been there...done that

So, where have I been? OTTAWA! Man, it was great. Here's the lowdown on what I saw:
Parliament Hill light and sound show
Rideau Hall - beautiful
Museum of Civilization totem poles - WOW
Gatineau (twice!)
24 Sussex Drive (well, the outside, anyway)
Byword Market - not bad
Chateau Laurier - amazing
Lac - Leamy Casino (outside)
Lac-Leamy Hilton - gorgeous
Parliament Hill East Block - breathtaking

Got to Ottawa on Monday afternoon and after all the welcomes and a quick Malibu, the boys and I headed off to the pool so they could show me their AMAZING swimming skills. It is unbelievable how good they have gotten over the summer. A terrific supper - anyone who knows my mom knows she is an amazing cook, and a campfire complete with marshmallows.
Tuesday it was gorgeous out and we got to visit Rideau Hall - the Governor Generals House. The grounds are spectacular - 79 acres. The house was beautiful and the history and information the guide gave us was great. Beyond great. Did you know that the Governor Generals (Michaelle Jean - Me-Kay-Elle) daughter goes to public school? That says alot for the kind of person she is, don't you think. There was also this amazing painting by Jean Paul Lemieux called Charlottetown Revisited, that I absolutely fell in love with. I have searched for a place where I can get a print and haven't had any success. Mom and dad - you are going to be in PEI, will you check for me?? I beg of you.
Tuesday also gave me the chance to see the East Block of Parliament Hill. If you have never been, it is a must go. We were so lucky to be there when we were as because they were not in session we were able to actually walk onto the floor of the House of Commons as well as the Senate. We also saw the Library of Congress that has just had a four year renovation and I have never seen anything more beautiful. The second floor "lofts" - can't think of another word, have glass floors to allow the light to shine through and keep the library bright. The woodworking is unlike anything I have ever seen before. Did you know that the oldest book they have at the library is from the 1530s? Also, the library doesn't only have legal texts, it also has fiction and other popular literature. It even has the Harry Potter series as that is what Canada is reading right now and they want to keep their pulse on what is currently important to Canadians. Very cool.
We also drove past 24 Sussex Drive - the Prime Minister's residence. It was beautiful from what I could see. The boys were very interested in the security gate. Oh boy - what else? We went to the Museum of Civilization and looked through the lobby and saw the beautiful totem poles. Have you ever seen a totem pole up close? There are a sight to see. I was amazed. We drove over to Gatineau, Quebec to see the view of the Parliament from the Quebec side. Sigh...
I think that is it for Tuesday. I will leave Wednesday for tomorrow as I am sure you are sick of hearing about this. I will also post some pictures tonight or tomorrow.
In this post you have received:
5 beautifuls
1 awesome
5 amazings
2 gorgeous
1 terrific
1 unbelievable
1 spectacular
Effusive enough for you?
GO GO GO to Ottawa - tell them Shannon sent you
s

I have re-read this 3 times - if their are typos - too bad