Why, Hello There Ottawa!

On the weekend I had to make a hasty exit from the United States into Canada for visa-related reasons.  I won't bore you with the tedious details, but needless to say, I found out on Thursday that I needed to go to Canada for a visa interview at an American Embassy in order to be allowed back into the country when I next left.

The problem is we're leaving to go to Europe for a holiday next Thursday! Yikes!

So, faced with the prospect that I wouldn't be able to return home to Seattle after our European sojourn, I hastily arranged an interview in the Canadian city with the (significantly) shortest interview wait time...... Ottawa!

It turns out that Ottawa is very beautiful, and is also in the midst of a gorgeous Spring, which makes it easy to make the most of my unexpected stay here.  I spent the afternoon wandering around the Byward markets (which are right near where I'm staying) and stumbled upon this gorgeous park just behind the American Embassy.  I might have to go back there tomorrow with a book!