With Sam in Ottawa

Our sole purpose in the trip to Ottawa was to see Sam who was attending Carleton University. When we arrived in town we called Sam and arranged to meet her on the Sparks Street Mall where she worked.

We found her without trouble and we went to one of her watering holes to sit and catch up. Afterwards we went and saw her apartment and then went out for dinner. It was a great beginning to our visit.

Our first evening with Sam she took us to this pub that she and her friends liked. It was quiet and comfy and we were able to sit and catch up.

We miss Sam having her here so far from us. It was good to sit with her and hear about her adventures. She seems to like Ottawa and I just hope she comes home.

Here we are at dinner our first night. How times change. I remember Susan giving Sam a bath in our kitchen sink! I think those days are over.

The next day Sam introduced us to El Camino, a restaurant in the Byward Market. This place served the most amazing fish tacos I have ever had. It was so good that Susan and I went back the next day

Sam’s partner, Bianca, joined us for lunch and we had a spectacular time! The sky was clear, the sun was shining, and though it was chilly, we sat outside and it was glorious!

Susan and I at El Camino. It was cold but the day was beautiful.

Cold or not we sat outside in the sunshine!

Susan and I bundled up but Sam and Bianca didn’t seem to mind the cold.

This was such a great place we came back the next day by ourselves.

Bianca, Sam and Susan standing outside El Camino.

It was strange to be back in Ottawa. I had lived here for three years while I went to the University of Ottawa and my second son, Gordon, was born here. As a student I had spent many afternoons here in the Byward Market. An now, here I was again. Not much had changed in the downtown core of Ottawa and Parliament Hill.

Susan and I spent the next day downtown by ourselves and at lunchtime, we came back to El Camino. Sam seems really happy in Ottawa. I just hope she comes home when she graduates. But whether she does or not, so long as she is happy, it will be OK with us.