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Winter 2015

Canada

Autumn view of Ottawa River and Alexandra Bridge in Ottawa, Canada. Seen from Parliament Hill

How wonderful Ottawa is in the summertime, especially when riding around on a bicycle with your family. Last weekend, as a family we decided to take an explorer cycling tour in the heart of Ottawa. As a starting point we chose the Canadian Firefighters Memorial that is located in front of the National Holocaust Monument and the Canadian War Museum. From there the Chaudiere Bridge connects Ontario and Quebec with a pathway that has incredible view points of Chaudière Falls and Interzip Rogers (a long zipline), for those who like adventure and natural beauty. After crossing the Ottawa River, we rode downstream in front of the Parliament Buildings until we reached the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau. It was an incredible place to take a break and to observe Parliament Hill from the river level with a small scoop of ice cream.

The next point was the historic Alexandria Bridge from which there are spectacular views of the heart of Ottawa with boats and yachts sailing nearby Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal. Finally, after cutting through Major Hill Park, we crossed the Rideau Canal through locks, and continued towards the Ottawa River behind the Senate and the Parliament Buildings on a beautiful pathway. It led us along the Ottawa River upstream to the Portage Bridge with a gorgeous view of the canal and the historic Chateau Laurier.

During this exciting trip we had an unforgettable family time with the kids, and we all learned a lot from the historical signage that is also found along this road. So, next time you visit our exclusive city of Ottawa, don’t hesitate to try this cycling trip to enjoy the beauty and historic heritage of our nation’s capital.