I should be sleeping at this hour but I figured this is a good time to post an entry. I will be swamped with work once I return to work and won't have time left for blogging. Hurricane Frances missed Broward County by about 60 miles so we were lucky (again). There was no major flooding where I live, power was knocked out for three quarters of a day and top wind was only 60 mph. I felt better knowing that my roommate was there and looked after the place. However, Hurricane Ivan is approaching Barbados and is already a category 4 storm! Officials don't know if its current path will hit Florida or not. This has been a very active hurricane season.
Anyway I've immensely enjoyed the last few days of my vacation. Darcy's aunt and uncle have been wonderful hosts. On September 2 we visited the Mackenzie King Estate at Kingsmere in the Gatineau Park. The former Prime Minister generously donated his estate to the federal government after his death in 1950. The following day we drove southwest to Merrickville that was voted as Canada's prettiest town. A very pleasant place situated on the famed Rideau Canal that had many restored old buildings. We had dinner at the Dickens' Gad's Hill Place restaurant. On the 5th we drove south to the Upper Canada Village near the town of Morrisburg. It's a wonderful working village of a few dozen buildings that display life in Upper Canada (present day Ontario in the mid 19th century. The construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway in mid 1950s doomed the existence of a few old villages that had been there for over one hundred years. Massive flooding would have destroyed the buildings so the Federal government decided to move the dwellings to higher ground and recreate one village.
On September 5th we made the short drive to Meech Lake and relaxed at O'Brien beach. Darcy's uncle Jacques and I walked up the hill to catch a glimpse of the famed Willson House. That is where former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and all ten premiers signed the ill fated Meech Lake Accord in 1987. There is another house that is owned by the federal government that overlooks the lake. But the buildings have seldom been used since Mulroney and it is a shame since taxpayer's money is being used to maintain these beautiful but expensive places. The PM's official summer house is at the other end of the lake.
The following day, Labor Day, we drove to Montreal. A wonderful city with much history! Jacques was born there so he was our tour guide. I was amazed at the great condition of many of the old buildings in Old Montreal. We capped the day off with having a filling dinner outside at the Restaurant Du Vieux Port. The drive to Montreal is barely two hours from Ottawa - shorter than from Edmonton to Calgary! So we know have only one full day left in Ottawa. I better get to bed so good night...
posted by Michael at 1:36 AM
