Saturday, August 8, 2015

Beavers And Blacksmiths

I know, I couldn't resist the double entendre. I'm starting off my posts for Colonel By Day today, with the busker festival to follow that. Much more pleasant material than my rant from yesterday.

Much of the focus here in the city for Colonel By Day is down by the Ottawa Locks of the Rideau Canal, down between Parliament Hill on one side and the Chateau Laurier on the other. 


This blacksmith was demonstrating techniques.


While people could be found throughout this area around the Bytown Museum in traditional period clothing.


This view at the locks and the Chateau is a view I always like to photograph.


Looking east from this side, we have the wall and cliffside leading up to Major's Hill Park. A close eye can pick out the statue of Colonel By there in the gap at the top, looking over his Canal. The foundations of a building can be seen below; it was flush against the cliff, and removed a century ago when rendered unstable due to the presence of train tracks up above.


Here at the entrance to the Bytown Museum is a good place to leave off. I'll take you inside tomorrow.

41 comments:

  1. I especially love your last two photos!

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  2. A funny festival, I like the beaver and the old costumes.

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  3. Thanks for the nice tour. I am fascinated by blacksmithing. It's hard work but it lasts forever.

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  4. Interesting contrast in clothing styles in that fourth picture.

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  5. An excellent series of photos! Blacksmiths are rarer than beavers here...

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  6. A fun way to learn about our country's past.
    Jane x

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  7. Have always thought working at one of these period 'living museums' would be so interesting.

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  8. love the period costumes and blacksmithy!

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  9. I too like the period costumes. I will be dressing in one on Monday for our annual Victorian Tea.

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  10. I love all those period costumes. Great photo ops!

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  11. Happy celebrations today William although I did enjoy your rant yesterday, you know how I like a good rant :) I'm so glad we don't have such a long run up to elections it would drive me crazy :)

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  12. You are again showing what a beautiful place Ottawa is. You have lots to do and see.

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  13. @Linda: thanks!

    @Murcia: we do, yes.

    @Marianne: it's fun and informative. And as I'll show in the final post of this series, solemn and poignant, too.

    @Stuart: it is very hard work, but interesting to watch.

    @Revrunner: yes, quite a contrast!

    @VP: one tends to see them in places that are built as living museums. There's a place south of here on the St. Lawrence that does this. There are also artisans whose work employs blacksmith techniques.

    @Jane and Chris: it certainly is.

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  14. @Birdman: there were a couple of them in the Toronto area, including one near where I grew up. I really should photograph there sometime- I've been there in school days, but never as an adult.

    @Tex: me too!

    @Janey: have fun!

    @Sharon: they certainly are.

    @Grace: thank you!

    @Red: there's no shortage of places on both sides of the river to take in and photograph

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  15. Wonderful post, William. I specially like the photos of the blacksmith and those of the locks and their surrounding.

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  16. It is that you're in love with your city.

    Tomás.

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  17. Great photos! I love seeing all those traditional clothing! The view of wall and cliff side leading to Major's Hill Park is beautiful. And the giant beaver! So cute :-)

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  18. For a minute I thought that beaver was the squirrel from your doggy post!

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  19. A little bit of fun in the old town! To take your mind off election news.

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  20. This would be a beautiful tour to take. What is the 'giant' Beaver made of? Is it a permanent resident?

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  21. Fun photos! Now that is something I would enjoy.

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  22. It's going to be a l-o-o-o-ng 11 weeks so I'm glad you are still taking photos about some pleasant events in Ottawa, William. :) THIS is a place I'm sure I would enjoy visiting!

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  23. Lovely photos . Looks like a fun day . I did reply to your comment on my blog but for some reason it came back as a notification I think your server is out or you need to re set it . just letting you know . Have a good day !

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  24. @Jan: thanks!

    @Tomas: when one ignores the politicians, it's a beautiful city.

    @Tamago: the beaver's always there for that weekend. I have no idea where they store it!

    @Norma: thanks!

    @Eve: hah!

    @Tammie: it certainly is.

    @RedPat: oh, yes!

    @Pamela: actually it's inflatable, so it's relatively easy to set up. They must store it somewhere- I'm assuming perhaps at Parks Canada's offices.

    @Denise: I enjoyed myself visiting down here. I spent quite a lot of time here.

    @EG: if you get down here sometime, the museum is very much worth visiting.

    @Country Gal: I'm having email issues with one of my accounts- very few emails are getting through, despite my having stripped down as much of my email content, and Outlook is taking their time adding storage space. I might adjust my email contact info here for an alternate account.

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  25. I can't help it. I always think: colonel by day, superhero by night!

    Nice pics!

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  26. Lots of interesting things to see there!

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  27. Wonderful to glimpse a bygone age and see a craftsman at work...

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  28. Love the beaver. I can't wait to see some of the inside.

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  29. Sturbridge Village, in Massachusetts on the border with Connecticut, is our closest old village with guides dressed for the times.

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  30. I enjoy seeing period costume but it often looks incongruous when surrounded by people in tee shirts or flip flops.

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  31. Looks like a nice place to visit with so many interesting things going on. Looking forward to follow your tour around the place.

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  32. Interesting pictures! That beaver is quite an oddity!

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  33. Pictures going back in time? Love the beaver.

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  34. Interesting pictures.

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  35. @Cheryl: the name fits!

    @Marleen: there's no shortage of things to do.

    @Ciel: thank you!

    @Geoff: it certainly is.

    @Mari: it's been a pleasure to show the place off.

    @Jack: there's a place down along the St. Lawrence within an hour's drive of here that does some of the same.

    @Kay: it does, yes.

    @Nancy: and more to come from this holiday.

    @Linda: it is!

    @Shelly: it's often seen here around this time of year.

    @Carolann: thank you!

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  36. I love the last dress. So pretty. What I see of it.

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