Snapped at the all-important hub of the Ottawa bus system known as Lincoln Fields, so it is perhaps time to comment on said bus system.
It has taken a few rides to get the hang of things, but I think we now know enough for our holiday maker purposes.
As in London, you are encouraged to buy in bulk, either with their version of an Oyster card or with some kind of season ticket. As holiday makers, we have settled for buying tickets in sixes, which come in sheets rather like large stamps, and two of which are usually needed for a bus ride. But you get more for your two in that the driver gives you a time stamped receipt - called a transfer - for your stamps which is good for any other bus for up to 90 minutes.
An important part of the system is called the transit way which is buses mainly running on dedicated roads and which serve in much the same way as a metro does in other big towns. And including a handy for us east-west artery running from Mackenzie King downtown to Lincoln Fields in the western suburbs.
One feature of the system of which one needs to be aware is that the interchanges on which places like Lincoln Fields sit are very big places. What might look like a short walk on the map might turn out to be a long walk on the ground, working one's way across the various bridges and roads making up the interchange. Good plan to carry a compass, although in my case the compass I carefully shipped out with has been mislaid, probably in the now returned hire car.
Another is that Ottawa is in Ontario with one bus system and that Hull-Gatineau across the river is in Quebec with another. Some of the Ottawa buses just about make it across the river to serve the large federal complex there but that is about it. The two systems seems to be quite separate, although a plus of the Quebec one is that they offer a pdf version of their network which I can download onto my telephone. Haven't been able to find any such thing for Ontario yet, an issue for me as my telephone, clever though it is, is not very good at Internet, with my pay-as-you-go contract with Talkmobile being decidedly limited. Maybe I will treat myself to a proper contract with a better provider when I get back home.
On the other hand, all the bus drivers we have dealt with have been pleasant and helpful. Passers-by whom one asks directions have been pleasant, but not always helpful as they do not always know their around any better than oneself.
Reference 1: http://www.octranspo1.com/.
Reference 2: http://www.sto.ca/index.php?id=2&L=fr.
PS: the Canadians have been rather imaginative in the way that they implement the dual language requirement, with some public signage being very neat and economical (with words). I must try to take a picture of a good example of what I mean.
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