Stories to tell

When you think of a capital city you are bound to conjure up images of buildings sky high lined up one after the other and busy, stressed businessmen and women rushing around the streets, but Ottawa is a complete contrast. There's a different statue around every corner each with a different story to tell, beautiful buildings dating years back and Parliament Hill that can be viewed from the river where the buildings pop out from the trees creating an almost magical castle like scene. Why is it that everything looks more incredible from the water, what is it about a little stretch of blue in front of a place that makes you think 'wow'?

Speaking of the Parliament Buildings, I couldn't help but laugh at some of the stone carvings. As you walk underneath the doorway you look up and are greeted with faces bulging out. The only way I can describe these faces is like something from the Muppet's, the Marley Brothers in The Muppet's Christmas Carol to be precise. Continue to walk around and you spot more faces, creatures and random figures jumping out at you.

The view from the top of the hill is amazing, looking out over the Ottawa River to the rest of the city you can quite easily get lost in the sights - or being a typical Essex girl just get lost on the hill. After meeting some people back at the hostel myself and Kyle went up there at night. The lights of Ottawa is a beautiful view and, if you're anything like me who is slightly like a moth and drawn to pretty lights, you would find this pretty spectacular.

There's loads to check out in the town, including a cute market that sells anything from fruit to necklaces, different monuments and the changing of the guard - although they look like Beefeater soldiers and I was wondering who is guarding Buckingham Palace! I was later informed that they are Canadian soldiers and not a rip off of our guards. Looked pretty similar to me.

At nine o'clock every night they play a light show on the front of Parliament. It takes you through the history of the country, obviously mentions the natives, whales and hockey, then right at the end, as the national anthem plays, they show numerous clips of the country. To be totally honest it was good to see, but it slightly reminded me of one of those tourism adverts you see on TV and expected it to finish with the words 'visit Canada, a country like no other' splashed across at the end.

My time drew to an end and a thunder storm hit, in which myself and my backpack got stuck in, I nearly missed my coach to Halifax as the taxi didn't turn up and then sat on the bus for 22 hours, yes that's right 22 hours, to arrive in Halifax which is right in the East. I'll let you know how it goes.