Tulips

 The biggest site for tulips during the festival is at Dow's Lake. I started one visit over at the grounds of H.M.C.S. Carleton, a navy reserve station, where tulips are found in a flowerbed at the entrance.

These big painted tulips were at the pavilion overlooking the lake.

I crossed over to Commissioners Park, where most of the beds are found. This one is less formal than others.

This big one is dazzling, lined with muscari as a companion flower to the tulips.

I like to get views from the ground up.

Colours

 Carrying on where I left off yesterday, more of the tulips in Major's Hill Park.

More people were out taking them in. I'll be back to this park again.

Festival

 Today I begin my series on the Canadian Tulip Festival here in Ottawa and Gatineau. Early this month I came to Major's Hill Park, where the tulips were just starting to show in some beds, and further along in others. I start at the statue commemorating Colonel John By, the military engineer who led the building of the Rideau Canal and who is considered the founder of Ottawa. He has a flowerbed around him, and extending behind.

Last year tulips were added in this nearby bed, and they are back again.

They are radiant.

From here, the Colonel is in the distance, looking out over his Canal to Parliament Hill.

The north end of the park has large flowerbeds as well- Notre Dame and the American embassy can be seen in the background.

While the National Gallery of Canada is in the background for this one.

Promenades

 Continuing where I left off yesterday, looking out from the Shaw Centre takes in views of the National Arts Centre across the Canal, as well as Parliament Hill, the Government Conference Centre, and the Chateau Laurier.

Here on the second level, a look down to the first.

A conference was underway up here with a lot of people- and presumably on the upper two levels, as the escalator was stanchioned off, so I was unable to take in the views from the upper promenades. Oh well, there's always next time.

As I said yesterday, this is an example of modern architecture done right.

Outside, and taken from the Mackenzie King Bridge as it crosses the Rideau Canal.

The wall is done in the shape of a tulip petal on its side, which is more noticeable at right.

One more shot from here, taken from the terrace at the National Arts Centre.