Friday, June 19, 2009 – Day 22
The only thing we planned for today was to tour the Parliament Buildings. As a result we relaxed in the morning in our hotel room and watched as the sun cleared away all of the rain clouds of the previous day. It was great to take a break and to not have too much planned.
Currency Museum
In the afternoon we hiked over to the Parliament Buildings and found that we would have to wait two hours for our tour to start. The kids however already had a plan on what to do with our spare time… they wanted to go to the Free Currency Museum in the building responsible for Canada’s currency. Our kids like money, to collect it (especially our 8 year old Monopoly player Orin) and to look at it. They breezed through the ancient coin section which illustrated the beginnings of currency with the shells, tools and other items that were first used as currency. They hurried on to the ancient Canadian coins and bills that were on display. Learning about currency is a great history lesson. As a result of their interest in money they are well aware of when various monarchs ruled in Canada and when various provinces (like the most recent Newfoundland) joined Confederation in Canada.
Perhaps the highlight for them was to see the video presentation and limited engagement interactive display on detecting forged bills. In the end they were able to look at and detect all of the forged verses actual bills on display… they did a great job.
Pocket Knife Caught at Parliament Buildings Security
By the time we were finished at the currency museum we were ready to excitedly tour our countries’ parliament building on the last day it was to sit before summer holidays. We gathered with our group of about 40 others before being ushered along to the entrance of the Parliament buildings. We were told that to enter we would have to go through airport like security. It was at this point that my 13 year old Jaeden got a little flush. As he went through his pockets he realized he had brought a pocket knife from when we were camping two nights earlier. He was a bit concerned at this point because although he did want to go on the tour, he was just as determined to keep his pocket knife.
As he was going through security the security screener was a bit baffled. He asked Jaeden who’s knife it was. When he said it was his own, the screener asked, “Are you here with a school group?”… perhaps wondering what a youth was doing with a pocket knife after coming from school. Jaeden reassured him that he was only traveling with his family. The security person then asked how old he was and where his dad was as I waved from 3 people behind. Unlike the airport where everything is confiscated (unless re-checked in with check in baggage) disallowed items are sealed in a blue bag and saved for when one exits the parliament buildings. Jaeden was relieved to hear this and handed over the knife for safe keeping while the security person handed me the yellow claim ticket.
With the excitement of security over we were able to start our tour of the parliament buildings. As it was the last day that a session of parliament was being held before summer holidays, we were unable to see where the MP’s sit and debate. We were however able to tour the hallways, library, senate and clock tower section of the building.
The grand building was amazing, gigantic and brought me to imagine the work that constructing this marvelous building took. Unfortunately the tour only showed us a variety of rooms and pointed out architectural features. It did not talk about the history or efforts involved in constructing the building. It wasn’t until we saw a photo the next day in Québec at the Cartier National Historic Site that we noticed the tents and small shacks people lived in while this grand architectural building was being constructed.
The view from the bell tower was amazing and we could see all the way around the city in all directions. It was the most amazing view of Ottawa and Hull, Québec on the other side of the river.
Following the tour we just had to make a stop at the whispering wall which is located behind the parliament buildings. The whispering wall is a 30 to 40 foot curved wall with a bench along it. If you stand at one end and whisper, you can clearly hear another person at the opposite end of the wall. The kids had fun and Kirsten and I had fun telling “secrets” about getting ice cream as the kids would sneek by to listen from behind the wall.
Alyssa Gets Lost?
We took a quick walk down the path to see the Rideau Canal before heading back through the walking street of Ottawa back to our motorhome. On the way, Alyssa thought she knew better how to get to the motorhome and insisted on going in a different direction. Only 4 blocks away from our motorhome she went in completely the wrong direction. There was no convincing her to follow and so we kept going back. It did not take her long to realize that the way she went would not get her back and so 5 minutes after we arrived at the RV she showed up. I think her detour was just a way of being by herself for a little while. It is quite the experience to not have a place you can go to be on your own for 3 weeks (so far).
A Picture with Mosquitoes
It was late in the day but we were determined to continue on to Montreal that night so we could wake up and have a full day in our first Québec city. We made it to the Québec border just as the sun was starting to go down. Early enough to get a photograph… and a million mosquito bites. The grassy area in front of the Québec welcome sign seemed to be a haven for Mosquitoes and as I tried to figure out how to get the camera timer to work, mom and the kids were busy running around and jumping up and down to keep the mosquitoes off!