Ottawa Again!

We had another visit to Ottawa on the Mother's Day weekend. This time a CLEE organised one- another chance to catch up with the other Australian and English exchange teachers. We were lucky enough to get some spectacular weather the whole weekend and Ottawa was a picture with all the Spring growth and tulips. Ivan got Friday off so we travelled after school on Thursday and had dinner and stayed with our wonderful Canadian hosts, Lynn and Glenn, once again.
Friday morning Ivan and the other teachers had a tour of a local school in Ottawa, while the partners and kids spent the morning at the Agricultural Museum, an experimental farm full of farm animals and exhibitions.
We all met back at an Adult High School where we had lunch served by the students.
After lunch the teachers got spruced up for high tea with the Australian High Commissioner and his wife at their Ottawa home. The partners and kids were not able to attend this event.
Later that evening we went to a party at one of the former Canadian exchangees' place, sitting around an outdoor fire and catching up with all the news and stories from the teachers.
Saturday we decided to miss the first thing on the busy agenda in favour of letting the kids have a bit of a sleep-in after the late night out. We met up with everyone at Victoria Island where we had an interesting talk about the local Aboriginal life and dwellings. We had a break for lunch and all (well, just about) enjoyed a Buffalo burger! After lunch we were entertained by some young and very talented kids performing some traditional aboriginal dancing, which was absolutely fantastic.
We then had a boat ride down the Rideau Canal, the same canal we skated on in Feburary. Some of the teachers opted for a bike ride along the canal instead, as either side of the canal are bike and walking trails and it was spectacular with Spring blooming everywhere.
A quick browse of the tulip festival after the boat trip, before joining up with the teachers and their families again for dinner in the Byward Market area.
Sunday, being Mother's Day, we again opted out of the organised Museum visit in favour of a leisurely yummy breakfast with Lynn and her family, catered for by Ivan and Glenn. We had a wander around the tulips with Lynn and Glenn before going off on our own to see the Parliament buildings and a ride up the Peace Tower for a 360 degree view of the beautiful city of Ottawa. Then we set off back to Barry's Bay.