An Iceberg And A Basilica

Downtown, beyond the Chateau Laurier, is Major's Hill Park. It's a sprawling property popular this time of year, particularly for wedding photographers; in fact, there were a couple of wedding parties having that done in the park while I was there. I passed through on a pleasant late afternoon in the early fall, to take shots of the National Gallery, which this summer has had something of a different look to it...

The tower is a glass structure that looks out onto the park, and to Parliament Hill. This year, the glass panels in the tower are being replaced, which required scaffolding and sheltering. And for a building dedicated to art, someone decided that the sheltering ought to look like art. So the canvas sheeting is painted to mimic an iceberg, looming over the park. Work is proceeding well now; for most of the summer, the entire tower was hidden under the sheet, but the top is visible these days, and the whole thing ought to be finished next month. There's a lot of glass to be removed and replaced. 

Close by I took this shot of Notre Dame Basilica, which stands across from the National Gallery. Fall is slowly settling in on the area; some of the trees in these shots are showing their autumn colours, particularly that golden one in the above shot. The Basilica itself is a popular setting for weddings on Saturdays; it's been said by volunteers there that brides sometimes reserve the place three years in advance.... before they have a fiance.