A Salute to Ottawa Women What makes a city beautiful? The first thing that pops into most people's mind is the architecture. Does it have stunning buildings? Does the overall look of its buildings mesh? Does it have a signature building or buildings that stand out and make the city unique? If the answer to these questions is a definite yes, then the area has the makings of a beautiful city. Another consideration is the city's green space. Does its urban centre and the surrounding area leave room for parks? Are there trees, grass and flowers in enough abundance to create the feeling that the city is more like a town? Can you walk outside your place of work and sit under a tree to eat your lunch? Can you swim at a beach in the summer?

A third consideration is its cleanliness. Does the city budget enough money to keep the streets clean? Does it fix potholes and sidewalks in a timely manner? Do owners clean graffiti off their buildings (the less artistic forms of it anyway)?

If we delve a little deeper into the concept of beauty we find cultural aspects of a city to be an important factor. Does the city provide great food for its inhabitants? Does it have theatres, dance venues, museums, art galleries, libraries, film and sporting facilities? Can you enjoy live music and comedy? All these become important because not only does a city have an external beauty but it also has an internal loveliness. The inside of public buildings are as important as their outside.

Ottawa has all of this. We are considered one of the beautiful cities of the world. The National Gallery and City Hall, The Lord Elgin and Chateau Laurier are four examples of great architecture. The Parliament Buildings stand out as our signature buildings. The city is clean and the green space abundant. Mooney's Bay and other locations give Ottawa places to swim in the summer. We have a restaurant industry that is second to none in its variety and quality. We have ten or more theatre companies who apply their trade in and out of doors. Museums and Art Galleries blanket every part of the city. Lansdowne Park, the Corel Centre and the Nepean Sportsplex are great places for sporting events and recreational enjoyment.

With all of the pluses this city has, it's no wonder over a million tourists visit each year. We are the city that Canada shows off to the world and pride should enter every one of its resident's hearts when thinking about it.

But what strikes this man most when considering the beauty of Ottawa, and it always occurs around this time of year, is its women. When winter is a distant memory and spring has brought the flora and fauna into full bloom, the warm weather brings out the true beauty of this city. Like the caterpillar shedding its cocoon, women emerge from the confines of winter parkas, mittens, scarves, and boots. They show the reason why God has blessed the human race with the fairer sex. Ottawa explodes with attractiveness. Women with ancestry from every corner of the world show off their feminine nature for all the men to see. Summer dresses escape from their closet prison to adorn the bodies of some the most gorgeous women on the planet. Halter tops, shorts skirts, bright colours, tanned skin, flowing wind blown hair, and lipstick all make their appearance to a man's utter delight. Heaven has descended on the nation's capital and its name is woman. We at Full Spectrum Ottawa would like to salute the most important part of what makes a city beautiful, its women. Thank you for existing; this article is dedicated to you.