Poppies

For years, in the evenings leading up to Remembrance Day,  a projection of falling poppies is shown on Centre Block on Parliament Hill. This has continued, even with the work going on inside the building at present. I came down the night before Remembrance Day.

The projector itself has images of Canadian servicemen and women from across time, on both sides of the machine.

A short walk away, I went to an overlook of the Government Conference Centre, which is presently housing the Senate while work continues in Centre Block. Falling poppies were being projected onto the pillars at its north side.

The National Arts Centre was taking part in this as well, with images of Canadians in war shown on the glass lantern, mixed with poppies. The building is diagonally across from the National War Memorial.

I think the War Memorial is best seen at night, lit up like this. The Memorial is one of commemoration and mourning, not of celebration. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier contains the body of a Canadian soldier who fell at the Battle of Vimy Ridge.

The following day, on Remembrance Day afternoon, I returned, first stopping at Confederation Park a couple of blocks south, where among the military memorials is the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument, seen here in silhouette. 

I went back up to the War Memorial. Wreaths had been placed in a scaled down service earlier in the day, but members of the public at this point in time were able to visit and pay their respects.

Since the installation of the Tomb, it has been customary for the public to place poppies on it at Remembrance Day.