Voices

 I had visited a temporary exhibit, Last Voices of the Second World War, at the Canadian War Museum ahead of Remembrance Day last year. I had found it deeply emotional, and wanted to visit again before it closed up in January. So in between Christmas and New Year's in December, I stopped by the Museum for a visit. The exhibit is the work by Museum staff with veterans and their families, through their own words, photos, and artifacts. It looks at their war experiences and what coming home meant to them.

After the First World War, there wasn't really much support or plans for how to demobilize soldiers and get them back into civilian life. The Canadian government did things differently after the Second World War, setting up programs and efforts to help with the transition.

Coming home after the things they did and saw and experienced could be overwhelming. This display case includes a train ticket from a veteran of the Battle of Hong Kong, who returned home after years as a prisoner of war, and the discharge documents of another veteran.

Finale

 The Laurier Avenue Bridge nicely frames the final stretch of the Rideau Canal.

I've always liked a spiral staircase. This one descends down to the path along the Canal from the bridge above.

I took this shot from beneath the last bridge before the skateway ends- or begins, depending on your perspective- the Mackenzie King Bridge.

The Ottawa Convention Centre looms on the east side. Branding rights being what they are, these days it goes by the Rogers Centre. It is a marvelous, modern building.

On the west side, the National Arts Centre.

A look again to the east side, where the Government Conference Centre stands. These days, it temporarily houses the Senate.

The end of the line, kilometre 0.0. Beyond is Plaza Bridge, and in the distance, Parliament Hill.

I turned back again.

And then once more where I'd been walking to.

I headed off the Canal and up the slope alongside the National Arts Centre, taking this final shot. A fitting ending for another year for Winterlude.

Peaceful

 Picking up where I left off yesterday, I looked back.

And then onward it was.

The last stretch was ahead.

The next bridge, with its distinctive arch, was the Laurier Avenue Bridge.

One last look back towards the Corktown Bridge.

And then I proceeded on. Tomorrow we wrap up my Winterlude series.

Corktown

 Off in the distance from this spot are the 417 freeway and Pretoria Bridges, where I ended my last tour of the skateway.

I turned to return the way I came. The university campus is sprawling, with a mix of architecture in its buildings.

This shot had a dreamy quality.

I continued on, heading towards the Corktown Bridge.

For today, I finish off with a panoramic shot from this spot.