Left our home-away-from-home (well, it was for 3 nights) this morning early, went to Tim Horton's and the gas station, then on our way to Manotick for the next stop on the Rideau Canal Heritage Tour. The place was postcard-perfect in a crisp but sunny autumn day. They treat their heritage like gold here, and everything is restored beautifully and presented with pride. Went to the A.Y. Jackson Park (a group of seven painter) where Jan got her fill of a particular type of wood fence common only to this part of the country. No fence posts in the ground, yet the fence is very stable. Check out the pictures.
Then on to the Watson Mill, a still-functioning grist mill that has lasted for over 150 years. Jan charmed the curator and he gave us a guided tour of how the whole thing works, and we bought a loaf of bread baked from the flour produced at the mill and some duck food also produced there. Heard of the ghost(s) that still haunt the place but didn't see her or him. Got a picture of the curator, he wasn't as scary.
On to Ottawa and the Parliament Buildings. Awesome. Learned a lot about how the system works while on a tour of the place. Saw the house of commons, the senate chambers, the library, the peace tower, and the press interview areas. Remarkable.
Finally, we saw the last locks on the Rideau system where the canal joins the Ottawa River. Then on to cocktails and dinner at the Byward Market, and the completion of another amazing day.
