Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Embassy Row

This is a regular stop for Doors Open weekend, and like the primary subject of yesterday's post, it too is an embassy. The Fleck-Paterson House was built in 1901 by timber baron J.R. Booth as a gift to his daughter and her new husband, and was later the residence of Senator Norman Paterson. These days it serves as the Embassy of Algeria, and its location in Sandy Hill is ideal.


Outside in the back yard, the visitor can walk to the overlook that gives a view of the Rideau River below, and the Vanier Quarter on the opposite shore.


This building also on the property was a coach house and garage back in the day. The building behind it that you can see is the Russian embassy I showed you yesterday, quite a contrast between a beautiful structure and something that's harsh and unforgiving.


I was surprised to come across tulips in the garden as I headed that way. Usually by early June, the tulips are done, but these were still looking good.


The coach house featured several tables laid out with Algerian items and crafts, as well as coffee table books, and members of the staff chatting with people. The wooden box particularly caught my eye, and on my way out, I stopped for a cup of particularly tasty mint tea that was offered.

35 comments:

  1. What an unexpected building for an Algerian embassy! Even having that Russian embassy as a neighbor is forbidding, almost creepy.

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  2. It's so fun to look inside these places!

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  3. Halcyon is right, love the insides too !

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  4. The Algerian embassy is beautiful. And it's nice to look inside in these places (as Halcyon said).

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  5. It looks very nice inside. I wonder if that is wallpaper in the 5th photo or is it painted?

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  6. The embassy buildings are rather imposing William. Perhaps these tulips were planted a little later than the exhibition tulips?

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  7. Hello, they are beautiful buildings. Great tour. Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!

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  8. i really enjoy that round stone front ... gorgeous!! love the chandelier. ( ;

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  9. Beautiful building. Love the design.

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  10. @Kay: it is quite a place.

    @Halcyon: it is!

    @Karl: me too.

    @Orvokki: it is quite a treat.

    @Francisco: thank you.

    @Tom: it was well built.

    @Marleen: it looked like wallpaper to me.

    @Grace: possibly. Some of the exhibition blooms were still about at the time.

    @Eileen: thank you!

    @Beth: it is quite a building.

    @Nancy: so do I.

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  11. Your comparison between the Algerian and Russian embassies is right on. But the Russians could do something about that if that wanted to, right? I remember drinking mint tea in Morocco when I was in the Navy. It was very, very sweet!

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  12. So many of the embassies are so beautifully done. I always wonder why the US and Russian embassies look like prisons....

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  13. This is both an interesting look at another culture and into an elegant house.

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  14. Beautiful house and I love the all the detail shots.

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  15. Lovely home, William. Thank You

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  16. @Sussi: that it is.

    @Lowell: I have seen photos of the former Soviet embassy from the Second World War, which was on that street as well, though I am not sure if it's the same location. It looked like it fit in. This looks like a bunker. I imagine it was built at some point from the eighties on.

    @Norma: well, the American embassy here isn't quite that bad, though it is well fenced.

    @Red: it certainly is.

    @Sharon: thank you!

    @Cloudia: you're welcome.

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  17. It's good to see the big houses as is. Smiths Falls is full of old houses, back from the railway days, all broken into apartments. Such a horrid economy there.

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  18. What a regal and beautiful embassy! Lovely series, William!

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  19. I love the old stonework on that building and enjoyed a view on the inside. Thanks William :)

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  20. That is a wonderful building, William! Mint tea! ;-)

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  21. What a super building and what a surprise to find some tulips!

    All the best Jan

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  22. it is sure a beautiful building and hey, you found more tulips!

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  23. @Jennifer: it's nice that these ones are still used in a different capacity.

    @Linda: thank you!

    @Denise: you're welcome.

    @RedPat: it was good!

    @Jan: the tulips were a welcome sight.

    @Tanya: I was pleased to see them.

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  24. That is a wonderfully made box.

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  25. Beautiful buildings.

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  26. All doing very nicely in those lovely surroundings. Vintage stone work is great.
    Interesting to delve into rail, northern Manitoba and other great destinations, am having trouble getting my head around the low temperatures even when that experience is one reason for going there!

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  27. Gorgeous buildings, William.

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  28. Would be a good time to visit...so you could take part in this wonderful event.

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  29. Fantastic architect and rooms. The back of the Russian embassy is so inviting compared to the front. Loved the Algerian items also.

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  30. That Algerian embassy is really a great building, the stone work is beautiful.

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  31. It's a beautiful building! Nice captures.

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  32. @Revrunner: I thought so too!

    @Carolann: I agree!

    @Julia: they built the place to last.

    @Bill: definitely!

    @Janey: it is a wonderful event to take in.

    @Mari: I enjoyed visiting here.

    @Jan: it really is.

    @Klara: it's a good use of the property.

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