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Centered on Parliament buildings replicating London's Westminster and a turreted hotel in the style of a French chateau, Ottawa, Ontario is a Canadian city with both British and French accents.

This city, just an hour north of the U.S. border by car and about 71/2 hours from Attleboro, is a year-round hub of activity, a treasure trove of its nation's history, culture, cuisine, amusements and special events. One of the best-kept secrets of the tourist industry, and once a rowdy and dangerous frontier town of lumberjacks and logging barons called Bytown, Ottawa might have faded into obscurity if not for England's Queen Victoria.

Ottawa was an unlikely choice as capital when compared to more civilized cities of Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto and Kingston that had all served in that capacity at some point in time. However, after the struggles of the War of 1812, Queen Victoria was concerned about the vulnerability of border cities to American invasions.

The city now known as Ottawa, named for the native people first encountered by European explorers in the early 1600s, was a compromise. Then a major settlement that bordered the rivalrous French population in present-day Quebec and English population in present-day Ontario, it was midway between Quebec City and Toronto.

Still, it is unlikely it would have been selected as capital had it not been at the confluence of key waterways. Ottawa was a transportation hub to the west by the Ottawa River and the east by the Rideau Canal and Rideau River, and St. Lawrence River, a little further afield. The waterway that built a city

This historic, and now recreational, waterway is filled with pleasure boats, lined with pathways and winds through the heart of Canada's national capital. In the spring, a brilliant show of tulips line its banks, a gift from the Dutch royal family. In winter, canal skaters create a landscape reminiscent of those by the Dutch master artists.

Completed in 1832, the 121-mile long canal links the Ottawa River and Lake Ontario by connecting the rivers and lakes between Ottawa and Kingston. Designed by Lt. Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers, it was built as a safer route for soldiers and supplies between Montreal and the first capital of Canada, Kingston, than the vulnerable portion of the St. Lawrence River bordering the United States. As the major route into the area, the canal built the city, bringing in more settlers and supplies.

The times were changing

Soon a more efficient transportation system, railways, came along and one man's vision changed the skyline of the city. Charles Melville Hays, Grand Trunk Railways General Manager, was building a transcontinental railway for the quickly expanding nation, and envisioned grand travel with luxurious hotels and railway stations at key points along the way. Canada's capital city was to have a flagship hotel connected by an underground tunnel to an elegant railway station across the street.

However, Hays never got to see his plan to the end. He was returning from a meeting in London days before his most prestigious hotel was scheduled to open and perished on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. The grand opening of the Chateau Laurier was postponed six weeks and officiated by Canada's seventh prime minister, Sir Wilfred Laurier, a long-time advocate of this impressive addition to the city.

The Chateau Laurier was designed to be an experience in the gracious luxury characteristic of the good life in this era. A stay today is an immersion in this old-world lifestyle. This landmark hotel is an encapsulation of Ottawa history and the people and events that shaped the city with the benefit of modern amenities. The design and decor remains authentic to its past, from its elegant dining and ballrooms and Art Deco lap pool to the details of its wall art.

Photo galleries throughout hotel show men in top hats and elegantly clad ladies reveling in grand celebrations in the elegant ballrooms. Hotel guests throughout the years have included royalty, celebrities, politicians, and others of prominence - Pierre Trudeau, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Charles de Gaulle, Shirley Temple, Marlene Dietrich, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and the King and Queen of Siam, to name a few.

Legendary photographer Yousef Karsh lived and had his studio at the Chateau Laurier for 18 years and gave several of his photographs to the hotel when he left. The portrait of Winston Churchill that hangs in the reading lounge brought Karsh international recognition and is one of most reproduced portraits in history.

A visit to Ottawa would be well spent simply enjoying the amenities of the hotel. Wilfred's restaurant serves award-winning regional Canadian cuisine with outstanding views of Parliament and the canal locks. The elegant Zoe's Lounge, with tall columns, glistening chandeliers, and palms, was named it one of the best bars in Canada by EnRoute Magazine. It offers more casual dining, Sunday brunch, and three variations of afternoon tea-traditional, champagne, or the maple-laced Canadian, a national specialty sampler. The view from your room might be Parliament Hill, Major Hill's Park, the Rideau Canal, the National Gallery, or Byward Market - all short walks form the hotel. Once you are ready to venture out, the most picturesque areas and top historical, cultural and recreational attractions of the nation's capital are just outside the door.

In the neighborhood

A colorful changing of the guard ceremony takes place in the morning during July and August in front of the stately Parliament Building, home to Canada's federal government. The typically British military drills and music, like all programs on Parliament Hill, are free of charge. Canadian entertainers from across the country perform on Canada Day (July 1) to celebrate the anniversary of the Confederation.

Other highlights include the musical military spectacle known as Fortissimo in August, the illuminations and holiday decorations of Christmas Lights Across Canada in December, and the Winterlude Open House in February. Tours of the Center Block that includes Senate Chambers and the newly-restored Library of Parliament are available on a first come, first served basis from 9 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. on weekends. Whether you tour or not, you can take the elevator to the top of the 300-foot-tall Peace Tower for a 360 degree view of the capital.

The Ottawa Locks, between Parliament Hill and the Chateau Laurier, mark the north entrance to the Rideau Canal. The canal is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, an honor shared with the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China, and is North America's oldest continuously operating waterway. It was built between 1826 and 1832 by thousands of Irish immigrant laborers, French Canadian woodcutters and Scottish stonemasons and is considered one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century.

Stairs by the Chateau Laurier lead to narrated and scenic river or canal cruises on Paul's Boat Lines. RentABike, also in the same area, provides transportation for you to ride the over 100 miles of popular recreational pathways that connect to parks, museums and other attractions. You can pedal along the canal to Dow's Lake, where you can picnic or rent a canoe or kayak, or watch the boats pass through the locks and ride, jog or stroll the riverside loop behind Parliament.

In summer, over 30 miles of parkways, including five miles of Colonel By Drive along the canal, are closed to motorized vehicles for Sunday bike days. Summer also brings the more than four miles of celebrations and flotillas of decorated boats of the Canal Festival. In winter, the downtown water level is lowered and the Rideau Canal turns into the country's largest naturally frozen ice rink at 4.8 miles in diameter. Many city residents even skate to work.

Ottawa's oldest stone building, and first permanent building, along the canal is just below Parliament Hill by the Ottawa Locks. It served as a commissariat for Lt. Colonel John By, and was the headquarters for the construction of the canal. It now houses the Bytown Museum, a showcase of local history with stories and relics from the area's first hundred years.

Behind the Château, ByWard Market and its surrounding neighborhood, offers food, art galleries and boutiques by day and a full range of dining, clubs and pubs by night. BeaverTails, a unique Ottowa pastry, originated here. Just line up and choose your topping at the kiosk at 69 George St. Best bets for a fun night are the Cajun Creole cuisine and dueling pianos Friday and Saturday nights at Fat Tuesdays, or Ottawa's signature pub grub and live music at the block-sized Irish village, the Heart and Crown Irish Pubs.

Also behind the Château, the striking National Gallery of Canada is easily identified by the iconic landmark, a 29-foot bronze spider, Maman, out front and the luminous glass Great Hall. It is home to Canada's top collection of fine arts and the world's most comprehensive collection of Canadian art. Don't miss The Jack Pine, an iconic example of the style of the uniquely Canadian Group of Seven, and the Rideau Street Chapel from Convent of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart. Free guided public tours are offered daily at 2 p.m.

Canada is hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and the Ottawa facility of The Royal Canadian Mint, 320 Sussex Drive, is the place for all things Olympics. It is also where the 2010 Olympic medals are being made.

Other things to see

To explore beyond the immediate area, try a Gray Line Hop-On Hop-Off Discover the Capital Tour that spans the National Capital Region:

Across the river in Gatineau is a casino and Canada's largest and most popular museum. The Canadian Museum of Civilization, 100 Laurier St., traces a thousand years of Canadian history, from towering totem poles to tiny stamps, in ways that are delightful for visitors of all ages.

The Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place, Ottawa, honors the nation's military history from the early days of New France to today. War art, photography, tanks, planes and first-hand accounts by those who lived the conflicts are featured in this energy efficient facility.

Rideau Hall, 1 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, is the official residence and workplace of every Governor General since 1867. Here you'll find Canadian art and furniture, public rooms and 79 acres of landscaped grounds.

Experience the Mounties of the Musical Ride when they are home at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Stables, 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa. The friendly and elegant Thoroughbred Hanoverian horses are bred in Canada for uniformity in color, size and form.

History still lives here

Americans who make the trip across the border to Ottawa, Ontario today find a welcoming nation and a dynamic political capital where the richness of the past is present in all they see and do, and how they live.

Take a trip there yourself to experience a little Canadian hospitality with a British and French twist.

Seekonk's Linda Fasteson writes monthly for Living Well. She may be reached for travel tips or comments at rolidakr@comcast.net.