Monday, July 4, 2016

Celebrating The National Birthday

Happy Fourth of July to my American readers! 

Today I am showing some of the sights from Canada Day here in Ottawa and Gatineau. I took a lot of shots, but will be saving the bulk of them for down the line, particularly since many of them are museum shots.

This was the first shot of the day. I was heading over to the War Museum and passed this old water treatment building along a channel of the Ottawa River separated from the main body of the river. It is still in use, and looks to date back perhaps to the 19th century.


Leaving the War Museum, I stopped at Victoria Island, in the middle of the river, for views east towards Parliament Hill


Crossing the bridge at the Rideau Centre later in the day gave a view of changing weather and the crowds along the streets. This spot below was the same spot where that sinkhole happened in June. They fixed things up nicely- the area at the left is the construction zone, which of course was affected by the sinkhole, but the pit was there before all this started.


A stop in at the National Gallery gave me a chance to photograph out towards Major's Hill Park. Since this is Independence Day, I'm including the American embassy in the shot. I imagine many embassies, especially downtown, gave their staff the day off on Canada Day. American officials spend today at the ambassador's barbecue at his official residence.


Across the river over in Gatineau, I took this shot of the Ottawa skyline from inside the Museum of History.


Coming back, I wanted a shot from the Alexandra Bridge. Mea culpa: it was not until last week reading the paper that I realized I've been spelling the bridge name wrong for years on end, writing it as Alexandria. Oops.


I missed the fireworks- it was looking iffy, what with the rain and lightning we were getting in the evening- but did take in an outdoor concert at Confederation Park. The National Arts Centre Orchestra always does an evening concert on Canada Day, but with renovations going on with the building at present, did it outside in the park, where the Ottawa Jazz Festival has been going on since the latter part of June. The concert started off with the national anthem and Rossini's William Tell Overture, went into other classical works, got interrupted by a downpour and lightning, and the NAC music director, Alexander Shelley, pulled off a wonderful encore with Offenbach's Orpheus In The Underworld, complete with encouraging his audience to dance appropriately to that music. Incidentally... I can't do the can-can.

30 comments:

  1. I love your perspective in these photos, William.

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  2. You show the city as a marvelous place in Summer! I really like old buildings such as the top shot, William. Happy belated Canada Day to you

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  3. The images were well worth walking around for, they are fabulous. Thanks for sharing Canada Day with us William.

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  4. That's a good, and interesting, tour. It's amazing how attractive some water treatment works look, all things considered; well, some of the Victorian ones anyway. Happy 4th July - I think they're getting alone just fine.. :-)

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  5. I would like to walk around there, William !
    Interesting images !

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  6. @Linda: thanks!

    @Cloudia: I would love to get in there and take a look.

    @Bill: thanks!

    @Bill: you're welcome!

    @Mike: this one is kept in good repair.

    @Nancy: thanks!

    @Karl: thank you!

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  7. I wonder if there's any chance Canada will invade us and take over before November? Our country's future is looking pretty dim.

    You really can't-can't do the can-can?

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  8. That's hard work to get all those shots. Nicely done!

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  9. Excellent series of shots William, love the framing in the shot from the Alexandra :) Bridge. I really don't believe you couldn't do the can can if the mood and situation was right.. and in a kilt :)

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  10. What a fine celebration and what super photos and I'm always pleased to see so much of your beautiful city! I think you can do the can can if you can just put you can into it!

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  11. You can really see those stormy skies looking the out that window. A good time to head for shelter.

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  12. @Norma: we might be inclined to stage a friendly take over, particularly given the electoral options!

    @Jan: thanks!

    @Red: thank you.

    @Grace: me in a kilt would end in a riot.

    @Lowell: trust me, I wasn't good at it!

    @RedPat: I did, yes. The museum dash, as I call it.

    @Sharon: we did have some rain- fortunately I was sheltered in both cases.

    @Revrunner: nope!

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  13. Have a really nice Independence Day!

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  14. Fabulous pictures. Don't feel bad, I can't do the Can-Can since I broke my leg. Darn.

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  15. Lovely! You make me want to be in Canada for Canada day!

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  16. What a grand lot of celebrations on your special day. It must have been quite dramatic to have a downpour and lightning mid concert.

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  17. You covered a lot of ground! It's amazing to see so much humanity on the site of that sinkhole. I'm not sure I'd be eager to walk through there. (No can-can? I'm disappointed.)

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  18. @Gunn: thanks!

    @Mari: thank you.

    @Joan: this is a good city to be in on that day.

    @Gemma: that is the first time I have seen lightning during a concert.

    @Kay: one wouldn't have known it had happened, looking at the pavement.

    @Linda: I learned that fast!

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  19. i enjoy the watery shots. nice!! ( :

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  20. Too bad the weather turned nasty for you, William. Thanks for the July 4th wishes. Thankfully we had great weather and a great fireworks display as well.

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    1. Some years we can get serious rain on Canada Day. This year was dry.

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  21. Great shots. I guess it was okay to take the shots but yes it looked iffy . It then rained where I lived. The States had a good day for July 4th.

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