Canada : Ottawa : '06 Aug: Ottawa and the Majmudars

August 21 and 22

I arrived a little bleary from the overnight bus - better than a red-eye flight at least!

First thing we're off to the U.S. Embassy in a quixotic effort to get Rupa a visa to come to the states. I'd rate the odds at less than 20%, but still worth a try.

All the begging for an exception is now complete and we wait for The Powers That Be to reply.

You can buy beer only at The Beer Store. They have some beer piled in the middle of the room and then all these brands are available pre-chilled from the counter. When the say beer they Mean Beer.

Hi Julie Julie the dog! We're staying at Anil's brother Sudhir's house who, seven months ago, had a debilitating stroke and is just now starting to move about. Rupa and Anil came to be with the family for a couple of weeks. They walk Sadhir home in a wheelchair for a few hours a day. I can see that it is a real blessing to Sudhir's wife and children to have Rupa and Anil here.

August 23

My last day! Since there is no car available here we have been doing some good long-distance walking especially since each day we walk to the hospital to get Sudhir and push him home in the wheelchair. A one-way walk is about 45 minutes.

This day we took a morning excursion to the Parliament Buildings and a break for beer and snacks.

This is the main hall...

...and there are two buildings like this one along the side creating a U shaped plaza.

Everyone remembers, right, that the city of Ottawa in the
Province of Ontario is the capital of Canada. It feels a much smaller and more provincial place (province-provincial...) than Toronto and Montreal and even Quebec City, and Vancouver too. The population is about twice that of Sacramento so obviously I didn't see even a fraction of the city.

The free tour! We love the free tours.

I've got info on dates and such and will put it in later as in 15 minutes I'm off to the airport and then Home Sweet Home.

From the back of the Parliament Buildings looking across an important water passage the name of which I will have to look up.

Good Bye! Safe Journeys! We got an answer from the embassy that Rupa can have an expedited interview so she might afterall make it to LA. Cross your fingers!