Today we let rain wash us down the road east to Ottawa. All of our days so far have been essentially gloriously clear and bright. Today we awoke to gray clouds and an initial spattering of drops. We went to church in the Sudbury, Canada Ward and were warmly welcomed. We very much enjoyed sacrament meeting, especially as they featured the serving missionaries in the ward, from Halifax, New Zealand and (Hi, y'all) Houston. Their talks were uplifting and spiritual and a blessing to us. We elected to leave after the meeting because we wanted to get to Ottawa tonight and the drive was somewhat long. Shortly after leaving church, it began to rain and heavily at that. But the roads were not crowded and the moisture seemed to make the landscape colors more vibrant and rich. Again we traveled through beautiful forests and farmlands. The fields are surrounded by thick woods, lending a lush, verdant look to the terrain.
Many of the farms have old barns in various states of use or disrepair. Actually, they lend a touch of uniqueness that we don't see so much in Utah. Some are just weathered wood, others painted red or white or even maroon. Each seems to be nestled in a sea of flourishing grass or woods and we comment on almost all that we see. I find them a neat touch to the scenery.
As we continued on, we came to the little town of Matawa, at a crossroads. We stopped to take a picture of the old Anglican Church near the roundabout. It gave me the opportunity to march out in the rain and down the street from where we had parked the car. We noted a number of carved wooden statues in the little town and one of them caught my eye. I thought "What are they doing with a statue of the Prophet here?" Closer inspection removed the question, but I thought it an interesting find, even to the prophetic pose and the book in hand.
The roads were only 2 lanes but not crowded. As mentioned, speeds are not great here, so driving is relaxed and easy. I enjoy the way the asphalt stretches out and beckons me to keep going. I like driving in Canada, at least this part of it. I still have on my "bucket list" a drive on the Trans-Alaskan Highway. I think Ronda is certain that I am a bit nuts, but I like to drive.
Tonight we have arrived in Ottawa and have a room downtown, withing walking distance of Parliament Hill, the river locks, old churches and the city hall. We walked to dinner and found a place that served Italian. I had a wonderful meal of veal and figs with potatoes and Gorgonzola sauce. Mom stuck to polenta, but they put a spicy sausage ragu on it, enough to make her eyes water and nose run. I think it was a great meal. Tomorrow we plan to wander about some of the city and then drive on to Montreal. I like Canada and am enjoying the trip. Mom is feeling well and back to "normal" (whatever that is) and is also enjoying seeing new things. The journey continues!
No comments:
Post a Comment