On to Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City

AT PARLIAMENT HILL IN OTTAWA are (from left), Cookie Chan of Southwind Travel, Penny and Alan Carvajal of Travelways, Sun.Stars Nelia G. Neri, Globalinks Andrew Teh, Nelson and Baby Dy of Grand Hope Travel, Jaime and Gwen Po of Pan Pacific Travel, Nellie Ong, PAL Area Head for Visayas Sales Chris Lebumfacil, Leisure Travels Sheila Colmenares and Miki Villarica of Destination Specialists.

TO MAKE the most of our trip and to see more of Canada, we made side trips to Ottawa, the capital of Canada; to Frenchy Montreal; and finally to historic Quebec City.

Ottawa

The centerpiece of Ottawas downtown landscape is Parliament Hill, a gently sloping hill where the magnificent Gothic-style Parliament Buildings sit. The complex is considered the most beautiful government center in the world with the House of Commons, the Senate and the Library of Parliament under its wing. In the midst of the impressive structure is the landmark Peace Tower, a 53-bell carillon clock tower which marks each quarter hour. The entire hill was covered with snow during our visit and yes, we had to literally dash through the snow to go up the hill and take photos of the stunning sight.

Montreal

By night fall we were in Montreal, all set to explore the night life in the beautiful French-speaking city. However, the temperature kept dipping and we decided to just enjoy the Christmas lights around the city from the bus.

Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec and has been named a Unesco City of Design. A city tour the next day brought us to the Notre Dame Basilica, the first cathedral of the Diocese of Montreal; to the stately St. Josephs Oratory of Mount Royal; and the Olympic Stadium, the venue of the 1976 Summer Olympics.

St. Josephs Oratory was another snow-covered hill we had to traverse but no one complained. The sanctuary, founded by Brother Andre Bessette (canonized saint in 2010), was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada. It is an imposing presence in Montreal with its towering dome and 56-bell carillon. We spent time at the Votive Chapel appreciating the many wall plaques showing St.Joseph in different roles... the model of workers, consolation of the afflicted, patron of the dying, among them. We prayed before Brother Andres tomb (he was a known healer in his lifetime) and then proceeded to the floor showcasing his memorabilia. Most overwhelming was the display of his preserved heart encased in a glass urn. It was an old custom in France and Italy to have the hearts of famous persons preserved and it was for this reason that Archbishop Georges Gauthier of Montreal requested for Brother Andres heart to be preserved.

The Olympic Stadium in Montreal, designed by French architect Roger Taillibert is said to be a masterpiece of Organic Modern architecture. Incorporated into the north base of the stadium is the Olympic Park Tower, the worlds tallest inclined tower at 175 meters. Aside from giving the best view of Montreal, the observatory offers visitors the chance to re-live the 1976 Summer Olympics with an exclusive soundtrack as well as life-size images of the biggest feats accomplished at the Games. As for the stadium, it now serves as a multi-purpose facility for special events like concerts, trade shows and the like. Our first view of the monumental landmark was from a snow-covered hill miles away, and then we went to the place itself for a closer look.

View post:
On to Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City