips: 1 - Photos: 5 | | | | Nightlife | Off The Beaten Path | | | | Tourist Traps | Warnings Or Dangers | | | | Transportation | Local Customs | | | | Packing Lists | Shopping | | | | Sports Travel | General Tips |
 Comments for Kaspian about Ottawa | | | | |
emilienoelle Sun Apr 27, 2008 14:45 UTC
HOLY CRAP! No, I haven't. Let me know if you find something good--or just get a train ticket for me and I'll pay you back! | Dabs Tue Apr 1, 2008 22:25 UTC
I've never been to Ottawa, do they have poutine there??? | Bwana_Brown Mon Mar 26, 2007 14:24 UTC
An very well-written page on 'your' Ottawa - you had me laughing in more than one place! I'd have to agree with your take on the public's view of the city. I couldn't believe it when I came to your Accoms tip - my wife & I just finished staying there too! | raytor Fri Dec 29, 2006 21:13 UTC
I have done both and would say they are different, not necessarily better. The red sea has better visibility, but cozumel has attractions of its own. |
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