Michey_b’s travelling around

There are some parts of travelling that are annoying and having to get up at 4.30am to catch a train is one of them.  Struggled out of bed and trying to do everything possible not to make too much noise so I didnt wake up the rest of the guys in my dorm.  Its like coming home drunk and trying not to wake up the parents – everything you try to do quietly just seems to make so much more noise!!

There was no way i was gonna walk to the train station at 5 in the morning so called a taxi and sped towards a very quiet train station that had only just opened.  Had to change trains in Montreal but luckily didnt have to wait for longer than half hour before boarding and then made my way to the capital city Ottawa.

I had previously decided that i didnt want to stay in an HI hostel as it for some reson didnt appeal – so booked in at one slightly further out and im so glad i did as it ended up being one of the best places i have stayed on my trip.

The hostel itself is a converted house and has a huge porch with comfy sofas – so north american.  The hostel was having a halloween party tonight and had a chest full of fancy dress so there was no reason for anyone to not dress up.  Pumpkins filled the porch and people wandered past all dressed up. No one seems to bat an eyelid here – we walked to the beer store and all the place was filled with a mix of weird and wonderful costumes.  They dont just dress up here in halloween scary costumes – oh no anything is the norm, i couldnt even tell you what some people were meant to be as their costumes made no sense.  It was an awesome night and we all got a little merry and watched a ‘scary’ – now i put emphasis on this – movie.  Dark Water was not scary in the slighest and was one of the worst films i have ever seen – however it was addictive and none of us could seem to stop watching and change the channel.

On thursday i received an email from my uncle who had come to Ottawa and was staying in a hotel about 10 mins from me.  He had managed to get tickets for the hockey tonight the Ottawa Senators v Atlanta Thrashers so i walked to his hotel to meet him.  Now as i came across the Chateau Laurier hotel i felt a little conspicuous walking in.  Its like a fairy tale castle and must be one of the plushest hotels i have ever seen.  Now imagine me – lowly backpacker wearing scruffy clothes – the people in the lobby all stopped and stared wondering what on earth i was doing in a place like this.  I mean this place is the creme de la creme, a 7* place and my how the other half do live. 

i have become totally addicted to hockey – i thing its gonna be up there on the same level as soccer – yes my god i have started to call it that – it just gets confusing over here otherwise.  I love the passion of this game and the over the top way the crowd are kept entertained.  The best thing is you can have beer at your seat and you dont have to move to buy it – its great stuff is brought to you!!  Thanks to my uncle i am now the proud owner of a Sens shirt – go Sens go – and they are my new team.  Now i just need to study their history – well that i can do at the Hockey hall of fame in Toronto.  The best part – the Sens won 6 – 4.  It got nailbiting in the third period when the Thrashers scored 4 times to come behind from 5 – 0.

Having been partying and been to a hockey game – it was really time to do some sightseeing in Ottawa.  Now unless you are a museum buff there isnt too much to do here so mostly i just wandered around taking pictures.  I did stop at the Parliament to take a free tour which was cool.  Very much like the one at home, it has the most gorgeous library which is massive and contains a statue of Queen Victoria – who is loved here although im not completely sure why.  The best thing about this was that it was totally free and i got to listen to some interesting info about the building which i wont bore you with.  I did go up in the elevator for some fantastic views over Ottawa though.

 

 

Back at the hostel that night a group of us decided to have a few games of poker – uh oh.  Luckily decided to not play for money – well we are all poor backpackers.  Had to teach the game to three people who had never played before – but i think we got jinxed on that otherwise they had beginners luck.  After 4 hours of playing and having great conversation only the ladies remained and we had knocked the guys out – go girl power!!  I myself at 2.30am got bored and decided to go all in on a two pair and not surprisinly lost.

I have totally loved my time in Ottawa – the hostel was awesome and just felt so homely which was clearly evidenced by the fact that previous people who had stayed there and now lived in Ottawa all came by to hang out there in the evenings.  I almost wish i could have stayed there a bit longer but i must move on as there are more places to see.

When i eventually find a place where i can upload photos i will post them from Quebec and Ottawa – but at the moment i havent found anywhere but hopefully soon.  Now im off to Toronto and then Niagara Falls.

So arriving in Quebec City was cool – the train ride again was comfy and seemed to fly by.  Sat next to a lovely lady who lived in Quebec who spent the trip telling me about her family and helping me to remember some important french words that my brain had conveniently stuck somewhere labelled ‘will not need’ 

I cheated at the station having heard that the walk to the hostel was a 15min hike up some pretty evil hills, barely done on their own – and with a 20kg backpack seemed like the easiest way to a heart attack, and got a taxi.

The hostel seems ok – but very regimented but i guess thats the standard of HI hostels in general.  At least the dorm is better – the room is huge and the lockers are great – oh how the small things seem important.

I have spent four very cool days in Quebec which i prefer to Montreal – it seems friendlier somehow and very much reminds me of Paris.  I am struggling to understand Quebec french though – its so different from French in France – but its good herethat most people are bilingual so at least they can speak to me in English!

The weather here is temperamental at best and it has dropped dramatically over the last couple of days and there is even the chance it may snow – which is cool i cant wait to see proper snow – at least that will make up for the fact that i am wearing about 6 layers!

I have done quite a bit of the touristy stuff here and walked about 5 miles today up to the Citadel and along through the the parc de bateilles (may need to check my spelling there) I would have liked to have been here earlier this month when the leaves had changed colour but i can imagine just how beautiful it is here when that happens – now 90% of the leaves are on the ground a sure sign that winter is in fact here. 

 

 

One thing that i love about Canada is the deal they make out of Halloween.  Walking through the park i stumbled across a small playground that was decorated completely for Halloween, with adults in costumes handing out candy to the kids and pumpkins everywhere.  It was good to see families out together enjoying the sunshine and preparing for Halloween.

 

 

I found the Wolfe monument – General Wolfe was english and died fighting for Quebec – well at least im pretty sure he did – but at least now i have heard of him and seen his monument (see Dad i now know who he is!!)

 

 

The Musee de Quebec is here also and decided that i would pay the $15 to see the Picasso exhibition which was im sorry to say so not worth it.  It was his modern absract stuff that i just dont call art.  I know right here’s me slagging off one of the greatest artists of all time but i just didnt think it was good.  However i did happen upon the Rosa Luxembourg by Riopelle which was fascinating.  It consists of 30 paintings that together tell a story – now im not completely sure about what the story is – but the art is good – looks like batik and then acrylic paint over the top.  Im not very good at describing obviously but it was good and by far the best thing in the museum.

I met back up with Elizabeth here in Quebec and together we sampled the delights of a great pub called St Patricks – bet you cant possibly guess where it is from!!  Food was good there and fairly reasonable – restaurants here are not cheap by any means but i guess thats what happens in a majorly tourist city.

I love walking around this place its just so beautiful and fairly quiet – i cant imagine what its like in summer – but it seems to exhude a calmness and tranquility.  It may just be all the history here.  The way the city is set up is weird.  I wondered why there was a funiculor here but then realised that it is set upon a hill and streets go off a different split levels which is very cool and a pain to climb.  Unfortunately the Notre Dame was closed for refurb and photos not that cool as roadworks going on all around.

 

 

I am looking forward to getting to Ottawa.  French Canada is cool but i want to see something different now and im looking forward to spending Halloween here.  All i have to do now is get up at 4.30am to catch a train – nice 😉

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