| There is no denying it: Ottawa is known
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| | sugar and cinnamon. The perfect snack and
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| is one of the coldest capitals in the
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| | energy source on a cold winter's day. At
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| world (only as far as temperatures are
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| | the Via Rail Concord Station Rest Area an
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| concerned though). But does that mean you
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| | exhibit shed light on Ottawa's railroad
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| stay at home during the winter and mope?
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| | history. Apparently many years ago,
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| Absolutely not! Ottawa has turned a
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| | trains would arrive in downtown Ottawa
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| potential liability into a key asset and
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| | right next to the Rideau Canal. At Fifth
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| really shows us how to celebrate winter.
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| | Avenue, young sports fans were enjoying
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| First there is Winterlude, Ottawa's
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| | the Canadian Tire JUMPStart Activity
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| winter festival, which is being held this
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| | Centre where they were jumping through
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| year from February 3 to 19, 2006.
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| | the air on a trampoline system and
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| Winterlude is apparently attended by more
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| | putting their hockey skills to the test.
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| than 650,000 winter revellers and
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| | At Pig Island a special area with teepees
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| encompasses a myriad of events: concerts,
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| | was set up to get a taste of Aboriginal
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| special events, culinary demonstrations,
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| | traditions, culture and cuisine. In
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| restaurant festivals and the list goes
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| | addition the area featured a loggers'
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| on. Skating on the Rideau Skateway, at
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| | exhibit, a snowshoe-making workshop and
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| almost 8 km the world's largest icerink.,
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| | aboriginal songs and drumming. Once
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| was our main reason for coming to Ottawa.
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| | arrived at Dow's Lake I went on to
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| Indeed we had travelled to Ottawa about 3
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| | explore the 26th Annual Bed Race, a
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| years ago and due to warm weather
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| | fundraising event which proved to be an
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| Winterlude was a total washout for us
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| | absolutely hilarious experience, for a
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| that year (I guess the appropriate term
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| | good cause no less. The Bed Race is
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| for that event would be "Waterlude"). But
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| | organized by the Ottawa Kiwanis Club and
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| our earlier experience didn't deter us,
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| | the proceeds, close to $50,000 will go
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| so this year Theresa and I decided to
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| | towards the Children's Read-A-Thon. A
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| come back and pray for better weather so
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| | young hockey star tests his skills at the
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| we would indeed be able to check out this
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| | Canadian Tire JumpStart Activity Centre
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| phenomenal skating and entertainment
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| | But I had more to cover, so I started
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| venue for ourselves. Incidentally, the
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| | skating back towards the downtown and by
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| Rideau Canal Skateway has been recognized
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| | this time the skateway had filled up
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| by the Guiness Book of World Records as
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| | quite a bit. It seemed like young and
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| the world's largest naturally frozen ice
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| | old, the whole family was out. Parents
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| rink. The skateway is 7.8 kilometers long
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| | were pulling their children on little
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| and takes you from the Rideau Bridge all
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| | sleds, or even pushing them in
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| the way to Dow's Lake. We got going early
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| | all-terrain baby carriages. Everybody was
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| just around 10 am on an absolutely
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| | having a ton of fun. On the way back one
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| perfect winter day, but even at that
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| | person struck my attention: a young lady
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| time, the skateway was packed, and the
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| | on red skates with red gloves and a red
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| walkthrough over the frozen ice from
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| | scarf was skating down the canal,
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| Confederation Park to the skateway
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| | juggling, apparently just having a ball
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| entrance on the other side of the river
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| | of a time. I approached her to find out a
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| was chock full with people in a long
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| | bit about her. She introduced herself as
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| lineup. We laced up our skates and put
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| | Sylvie, and shared with me that she is
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| our boots in our backbacks which would
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| | part of a juggling family and that
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| give us the flexibility to get off the
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| | juggling is in her blood. She said that
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| ice at any time and continue our
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| | juggling is her life, and although she
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| explorations on foot. Or if we got too
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| | doesn't drive the fanciest car, she is
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| tired, we could even hop on the "Sno-Bus"
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| | happy because she gets to do what she
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| which connects Dow's Lake with
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| | loves. After all this skating I got
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| Confederation Park during the entire
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| | really hungry, so I took off my skates
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| Winterlude Festival for the low fee of
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| | and simply headed up to the Rideau
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| $2.50 (more information on the OC Transpo
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| | Centre, one of Ottawa's biggest shopping
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| site) . But, apparently we didn't need a
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| | centres. It is located right next to the
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| Sno-Bus, we skated our way down on this
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| | Canal and was positively packed on this
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| wonderful natural ice surface all the way
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| | day. The Rideau Centre offered a welcome
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| to the lake and didn't even need to rest.
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| | opportunity to warm up and catch a nice
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| On this gorgeous day with crystal blue
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| | lunch in its food court. Obviously I love
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| skies and perfect winter weather and
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| | outdoor activities as well as urban
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| amazingly no winds, skating on the Rideau
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| | exploring, and skating on the Rideau
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| was a phenomenal experience. We could
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| | Canal through downtown Ottawa combines
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| indeed not have picked a better day to
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| | both activities perfectly. I got a brief
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| explore the Rideau Canal on skates. At
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| | taste of this special winter activity,
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| different intervals along the way there
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| | and one thing is for sure: I'll be
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| were a variety of rest areas, food
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| | back!!! This entire article including
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| concessions and special entertainment or
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| | photos is located at
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| information areas. Well represented of
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