OTTAWA, TORONTO — He had us at merci.

Barack Obama's visit to Ottawa Thursday was a six-hour romance with a country eager to return his affections.

Indeed, the whole nation seemed weak in the knees.

It was easy to forgive the little slip at the beginning of an afternoon news conference when he started to explain what a “great pleasure it is to be in Iowa, er, Ottawa.”

How could we not adore him when he followed that faux pas with a mention of his Canadian brother-in-law and two Canadian staff members and declared: “I love this country and think that we could not have a better friend and ally.”

Mr. Obama even said he looks forward to coming back “as soon as it warms up.”

But just how serious could we take his complaints about the weather when, instead of hightailing it to the airport in the late afternoon, he set out in search of a BeaverTail, the large, flat fried pastry that is one of Ottawa's winter traditions?

The presidential motorcade headed to the ByWard Market just east of the downtown where Mr. Obama first stopped at the Oxxo Silk Market, which sells assorted tourist goods. He emerged with a keychain that he purchased with Canadian dollars.

“I was looking for a keychain and a snow globe for my daughters,” said the President, explaining that he was continuing a tradition, started during his election campaign, of picking up memorabilia at every place he visits.

Soon after, he got his BeaverTail – a special “ObamaTail” topped with a chocolate and maple syrup O – and then he walked into Le Moulin de Provence, a French bakery and bistro.

“He shook people's hands walking through, saying hi, walking through, everything,” said Isabelle Corriveau, 18, an employee at the bakery.

Mr. Obama pointed to an iconic Canadian shortbread cookie - shaped like a maple leaf, covered in red icing, with white trim and white lettering reading: Canada. For the common folks, those cookies sell for $2.34 each, including taxes. Mr. Obama got a special rate.

“He said, ‘I'd like to buy some cookies for my daughters,'” Ms. Corriveau said. “We said ‘no, you don't buy it. It's a gift.'”

Mr. Obama took three of the cookies, not telling staff whether the third was for the trip home, or for his wife Michelle.

After he left, the store was buzzing with activity, with patrons, neighbours and staff asking about the famous customer who'd stopped in around 4 p.m., less than an hour before Air Force One was wheels-up and on its way back south.

“I really wanted to see him,” gushed Ms. Corriveau, a student who has worked at the store for about a year. “I came into work, and all of the sudden all the policemen were here, and he was here.

“He said ‘Hi, nice meeting you,' shook my hand,” she said. “It's the biggest surprise, but it's the nicest surprise.”

And there were a few others throughout the day.

Mr. Obama stepped off Air Force One at the Ottawa airport in midmorning to be greeted by Governor-General Michaëlle Jean and other dignitaries, including Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon. When Mr. Cannon welcomed the President in French, Mr. Obama responded: “ Merci.” It was a single word that sent French-speaking reporters into giddy delight.

But, for the most hardcore Obama watchers, it was the broad smile and wave from behind Plexiglas on Parliament Hill that made the six-hour visit of the newly inaugurated American President worthwhile.

The 2,500 fans who huddled in the snow Thursday morning were warned they would get just a fleeting glimpse of Mr. Obama he dashed from his limo to the doors of the Centre Block.

When the large blue helicopter signalled his arrival and the motorcade finally pulled into sight, they erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause.

The lanky President emerged from the limo to be greeted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the Parliament doors. “Do you mind?” he asked Mr. Harper, gesturing to the crowd to indicate his desire to reciprocate some of the love.

The two leaders walked around the limo and, for what seemed like the better part of 10 seconds, Mr. Obama beamed at the throng of soggy, and slightly frozen, admirers. Then, with a gentle hand on the back of the Prime Minister, he disappeared into the Centre Block.

There were none of the customary gifts exchanged between the President and the Prime Minister because, as one of Mr. Harper's aides put it: “When you go to visit a close friend, you don't need to bring a present.”