Ottawa lady trip

This trip feels like a lifetime ago, even though it was just in the first week of March. Our lives have changed so dramatically since this trip. The things we did on this trip would now be considered so completely socially irresponsible, but 3 weeks ago, this was just a normal trip. I am sooo grateful we got this trip in before the pandemic really hit Canada. 

We try to do a lady trip every year. One year we did Vegas. Also Halifax, Miami, Toronto. This year we chose Ottawa because two of the girls are currently living there, and also the Lumineers were playing there.

Nordik Spa:
I loved it. Going from a hot pool to a really cold one felt awesome to me. Also walking around with a big fluffy white robe and having a beer in a huge hot tub was all so fun. We paid extra for the salt water pool. It felt like you were in a dark basement grotto situation laying in one foot of salt water with 30 other people. Everyone had ear plugs and an inflatable neck pillow. Kinda weird, but also relaxing.

Rideau Centre:
I arrived 5 hours before anyone else, so I spent a lot of time here. I loved it so much. It is so big, with every store I could have wished for. I especially liked Nordstrom.

Ottawa Marriott Courtyard Downtown:
We booked this hotel completely because of the location. It was totally fine, nothing fancy. I liked the little bistro behind the lobby where they served Starbucks coffee and avocado toast. The location was so perfect. The walk to the Rideau Centre was probably 3 minutes.

Play Food and Wine:
So cute. The vibe was really nice, and we all loved our food.

Lumineers:
So, I only knew a couple songs. And I LOVED this concert. It was one of those concerts where you really feel like every single person there is a huge fan and in the best mood. The lead singer ran around high-fiving at least 100 people (which would be basically obscene at this point three weeks later). They sounded so good. I feel lucky I got to attend.

A moment that I have thought of a lot since I got home happened on my flight from Ottawa to Montreal on my way home. I ended up sitting beside a pilot who was wearing his uniform. As I was settling in, he asked me to hold his Tim Horton's cup. He had been trying to hold it in his teeth while wrestling with his bag, but it wasn't working, so he handed the cup to me. I am just so much more aware of spreading germs now.