Music Beneath The Bridge

 September 26th was the date of a big party downtown, marking the bicentennial of Ottawa. What became the city dates back to 1826 and the beginning of the Rideau Canal project. The city put on multiple events in an area ranging from City Hall up through the Byward Market. I was able to get to some of it. My first stop was at Plaza Bridge, which spans the Rideau Canal as it begins its descent down to the Ottawa River. The space beneath the bridge, alongside the Canal, is wide and ideal for acoustics. A company called SoundScape put together music beneath the bridge for the occasion, with blues and purples projected within the space. When I arrived, Indigenous music was being played. When I later left the area, it was definitely East Coast Atlantic music.

The line was long, and I decided to go back up and photograph from above. I paused to take a shot of the nearby War Memorial, dramatic at night.

There is a wide central staircase leading down into the underside of Plaza Bridge. It turned out to be a good way to frame the coloured lighting down below. A careful eye might pick out busts and statues ringing this staircase at street level. They are The Valiants- Canadian military figures from across our history.

A Finale For Ottawa Christmas Lights

 The National War Memorial occupies the heart of Confederation Square, and is surrounded by landmarks like Parliament Hill, the Chateau Laurier, the Government Conference Centre, the National Arts Centre, and the Chambers. Christmas lights are strung up in the trees around it. I started walking around the perimeter, taking shots as I went.

On the northeast side of the perimeter, a series of statues and busts are gathered around a staircase that comes up from the Rideau Canal. They are collectively called The Valiants, consisting of figures from across Canadian military history. General Arthur Currie commanded Canadian forces during the last part of World War One, and by all accounts did very well with them.

I carried on.

My last stop was Parliament Hill, where the Peace Tower was illuminated in blue and purple, with snowflakes falling down the length of the tower.

City Daily Photo Theme Day: Luxury

 The first day of each month is a theme day for members of City Daily Photo. For December, that theme is Luxury. Check out how other members of the group are taking on the theme right here.

Two hotels came to mind for me for this theme, and we start with one. The Chateau Laurier is the grandest of hotels in Ottawa, opened in 1912 and built in a French Gothic Revival Chateauesque style as a compliment to the Parliament Buildings, which lie to the west. To the east, as seen from here in Major's HIll Park where we are seeing the Chateau in the distance, is the Connaught Building, a government building and castle of sorts. I took these shots a few days ago.

For the second half of his career, the pre-eminent portrait photographer of the world, Yousuf Karsh, had his studios in the Chateau. A few years ago this bust was erected in his honour outside.

Inside, the hotel is inviting, with its walls adorned with art and photographs dating back through the Chateau's history.

A look from out front and across the road. The statues and busts seen to the left are part of the collective group called The Valiants- figures of Canadian military history.

Down the road from there is another luxury hotel- the Lord Elgin Hotel. Named for a governor-general of the 19th century and dating back to 1941, it looks out over Confederation Park.

Inside, this fireplace drew my attention. This being that time of the year, Christmas decorations have already started to make their presence known in both hotels.

Two marble busts are present, flanking the main entrance. This is Maria, Lady Elgin.

And this is James Bruce, Lord Elgin.

Vantages On Canada Day

Today I'm starting a series from Canada Day. This first shot was taken the day before, from the Mackenzie King Bridge looking over the Rideau Canal. The NAC and Parliament Hill stand to the left, while the Chateau Laurier and Government Conference Centre are on the right shore. The Canal comes to an end up ahead at the final bridge in the Ottawa Locks, descending down to the Ottawa River.

On Canada Day itself, I paid a visit to two museums, the War Museum and the History Museum. Leaving the first, I crossed the Ottawa River by the Portage Bridge to the Gatineau side to get to the second. En route I noticed the Peace Tower on the Hill among the trees.

When I was finished at the History Museum, I took the Alexandra Bridge back to Ottawa and photographed views along the way.

At the Ottawa end of the bridge is an observation platform that I come to for seasonal views of Parliament Hill, something I'll have in a post later in the year. I took additional shots from here, including of a kayaker down below.

My wanderings took me into the Rideau Centre mall, where there's a pedestrian bridge linking the mall to the Bay. It's a good spot to photograph Canada Day visitors to the west.

I continued onwards. At Plaza Bridge near the War Memorial are a series of statues and busts of military figures from Canadian history collectively called The Valiants. 

Over on the other side of Plaza Bridge, I photographed the other point of view of the Rideau Canal, looking towards the Mackenzie King Bridge.

I stopped in at the National Arts Centre, though it turns out I'd missed the Canada Day concert.

And I made a visit to the National War Memorial, where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was a spot for Canadian flags to be placed. The wreaths in the background had been placed at the Memorial that morning- July 1st is also the date of the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, and at a place called Beaumont-Hamel, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment suffered horrendous losses. The occasion is still marked here each year.