Saturday, July 4, 2015

I Wonder What Birdman Might Have To Say

Happy Independence Day to my American friends! Odd that I'm doing a Canada Day post on the Fourth of July, though I am marking the occasion today over my writing blog.

I managed to get some photography in on the big day, so I thought I'd start with two landmarks in Ottawa and Gatineau. Notre Dame Basilica looked quite dramatic against that sky when I took this shot; we had rain off and on through the day.


Over on the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River, at the entrance of Jacques Cartier Park, this statue drew a lot of attention from passersby. Maurice "Rocket" Richard is a legend in the game of hockey, an NHL player who was an icon with the Montreal Canadiens, and one of the greatest players in the game (though a certain photoblogger from Portland might have something to say about that). His getting suspended during a playoff run inspired Montreal fans to riot. Beyond that, the Rocket racked up scoring titles and a mountain of accolades and love by his fans, and as a Montreal icon has earned the eternal loathing of Bruins and Maple Leafs fans.

39 comments:

  1. I love rain photos, William! Your first photo is fantastic!

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  2. I'll stick with applauding Notre Dame. A lovely shot.

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  3. Beautiful church !!
    Hope you have sun today.. :)
    Wish you happy wekend.

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  4. Happy July 4th , William !!.

    Tomás.

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  5. The first photo is amazing and the other is quite funny!

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  6. And Happy Canada Day to you, William, and all my northern friends. :-)

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  7. So many red dressed people round the statue. And the basilica is an impressive piece of architecture. Happiest Canada Day to you.

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  8. A Happy Canada Day too, that second picture is so nice with the children playing with the stick.

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  9. Wow, that's a really impressive building William, very dramatic against that sky..

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  10. Beautiful first photo, almost a painting.

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  11. I love statues of people like the one above. As seen by the children, these statues can be so interactive and really do make you think about the person. Wonder if bird man will take the bait!

    Janis
    GDP

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  12. @Linda: thanks!

    @Kay: it was a spur of the moment shot while heading over to the National Gallery, and I was pleased by its look.

    @Orvokki: at the moment there is sunlight.

    @Tomas: I hope my American friends have a good one.

    @VP: the statue is very interactive, after all!

    @Revrunner: thanks!

    @Gemma: having those people in the shot really ended up making it alive.

    @Marianne: some of those kids weren't even born when the Rocket passed on!

    @Geoff: the church really is a landmark.

    @Marleen: I thought so!

    @Janis: He really despises the Montreal Canadiens, so the Rocket would be like fingernails on a blackboard!

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  13. I admit to being a Canadiens fan... anything is better than the Leafs!!!!

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  14. pretty neat (big) statue. :) love the basilica!

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  15. Hey, William--I see you have a comment from someone who may detest the Leafs as much as you do!

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  16. Sports and war have a lot in common. Beautiful cathedral!

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  17. I see that everyone has on their Canadian red!

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  18. Two awesome photos today. The people around ricard look very excited and that's what art is to do...get some reaction.

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  19. Great statue. I like what Lowell said---and it seems to be true.
    MB

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  20. @Halcyon: but of course!

    @Tex: it is big, and the balancing of it would have been work in and of itself. Most of the weight is on one thick blade and the stick.

    @William: the Leafs were meant to be despised!

    @Lowell: that's true!

    @Sharon: a lot of people, including myself, had something in red going on that day.

    @Red: this one certainly does get a reaction!

    @MB: it does seem to be true.

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  21. The weather does look dreary in your first shot!

    Ah, those fanatical hocky fans! They're prone to riot almost as much as the soccer fans!

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  22. Ok, Birdman takes the bait.
    However there's a sculpture, outside of Boston Garden, showing the GOAL! Of course it's Bobby Orr in mid-flight scoring the iconic Stanley Cup goal against the Blues, May 10, 1970. WHAT a hockey player! KING ME!
    Sidebar: in my preteen years, playing hockey on the swamp ice down the road with the gang, I always imagined myself as 'the Rocket' cruising by my buddies. Small world.
    Go Big Bad Bruins!
    GRIN.

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  23. Look at those spires. They are magnificent!

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  24. Thanks for the 4th of July greetings. I don't hear it said much here in England :). Yet, I am celebrating nevertheless. Over to see your other blog.

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  25. That first pic is wonderful!
    The Rocket is an icon for sure. As a staunch Maple Leaf fan I have to say that Bobby Orr was the best player ever - and a nice guy from Parry Sound!!

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  26. Sorry I'm not much into these things but I do love the first shot!

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  27. @Cheryl: oh, yes! In Quebec, the Canadiens are almost a religion!

    @Birdman: I know as a die hard Bruins fan your loathing of the Habs runs deep!

    @Jose: they really are.

    @Lauren: thank you!

    @RedPat: Orr is one of the greats!

    @Ciel: I get the same reaction when others speak of the World Cup.

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  28. thanks for the 4th of July wishes ... so fun! what amazing architecture!! wow wee!! ( :

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  29. Beautiful church. I just don't understand sport fans.

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  30. I am not one for sports sad to say. My Dad loved every kind and should have had a boy :) Great photo of the basilica.

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  31. William, I am a Bruins fan, and nevertheless I agree that Henri Richard was one of the best hockey players ever. The Richard years were when the Bruins were terrible. After Richard and Geoffrion and some other Canadiens stars retired, the Bruins with Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito and others came into their own.

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  32. Great shot of Notre Dame. I don't follow hockey; did not know that statues were erected to hockey stars.

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  33. Your Notre Dame has a familiar look to it William :) The 'Rocker' sculpture looks like so much fun, totally public interactive!

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  34. @Beth: you're welcome!

    @Mari: there is a certain fanaticism to it.

    @Denise: thanks!

    @Jack: when he died he got a state funeral; that's how much the province of Quebec loved the guy.

    @Linda: in this case it's well deserved!

    @Grace: it is a favourite photo subject!

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  35. Maurice "Rocket" Richard deserves a neat statue such as this!

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