Friday, September 15, 2017

Ceremonial Guard

The Changing Of The Guard is a daily tradition from late June to late August on Parliament Hill, with the Ceremonial Guard going through a military ceremony on the lawn before Centre Block each morning starting at ten. Much of the troop march up towards the Hill from Cartier Square, escorted by Ottawa Police motorbikes who stop traffic ahead of their route. I photographed them one day as they were coming up alongside the National War Memorial, past the National Arts Centre. These servicemen and women are regular and reservist soldiers from across the Canadian Armed Forces who spend the summer doing this before returning to their usual duties the rest of the year.


Turning left on Wellington where the street crosses Plaza Bridge, the Guard pass by the Chateau Laurier.


And from there it's on to their rendezvous on the Hill with the other members of the Guard for a ceremony that takes about a half hour. The rest of the day, the Guard spend doing smaller scale changing of the guard ceremonies at Rideau Hall.

33 comments:

  1. I'm guessing that the pomp and ceremony is popular with tourists. It's quite a fascinating spectacle.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've seen it in person before. A serious spectacle.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nice snaps. We have it outside the castle in Stockholm. Very popular with tourists from around the world.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That band looks very Bristish with the Bearskin hats.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Seems like you have been attending a lot of events lately. This was a good one!

    Janis
    GDP

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a neat and regal sight. Great for tourism, as Kay has mentioned.

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Kay: the tourists really go for it.

    @Halcyon: I have also taken it in before.

    @Stefan: it is a good tradition.

    @Tom: it is!

    @Marianne: it does come from that tradition.

    @Janis: thanks!

    @Jo: I agree.

    @Francisco: thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello, the guards remind me of my visit to London. Great series of photos. Happy Friday, enjoy your day and weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like their red coats! My sister stayed at the Chateau Laurier a few months ago when she was in Ottawa.

    ReplyDelete
  10. At least these aren't "monsters" stalking the streets. Oh, wait! They're "redcoats" aren't they. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. This makes for a fine summer tradition & spectacle for tourists & locals alike.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It looks just like it does in London.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love the way they all march with perfect precision! They look so smart William, such a pleasure to see here!

    ReplyDelete
  14. And let us not forget the brave Canadian soldier who was killed doing ceremonial duty a couple of years back. Corporal Nathan Cirillo

    ReplyDelete
  15. I was part of a color guard when in the Navy. For a while. There were only 5 or 6 of us. I think I lost a bet. It was in Minnesota in the winter and was no fun at all! I'd like to see these folks marching around, tho. I see some drums and what I thought were French horns and wonder what kind of music they play as they march along?

    ReplyDelete
  16. This is such a large group! Must be wonderful to see and hear them pass.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great sky shot with puffy clouds and lovely ceremonial pics of the 'changing of the guard' ~ thanks, ^_^

    (A ShutterBug Explores) ~ Happy Weekend to you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. @Shammickite: it is.

    @Eileen: it does go back to that tradition.

    @Lois: it's a great hotel- a favourite photo subject for me.

    @Revrunner: yes, but they're our redcoats!

    @Christine: it really does.

    @Sharon: some of the same rituals to it.

    @RedPat: they do indeed.

    @Grace: they've got it down to perfection.

    @Cloudia: they march past the east side of the Memorial, and there is a plaque positioned there in his memory, facing the Memorial itself.

    @Lowell: most of what they play is march music, what you'd expect out of military bands.

    @Marleen: it's fun to be able to watch it.

    @Carol: you're welcome!

    ReplyDelete
  19. What an incredible sight to see.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Such a lovely tradition and the photos and buildings look great. Greetings to you.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Great photos William! That old building is amazing.
    It's really nice that these old traditions are still alive.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Quite showy, but I guess I'm too much of a backwater country person to really find any signifigance in that. In fact, all my mind can think of is, why? Yes, I know it is your tradition.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Great photos here, William! And I love the clouds, too!

    ReplyDelete
  24. So nice to see, and their red uniforms look so smart.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  25. @Norma: it was.

    @Bill: I agree.

    @Red: it certainly is.

    @Blogoratti: thank you!

    @Pat: I agree with that.

    @Mari: it works for us.

    @Linda: thank you.

    @Jan: I agree!

    ReplyDelete