Views From The High Ground

Here on Parliament Hill is the Summer Pavilion, a lovely structure for a break and taking in the views.

Nearby, a series of panels, and room for more. This is the Canadian Police And Peace Officers Memorial. Names are inscribed of officers who have fallen in the line of duty. Each September, there is a national service of remembrance here.

Here we see West Block. At present, the House of Commons is meeting inside.

There is a rise of land overlooking both Centre and West Block, the highest ground on the Hill. Queen Victoria has a statue here.

Nearby, another of our great prime ministers, Lester Pearson.

To the west, the Confederation and Justice Blocks, and the Supreme Court. 

And we finish with a statue of Prime Minister Robert Borden.

Portage

A reminder to members of City Daily Photo that the theme for the first of July is Water. 

Fitting that I'm here today, as my location for that theme day is going to be taken from the Portage Bridge. This bridge crosses the Ottawa River from Ottawa into Gatineau, coming out at the government Portage complex. Here at its end, there is a lovely bed of tulips that I seem to always have to myself when I drop by in May, when the city takes part in the Tulip Festival.

Off across from the formal bed, tulips grow in the grass. Evidence of the presence of squirrel gardeners doing their own work.

The Falls In Late Winter

It was time for a new header. This one dates to last May, taken in Commissioners Park during the Tulip Festival. 

A few days back, on the last day of the winter, I paid a visit to the Chaudiere Falls, where the Ottawa River meets a series of islands between Ottawa and Gatineau, and where the main channel tumbles down falls and cascades, a total height of fifteen meters and a total width of sixty meters. It is ringed by a ring dam which diverts for hydro purposes. 

The Chaudiere Bridge is immediately downstream. Also visible in the distance are the Portage Bridge and Parliament Hill.

I have not been up here in winter, albeit in late winter. Not everything was accessible, but enough was that it was worth the trip.

I was able to approach between two of the old industrial buildings.

Check out this video.

More from here tomorrow.

The Bright Colours Of The Ottawa Fall

More autumn beauty today. I was on the grounds of the Supreme Court of Canada one day when I took these shots.

A short walk away, on Victoria Island, en route to photograph the view of the Ottawa River from upstream of Parliament Hill as I do twice a month, I took these shots from the Portage Bridge.

On my way back, this tree caught my eye with its bright red.

This is a tree in Centretown that I try to photograph each year. This year it was late, in October, before I could get to it. This tree is the earliest one that I know of to start changing colours in the city, usually already in August.

Nearby, these shots were taken in Dundonald Park.

While this was close to home.

On another day, I was passing through the Glebe, and took shots as I walked through the neighbourhood of fall colours. We'll pick up here tomorrow.