Lead up to Canada 150

Several days before the 1st July we did a practice run to Parliament Hill and downtown Ottawa.

               Preparations are underway for the 1 July

                  Few people are around today, a good chance to have a look around.

                        The stage.

                 Artists are rehearsing on stage today.

                    Kathy is ready for a cup of tea with the ladies.

    Rideau Canal built in the 1800's runs from Kingston to Ottawa

 During the 150th celebrations pleasure boats can use the canal for free.

                      The locks are closed and easy to cross.

 Very close locks as the canal approaches the Ottawa River, a steep decent.

The last lock at the Northern end of the Canal, the Ottawa River. Boats can do a circle tour from Montreal, through to Kingston, enter the canal heading north to Ottawa, and head down the Ottawa River to the St Lawrence back to Montreal.

After visiting the locks we wander over to the National Art Gallery.

 A beautiful building housing some of Canada's finest art, no pictures are allowed inside.

                                Fran met us Downtown, and was our tour guide for the rest of the day.

   Our next visit was Rideau Hall home of our Governor General. Unfortunately it was closed for the day, but we enjoyed walking  through the grounds with many trees being planted by visiting heads of state.

Upper Canada Village

The 8 of us met up at Chrysler Park Marina where John and Peggy used to moor their sailboat before moving to Vancouver.   

A visit is planned to Upper Canada Village, near Morrisburg  on the St Lawrence River. It is a very authentic village of a small town around 1860. All the normal businesses of the era are here with the 'town folks' very much in period dress and happy to have a conversation as if we were now in 1860.

 The grist mill, powered by a dammed stream, with a paddle wheel.

        The woolen mill.

       The saw mill, the 3 above operations were all powered by belts from the paddle wheel.

       The broom shop, all made on location.

       A general store, stocked with everything a person might need.

      Local Transportation.

        The very important Black Smith Shop.

 Roger and Fran, Peggy and John, Back table, John and Jean, Bill

Kathy, John, Jean, Bill

We broke for lunch at this spot, then continued on to visit the school house, seating was, boys on the right, girls on the left. A wood working shop, the hotel, with bar (men only), dinning room, and accommodation up stairs. A very prosperous farmhouse with an indoor kitchen and a summer kitchen, a huge selection of farm equipment and tools of the period. And of course the always necessary pig pens.

It was a cool showery day, but we always enjoy visiting Upper Canada Village.

Arriving in Ottawa

The first few days after our arrival in Ottawa  we were camped at the very pleasant Wesley Clover Campground. John and Peggy, Fran and Roger visited us here. On our last day at Wesley Clover we delayed our departure to watch on line the Team NZ win their last race and claim the America's Cup.

 On leaving Wesley Clover we moved to John and Jeans property South of Ottawa near Gower. John, JB, and Bill are seen checking out the 1960ies ear computer system at the Deifenbunker. The Deifenbunker was built between 1958 and 1962 at the height of the Cold War. A 4 stories under ground heavily reinforced structure to protect the Cabinet Ministers and Military leaders in the event of a nuclear attack. It is a 'look back' in time to a period of history that we all remember   

The Blast Tunnel protecting the entrance to the Diefenbunker.

Travelling East

Leaving Vernon and heading for the Rockies.

Potential snow slides in the Rockies

Few of these old fashioned grain elevators are still on the Prairies.

 A picture of Canada's time zones

 Water falls at Kakabeka Falls north of Thunder Bay

 Terry Fox Monument East of Thunder Bay, where he ended his run.

The famous Goose under going repairs at Wawa north of Lake Superior

 The Soo Locks (Sault St. Marie)  A National Historic Site

Sturgeon Falls on Lake Nipissing, a 2 day stop at this beautiful campground.

The beach behind our campsite.

Vernon our first stop

The 5th of June was Bill's 74th birthday which was celebrated with our Vernon Friends at lunch time with free 74 chicken wings and drinks at a local sports bar.

Leaving the West Coast on our trip across Canada