Saturday, May 5, 2018

An Early Morning Walkabout

One sunny weekend morning in the latter half of April, I had some spare time on my hands, and went over first to the Portage Bridge to take a shot looking downstream on the Ottawa River, for a theme day later in the year. Rather than turn back, I decided to continue along the bridge into Gatineau and take the Chaudiere Bridge back to the Ottawa side of the river. The following odds and ends are from that walk.

I've shown you this art installation before, as it was installed last year. Myth And Evidence is by Matieu Valade. It stands in Gatineau where the Portage Bridge emerges, across from the government complex Place du Portage. A unicorn stands in a frosted glass case. The closer you get, the more opaque it becomes. I really have to come down here some evening and photograph it lit at night.


Rue Laurier happens to be the closest street to the river shoreline here in this part of Gatineau, and the above art installation is on one side. Crossing the median, I paused to take this shot. The Portage complex is at the left, and in the background is a view of Parliament Hill over on the Ottawa side, a vantage point I haven't shown you before. Traffic was quite light, as you see- this was before nine on a Saturday morning. Imagine this street at four on a weekday afternoon- I actually came this way on Thursday afternoon to pay a visit to the Museum of History, and the street was exceedingly busy.


The same applies for this street just a short walk up. Promenade du Portage is the name of this street- the complex is now here on the right.


Looking the other way along this street gives us this view.


Heading down the street, I came upon this pub, simply Le Pub (I don't think pub is an official word in French, but c'est la vie). A close look notes a year at the top- 1908. The Great Fire of 1900 swept through this area and wiped out most of what was here, before jumping the river at the nearby islands and doing much the same in Ottawa before being stopped. This building dates to the years after that conflagration.


This is nearby, and could be seen in the street shot. It used to be a church, but some years ago became quarters to a digital firm, Spiria. 


Coming onto the Chaudiere Bridge, I took this shot looking downstream along the Ottawa River. The Portage Bridge is there, where I started.


Looking upstream from here, the Chaudiere Falls can be seen spilling out of the damway. It's unfortunate that the only pedestrian lane is on this side of the road. However, as you might recall from my Miwate posts last year, a viewing platform was built to give access to the falls. It is closed over the winter, and was still closed as I passed by where the entrance is, but I expect that should be changed rather soon. I'll have to get out there and photograph the falls in daylight.


Back in Ottawa, I headed past the War Museum (visible in these two shots in the background). Police sirens caught my attention from behind me, and I turned. Two cruisers took up front and rear positions behind a convoy of trucks taking a pair of the Rideau Canal's skating shelters away. These are removed sometime in April so that the Canal water levels can be raised for the season. They must spend the warm months stored somewhere in the area.

35 comments:

  1. Cities certainly do have at least a couple of faces. One when it's alive and bustling, and another when it's quite and empty. You really caught the feeling of the city as most people never see it.

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  2. It does look quiet along those Ottawa streets on a Saturday morning. I like that old church now a home for a tech firm. Seems somehow fitting. :)

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  3. Schöne Bilder vom Rundgang am frühen Morgen sehr interessant das Einhorn. Sehr schön
    das Gebäude der "Kirche" die Farbe und das Licht vom frühen Morgen richtig gut.

    Noke

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  4. I often take photos early morning before traffic and pedestrians are out and about. I enjoyed your tour very much. I must say the pub and the church are favorite photos.
    Have a nice weekend.

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  5. ...a wonderful time of day!

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  6. The last of winter hauled away! Yay!

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  7. @Pat: it was as quiet as it gets.

    @Lowell: I wonder what it's like inside.

    @Noke: thank you!

    @Mildred: thanks!

    @Marianne: it was ideal conditions for a walk.

    @Tom: it was!

    @Sandi: hah!

    @Marie: it's gone now!

    @Francisco: thank you.

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  8. Looks nice and sunny where you are. Enjoy the weekend!

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  9. The streets are really quiet and the river is fill to the brim!

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  10. Super series of images William, I always love to see your river views. It's amazing what you see transported on the roads these days ☺

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  11. What an interesting walk you took. Lots to see. I love the unicorn art.

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  12. This unicorn looks real special, nice pictures to see !

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  13. so interesting to see a unicorn in a box.

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  14. A fabulous stroll through the city. Interesting seeing the last remains of winter being hauled away, a sight most people probably don't get to see.

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  15. @Marleen: it was a surprise to come across the unicorn the first time, and I'm glad it seems to be a permanent fixture.

    @Gunn: yes, it's sunny today, which is nice. We had a couple of days of unsettled weather.

    @Nancy: and the river's even higher than since I took these shots.

    @Grace: I've seen the shelters removed, but never where they were taken out on the roads. It's quite a process for them to get done.

    @Sharon: me too.

    @Gattina: thanks!

    @Tammie: it is.

    @RedPat: it would have to be popular.

    @Bill: it figures that it would get done on a weekend.

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  16. No clouds? No wonder there's a unicorn. This is fantasy! Lol

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  17. a unicorn. i've never been to a pub before ... sounds like a cool stop. house (ski shelter) on the move. happy weekend. ( ;

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  18. Great shots
    The unicorn must be fantastic at night.

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  19. Lovely time of day and thus great photos! Love the unicorn!

    Happy Weekend to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  20. Great tour of parts of Ottawa. You never can tell what you'll see in a day.

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  21. Interesting procession there!

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  22. That's a wide load! And I love the unicorn!

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  23. Really lovely shots. I love that first one!

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  24. The unicorn is very fascinating, the convoy of trucks taking the Rideau Canal's skating shelters away is quite impressive.

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  25. Wonderful time of the day. I love the first picture.

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  26. What a surprise. They are moving a house near us, tomorrow. I might avoid it!
    You must do a fair amount of walking. Good for you. My back goes if I walk too, too much.

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  27. Lovely to see this selection of views ...
    Thank you.

    All the best Jan

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  28. @Eve: a clear sky can be a rarity!

    @Beth: thank you.

    @Maywyn: I must come down there and see it for myself at night.

    @Carol: thank you.

    @Red: that's true.

    @Kay: that takes organization.

    @Linda: a very wide load.

    @Lady Fi: thanks!

    @Jan: I agree.

    @Klara: thank you.

    @Jennifer: I like walking.

    @Jan: you're welcome.

    @Jeanie: and for me, though I don't drink.

    @Norma: I do as well.

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