Eastern Canada etc Day 7

We explored the Canadian capital Ottawa today firstly by bus, then on foot.  Our bus took us along the Rideau Canal which stretches some 120km.  These waters freeze over during the Winter and the locals can skate along them to work or to their studies at the University.  Next we stopped at the War Memorial where they have built a tomb to their unknown soldier and which has been designed so that the sun strikes a headstone mounted on the wall at the exact moment when we observe one minute's silence to remember the war dead - the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.  It was quite sobering.  Next we were off to the Natural History Museum featuring a walk through a presentation of the founding of Canada from it's early discovery through the centuries to present times.  We had far too little time to take it all in, but everything we do is just giving us a taste of what this country has to offer.  We tried to tour the Houses of Parliament which are next door to our hotel but just missed the last tour with an English speaking guide.  Took lots of photos instead of its' spectacular Gothic architecture instead.   Tomorrow we head for Toronto

At 11.00am on 11 November this ray of sunlight will strike the headstone on the wall to commemorate Canada's war dead

The Houses of Parliament 

Getting ready for Halloween

The Ottawa River flows from here in Ottawa to the St Lawrence River