New Edinburgh Visit

For those of you not on Facebook or otherwise aware, have a look right here at a post from my writer's blog for how my weekend went. I guarantee yours was better.

The Rideau Falls are enchanting. On this particular day the flow was strong.

The fall colours along the bank caught my eye shortly before I crossed the bridge going over the east branch.

A view from above.

And this is from the overlook on Green Island.

Across the river again, to Leamy Lake Park on the Gatineau side.

And once more at the bridge.

From here I went towards some of the monuments occupying the park. 

This was actually my last shot of that day (the mobile battery gave out at this point and I wasn't able to photograph the west branch of the falls). This statue of Canadian soldier, doctor, and poet John McCrae is one of a matching pair; the other is in his hometown of Guelph, Ontario. McCrae is the author of the poem In Flanders Fields, written after the death of a friend during the First World War while he was serving at the front.

Earlier in this visit I had approached the main entrance of Rideau Hall, which stands amid some of the best addresses in the city. Across Sussex Drive is 24 Sussex Drive, the official residence of the Prime Minister. A police gatehouse is all we can really see of it, at left. And the residence is under renovations at the moment and the PM and his family are living at one of the residences on the grounds at Rideau Hall. At the heart of the large roundabout here is a statue of Queen Elizabeth II. With the work going on at Parliament Hill, the statue has been moved here. A fitting decision, I think.

Turning around, a look towards the main gate for Rideau Hall. The property is a bit under eighty acres, and much of that is accessible to the public for a walk.

Another turn and we see at right 7 Rideau Gate. This is an official residence used by the government to house foreign dignitaries during visits. Tomorrow we venture onto the grounds of Rideau Hall.