Monday, May 04, 2015

Back from Ottawa: A Look at Their Parliament Building

One of their office buildings on the grounds.
Wow, Ottawa blew me away.  Now it helps, in massive measure, that we hit Ottawa on a week-end where the temperatures were in the mid-70's, no humidity and everyone was thrilled winter was over.  So the Canadian "niceness" factor was high, even by Canadian standards (they are the nicest people ever).
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On Saturday, one of the things we did was took a tour of their Parliament.  It provided an amazing counterpoint to the huge crowds and general cattle-like herding in our own Congress which we had done in April.  Granted, the differences in crowds (and School Breaks) mean that the one on one differences are huge, but Canada (and out trip to Buenos Aires' Casa Rosada) treat tourists pleasantly.  And you see a lot more of the place.
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Anyway, here are some great pics.
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House of Commons.

The hallway to their Senate Library.

The Senate Library is gorgeous.

There eight of these projections - each with the seal of a province (there were fewer provinces when the library was built in 1902) 

Outside the House of Lords chamber, there were pictures of all the monarchs that were Canadian Heads of State.  To the right is Elizabeth II and to the left is her father, George Vi

A View of the Rotunda from the mezzanine

Another view from the mezzanine

Detail looking from the Rotunda up to the mezzanine