Blogs from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, North America - page 7

It's 22.54 on the 24th of April. So we're settling in nicely here in Ottawa, and time is already starting to pass at an alarming rate. We got up Thursday at the usual time and had our breakfast - I even managed to get up for a run beforehand. We headed then back out into the garden to continue with the house, which was, by this point, only half complete after 2 days work, if that. The next big step for us was to construct the A frame and beam for the swings, attach it to the 'fort', then begin putting together the slide on the other side. Kate and I got on with that, while Rosie and Matt continued to clear the garden and then help out with laundry and cleaning in the barn. The ... read more

The 37th edition (2015) of ‘Winterlude’, one of North America’s foremost winter festivals, will take place Jan 30 - Feb 16. It features dozens of athletic (e.g. a Winter triathlon; skating on the world’s largest rink), cultural, indoor and outdoor recreational events and just plain fun for kids and adults alike. It’s best known for its ice sculptures, produced by amateurs and professionals, individuals and teams, and local and international master sculptors from around the world. It regularly attracts some 600,000 visitors. For lots of information about all the activities, go to: http://www.canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1416244168510. The ice sculptures are located in the one square block Confederation Park, right across the street from City Hall. On Day One dozens of individual artisans are given 24 hours to prepare th... read more

If you live in Canada, chances are you can keep on dreaming. Senior climatologists predict that this may well be the warmest winter in recorded history all across the country. In the national capital, Ottawa, we normally expect one to two feet (33 to 66 cm) of snow by Christmas, sometimes more. This year 2014 presented us with an almost unheard of situation … a GREEN Christmas! Here are a couple of shots of previous Christmases, contrasted with some of the 2014 variety. Of course we can’t really complain, because it certainly beats the previous winter, when snow and frigid temperatures seemed never-ending. I just wish the Weather Man would get his act together and learn to practise some moderation!... read more

God, does 3 am ever come early! We meet our traveling companions in the lobby. There is a bag breakfast for each of us, which we gulp down on the way to the airport. Interesting to see the lack of traffic at this hour, since Bangkok's highways have always been jampacked before. Our flight is from Bangkok to Tokyo Narita airport, a nine-hour haul on airline ANA. Little leg room, and I am seated behind a guy who insists on reclining (even after I politely explain the situation to him) and who constantly wiggles and bounces on my two patellas. Thankfully, we have a spare seat in our group of three where I can extend my legs. Otherwise I would have had to move seats. We have to undergo security checks once again in Tokyo, a ... read more

Ottawa has many beautiful places of worship, representing many faiths and denominations. Probably the most splendid of all is the Cathedral-Basilica of our Lady (Notre-Dame). It’s small by European standards, but the interior is a real gem of devotion and craftsmanship. Construction began in 1841 on the site of an earlier small wooden church. “Bytown” (Ottawa’s first name) had only a small population at that time and the parishioners were only able to start on what would eventually become a great edifice. The initial work continued for 24 years and, although it was far from completed inside, the church was designated a cathedral in 1847. It was raised to basilica status in 1879. Work proceeded gradually, done mostly by distinguished Canadian artisans, with occasional foreign help. Casavant installed the first organ in 1850, and eight years ... read more

It has long been customary for farming communities throughout North America to hold an agricultural Fair in the late Summer or early Autumn, usually just before the kids return to school. The area around Canada’s capital is no exception, and these traditional events have been thriving there ever since the mid 19th century. Here are some photos from Country Fairs in Carp (149th), Navan (123rd), Richmond (168th) and elsewhere in the lower Ottawa Valley. Here’s hoping they bring back memories to older viewers, or inspire the younger generation to delve deeper into their own local traditions.... read more