Does Ottawa Not Like Tourists?

This blog could be called our short-lived Ottawa adventure. During a wonderful fall week at the Calabogie Lake Resort, one day we decided to go Ottawa. Admittedly, we didn’t have a clear plan defined carefully through internet research. No problem, we thought, we’ll stop at the tourist kiosk, one of those welcoming little buildings that every town and city has to welcome tourists. So, as we drove into Ottawa, we kept our eyes peeled for an information kiosk. Finally, we saw that universal question sign signaling an info-centre. We followed it into a maze of streets, most under repair. To no avail. No info-centre. We asked some workmen who sent us on a wild-goose chase. We went round and round until Phyliss found the tourist bureau on her phone, so we drove there, parked in an underground parking garage, and followed directions to the fourth-floor office. Closed. Locked. Nada. Hello, anybody home?

With no map of Ottawa and no parking anywhere, we drove past the parliament buildings, took a quick snap, and moved on past sundry other impressive buildings. We ended up wandering along a beautiful avenue along the river until we came to a parking spot. New plan. Let’s go to the National Gallery which has parking and where Canada’s art treasures are held.

So that’s what we did. Wed spent most of our time in the Indigenous and Group of Seven section. Wonderful paintings and indigenous art. We did have a tasty lunch in the bistro where a voluble manager regaled us with his story of moving to Ottawa and his cooking exploits.

Why would any city not have a tourist kiosk? Especially the nation’s capital? Of course we should have done a week’s intensive internet research and made appointments to go on one of those tour buses. But…we’re naïve enough to believe every city loves tourists.