Wednesday, August 16, 2017

The Canal

Things were going on outside the Bytown Museum on Colonel By Day, including the presence of re-enactors in period clothing and uniforms. As the occasion fell on August 7th this year, it was also Colonel By's birthday- his 238th. A cake was here for the occasion. Yes, it was delicious.


The Canal is busy through the summer season, and for whatever reason, boats going through the locks seem to attract onlookers.


On the east side of the Canal here, in the shadow of Major's Hill Park above, a Celtic cross was erected several years ago in memory of the more than a thousand workers (and family members) who died during the construction of the project. Some died in accidents, but others of malaria, which was a problem of the time. On Colonel By Day, there is always a ceremony held during the afternoon here. 


While I was in the area, there were musicians playing for listeners in this shelter by the Museum. When I took this shot, it was a trio playing something with an Irish tune.


Here we see the Museum from above, in Major's Hill Park, with a view of Parliament Hill above. Colonel By's statue finishes the set. Tomorrow I'll start to show you the other event that was going on here on the first weekend of the month- the buskers.

33 comments:

  1. I love seeing all the boats! Great post, William!

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  2. A very eventful day. I would enjoy listening to the music and watch the boats go by. Have a great day!

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  3. The boaters showed up in droves!
    The Celtic cross is very nice and I like your view of the museum from a distance.

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  4. What fun! Did you get a piece of cake?

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  5. Nice post, to watch people in a lock is always fun, specialy when they go in and out.

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  6. Busy times at the locks there. Nice photos William.

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  7. ...a lovely spot, it reminds me a bit of our Erie Canal.

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  8. A beautiful and interesting sequence, William, love the Celtic cross.

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  9. Hello, sounds like an interesting event. Looks crowded with all the boats on the canal. Happy Wednesday, enjoy your day!

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  10. @Linda: thanks!

    @Nancy: it was fun.

    @Kay: it's busy on the Canal through summer.

    @Halcyon: I did!

    @Marianne: it always draws attention.

    @Marleen: it's quite a process to watch.

    @Tom: they would date back to the same era.

    @Karl: so do I.

    @Eileen: I enjoyed attending.

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  11. I would be one of those people watching the boats at the lock William, we don't have them here, fascinating stuff! 😊

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  12. This prairie boy remembers watching boats pass through the locks and I was fascinated by the process.

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  13. It looks like a traffic jam on the canal.

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  14. We watch the boats at the locks. One lock at Bobgagen. I also love music so I would be listening to them. Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed all your takes. Have a nice day. Beautiful weather today here. My daughter and hubby and family are in New York . They have enjoyed the live shows. My daughter got a snap with one of the stars. That made her night.

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  15. Great with all the boats at the canal.

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  16. @Grace: I know I tend to look down at the locks when in the area to see if there are boats making their way through.

    @Red: it's quite a job, done by hand. I chatted with someone here who said there are just three locks that have been electrified.

    @Sharon: they can fit about seven boats into a lock at a given time.

    @Carolann: it's a bit different from the Trent-Severn system, which seems quite big.

    @Stefan: I enjoy photographing that at least once in the summer.

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  17. Such a festive time I would have loved to have enjoyed! I remember passing along the canal in such a small boat. . . . wonderful memory of youth :)

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  18. Festive pictures
    The smoothest ride I've ever had is on a horse pull canal boat. I think the canal era has a historical charm, building a nation wise.

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  19. A fun filled day and with cake too! Bonus!

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  20. You are a great ambasssador for Ottawa William, another great post. Loved the photos :)

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  21. for some reason it is always interesting to watch the boats go through the locks.
    done it myself.
    Glad you broke out and glad I finally got a new computer---buried the old one (RIP). LOL
    MB

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  22. @Cloudia: it's quite a journey to make.

    @Maywyn: one of these days I have to get out on a canal tour or river tour.

    @Christine: and the cake was good!

    @Denise: thank you!

    @MB: ah, there you are! I'm several days behind reading at present, but trying to catch up.

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  23. Watching the boats maneuver through the locks would be interesting. Nice photos, William!

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  24. cake, boats and a cross ... what could be better than that? i don't like cake as much as i use too ... too sweet for me. gorgeous gardens. ( ;

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  25. Emphasizes how this form of funerary art has spread well beyond Ireland.

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  26. I suspect that they had more than one cake to handle the number of people that came through the area that day.

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  27. Happy birthday, Colonel By! Your ceremony was well photographed.

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  28. Locks with a lot of passing boats are always interesting, especially when things go wrong without causing real accidents or damage ... ;-)

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  29. Lovely scenes on and near the Canal and yes, Happy Birthday Colonel By :) I always enjoy your excellent photos and posts William, thank you!

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  30. There always seems to be something going on in Ottawa!
    I guess people love getting outside when the cold weather is over.
    Nice photos!

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  31. It's so cool to celebrate someone's 238th birthday!!! Wonderful idea!

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  32. @Bill: thanks!

    @Beth: cake's good!

    @Revrunner: true.

    @Mari: they would have.

    @Linda: thank you.

    @Jan: I quite agree.

    @Denise: you're welcome.

    @Norma: it was good!

    @Pat: that's true.

    @Klara: indeed!

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