DESTINATIONS OTTAWA CANADA
FAR LEFT: Urban white-water rafting
LEFT: Byward Market
◗ GO OUT LIKE A LOCAL Spend a real night at the museum with Nature Nocturne. Once a month, the Canadian Museum of Nature comes alive after dark. Glamorous young things dance the night away beneath a giant, quivering jellyfish suspended from the ceiling. A cocktail-frocked teen pauses to read about narwhals and a pack of lads explore the interactive brain room. It’s an inspired use of the space – and possibly the coolest night out in Ottawa. If you really want to party like a
local, you could do worse than a Saturday night at The Laff, as it’s affectionately known. Short for Chateau Lafayette, it’s Ottawa’s oldest bar and dates back to 1849. “My name is Lucky Ron and I’ve been playing here every Saturday since they hired me, and I’ll be playing here every Saturday till they fire me,” says Lucky Ron, a local institution. His act hasn’t changed in more than 30 years. The audience is lively, merrily joining in with his country-and-western standards and calling out pantomime banter. The familiarity is part of Ron’s charm. Some regulars have never missed a show. From The Laff to the laughs at
YukYuks Comedy Club late-night show, housing an even rowdier crowd. The mostly local comedians give a unique perspective on the city and I leave feeling a lot less like a tourist, almost as if I’m in on the jokes – although a couple did pass me by, not knowing the local slang.
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travelweekly.co.uk 23 August 2018
BELOW: Ottawa Locks
At Nature Nocturne, glamorous young things dance the night away beneath a giant, quivering jellyfish
For a slower pace and a mellower
atmosphere, Bar Robo in Chinatown is popular with all ages. Hipsters and grandpas murmur over icy local brews, while Manouche gypsy jazz band Django Libre provides the tunes.
◗ EAT LIKE A LOCAL Most folk know about BeaverTails, Ottawa’s original doughy treat. But the real inside info is that Ottawa is the country’s shawarma capital. Thanks to a large Lebanese population, shawarma shacks are common. The Shawarma Palace is generally considered the best option, having served enormous home-made portions for more than 20 years. Alternatively, soak up the booze in the wee hours with worse-for-wear locals at the 24-hour Elgin Street Diner. Chips, gravy and cheese curds make up the alcohol- absorbing poutine – a staple in Canada. For a more refined dining experience, several Ottawans
PICTURES: EXPLORE DAVID JACKSON; OTTAWA TOURISM
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