Is Ottawa really the world's coldest capital?

[fourier jr]

Lots of Canadians seem to say this (& are proud of it), but is Ottawa really colder than Moscow, Oslo, Reykjavik, Ulan Bataar, etc? It seems hard to believe sometimes. (even though I've never been to Ottawa)

here's this week's forecast fyi (-18 today but feels like -30):
http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/on-118_metric_e.html

 

[George Jones]

Lots of Canadians seem to say this (& are proud of it), but is Ottawa really colder than Moscow, Oslo, Reykjavik, Ulan Bataar, etc? It seems hard to believe sometimes. (even though I've never been to Ottawa)

here's this week's forecast fyi (-18 today but feels like -30):
http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/on-118_metric_e.html

I'm Canadian, and I've never heard a Canadian say this. I don't think it's true. Ottawa isn't that cold, really. The predicted high today is: -12C in Ottawa; -20C in Brandon, where I used to live.

 

[mgb_phys]

It's the third coldest by record temperature, after Moscow and Ulaanbaatar, and the 7th average by temperature.
Although some of these cities wouldn't have counted as separate capitals under the USSR.

Ulaan-Baatar (Mongolia) 29.7°F/-1.3°C
Astana (Kazakhstan) unavailable
Moscow (Russia) 39.4°F/4.1°C
Helsinki (Finland) 40.1°F/4.5°C
Reykjavik (Iceland) 40.3°F/4.6°C
Tallin (Estonia) 40.6°F/4.8°C
Ottawa (Canada) 41.9°F/5.5°C

 

[ShawnD]

I knew a guy who lived there. He didn't think it was cold, but it was icy as hell.

 

[oedipa maas]

Apparently Winnipeg is the coldest city with a population of more than 500,000.

Ottawa is actually a very fun city to visit. There are lots of good little bars with live music. Parliament is a tourist essential, as are the art gallery and the Museum of Civilization (although that's technically in Hull). It's also pleasant just to walk along the river or the canals (although less pleasant in the winter...)

 

[mgb_phys]

It's also pleasant just to walk along the river or the canals (although less pleasant in the winter...)

In the winter they freeze the canals and you can skate on them, there is also a fair where you can eat Beavertails (although the beavers are hibernating so you have to have some fried waffle subsitute instead)

 

[hypatia]

Beavertails?

 

[Chi Meson]

I think Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, must be colder than Ottawa.

 

[oedipa maas]

In the winter they freeze the canals and you can skate on them, there is also a fair where you can eat Beavertails (although the beavers are hibernating so you have to have some fried waffle subsitute instead)

Mmmm, beavertails, I wish I was eating one right now... With cinnamon and brown sugar. :)

Aren't they really more of a donut than a waffle?

 

[mgb_phys]

Aren't they really more of a donut than a waffle?

Difficult to tell - Canadian cuisine divides into two main types
1 - cover it with sugar then deep fry it.
2 - deep fry it then cover it with sugar.

 

[tribdog]

Difficult to tell - Canadian cuisine divides into two main types
1 - cover it with sugar then deep fry it.
2 - deep fry it then cover it with sugar.

damn, I was doing it the other way

 

[oedipa maas]

Difficult to tell - Canadian cuisine divides into two main types
1 - cover it with sugar then deep fry it.
2 - deep fry it then cover it with sugar.

What about the kind that is deep fried and then covered in gravy and cheese curds?

When I lived in New Zealand the local paper did a weekly "international recipe" column. I was surprised to discover that Canadian cuisine was... (da-dat-da-daaa) - pierogies!

 

[mgb_phys]

What about the kind that is deep fried and then covered in gravy and cheese curds?

You don't put sugar on your putine?

When I lived in New Zealand the local paper did a weekly "international recipe" column.

What's New Zealand cuisine? I assume a mix of Aussie and Brit = pop another crumpet on the barbie?

 

[check]

Coldest or not, it IS pretty damn cold! I love it though. It's such a beautiful and friendly city.

 

[Werg22]

My hometown is Ottawa, but I'm not sure whether or not it's the world's coldest capital. It's cold at times, nearing -40 Celsius with the wind chill index counted. If it really is the world's coldest capital, I'm not sure how that's a source of pride.

 

[oedipa maas]

What's New Zealand cuisine? I assume a mix of Aussie and Brit = pop another crumpet on the barbie?

Oooh, a sure way to offend a New Zealander is to assume that they are just like Australians...

As for Kiwi cuisine... the best restaurant I ate in while I was there was an Indian place owned by a couple who'd lived in Toronto for 17 years...

The Maori traditional meal is a "hangi" - a feast of steamed/baked veggies and meat cooked by digging a hole and filling the space with stones heated in a fire. The food goes in on top, you cover it up and four hours later you have a feast. One of the key ingredients is the "kumara" or Maori sweet potato. They are also delicious in chip (ie French fry) form.

New Zealanders have a bit of a sweet tooth and they like sugary desserts. Anything from "Edmonds Cookery Book" is pretty much a Kiwi standard. Most people have heard of pavlova and custard. And there are also "pikelets" (little sweet pancakes eaten with butter and jam). There is also a generic sort of grocery store cake which is about 2 cm thick called "slice" - eg "raspberry slice", "chocolate slice" and "ginger slice". (The raspberry is usually iced a horrifiying pink colour.)

 

[mgb_phys]

So it's basically English food then = Indian + cakes!

 

[whitay]

Oooh, a sure way to offend a New Zealander is to assume that they are just like Australians...

As for Kiwi cuisine... the best restaurant I ate in while I was there was an Indian place owned by a couple who'd lived in Toronto for 17 years...

The Maori traditional meal is a "hangi" - a feast of steamed/baked veggies and meat cooked by digging a hole and filling the space with stones heated in a fire. The food goes in on top, you cover it up and four hours later you have a feast. One of the key ingredients is the "kumara" or Maori sweet potato. They are also delicious in chip (ie French fry) form.

New Zealanders have a bit of a sweet tooth and they like sugary desserts. Anything from "Edmonds Cookery Book" is pretty much a Kiwi standard. Most people have heard of pavlova and custard. And there are also "pikelets" (little sweet pancakes eaten with butter and jam). There is also a generic sort of grocery store cake which is about 2 cm thick called "slice" - eg "raspberry slice", "chocolate slice" and "ginger slice". (The raspberry is usually iced a horrifiying pink colour.)

We have and eat all that too, in Australia. But I guess we make and cook it much much better.

We also have a bigger flightless bird in Australia, the Emu.