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