Magic In The Night

 More from where I left off last night in Confederation Park.

Another art installation caught my eye. Aurora (A Long Story XI) by Lauren Pirie uses soft foam arms wrapped around each other. Lit up at night, it looked angelic.

I continued on.

Two more of the park's military monuments. The newest one honours animals in war. Beside it is a cenotaph honouring those who fought and died in the South African War.

A different look at this ice sculpture I've already shown you, backed by the Canadian Museum of Nature, depicting the Arctic eider duck. The museum has a special exhibit going on that I'll have to go see.

I was closer to the main sculptures at this point.

A Night Walk Upon A Frozen Canal

 One last look back at the Flora Bridge, now well behind me.

And then forward.

This building was already glimpsed in photos yesterday. This is Immaculata, a Catholic high school near the north end of Old Ottawa East.

Up ahead, two bridges- the 417 freeway bridge higher up and behind the Pretoria Bridge.

The Pretoria Bridge is named for the avenue that crosses over it, which is named in honour of Canadian veterans of the South African War.

Its central section can be raised to allow taller watercraft through, as the arch is relatively lower to the water. I took some shots, and departed from the Canal here. We'll return to the Canal skateway when this series comes to an end.

Call Of Empire

The British empire at the end of the 19th century could be found around the world.

Queen Victoria had seen the British empire through a long and distinguished reign.

Here we have items from her Diamond Jubilee.

In South Africa, two breakaway republics tried to assert their own independence. Dutch-descended farmers called Boers challenged British authority in two wars. Canadians would get involved in the second one as part of the empire. Eventually, seven thousand Canadians served.

This is the hat of a Canadian soldier, who placed it on an ant hill to test the accuracy of a Boer sniper. Note the hole near the top.

Uniforms had changed, with earth tones dominating the colour. In an age of increasingly accurate weapons, fighting in red serge was a thing of the past.

This field gun saw action at the Battle of Leliefontein. In time, the empire would win the war, but it became a guerilla conflict, with the Boers striking and running away.

This is the medal set of Georgina Pope, a nurse who served in the South African War with distinction, and later the First World War. She would become the first matron of the Army Medical Corps, with responsibility over all nurses.

On The March

 I attended the national service at the War Memorial on Remembrance Day. Two days prior, a snowstorm had left snow around the city, and it was of course still here. My preferred spot for these days is a spot on the northwest corner of Confederation Square. During the vigil beforehand, while people gather, a member of each service- Army, Navy, Air Force, and Royal Canadian Mounted Police- stand at post at the corners of the War Memorial.

The pipes and drums lead the flag bearers and veterans in from Wellington Street, while the bulk of other marchers come in from their mustering point in the Cartier Square Drill Hall to the south.

Flag bearers are a mix of veterans and cadets.

The ceremony is deeply meaningful, with traditions like the 21 gun salute, the moment of silence, the laying of wreaths, music, recitation of appropriate verse from veterans in three languages, and remarks by military chaplains, including a benediction. Among those wreaths that are placed is one by the Silver Cross Mother- a tradition dating back a century, and this year with a mother whose son died in active duty in the Afghan War. The pipes and drums lead the way out for the veterans afterwards. Around eleven, what had started as an overcast day started to see some breakup in the clouds, with blue sky showing itself here and there.

Behind the veterans march active duty servicemen and women, both specific units and from each branch of the service locally, given that the capital is a headquarters city. It even includes the RCMP.