I've never thought that I would visit Canada. Too far, too cold, too expensive. Opportunity comes when we least expected it. The first part of the trip was totally work work and work. We flew with Emirates from Kuala Lumpur to Toronto. It was a long tiring 23-hour flight with stopover in Dubai. Departed KUL at about 4am (due to 2-hour delay) and arrived YYL around 5.30pm. Stayed the night at Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel. The next day we took 12pm flight by AirCanada to Montreal for about an-hour flight. Arrived LeWestin Hotel Montreal with jetlag starting to creep in our body system. As I said, it's all work work and work. So I didn't have time to explore Montreal, at all.
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| corporate look |
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| one of very few shots taken in montreal |
The fun and adventure started on 19 Oct after we checked out from the luxury and comfort of LeWestin. The challenge for the trip was that we had to carry around our laptops, papers and all the business suits from our work trip in Montreal. Ouch!
Let's see what happened next....
19/10 OTTAWA
- Walked across the street from LeWestin to take the train from Place-d'Armes to Berri-UQAM. Only $3.25 per person. From Berri-UQAM walked about 4 minutes to Montreal Central Station.
- Took Greyhound bus from Montreal Central Station to Ottawa Central. Paid $34.44 for a 2.5-hour ride. I figured out it is cheaper if you purchased the tickets online via
Busbud website. A lot cheaper!
- Walked for about 45 minutes from Ottawa Central to
Ottawa Backpackers' Inn. It costs us $26 per night per person in a mix dormitory of 10 bed. A very comfortable hostel with a proper kitchen and cosy common area. It's also just walking distance to everything - Kengsington market, restaurants etc.
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more than 30 minutes walk from bus station to the hostel
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passed by this building when walking to OBI
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| Our bed at OBI |
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| Balcony at OBI |
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| living room at OBI |
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| Dawn at Kensington Market |
20/10 OTTAWA
- the second day in Ottawa was more interesting because we slept in a jail! Yes a real prison! We walked from OBI to
Hi-Ottawa Jail Hostel under the rain. Yes it was raining since the day we arrived. At the rate of $40 per night per person, breakfast is included and a free jail tour! It is also just walking distance to Parliament Hill, National Gallery of Canada, Byward market, cafes etc. It is an old prison which was closed in 1972 and bought by Hi-Hostel International and transformed it into a unique accommodation.
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| an inmate |
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| dangerous inmate |
From Ottawa, we went to Kingston. What happened in Kingston??
...to be continued...
