A Capital Day

For the last three years we have had travel to Baltimore Maryland to connect with our grandchildren. From Penticton, the trip required three flights and 14 hours of travel time, getting up at 4:30 am PST and arriving to arrive  6pm EST. With their return to Ottawa we were looking forward to reducing our number of flights to two and travel time to 8 hours.

When we went to book our flights to Ottawa, we discovered that of 5 available flights from Penticton, only one would get us into Ottawa in two flights and 9 hours and it was fully booked. All other options were three flight minimums that got us into Ottawa after midnight and 12 hours of travel time. WTF! Our dreams were dashed.



But the upside, we had day to spend in Ottawa. Rather than make our son pick us up at that ungodly hour, we ubered into Ottawa and booked into a hotel a block away from his office where he could pick us up the next day after work.

It has been a decade or more since we last visited downtown but the parliament building hadn't changed much. The clock is still keeping time and the construction is on going. Given the age of the Parliament building, constant repairs and renovations are inevitable.

The elections are over and it is a Liberal minority goverment that will be hosting the 43rd session of parliament beginning December 5th assuming Justin can get  few parties on board to vote with him. We had booked tours into the Senate and Parliament.

The Senate (the Red Room) is being used for the Speech from the Throne so they had to remove all the furniture to be able to fit in all the politicians and media. We caught this action shot of the maintenance guy vacuming the carpet in preparation for the big event.

Parliament (the Green Room) was all buffed up and ready for the what we hope will be a partisan parliament where all the parties can get togther and MACA. (Make Canada Great Again). Silly dream really.

With a major 10 year renovation happening in the Centre Block, the parliament has been relocated to the West Block atrium, The atrium was once open air but has had a glass roof installed over it to keep the politicians dry.

Nonie took some time to enjoy a chat with Nelly McLung, one  of the Famous Five. In 1929, five women went to court and won the "Persons Case" that ruled that women are people under the law and made them eligible for appointment to the Senate in Canada. One more step in women's suffrage.



The scupltures have been relocated temporarily while the Senate is under construction.

We had one last stop before we were to meet up with our son. It has become a tradition for us, everytime we get to downtown Ottawa. A visit to the Beaver Tails kiosk in the Byward market and  schlepp down a decadent beavertail.

A big greasy hunk of dough smothered in butter,  sugar and cinnamon.

Only in Canada, eh!

Some Sunshine and a Goose

One more trip to the coast while the sweet autumn weather was holding out. First stop was a few days on the Sunshine Coast with friends. The question begs to be asked; "Is the Sunshine Coast actually sunny". The following is a direct quote from the Sunshine Coast Tourist Bureau, "The Sunshine Coast area's climate is characterized by mild, moist winters and warm dry summers. Temperatures on the Coast can range from a damp cold and wet 0C in winter to highs of 30C in summer. The annual rainfall is approximately 100cm (40".)"

According to the Bureau "the naming of the Sunshine Coast originated with the pioneer Roberts Family. Harry Roberts painted "The Sunshine Belt" on the side of a freight house located on the first wharf built in Roberts Creek with the name used to promote the area as a summer resort destination. In 1951, Black Ball Ferries started a car ferry service and used the term Sunshine Coast to promote the whole area. Real Estate salesmen jumped on the band wagon and the rest is history.

There is now a public ferry that runs from Horeshoe Bay in North Vancouver to the town of Gibsons which would be our base for the next few days.  You baby boomers may remember that Gibsons was home to Nick Adonis, Molly and Relic. The Beachcomers ran from 1972 to 1990, the longest running TV series in Canadian history.

We spent the day wandering around Madeira Park and Garden Bay with a pleasant hike along Garden Bay Lake.












We capped our visit with a fire, a bottle of wine and dinner on the beach.

A great end to our stay.

Tomorrow, we are off to Vancouver Island with the plan to spend a day on the Galloping Goose. A bucket list item for over two decades.

The Goose is a 55 kilometre rail trail that starts in downtown Victoria and terminates just north of Sooke. It is part of the Trans-Canada Trail. Kilometre 7 of the Goose is conveniently located across the highway from our family's home in Victoria. Previously we have cycled the Lochside Trail which intersects the Goose and terminates at the ferry terminal at Swartz Bay,. Here, we caught a ferry to Saltspring Island. I remember that it was a wet and rainy trip.

Our plan for the Goose was to ride from kilometre 7 to kilometre 50 and the Sooke Potholes Provincial Park. Our first 15 kilometres of the trail were mostly urban with lots of street crossings which had us stopping and waiting for traffic lights before we could proceed making for a slow trip.  The trail slowly morphed from streetscape to a nicely maintained bike trail that took us by Matheson Lake Regional Park.

A windy ride along the Sooke Basin.

Ignoring signs indicating that the Todd Creek trestle was under repair and map misread had us backtracking 5 kilomtres to Sooke Road.

We continued along Sooke Road eventually arrving at the entrance to the Park.

Spoiler alert, they are not really potholes.

The Potholes were created about 15,000 years ago by glacial activity that carved basins deep into the bedrock. Huge boulders were carried by the glacial melt swirled around the canyon walls carving out the huge basins (potholes).

Despite the misleading advertising and our sore asses, the park was well worth the 90 kilometre ride though I think we will drive next time.