"Hi, I am here to see Stephen."

After our time in Montreal, we made our way to Ottawa to see Canada's capital city. Here we are at our Prime Minister's residence - 24 Sussex Drive. I wanted to stop in for some tea and discussion with Stephen, but based on the looks I received from the many RCMP guarding the place, I deduced that attempting this would cause me great bodily harm.


It was cloudy and rainy when we went to Parliament Hill, so our pictures didn't turn out too well.


This is the Library of Parliament - it was built in 1876. The inside was as cool looking as the outside, but this was one of the only places we were not allowed to take photos.


The architecture inside was amazing. The original Parliament building burned down in 1916. Rebuilding started shortly after and the present building opened in 1920. Our tour guide told us that the somber gothic style of the building was used to reflect the solemn mood of the nation resulting from the fire and the war.

This is the Memorial Chamber, which was part of the Peace Tower. It contained books with all of the names of Canadians that lost their lives in war. The Memorial Chamber is rich with symbolism. The floor is made of stones taken from the World War I battlegrounds where Canadians fought. The walls and columns are faced with stone from France and Belgium, the two countries where Canadians saw the most combat. At the centre of the Chamber stands the central Altar carved from a block of Hopton Wood, the same British stone used for the tombstones in military cemeteries.


The Senate.


Our tour group was not allowed to see the House of Commons because Stephen was making an announcement, so they had the area blocked off. I could not go without, so we joined the next tour group and fortunately had the opportunity to see it.

We also went across the river to Gateneau, QC to visit the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Highlights of this incuded:

Wayne Gretzkey's skates.

The actual minutes from the meeting that created the NHL.

A lot of really cool Native art.

Totem Poles.

Ottawa was a great city to visit. The only dissapointing part of the trip was seeing how the government has allowed the Parliament buildings to become stained from the pollution. For example, here is a dirty beaver. Shazzaam!

Montreal Continued...

This is a replica of Brother André who is credited as the main founder of the Oratory. People report that he did many miraculous healings, so people came to him from far and wide for his magic touch. The Oratory kept his actual heart after he died as a relic. I was not able to take a picture of it because it was removed on account of some rennovations they are doing. Dang.


This room had several statues like this where you could toss in some money, light a candle, and pray for healing.

These are the canes and crutches of those who were miraculously healed at the Oratory. I had a bit of a blister on my foot from all of the walking we had done. I was hoping it would miraculously be healed so I could add my bandaid to the stack of medical aids, but no such luck. I guess I should have prayed harder.

Contrasting the churches we visited were the many smut clubs that line the streets of Montreal. These two are on St. Catherine's Street, which is a very popular and main strip. As you can see, they are not in hidden and obscure places like in most cities (so I hear). It was strange to see them so prominently displayed in the main areas of the city. The signs were bright and shiny.

"Voulez-vous cesser de me cracher dessus pendant que vous parlez!" "I don't speak French, but you are also nice."

Natalie and I got away last week...we went to Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. I forgot to take pictures in Toronto, so I will start in Montreal. Here we are in front of Notre-Dame Basilica about to begin our horse drawn buggy tour of Old Montreal.



It was a really cool way to check out all of the history in this city - the lady who took us was full of interesting facts!

This is a gold Elvis guy doing the Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto. He tossed some gold beads at Natalie and wanted $2 in return. Unfortunately we do not speak French.


We toured Notre-Dame Basilica. I think Lutherans should start to guilt people out of their money so we can build nice things too.


The Notre-Dame Basilica chapel.



We also checked out Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal. People from all over the world take pilgrimages here for spiritual matters and physical healing.

The pictures can't capture the beauty of the Oratory. More to come...

Why do you have to upset me like this?

The above photo is of a paper towel dispenser from the men's washroom in a Denny's restaurant in Kingston, ON. The photo turned out a bit blurry, but it says in three different languages, "For Emergency Feed, Turn Knob." The part that upsets me about this is the word Emergency. When is having wet hands ever considered an emergency? One could avert such an "emergency" by simply shaking one's hands vigorously or by wiping them on one's slacks. Are they trying to suggest that this is some sort of "magical" paper towel dispenser? If the guy schwizzing beside me drops to the floor and cracks his head on account of the freshly washed floors, am I to forego dialling 911 in order to run over and twist this "emergency" knob? I think not. Pitney Bowes is the manufacturer of this dispenser, so I intend on suggesting to them a replacement sticker that would read "turn knob for paper towel." I have enough in my life that causes me anger and stress - I do not need this on top of everything else.