First, a word of warning for travellers from places where bargaining is the norm: you won’t have much luck trying to “make an offer” to the clerks in most Ottawa shops. For one thing, they rarely have the authority to haggle. Second, in most stores, the price is the price. Done deal, end of story.

As I described in some depth (shameless author plug coming!) in my 2003 book, The Urge to Splurge: A Social History of Shopping, set prices have been seen as the key to modern retail success in Canada pretty much since 1869, when Timothy Eaton opened his first dry-goods store in Toronto with a no-haggle policy. Eaton’s grew into a nationwide chain, other retailers took note, and bargaining was history. (So, eventually, was the now-defunct Eaton’s, but that’s another story.)

So when “let’s make a deal” is a no-no in most situations, what’s a frugal bargain hunter to do?

Get out your needle and thread–or staple gun

Many clerks do have authority to give you a discount on merchandise that is damaged or flawed. A dangling button might not get you much, but a torn seam, stained collar or uneven dye job may be worth something. If you notice a damaged article, offer to buy it if the clerk will give you a deal. Don’t name a price–leave that to their discretion. Many shops have strict parameters for this sort of thing.

Couch sale at the Bay at the Rideau Centre. Creative Commons photo by SMN.

Similarly, furniture stores often have great scratch-and-dent rooms. I scored a hefty discount on an ottoman at Ikea, simply because it was a floor model.

Go the “pre-loved” route

Second-hand, vintage, pre-loved, consignment, antique–call it what you will, but stuff that somebody owned before you will come at a discount. And, sometimes (not always), the people selling this merchandise will be willing to strike a deal. Try north Dalhousie Street in the Byward Market for vintage shops and Mechanicsville in the near west end for second-hand stores. I can get lost for hours in the Ottawa Antique Market, which is open seven days a week. If you have a whole morning or afternoon at your disposal, try the Carp Road Flea Market in the rural west end, which is stuffed every Sunday with old Barbies, baseball cards, jewellery, paintings, video games and just about anything else you might find in your grandmother’s attic.

Go the garage route

Great Glebe Garage Sale. Creative Commons photo by Mike Gifford.

Several parts of Ottawa hold annual, region-wide garage sales. The Great Glebe Garage Sale in late May draws bargain hunters for miles around, all hoping to score a rich family’s heirlooms. In town this weekend? You can hit the Old Ottawa South Porch Sale on Saturday, Sept. 11 from 9am to 3pm.

Yet, to be completely objective about it, the transit system is pretty good. And the Transitway–one of North America’s largest bus rapid transit systems, with a large network of bus-only roads–has drawn attention from transit planners around the world.

So, as a visitor, what do you need to know to hop on the bus, Gus?

Signage

OC Transpo bus signs are packed with useful info.

Every OC Transpo bus stop has a sign with lots of useful information–if you know how to decode it.

The phone number at the top (560-1000) is the number of the automated information system. If you’re standing at the stop, you can dial this number on your cell phone to find out when the next few buses are scheduled to arrive.

OC Transpo hasn’t got around to changing most of its signs since Ottawa initiated 10-digit dialing a few years ago, so remember that you’ll have to dial the city’s area code (613) first before dialing 560-1000.

Once you’re in the system, you need to key in the stop’s four-digit number, found in an oval under the main number (on the sign above, that’s 2414). Then you’ll get a recorded message listing the arrival times of the next few buses on each route.

Another basic thing to know: regular, seven-days-a-week routes (like route 1 and route 7 on the sign above) are shown in solid black numbers. If the number is in red, the route runs in rush hour only; if it’s in green, it’s an express route and it’s more expensive. And if the number is shown with broken lines, the route runs on an irregular schedule.

Finally: most Ottawa buses have the same number in both directions. Only the name changes. Thus, Route 1 Ottawa-Rockcliffe runs downtown, while Route 1 South Keys goes to the southern suburbs. If in doubt which way your bus is going, ask your driver or you could end up far from your intended destination.

Payment system

All of these instructions apply to OC Transpo’s extensive bus system, including the Transitway. The transit company also runs a very limited train service, the O-Train, but it doesn’t go anywhere most visitors are likely to travel and it has its own quirks and fare rules, so I’m ignoring it here in the name of simplicity.

You can pay for your ride with cash, tickets or a DayPass.

1. Paying in cash is a bad deal. Currently, a one-way adult fare is $3.25. For that price, you can transfer as often as you like within a two-hour window. Make sure you have the exact fare or you’ll get soaked even more, as bus drivers don’t provide change.
2. Tickets are better value. They cost $1.25 each. Most routes you’re likely to take as a tourist cost one ticket for children aged 6 to 11 and two tickets for adults. (Children under 6 ride free.) Tickets are available in hundreds of locations, including many convenience stores, drug stores and grocery stores, as well as OC Transpo offices and some government offices. They’re sold in sheets of six, but you don’t have to buy a complete sheet. Vendors will usually have the logo below posted on their front door or window.
3. A DayPass gives you unlimited rides for $7.50 per person on weekdays or the same price for a family of four on weekends and holidays. You can buy them from the bus driver and you’ll need exact change. You’ll have to pay $1 extra to ride on rural express routes.

How to ride

• If you’re paying with cash, put your fare in the box next to the driver.
• If you’re paying with tickets, you may need to insert the tickets in a feeder attached to the fare box on some newer buses. Otherwise, put the tickets in the fare box itself.
• If you need to switch to another bus en route, ask for a free transfer. Just show the transfer to the driver when you board the next bus.
• If you’re boarding a long, articulated bus, the driver will give you a transfer whether you ask for one or not. You’ll need this as proof of payment.
• You may see people boarding through the back door of long, articulated buses. Don’t try this unless you have a transfer. Most of the riders boarding at the back have monthly passes. Occasionally, fare inspectors show up on articulated buses to check that everyone has paid. If you haven’t obtained a transfer from a driver along your route (available only at the front door of the bus), you’ll face a steep fine.
• To let the driver know you want to get off the bus, pull the cord above the windows or press the “stop” button next to the back door on some buses. A bell will sound and a light at the front of the bus (“stop requested”) will illuminate. If someone has already requested a stop, the light will already be lit and the bell won’t sound.
• Getting off the bus is an adventure. You should disembark via the back door (although this rule is largely ignored). OC Transpo has a wide range of buses in its system, and every model seems to have a different method for opening the back door. In some cases, you wait for a green light to light up above the door, then step down; in others, you have to push a yellow bar on the door itself. If in doubt, ask someone nearby for help…or just exit from the front.
• On some buses from May to October, you can attach your bike to a rack at the front of the bus before boarding. It’s a free service and it’s cool, but it takes a bit of finesse to master the art of attaching your bike. Fortunately, OC Transpo has created a video to walk you through it.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGfz0II6_L8&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Etiquette

• In Ottawa, people usually line up in an orderly queue to board the bus. Shoving your way on is frowned on.
• If the bus is crowded, put your bags, purses and other gear on your lap or at your feet. If you put it on the seat next to you while other people are standing, you will attract the Stare of Death.
• Leave the seats at the front for elderly passengers, pregnant women, disabled people and people with strollers.
• On some buses, seats at the front fold up so that a wheelchair can be placed near the wall. Vacate these seats when asked.

Useful routes

• Heading to your downtown hotel from the airport? Hop aboard a Route 97 (the route name will be either “Tunney’s Pasture” or “Bayshore”). The bus stop is immediately outside the baggage claim area of the terminal. This bus travels most of the route to downtown via the speedy Transitway. Get off at the Mackenzie King station for hotels near the Rideau Centre or in the Byward Market (such as the Westin Ottawa and the Fairmont Chateau Laurier), or Metcalfe, Bank, Kent or Bay station for downtown hotels (such as Arc The Hotel and Hotel Indigo).
• Want to visit Parliament Hill via public transit? Good choice; parking downtown is expensive, and choices are limited close to Parliament Hill. All the main Transitway routes (route numbers 94 to 99) stop at the Metcalfe station; Parliament Hill is three to four blocks north. Route 1 and Route 7 travel along downtown Ottawa’s main drag, Bank Street, and drop you right in front of the Hill on Wellington Street.
• Trying to get to the Canadian War Museum or the Canadian Museum of Civilization? Hop aboard a Route 8 Gatineau, which stops at all the downtown Transitway stations.

Click on this thumbnail to see a full-sized Transitway map.

Watery fun awaits families in Limoges. Creative Commons photo by Mike Gifford, http://www.flickr.com/photos/mgifford/4719071531/

All of you who have been procrastinating about taking the family to the new Calypso Water Park in Limoges: it’s time to get your act in gear. The park is only open until Labour Day (September 6). Be a hero to your kids, who can check out some 35 waterslides, more than 100 water games and a wave pool the size of three NHL hockey rinks. It may even make them forget–temporarily–that they soon have to head back to school.

That could pretty much sum up Ottawa’s excited reaction to the news that a star-studded Hollywood movie shoot has rolled into the region. On the Road, based on the cult Jack Kerouac novel of the same name, will be shooting a few scenes in the Hull sector of Gatineau this week.

The office towers of the Hull sector of Gatineau. Photo by Richard Gould (rwhgould) licensed under Creative Commons.

The production company is being tight-lipped about which of the movie’s stars will be taking in the sights of Gatineau, directly across the Ottawa River from Ottawa via the Royal Alexandra (Interprovincial) Bridge, but celebrity spotters are keeping their eyes peeled for Twilight star Kristen Stewart, Mad Men‘s Elisabeth Moss, and all-round hottie Viggo Mortensen, among others.

And if you’d rather avoid traffic snarls than gaze at movie stars, stay away from Wright, De Lorimier and Eddy streets in Gatineau this week–they’re closed for the duration of the shoot, which lasts until Friday.

The midway is one of the highlights of SuperEx. Creative Commons photo by David.R.Carroll.

Families often make a beeline for the midway, and well they should, but there are lots of other things to see and do at the Central Canada Exhibition. Highlights this year include a pioneer “village” with re-enactors who bring 19th-century traditions to life; an FMX/BMX stunt bike show; and a demolition derby on August 29 (the $50 derby entry fee includes SuperEx admission). The outdoor concert lineup is heavy on acts from the ’70s and ’80s, including the Five Man Electrical Band, Helix and Honeymoon Suite, but you can also catch the Irish Descendants, Classified and other current names; all concerts are free with SuperEx admission.

Nepean Sailing Club. Creative Commons photo by rkelland.

If you don’t mind a bit of rain, you can catch the last of the Under 19 events tonight through Thursday; Friday through Saturday, the Under 17 events take place. Young sailors from across the country are competing to join the 2011 Canadian Youth Sailing Team.

Even if sailing isn’t your thing, you can’t beat the location, on Lac Deschenes in the Ottawa River, with the Gatineau Hills as a backdrop. Ahoy, mateys!

As usual, my mortal fear of embarrassment trumped every other phobia. I kept moving.

I found myself in this predicament because I’d signed up for the 3.5-hour Adventure Aerial Park tour at Laflèche Adventure Park in Val-des-Monts, Quebec, about a 35-minute drive from downtown Ottawa. It’s a beautiful, wooded site, high in the Gatineau Hills.

For some reason (psychological self-protection, perhaps?), I didn’t read the information on the Laflèche website as closely as I could have. I knew there were Ziplines involved, and I was fine with that. I’d tackled that fear before, a few years ago in Whistler, B.C. But, somehow, I missed the very clearly stated information that I would need to navigate 36 suspended “obstacles” (rope bridges, tightropes, vertical nets) to reach the 14 Ziplines.

Ziplining high above the trees at Laflèche Adventure Park. Photo courtesy of Tourisme Outaouais.

Hence my position on a tightrope that, by my rough estimate, was about 6m (20 feet) above the forest floor.

On the bright side, I’ve finally found a practical use for yoga. Pretending I was simply carrying out some extreme version of tree pose, I put one foot in front of the other, steadied my breath and focused on the tree ahead. Eventually, I made it to the end of the tightrope, heart pounding.

That was only the baby tightrope. Other more challenging obstacles followed, including a vertical net overlooking a lake. I hadn’t quite realized I’d be in a boot camp scene from Top Gun. The saving grace was that I wasn’t being hounded by some middle-aged sadist in fatigues and a buzz cut. Instead, our guide was a cheery young woman in braids nicknamed Hibou, the French word for “owl.” (All of the insanely healthy-looking guides at Laflèche are nicknamed for woodland creatures.)

By the end of the course, I had largely conquered my fear. I managed to stop in the middle of a subsequent tightrope and enjoy the view of the lake. And the Ziplines were a total blast But I don’t think I’ll be joining Cirque du Soleil anytime soon.

Necessary items

• Sports gear. Bike shorts, inline skates, bathing suits–whatever your sport, if it’s appropriate to the season (no skis in July, please!), bring the equipment along. Ottawans love to get outside, and with scores of parks and over 160 kilometres (100 miles) of recreational trails, there are lots of places to play.
• Sunscreen. Sure, it’s one of the world’s coldest national capitals, but summer temperatures often top 30ºC (86ºF) and things can get toasty. In the winter, sunshine reflecting off snow can give people a nasty sunburn.
• Walking shoes. The downtown core is compact, and anyone in moderately good shape can easily walk between major attractions such as Parliament Hill, the Byward Market, the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

Parliament Hill and the Ottawa River, from the grounds of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Photo by MPD01605, Flickr.

Unnecessary items

• Reading material. To use an old expression, it would be like bringing coals to Newcastle–in other words, carting something to a place that already has tons of it. Ottawa has thousands of students, policy wonks, journalists and other folks who consume lots of books, so the city has a number of great bookstores. Try Octopus Books for lefty tomes (vegan cookbooks, socialist history and the like); the bookstore at the National Gallery of Canada for gorgeous art and photography books; or Nicholas Hoare, across the street from the gallery, for literary British fare.
• Stilettos. Unless you’re a diplomat or a die-hard clubber, you likely won’t need the gladdest of your glad rags here. Ottawa is a pretty laid-back town, fashion wise.

Things you might not think to pack…but come in pretty handy

• Pocket rain poncho. The weather can change on a dime, and if you’re at one of the city’s many outdoor festivals when the skies open up, the folks behind you won’t be happy if you put up a giant umbrella.
• Insect repellent. It’s handy for summer evenings in town, but crucial if you’re planning to explore Gatineau Park or other wilderness areas near the city.

The Black Sheep Stage at Bluesfest. Photo by D. Neuman.

The 13-day Cisco Otttawa Bluesfest–a music festival that’s moved far beyond blues to include acts as diverse as Hole, Metric, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and the B-52′s–is winding down for another year. Sunday is your last chance to see the scene that practically shuts down the rest of Ottawa for two weeks by sucking in music lovers from all over the region. If you haven’t been yet, it’s definitely worth checking out. The big draw on closing night is Weezer on the MBNA Stage, but fans of a certain age might just amble over to the Hard Rock Cafe Stage and groove to Foghat instead.

All the action takes place on Lebreton Flats, at the corner of Booth Street and the Ottawa River Parkway. Bring a lawnchair at your peril (pitched battles between the pro- and anti-lawnchair factions keep the festival lively every year).