Friday, November 13, 2020

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.

42 comments:

  1. Very Well fitting! Can't wait till we're respectable again

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  2. Poppies are beautiful but they are banned here. A beautiful tribute.

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  3. That is nice at night with the lightshows on the monuments!

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  4. The night displays are quite wonderful.

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  5. Hello,
    I love the poppies, what a pretty display! The memorial is beautiful.
    Take care, have a happy Friday and a great weekend!

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  6. @Cloudia: thank you.

    @Italiafinlandia: indeed.

    @Nancy: thank you.

    @Marianne: it is.

    @Anvilcloud: I agree.

    @Eileen: thanks!

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  7. ...you folks honor the day in a big way, very nice!

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  8. Wonderful Remembrance Day post William 💜

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  9. Great Remembrance Day post, the night displays are beautiful, William !

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  10. I love seeing the poppies. When I was a kid, I used to see them here at this time of year but that form of remembrance seems to have disappeared in the US.

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  11. The images on the Peace Tower are impressive.

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  12. I just came back from the Vetrans Centre at Sunnybrook where thousands of Canadian flags had been placed in the grounds to pay tribute to the vets who live there!

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  13. I finally purchased a poppy pin that I wear proudly during this period of time, and remembering all those who gave their lives in war.

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  14. Those night displays are nice to see.

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  15. @Tom: I think so.

    @Grace: thank you!

    @Jan: I thought so too.

    @Iris: I agree.

    @Karl: thanks!

    @Sharon: poppies are common here.

    @Marie: hopefully they continue, even with the work going on in the building.

    @RedPat: that doesn't surprise me.

    @DJan: good!

    @Bill: they are.

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  16. The poppies are so apt to remember our veterans by, a client of mine has them growing in her garden.

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  17. I noticed how Tony Blair was wearing a poppy on his lapel yesterday during a television interview.

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  18. A wonderful Remembrance Day post.

    All the best Jan

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  19. These photos are so well done. I like the night shots and the poppies show so brilliantly in these night photos.

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  20. Faling poppies in indeed a uniquely beautiful way of paying tribute to the fallen soldiers.

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  21. Those projections are fabulous. They'd be so inspiring and memorable to see in person.

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  22. Great shots and what an awesome tribute ^_^

    Live each moment with love,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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