Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/586302
FALL/ WINTER 2015 DREAMSCAPES 43 INDOOR ACTIVITIES It you want to keep warm, there are plenty of other activities from which to choose. After Snowflake Kingdom, since you are already in Gatineau, head over to the museum for some indoor education. An interactive exhibition at the Canadian Museum of History called Vikings will run from December 3 to April 17, 2016, show- casing almost 500 original artifacts, which help to explain who the Vikings were and where they originated. At the Children's Museum, kids can travel the world through various exhibits and learn about other cul- tures and families in a series of international villages. If you love hockey, attend an Ottawa Senators NHL hockey game at the Cana- dian Tire Centre. Or if you prefer money, go to the Royal Canadian Mint on Sussex Drive. Founded in 1908, the Mint offers guided tours on which you can see orig- inal NHL sets and athlete medals from the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. They create handcrafted collector and com- memorative coins, medals, medallions and gold bullion coins—including an almost $1-million solid gold bar on dis- play in the gift shop. And finally, if you crave food, check out the famous ByWard Market. It's an easy walk from the Mint and, even on the coldest winter days, there is delicious food to sample. Estab- lished in 1826, it's one of Canada's oldest and biggest public markets. We attend the annual stew cook-off where more than 20 renowned ByWard Market restaurants compete to pro- duce the best stews in a charity lunch under a big outdoor tent. (Heaters are on-site to keep you warm if the hot stew doesn't.) On our last day in Ottawa fluffy snow falls. We head back to the canal for a final skate through the city we have grown to love. This time I manage to glide without falling, proving anything is possible at Win- terlude, where you may even bump into the Mayor of Ottawa. DS OPPOSITE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Covered in snow, the locks on the Rideau Canal are closed for the season. With the stately Parliament Buildings in the background, we stop to capture the moment. Snowflake Kingdom in Gatineau features giant ice slides. LEFT: This is just one of many ice sculptures you'll see at Winterlude. Miriam Porter