Taking To The Air Indoors

Billings Bridge Mall is in Ottawa South, near the Rideau River downstream from Carleton University. Its name is taken from the bridge crossing the river at that spot. There is a sizable skylight over the second floor food court, which looks out onto the main floor below. Above this space are five life sized sculptures of swans, hanging in mid air, looking as if they're about to land.

Twilight Over The Canal

One evening earlier this month there was a brilliant sunset amid cloudy skies. I walked onto the Bank Street Bridge and started to take photographs over the Rideau Canal.

I decided to take comparison shots in different settings- normal, black and white, negative, sepia, and aqua.

Here's one more look. The next day we had rain.

The Work Continues

I've been occasionally marking progress at the work going on around the National Arts Centre, where a glass enclosure is going to be added. My last post on it can be found here. These shots are from early this month, on a day when I decided to concentrate on things from the north side. These views, from Plaza Bridge over the Rideau Canal, show some of what's going on- it appears that elements of the facade have been stripped away.

Coming closer, the NAC is in the background beyond this statue of  Andrew Hamilton Gault, a politician and brigadier who founded the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at the beginning of the First World War. It's been quite awhile since I've featured him.

Coming down towards the Rideau Canal, the work is partially hidden behind a barricade wall. The worksite entrance itself wasn't open- the shot was taken through the gateway.

Returning back up from the Canal, I took this shot of the Chateau Laurier and Plaza Bridge. 

And to finish, here we have another view of the NAC from the northwest. That steel frame is new from the last time I featured the work site, and will be part of the glass enclosure yet to come.

Into The Box

Finishing off my series on Buskerfest today, I have more of Bendy Em, who had wrangled a couple of volunteers from the audience. 

The finale of her act is to get herself right into a clear glass box. All of her, into that tiny space. Which of course she does. You try doing that.

Contortions

Bendy Em is a contortionist born in Britain and now based out of Australia. I had seen her act here before at previous Buskerfests, and was pleased to see her again. She started out by getting her stage area ready, bantering with the growing audience, and then showing just how flexible she is. And that was just the start. I have more from her act tomorrow.

Escapades

Magic Brian of New York was another act this year at Buskerfest. I came across him being tightened up into a straightjacket by two volunteers, one of whom didn't want to grab "that strap between his legs".

Here's another look at the Spring Action trampoline troupe in action.

Finally, here are two buskers in conversation between sets. Pancho Libre, who I showed you at the beginning of this series, had finished his set at this spot. He was chatting with the busker whose work I'll be showing you in the next two days to complete the series.