Ottawa

I was invited to this (evening) garden party in Ottawa and was of two minds about whether or not to go.

I finally decided to drive up on the day of the event, stay overnight at a B&B, try to catch up with my friend Marg the next day, and then return to Toronto.

I highly recommend the New Edinburgh Bed and Breakfast in the New Edinburgh district of Ottawa, which is a stone's throw from the GG's residence, walking distance to the Rockliffe Park area, and a 20-minute walk to the Byward Market. The owners are amazing, friendly, and helpful people. Noreen actually drove me to my event. There was a family from New Zealand staying there at the same time, and I enjoyed hearing about their travels the next morning at breakfast, which, by the way, was superb. This is an old, beautiful house and I stayed in the Queen room, which has its own bathroom ensuite. I will definitely stay there whenever I go to Ottawa.

The event was fine. The next day I walked to Byward Market along Sussex Drive, hung out there for a while, and walked back a different way. I stopped in to see Marg for a cup of tea, and to catch up, and then hit the road back to Toronto around 1:30.

I decided to come back by Highway 7 instead of the 401. It was fine until I left the 115, when it got a bit squirrelly until I got to the 407. It took longer that I had anticipated. I think it would be faster to take 7A off of 115 and go through Port Perry and Uxbridge, ending up just south of Newmarket, and then head south to Toronto. Might be more mileage but it is more straightforward. I will test out the theory next time.