Following The Spirit Of The Horse

"Wild horses could not drag me away from you" ~Gino Vannelli

"And so I grew from colt to stallion, as wild and reckless as thunder over the land. Racing with the eagle. Soaring with the wind. Flying? There were times I believed I could." ~ Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron

At the front of the National Gallery, there is an outdoor sculpture set by the Canadian artist Joe Fafard, done in 2007 and made of laser cut steel. It sits on the island of grasses between the driveway and the ramp into the parking garage. Reflecting the artist's Prairie upbringing, the collected sculptures are coated in shades of a western sunset. It is titled, appropriately, Running Horses.

When you walk around the drive and look at it, the group of horses, seemingly caught in mid stride, stand out well against the backdrop of buildings, such as the Kuwaiti embassy behind it or the Elizabeth Bruyere Hospital beyond that, or the LaSalle Academy to the right and in the background of the following pic. That contrast stands out well even against Notre Dame Basilica.

Windows Of The Vile Fiend

I regularly write the point of view of a cat and dog over at my writer's blog, and on occasion that involves a visit to the vet. Vile fiend is one of those terms the critters use to describe the vet, along with monstrous, evil,  arch nemesis, demonic, and some less polite terms. Hence the title for today's blog.

The Glebe Pet Hospital is a vet's office. Cat decorations adorn the front windows.

The place also has two resident cats, who can be found on occasion snoozing in late afternoon sunlight. These two cuties couldn't have cared less about me taking shots of them- they were more interested in their latest nap of the day.

Views Of The Waterfalls

Here are some more views from Hog's Back Falls and the parkland around it.

Heading back the way I came, I took late day shots of the Rideau Canal and St. John the Baptist Ukranian Catholic Shrine.

Tumbling Through

Hog's Back Falls offers good views on both sides. The water is low at the moment, but looks different in other seasons. 

Crossing over the bridge gives different views of the ravine.

Here on the east side, I noticed a couple of ducks perched along one of the waterways.

To The Falls

Early this month, I went down to Hog's Back Falls one evening. I took the route by the Rideau Canal- in this first shot, we have a glimpse back at St. John The Baptist Ukranian Catholic Shrine, which I showed you earlier in the month. The second shot features the lockmaster station at the Hog's Back Locks.

Passing those locks brings us to Mooney's Bay, which is where the Rideau River and the Rideau Canal split for the last time on their routes through the city towards the Ottawa River.

The parkland around here is popular with the birds.

The reason for the river and canal going their separate ways? Two waterfalls on the river, one of which is here. Hog's Back Falls emerges from the spillway and into the ravine at this site. The area around it is parkland, well worth a visit on both sides. I have more from here over the next two days.

The Project

The work around the National War Memorial is due to wrap up in early November. I noticed one day that the scaffolding that had been set up around the monument itself had been removed. That had been in place to allow workers access to everything for a full cleaning. Early this month, I photographed it first from the east and then the west sides; the busts and statues you see in the first shot are some of The Valiants, military figures from Canadian history that I've featured before. From the west side, the Chateau Laurier can be glimpsed in the background. 

I was also in this area to take in some of the ongoing work around the National Arts Centre, where the addition of a glass enclosure will be finished in time for Canada Day next year. This is part of the ongoing series I've been occasionally documenting on the project, and you can find the previous post here.  I came out from below Plaza Bridge, and got a look at the frame being erected on the east side of the building. Walking further along, I photographed the site as you see it if you're walking along the Canal.

I then took a staircase up onto a terrace at the NAC and followed the path to where it ended- a fence line, beyond which you can see the work site on the west side fairly up close, with the frame and the removal of some of the facade material. You can also glimpse Parliament Hill and the War Memorial through the frame. 

Crossing back through the terrace gave me a view of work on the east side, with Parliament in the background.

Courtyards

I love the mix of architecture among these courtyards in the Byward Market. Much of it consists of older stone buildings, with newer structures here and there. In the first shot, the Connaught Building features in the background.

This patio space belongs to the cafe behind the bright red door and window- the Moscow Tea Room.

Turning, the path takes us through this arch to the most southerly courtyard in the network. There are several restaurants to be found here, and with buildings as old as these, a few ghost stories as well. The Courtyard Restaurant, for instance, is said to be haunted.