City Daily Photo Theme Day: Best Of The Year

Gatineau is on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River. I don't get over here as often as I should, but one reason I do come is this, the Canadian Museum of History, seen last winter, with the curatorial wing at left and the exhibition wing at right. Parliament Hill can be seen between them, across the river.

The Museum is a wonder, looking at Canadian history. This is the Grand Hall, a space with totem poles and facades of Pacific Northwest homes. 

And no visit to this place is complete without looking up at the artistic pleasure that is Morning Star, a large mural by Alex Janvier. This is my favourite painting in the national capital region.

February is a time for Winterlude on both sides of the river. In Gatineau, Jacques Cartier Park is turned into a large winter playground, with snow slides erected.

Snow sculptures are also put up.

This one I'm using for my header at the moment.

This bas relief is on the back of the big slides.

Warmer weather, then. Gatineau also takes part in the Canadian Tulip Festival in May. This bed, near the Portage complex, is always one that I stop to photograph.

Back to the Museum of History, where tulips can be found between the two wings.

And they can also be found in Jacques Cartier Park.

I went to the Museum on Canada Day, and once again was in the Grand Hall.

Outside, on what was a day affected by the smoke of forest fires, is a sculpture in a reflecting pool. This is by the First Nations artist Mary Anne Barkhouse, and is titled namaxsala (To Travel In A Boat Together). The sculpture is inspired by a story from her grandfather about him giving a wolf a ride through treacherous waters in his canoe.

These are from the fall, and taken as I passed by the Museum of History on the Alexandra Bridge. The fall colours were lovely. Tomorrow I take you into the Gatineau Hills to round out this look back at last year in the blog.