As you know, I have had a bit of a problem deciding among all the many interesting courses I can take. I thought I had my Fall course selection all set, but then I came upon this course which seems interesting. Would like your thoughts if you don't mind.
Currently I am scheduled to take the following in the Fall:
The Cold War
Greek Mythology
Greek Philosophy
General Public Law
Religions and Spirituality in the Contemporary World
Yesterday I noticed there is a history course I missed the last time around, and its title is Medicine and Modernity in the US. That sounds quite interesting. But to take it I would have to drop one of the above.
I'm pretty sure I am going to take The Cold War. I guess the likely candidates to drop are the last three. For what it's worth, the profs for Greek Philosophy and the Religion courses both have exceptional teacher ratings (most of you know how I view course evaluations, but they are at least a data point). So I am not sure what to do.
Thing is, if I don't sign up for the Medicine course it will get full. But I can't sign up for it until I dropped one of the above.
Anyone? Thanks in advance!
Thursday, 30 July 2020
Wednesday, 29 July 2020
A Different Route Today
Today I decided to take a different route, and at first I had in mind to do a short walk. The weather forecasts all called for rain and possible thunderstorms, so it seemed prudent to be closer to home base. Well, as usual, after half an hour or so, my legs took me on a whole new itinerary, and the walk eventually took over three hours.
You'd think I would have learned by now!
Things started innocently enough. Somehow I found myself in Landsdowne Park.
The area, Landsdowne, is actually a rather large urban park, comprising some 40 acres. The building shown in the picture is an important landmark. It's called the Aberdeen Pavilion, and originally was for military purposes, especially during WW1. It then took on a new life as an exhibition hall, among other things. On the other side of the building you can see a monument dedicated to the Princess Patricia Light Infantry, a very famous unit in Canadian army history.
Landsdowne is now a shopping and dining mecca, and offers a lot of fancier stores and restaurants. Whole Foods, for instance, is there. But it is also home to a sports destination.
The pictures above are of TD Place Stadium. The original stadium was simply called Landsdowne Park, and for the longest while that was its name. Then in the 1990s (I think) it got renamed Frank Clair (?) Stadium, and more recently, TD Bank bought naming rights and the stadium was renamed TD Place Stadium. Notice the seats are red and black? The local CFL (Canadian Football League) team is called the Ottawa Red Blacks. I have no idea (nor interest) what that means. It was called the Rough Riders in my day, and one of my favourite players (TONY GABRIEL) was on the team. If you're reading this, Tony, you now know why.
Moving out of Landsdowne, I continued on and came across the Bank Street Bridge. Yes, another bridge in Ottawa. You shouldn't be surprised by now!
Quite a nice looking bridge, I think. The current bridge was built in 1912, replacing previous wooden structures that collapsed. The bridge crosses the Rideau Canal, which can be seen in the picture as well.
Further along, I saw this really nice cove.
At the southern edge of an area called The Glebe, this is Brown's Inlet and comprises two ponds. It's quite a pleasant spot, and there are lots of rather expensive rooms (not surprisingly) in the area.
I had little idea of where I was heading, but I kept going forward, and next thing I knew, I was at a park!
Turned out this was a part of what is called Commissioner's Park (a much larger area than the little spot I show here). And, Commissioner's Park is where the annual Ottawa Tulip Festival takes place!
In case you're wondering -- Ottawa, Tulips, huh???? --- after WW2 Holland gifted thousands of tulips to Canada for its role in liberating the country. Yeah, I know, judging from Canada's military presence today, you would never guess, but during WW1 and WW2 Canada was actually a major player (e.g. One of the five Normandy beaches was assaulted by Canada, and after WW2 Canada had the world's fourth largest navy). Anyway, so every year, around May, a massive tulip festival is held in Ottawa. At Commissioner's Park.
And not far from there, in fact, right across, is this large body of water.
This is Dow's Lake, named after an early settler in Ottawa. It's an artificial lake, which feeds into (or from?) the Rideau Canal. There's even a railway tunnel underneath, which today is used as part of the Ottawa Light Rail system. In winter, one can rent skates, etc., and in summer, canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, etc. Pretty neat to have this right on the edge of the downtown core! I took a short video of the lake as well, as shown below.
Spielberg I'm not, but hopefully it gives you a better idea about the lake.
Well, after that, I was homeward bound. And running low on water too. Till next time!
Oh, and the thunderstorms? They didn't come.
You'd think I would have learned by now!
Things started innocently enough. Somehow I found myself in Landsdowne Park.
The area, Landsdowne, is actually a rather large urban park, comprising some 40 acres. The building shown in the picture is an important landmark. It's called the Aberdeen Pavilion, and originally was for military purposes, especially during WW1. It then took on a new life as an exhibition hall, among other things. On the other side of the building you can see a monument dedicated to the Princess Patricia Light Infantry, a very famous unit in Canadian army history.
Landsdowne is now a shopping and dining mecca, and offers a lot of fancier stores and restaurants. Whole Foods, for instance, is there. But it is also home to a sports destination.
The pictures above are of TD Place Stadium. The original stadium was simply called Landsdowne Park, and for the longest while that was its name. Then in the 1990s (I think) it got renamed Frank Clair (?) Stadium, and more recently, TD Bank bought naming rights and the stadium was renamed TD Place Stadium. Notice the seats are red and black? The local CFL (Canadian Football League) team is called the Ottawa Red Blacks. I have no idea (nor interest) what that means. It was called the Rough Riders in my day, and one of my favourite players (TONY GABRIEL) was on the team. If you're reading this, Tony, you now know why.
Moving out of Landsdowne, I continued on and came across the Bank Street Bridge. Yes, another bridge in Ottawa. You shouldn't be surprised by now!
Quite a nice looking bridge, I think. The current bridge was built in 1912, replacing previous wooden structures that collapsed. The bridge crosses the Rideau Canal, which can be seen in the picture as well.
Further along, I saw this really nice cove.
At the southern edge of an area called The Glebe, this is Brown's Inlet and comprises two ponds. It's quite a pleasant spot, and there are lots of rather expensive rooms (not surprisingly) in the area.
I had little idea of where I was heading, but I kept going forward, and next thing I knew, I was at a park!
Turned out this was a part of what is called Commissioner's Park (a much larger area than the little spot I show here). And, Commissioner's Park is where the annual Ottawa Tulip Festival takes place!
In case you're wondering -- Ottawa, Tulips, huh???? --- after WW2 Holland gifted thousands of tulips to Canada for its role in liberating the country. Yeah, I know, judging from Canada's military presence today, you would never guess, but during WW1 and WW2 Canada was actually a major player (e.g. One of the five Normandy beaches was assaulted by Canada, and after WW2 Canada had the world's fourth largest navy). Anyway, so every year, around May, a massive tulip festival is held in Ottawa. At Commissioner's Park.
And not far from there, in fact, right across, is this large body of water.
This is Dow's Lake, named after an early settler in Ottawa. It's an artificial lake, which feeds into (or from?) the Rideau Canal. There's even a railway tunnel underneath, which today is used as part of the Ottawa Light Rail system. In winter, one can rent skates, etc., and in summer, canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, etc. Pretty neat to have this right on the edge of the downtown core! I took a short video of the lake as well, as shown below.
Spielberg I'm not, but hopefully it gives you a better idea about the lake.
Well, after that, I was homeward bound. And running low on water too. Till next time!
Oh, and the thunderstorms? They didn't come.
Sunday, 26 July 2020
Too hot for a real ruck
It's 34 C today! That's like 93 F. Man, I took just an easy stroll for two hours, and I thought I was in the broiler. Broiled Chunski!
Don't have a lot of new stuff to show you, but take a look at some of these:
OK, I know what you're thinking. What? Some grey concrete thing? Nah, this is cool, my friends. It was built around 1938 (?) and is the Hunter Building, which apparently contains a lot of telephone switching mechanisms for the downtown area. It doesn't look much now, but once it was quite the gem. In the deco style. I found this online, so you can see what it was like in its better days.
Pretty neat, right? I confess, I am a sucker for the art deco era. So...
Anyway, I don't think I ever showed you pics of the Bank of Canada, so here goes:
Here is the Bank of Canada. It occupies an entire city block downtown. The museum thing can be interesting, and I will go visit one day when things reopen. See the glass tower behind? And then behind the original building, and behind THAT another glass tower.
Let me show you another angle.
You know me, I like the old stuff better. I mean, glass towers are so bland. This original building is quite neat. You should see the door. Man, the whole point is to give a sense of security, I guess. In case you're wondering, the Bank of Canada is like the Fed in the US.
Both established during the Great Depression.
Talking about old stuff, I passed by this one today.
This used to be the Ottawa Jail, built in the 19th century and discontinued around the 1970s. Nowadays it's a hostel, and you can claim you have stayed in a jail! It's actually open for business right now, despite the virus thing. Not my cup of tea, but hey, a bit of history there!
And right next to it is the Ottawa Art Gallery.
I think I mentioned it before. It's free admission. Pretty cool if you're into art. See that Labo building, the grey cube thing in front? That's the UOttawa theatre! Never been. Maybe one day when they have interesting performances, I might go check it out! The tall building behind it is the Le Germain Hotel (and some condos above). Pretty fancy.
Well, that's that on a hot day. Can you feel the steam coming off those pictures?
Don't have a lot of new stuff to show you, but take a look at some of these:
OK, I know what you're thinking. What? Some grey concrete thing? Nah, this is cool, my friends. It was built around 1938 (?) and is the Hunter Building, which apparently contains a lot of telephone switching mechanisms for the downtown area. It doesn't look much now, but once it was quite the gem. In the deco style. I found this online, so you can see what it was like in its better days.
Pretty neat, right? I confess, I am a sucker for the art deco era. So...
Anyway, I don't think I ever showed you pics of the Bank of Canada, so here goes:
Here is the Bank of Canada. It occupies an entire city block downtown. The museum thing can be interesting, and I will go visit one day when things reopen. See the glass tower behind? And then behind the original building, and behind THAT another glass tower.
Let me show you another angle.
You know me, I like the old stuff better. I mean, glass towers are so bland. This original building is quite neat. You should see the door. Man, the whole point is to give a sense of security, I guess. In case you're wondering, the Bank of Canada is like the Fed in the US.
Both established during the Great Depression.
Talking about old stuff, I passed by this one today.
This used to be the Ottawa Jail, built in the 19th century and discontinued around the 1970s. Nowadays it's a hostel, and you can claim you have stayed in a jail! It's actually open for business right now, despite the virus thing. Not my cup of tea, but hey, a bit of history there!
And right next to it is the Ottawa Art Gallery.
I think I mentioned it before. It's free admission. Pretty cool if you're into art. See that Labo building, the grey cube thing in front? That's the UOttawa theatre! Never been. Maybe one day when they have interesting performances, I might go check it out! The tall building behind it is the Le Germain Hotel (and some condos above). Pretty fancy.
Well, that's that on a hot day. Can you feel the steam coming off those pictures?
Monday, 20 July 2020
Crossing to the Undiscovered Country
For the first time my walk took me across to Quebec. I've been avoiding that, for personal reasons, but today I decided to take the plunge and do a detour into the Quebec side. It was a relatively short ruck today, and it took just two and a half hours. Funny how things changed, too. When this whole lock down thing started, I did an hour and a bit, and anything approaching two hours would be a very long walk. Now, when I feel like resting, I'd do two hours. Anyway, compared to my five hour debacle on Saturday, it was a breeze today.
I went up to Rideau Hall and then onto Sussex, and came upon this
This is the Canada Research Council, the institution which gives government grants to people doing research work. Many moons ago, when doing my PhD, I had applied to them for a grant. And they turned me down. Oh well, no grudges :) Pretty impressive edifice, no?
And as I continued on Sussex, I was at the MacDonald-Cartier Bridge again (remember I showed a pic of it a few days ago). Today I decided to venture over to the Quebec side, so
It's like going into foreign lands. Notice how all the signs are in French? Not in Kansas anymore.
I crossed over, and did a little loop on the Voyageurs Pathway, with a view of Ontario back across the Ottawa River. Then I went through Gatineau a bit, planning to go back to Ontario (i.e. civilization) via the Alexandra Bridge.
And just at the foot of the bridge, still in Quebec, was the Canadian Museum of History. It's closed now, due to Covid, but here's a video of the building itself.
Heading up Alexandra Bridge to go back to Ontario. It offers pretty neat view of Ottawa.
On your left, the castle thing is Chateau Laurier. Right next to it you can see the Rideau Canal coming down to the Ottawa River. The canal was built in 1832, mainly for military purposes, since Canada was still fearing another American invasion following the War of 1812. Now it's for pleasure boats and what not. You can see, if you look very closely, a boat coming down on the canal.
Next to the canal is the Parliament building.
Once safely back in Ontario, here's a view of the bridge and the Museum of History on the Quebec side.
Continuing on, I came to the Canadian National Art Gallery, with a spider monstrosity outside the entrance.
You can see the egg basket thing under its belly too. Pretty gross. Kinda like some alien space invader.
Right across the Gallery is the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, which was originally built in the mid 19th century but was restored in the late 20th century.
After that, it was time to head home. And to stretch! Till next time!
I went up to Rideau Hall and then onto Sussex, and came upon this
This is the Canada Research Council, the institution which gives government grants to people doing research work. Many moons ago, when doing my PhD, I had applied to them for a grant. And they turned me down. Oh well, no grudges :) Pretty impressive edifice, no?
And as I continued on Sussex, I was at the MacDonald-Cartier Bridge again (remember I showed a pic of it a few days ago). Today I decided to venture over to the Quebec side, so
It's like going into foreign lands. Notice how all the signs are in French? Not in Kansas anymore.
I crossed over, and did a little loop on the Voyageurs Pathway, with a view of Ontario back across the Ottawa River. Then I went through Gatineau a bit, planning to go back to Ontario (i.e. civilization) via the Alexandra Bridge.
And just at the foot of the bridge, still in Quebec, was the Canadian Museum of History. It's closed now, due to Covid, but here's a video of the building itself.
Heading up Alexandra Bridge to go back to Ontario. It offers pretty neat view of Ottawa.
On your left, the castle thing is Chateau Laurier. Right next to it you can see the Rideau Canal coming down to the Ottawa River. The canal was built in 1832, mainly for military purposes, since Canada was still fearing another American invasion following the War of 1812. Now it's for pleasure boats and what not. You can see, if you look very closely, a boat coming down on the canal.
Next to the canal is the Parliament building.
Once safely back in Ontario, here's a view of the bridge and the Museum of History on the Quebec side.
Continuing on, I came to the Canadian National Art Gallery, with a spider monstrosity outside the entrance.
You can see the egg basket thing under its belly too. Pretty gross. Kinda like some alien space invader.
Right across the Gallery is the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, which was originally built in the mid 19th century but was restored in the late 20th century.
After that, it was time to head home. And to stretch! Till next time!
Saturday, 18 July 2020
Westward bound today
What started out as an easy stroll on a hot day (around 33C or 92F), without warning, became a 5-hour ruck. I kept going west, and by the time I decided to turn back, I had already gone just about 2.5 hours. I brought two liters of liquid (1 of gatorade and 1 of water) but I still had to stop and get a drink from a store. And in the end I still managed to lose 5 pounds due to sweating. I'm sure they will all come back after I drink 10 Diet Cokes...
Anyway, as I was saying, I headed west, for no particular reason. Passed by the War Museum again, and saw this
See the white things on the grass? Those are Canadian seagulls doing social distance! Typically Canadian, eh?
Turns out that they close off some lanes of the Sir John A MacDonald Parkway (which is large road that goes along the banks of the Ottawa River on the Ontario side) so people can walk, run, bike, etc. on weekends. Nice. That's probably why I kept going...
You probably get a sense that there are very many bridges in the area, what with the Ottawa River, the Rideau River, and the Rideau Canal crisscrossing everywhere. I have no idea what this bridge is called, but it's purely a railroad bridge and it's not used anymore. Sort of reminds me of the scene in Stand By Me. It crosses the Ottawa River, and the buildings on the other side are in Quebec.
Further along I came across a place called Remic Rapids, and there's a rock sculpture garden. It's quite pretty. It is apparently quite well known, and is the result of some international rock balancing festival a few years back (I think). There's even a Youtube thing about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tktz9VjFnGU
Check it out!
Well, I kept going, and came upon Westboro Beach. I thought it would be large piece of real estate, but it's really just a couple hundred feet of sand bordering the Ottawa River. Didn't even take any pictures of it. Some people were sunbathing and stuff, but surprisingly on a hot Saturday it wasn't packed with people. I think people in Ottawa in general are very good at following rules. After all, most of them are federal government employees and they are the ones who make the rules, so... :)
Kept going a bit more, but the scenery didn't change much afterwards, so I didn't take more pictures. I had thought about going to Britannia Beach further west, but decided against it since I was getting rather tired. Maybe on a future expedition I will make it there! Anyhow, it's been exhausting. Hope you like the pictures!
Anyway, as I was saying, I headed west, for no particular reason. Passed by the War Museum again, and saw this
See the white things on the grass? Those are Canadian seagulls doing social distance! Typically Canadian, eh?
Turns out that they close off some lanes of the Sir John A MacDonald Parkway (which is large road that goes along the banks of the Ottawa River on the Ontario side) so people can walk, run, bike, etc. on weekends. Nice. That's probably why I kept going...
You probably get a sense that there are very many bridges in the area, what with the Ottawa River, the Rideau River, and the Rideau Canal crisscrossing everywhere. I have no idea what this bridge is called, but it's purely a railroad bridge and it's not used anymore. Sort of reminds me of the scene in Stand By Me. It crosses the Ottawa River, and the buildings on the other side are in Quebec.
Further along I came across a place called Remic Rapids, and there's a rock sculpture garden. It's quite pretty. It is apparently quite well known, and is the result of some international rock balancing festival a few years back (I think). There's even a Youtube thing about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tktz9VjFnGU
Check it out!
Well, I kept going, and came upon Westboro Beach. I thought it would be large piece of real estate, but it's really just a couple hundred feet of sand bordering the Ottawa River. Didn't even take any pictures of it. Some people were sunbathing and stuff, but surprisingly on a hot Saturday it wasn't packed with people. I think people in Ottawa in general are very good at following rules. After all, most of them are federal government employees and they are the ones who make the rules, so... :)
Kept going a bit more, but the scenery didn't change much afterwards, so I didn't take more pictures. I had thought about going to Britannia Beach further west, but decided against it since I was getting rather tired. Maybe on a future expedition I will make it there! Anyhow, it's been exhausting. Hope you like the pictures!
Friday, 17 July 2020
Some new pics
I was quite exhausted today, so I decided to take it easy and do a slow two-hour stroll around town. The humidity didn't help, though, and I came back from it more worn out than before. Oh well, at least it helped kill a couple of hours.
Took some new pics and I thought I'd share them here, and lead you through another one of Chunski's wandering picture show. Here goes, in the order I came upon them today.
I started the trip by going on to campus, and here is the administrative building, Tabaret Hall. It's the Alpha Hall (for Etown references) or Main Hall (for SNC references) of UOttawa. Looks pretty grand, what with Greek columns and such. The building is closed, so I can't show you the interior. But it has a rotunda inside which is quite pretty.
Further along, here's the Department of Theatre (the theatre itself is across the street, housed alongside the Ottawa Art Gallery). Next to it, the smaller beige building, is an administrative building for graduate studies.
After that, I left campus and headed towards downtown.
A few minutes off campus we have the Shaw Centre, which is Ottawa's main convention space. I've never been inside, but it looks quite high-tech. At night, they have some colour lights inside, which shine through the glass walls. Neat. The taller building behind in is Westin. In front of the Shaw Centre is the Canal. The next pic shows it better.
This pic doesn't show the Shaw Centre, which is off the frame on your right. The bridge across the canal is the Plaza Bridge, which was built in 1912 (which replaces previous bridges which had collapsed over time). You can see the Chateau Laurier, the castle-looking thing, arguable the best hotel in Ottawa. Right in front of it is the Senate Building, which was once a main train station. It went through extensive renovations, so I guess it's quite nice inside.
Crossing the Plaza Bridge you'd see the Parliament buildings. See that copper dome thing? And the green roofs? They are in the process of refurbishing the Parliament buildings. And just to your left, if you look back along the canal, there's the National Arts Centre and its patio restaurant along the canal.
Shortly we come across the Lord Elgin Hotel, which is a rather recent hotel built in 1941. Its original aim was to compete with the Chateau Laurier (hahahahahahahaha). Anyway, it is named after Lord Elgin, the first Governor General of Canada. The hotel has yet to reopen after the closure due to Covid 19.
On my way home, I see this condo again. This is by far my favourite condo in Ottawa. It's called The Merit. I almost half expect Hercule Poirot to come out of it. It's really a stunning. If I were to buy a condo, I'd love to have this. But the average price is over a million, so....
Remember the picture I showed you a few days ago with the algae in the canal? And I said the city is in the process of getting rid of them? Well, here's one of the machines in action. But since the canal is some 120 miles long, it will take some time though....
OK, well, that's all, folks. I'll see what else I can find next time! Thanks for reading!
Took some new pics and I thought I'd share them here, and lead you through another one of Chunski's wandering picture show. Here goes, in the order I came upon them today.
I started the trip by going on to campus, and here is the administrative building, Tabaret Hall. It's the Alpha Hall (for Etown references) or Main Hall (for SNC references) of UOttawa. Looks pretty grand, what with Greek columns and such. The building is closed, so I can't show you the interior. But it has a rotunda inside which is quite pretty.
Further along, here's the Department of Theatre (the theatre itself is across the street, housed alongside the Ottawa Art Gallery). Next to it, the smaller beige building, is an administrative building for graduate studies.
After that, I left campus and headed towards downtown.
A few minutes off campus we have the Shaw Centre, which is Ottawa's main convention space. I've never been inside, but it looks quite high-tech. At night, they have some colour lights inside, which shine through the glass walls. Neat. The taller building behind in is Westin. In front of the Shaw Centre is the Canal. The next pic shows it better.
This pic doesn't show the Shaw Centre, which is off the frame on your right. The bridge across the canal is the Plaza Bridge, which was built in 1912 (which replaces previous bridges which had collapsed over time). You can see the Chateau Laurier, the castle-looking thing, arguable the best hotel in Ottawa. Right in front of it is the Senate Building, which was once a main train station. It went through extensive renovations, so I guess it's quite nice inside.
Crossing the Plaza Bridge you'd see the Parliament buildings. See that copper dome thing? And the green roofs? They are in the process of refurbishing the Parliament buildings. And just to your left, if you look back along the canal, there's the National Arts Centre and its patio restaurant along the canal.
Shortly we come across the Lord Elgin Hotel, which is a rather recent hotel built in 1941. Its original aim was to compete with the Chateau Laurier (hahahahahahahaha). Anyway, it is named after Lord Elgin, the first Governor General of Canada. The hotel has yet to reopen after the closure due to Covid 19.
On my way home, I see this condo again. This is by far my favourite condo in Ottawa. It's called The Merit. I almost half expect Hercule Poirot to come out of it. It's really a stunning. If I were to buy a condo, I'd love to have this. But the average price is over a million, so....
Remember the picture I showed you a few days ago with the algae in the canal? And I said the city is in the process of getting rid of them? Well, here's one of the machines in action. But since the canal is some 120 miles long, it will take some time though....
OK, well, that's all, folks. I'll see what else I can find next time! Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, 15 July 2020
A couple other bridges
Took a very long ruck today (11 miles). Despite drinking a litre and a half of liquid, I actually weighed three pounds less after the walk. Of course that's deceiving, since once I drink more, the weight comes back anyhow. But still...
Well, towards the end of my walk I found myself trucking alongside the Rideau Canal. Here are a couple of bridges I didn't show you before. See what you think.
This is the Pretoria Bridge, built in 1915 to replace a wooden bridge that had collapsed. The name Pretoria is based on captured Boer capital during the Boer Wars, though in the latter half of the 20th century some people thought it was too closely connected to Apartheid. That's insane, of course. It's not like the bridge was named to commemorate Apartheid. But you know, idiots existed back in the 70s too. Don't let boomers tell you otherwise. Good thing the bridge was never renamed.
It's a vertical lift bridge. The centre span of it goes upwards when boats need to pass underneath (it is a canal after all). Pretty cool with the stonework and the turrets, and even something that looks like a guard house at each end. See all the crap on the water? That's an overgrown lot of algae that the Capital Commission is beginning to eliminate. Will be a long process though. I wouldn't want to be swimming in it, lest I see the Blob!
This footbridge also crosses the Rideau Canal. Unlike the Pretoria Bridge, this is a pedestrian and cyclist bridge only. No car traffic. See the stairs going up on your right, and the bicycle ramp next to it? It's the same design on the other side of the Canal. This is the Flora Footbridge, and it actually just opened in 2019! It's named after Flora MacDonald, Canada's first woman foreign minister. Pretty cool, eh? It's a really pretty bridge, one of my faves in Ottawa.
OK, well, that's it for today, folks. Let's see what the next instalment looks like :) Till then, stay safe. And chill!
Well, towards the end of my walk I found myself trucking alongside the Rideau Canal. Here are a couple of bridges I didn't show you before. See what you think.
This is the Pretoria Bridge, built in 1915 to replace a wooden bridge that had collapsed. The name Pretoria is based on captured Boer capital during the Boer Wars, though in the latter half of the 20th century some people thought it was too closely connected to Apartheid. That's insane, of course. It's not like the bridge was named to commemorate Apartheid. But you know, idiots existed back in the 70s too. Don't let boomers tell you otherwise. Good thing the bridge was never renamed.
It's a vertical lift bridge. The centre span of it goes upwards when boats need to pass underneath (it is a canal after all). Pretty cool with the stonework and the turrets, and even something that looks like a guard house at each end. See all the crap on the water? That's an overgrown lot of algae that the Capital Commission is beginning to eliminate. Will be a long process though. I wouldn't want to be swimming in it, lest I see the Blob!
This footbridge also crosses the Rideau Canal. Unlike the Pretoria Bridge, this is a pedestrian and cyclist bridge only. No car traffic. See the stairs going up on your right, and the bicycle ramp next to it? It's the same design on the other side of the Canal. This is the Flora Footbridge, and it actually just opened in 2019! It's named after Flora MacDonald, Canada's first woman foreign minister. Pretty cool, eh? It's a really pretty bridge, one of my faves in Ottawa.
OK, well, that's it for today, folks. Let's see what the next instalment looks like :) Till then, stay safe. And chill!
Monday, 13 July 2020
Sights from today's ruck
Since school is out, I don't have much to share that's related to academic stuff. So I thought instead I'd share some of the things I see regularly on my rucks. Previously I did a run of embassy pics. Well, that ran its course. Today I passed by some places that I never show you pictures of, so maybe it's time I did.
These following pics I took on my ruck today. I am putting them here in the order I came across them on my route. Weather was nice, and it wasn't too hot. So I did a three hour trip. Maybe you can even plot out my course, at least roughly, if you follow it on a map...
This is the Minto Bridge, which was built around 1900. It crosses the Rideau River (not the canal). In the background you see a brown lego block building. That's the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The pyramid looking thing and the big antenna you see are part of the secondary building of the Ministry. This is a cool bridge, and has a lot of history.
Once crossing the bridge, and directly across from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have this monument constructed to commemorate the Canadian soldiers who fought in the defence of Hong Kong in 1941. Almost two thousand Canadians fought there, and were killed or captured as Hong Kong fell. It brings a lot of emotions every time I pass by this monument.
The Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, connecting Ottawa with Gatineau, and traverses the Ottawa River. This view is from the Ottawa side, looking over to Gatineau (which is in Quebec). BTW, Macdonal and Cartier were two of the "founding fathers" of Canada. And Macdonald was our first Prime Minister.
You can see the Alexandra Bridge, another one that connects Ottawa with Gatineau, and it also crosses the Ottawa River. Built at the end of the 19th century as a railroad bridge, it is now a major vehicular and pedestrian bridge connecting the two provinces. The high rise buildings you can on your right are offices in Gatineau, mainly Federal Government buildings.
Passing the Alexandra Bridge, I hang a right by the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, pass parliament, and then I come to the Supreme Court of Canada. No more need to be said, I suppose. Not too grandiose, but it has a certain solemness. Very nice architecture inside as well.
Continuing on, pass the National Library and Archives, is another bridge that connect Ottawa and Gatineau. You see the street lights? That's the bridge. It's called Portage Bridge, and was built in the mid 1970s. Nothing much to say about it, other than it's one of many bridges connecting the two cities. Gatineau, in case you don't sense it by now, is pretty much a bedroom community for Ottawa, and also a location for myriad federal government offices (likely to appease the Francos).
Getting rather tired now. But can't help coming over here to show you the Canadian War Museum. Doesn't it look like the alien spaceship in Independence Day??? Seriously! It's a really cool museum. If you ever visit Ottawa, I highly recommend it.
And so turning back on a homeward leg.
This is the old Waterworks building. I can't find much about it, but it's an old building which was EXTENDED in the 19th century! Looks so cool I just have to show it to you. See that little water fountain in the foreground? It's so cute.
Anyway, getting hot and bothered, so I head back through downtown on my way home.
OK, so sue me. Not much of a photographer am I. This is a view of the Laurier Bridge which spans the Rideau Canal, connecting downtown with University of Ottawa. The building you see in the background is part of the Department of National Defence. Laurier, by the way, is named after Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Canada's 7th Prime Minister.
This is taken from the Corktown Footbridge, which spans the Rideau Canal. It's for pedestrians only, and is a convenient to get to and from campus from downtown. See those locks? I guess people thought they were in Paris or something. In the distance you can see a castle. That's the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, one of my favourite hotels. And the Laurier Bridge can also be seen.
This is another view of the Corktown Footbridge. The building in the background is the Faculty of Social Sciences. See the Rideau Canal at the bottom?
Well, almost there!
On the other side of the canal, right on campus, you come to the UOttawa light rail station. It only started running last year.
And so as I keep going towards home, I come across one more footbridge.
This is the Adawe Crossing Bridge, which spans the Rideau River. It's for pedestrians and cyclists only, and it's my typical route to cross the river to get to campus.
And shortly after, I am home!
I hope you've enjoyed this little tour. Don't you feel as if you were me on my ruck today?
Till next time!
These following pics I took on my ruck today. I am putting them here in the order I came across them on my route. Weather was nice, and it wasn't too hot. So I did a three hour trip. Maybe you can even plot out my course, at least roughly, if you follow it on a map...
This is the Minto Bridge, which was built around 1900. It crosses the Rideau River (not the canal). In the background you see a brown lego block building. That's the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The pyramid looking thing and the big antenna you see are part of the secondary building of the Ministry. This is a cool bridge, and has a lot of history.
The Macdonald-Cartier Bridge, connecting Ottawa with Gatineau, and traverses the Ottawa River. This view is from the Ottawa side, looking over to Gatineau (which is in Quebec). BTW, Macdonal and Cartier were two of the "founding fathers" of Canada. And Macdonald was our first Prime Minister.
Passing the Alexandra Bridge, I hang a right by the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, pass parliament, and then I come to the Supreme Court of Canada. No more need to be said, I suppose. Not too grandiose, but it has a certain solemness. Very nice architecture inside as well.
Continuing on, pass the National Library and Archives, is another bridge that connect Ottawa and Gatineau. You see the street lights? That's the bridge. It's called Portage Bridge, and was built in the mid 1970s. Nothing much to say about it, other than it's one of many bridges connecting the two cities. Gatineau, in case you don't sense it by now, is pretty much a bedroom community for Ottawa, and also a location for myriad federal government offices (likely to appease the Francos).
Getting rather tired now. But can't help coming over here to show you the Canadian War Museum. Doesn't it look like the alien spaceship in Independence Day??? Seriously! It's a really cool museum. If you ever visit Ottawa, I highly recommend it.
And so turning back on a homeward leg.
This is the old Waterworks building. I can't find much about it, but it's an old building which was EXTENDED in the 19th century! Looks so cool I just have to show it to you. See that little water fountain in the foreground? It's so cute.
Anyway, getting hot and bothered, so I head back through downtown on my way home.
OK, so sue me. Not much of a photographer am I. This is a view of the Laurier Bridge which spans the Rideau Canal, connecting downtown with University of Ottawa. The building you see in the background is part of the Department of National Defence. Laurier, by the way, is named after Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Canada's 7th Prime Minister.
This is taken from the Corktown Footbridge, which spans the Rideau Canal. It's for pedestrians only, and is a convenient to get to and from campus from downtown. See those locks? I guess people thought they were in Paris or something. In the distance you can see a castle. That's the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, one of my favourite hotels. And the Laurier Bridge can also be seen.
This is another view of the Corktown Footbridge. The building in the background is the Faculty of Social Sciences. See the Rideau Canal at the bottom?
Well, almost there!
On the other side of the canal, right on campus, you come to the UOttawa light rail station. It only started running last year.
And so as I keep going towards home, I come across one more footbridge.
This is the Adawe Crossing Bridge, which spans the Rideau River. It's for pedestrians and cyclists only, and it's my typical route to cross the river to get to campus.
And shortly after, I am home!
I hope you've enjoyed this little tour. Don't you feel as if you were me on my ruck today?
Till next time!
Sunday, 5 July 2020
The Empire Strikes Back
Recently there's been a lot of lamentation about China's imposition of draconian security laws in Hong Kong. Some noted that it is in violation of international treaties. Others said it's infringing on human rights. And still others observed that this is an insufferable manifestation of imperialism. Don't shoot me yet till you have read my entire post.
Let me deal with each of these sentiments individually.
First, I'll take the easy one. As far as China's actions reflecting imperialistic sentiments, I don't know what the problem is. In Queen Elizabeth's times, friends and neighbours spied on friends and neighbours. Anyone found saying or writing anything against the state and the sovereign was executed. Writings were heavily censored. Oh hell, you couldn't even practice your religion unless it was protestanism. I don't see anyone crying foul over that!
Besides, China (though the name itself is a recent invention, coming just over a hundred years ago) has ALWAYS been an imperialistic power. Since Day One. We don't really expect a leopard to change its spots, no? If you know ANYTHING about history, you would realize that what is China today is multiple times larger than what was China. It was through imperial expansion and conquest that the nation expanded. Like taking over other countries. Aren't they simply taking a page from the Greeks, the Persians, the Romans, the Spanish, the Brits, the Americans? So why can't China do what they do?
Oh wait, the Queen Elizabeth I referred to was Queen Elizabeth the FIRST! And that was oh, four hundred and fifty years ago! Shit, I guess I got confused. But on the other hand, if China's state practices choose to emulate England's from four and a half centuries ago, I'll just chalk that up to their being further down on the learning curve.
Or maybe those who make decisions in Peking read 1984 and decided that they should follow that game plan. Who knows.
Imperialistic conquests created all these mighty empires. Yes, that kind of shit is out of fashion now for half a century, but again, if a country decides to be half a century or more behind human development, who are we to judge?
After all, as their Chairman Mao once wrote, power is derived from the barrel of a gun. Remember the tanks at Tiananmen Square? So nothing has changed, so be it.
Second, human rights. What rights do people have other than to serve their lords? People must know their place. Social hierarchy is important, especially after one has usurped power and overturned social hierarchy to their favour. People have rights that those in charge deem fit to give them. The lord giveth and the lord taketh. I mean, folks, look at China's human rights record. That tells the whole story anyway. Because it is convenient for them, they adopt the relativist view that human rights are relative to each country. As a side note, I do LOVE how people pick and choose bits and pieces of cultural values that suit their needs and claim that they are informed by historical values. Those that don't fit their purpose they just ignore. So convenient. And we are more the fool for abiding by that. Anyway, such is life, eh? In other words, it is whatever they deem it to be. Clear?
Third, international treaties. OK, I wasn't born yesterday, and neither are you. Why does ANYONE expect any major power to actually adhere to international law? So they signed treaties, and if they violate them, what are you going to do about it? Seriously. Just because they signed some international agreement doesn't really mean it's for real. At the end of the day, it's all about enforcement. Something that can't or won't be enforced is hardly worth the paper it's printed on.
Harry Truman wrote once that there is nothing new in the world, only the history you didn't learn. Can't agree more. There's nothing new here. Nothing that should shock us. Certainly nothing that shocks me. It's realpolitik, my friends. So I am a bully, but what can you do about it?
**************************
How you interpret what I said above depends on how well you know me. But either way, that's just my opinion. And in what is a democratic country, I thank GOD I have the right to speak my mind without worrying that some government thugs will come beat me up or send me to jail to reeducate me. To those who are upset by what China is doing (in Hong Kong and elsewhere), I guess to use my Queen Elizabeth theme, just give them four and a half centuries. Maybe by then they will join the civilized world.
Let me deal with each of these sentiments individually.
First, I'll take the easy one. As far as China's actions reflecting imperialistic sentiments, I don't know what the problem is. In Queen Elizabeth's times, friends and neighbours spied on friends and neighbours. Anyone found saying or writing anything against the state and the sovereign was executed. Writings were heavily censored. Oh hell, you couldn't even practice your religion unless it was protestanism. I don't see anyone crying foul over that!
Besides, China (though the name itself is a recent invention, coming just over a hundred years ago) has ALWAYS been an imperialistic power. Since Day One. We don't really expect a leopard to change its spots, no? If you know ANYTHING about history, you would realize that what is China today is multiple times larger than what was China. It was through imperial expansion and conquest that the nation expanded. Like taking over other countries. Aren't they simply taking a page from the Greeks, the Persians, the Romans, the Spanish, the Brits, the Americans? So why can't China do what they do?
Oh wait, the Queen Elizabeth I referred to was Queen Elizabeth the FIRST! And that was oh, four hundred and fifty years ago! Shit, I guess I got confused. But on the other hand, if China's state practices choose to emulate England's from four and a half centuries ago, I'll just chalk that up to their being further down on the learning curve.
Or maybe those who make decisions in Peking read 1984 and decided that they should follow that game plan. Who knows.
Imperialistic conquests created all these mighty empires. Yes, that kind of shit is out of fashion now for half a century, but again, if a country decides to be half a century or more behind human development, who are we to judge?
After all, as their Chairman Mao once wrote, power is derived from the barrel of a gun. Remember the tanks at Tiananmen Square? So nothing has changed, so be it.
Second, human rights. What rights do people have other than to serve their lords? People must know their place. Social hierarchy is important, especially after one has usurped power and overturned social hierarchy to their favour. People have rights that those in charge deem fit to give them. The lord giveth and the lord taketh. I mean, folks, look at China's human rights record. That tells the whole story anyway. Because it is convenient for them, they adopt the relativist view that human rights are relative to each country. As a side note, I do LOVE how people pick and choose bits and pieces of cultural values that suit their needs and claim that they are informed by historical values. Those that don't fit their purpose they just ignore. So convenient. And we are more the fool for abiding by that. Anyway, such is life, eh? In other words, it is whatever they deem it to be. Clear?
Third, international treaties. OK, I wasn't born yesterday, and neither are you. Why does ANYONE expect any major power to actually adhere to international law? So they signed treaties, and if they violate them, what are you going to do about it? Seriously. Just because they signed some international agreement doesn't really mean it's for real. At the end of the day, it's all about enforcement. Something that can't or won't be enforced is hardly worth the paper it's printed on.
Harry Truman wrote once that there is nothing new in the world, only the history you didn't learn. Can't agree more. There's nothing new here. Nothing that should shock us. Certainly nothing that shocks me. It's realpolitik, my friends. So I am a bully, but what can you do about it?
**************************
How you interpret what I said above depends on how well you know me. But either way, that's just my opinion. And in what is a democratic country, I thank GOD I have the right to speak my mind without worrying that some government thugs will come beat me up or send me to jail to reeducate me. To those who are upset by what China is doing (in Hong Kong and elsewhere), I guess to use my Queen Elizabeth theme, just give them four and a half centuries. Maybe by then they will join the civilized world.
Saturday, 4 July 2020
Famous Last Words
"When They Are Happy."
Apparently those were the last words of Alexander the Great, as he was in his deathbed. His generals had asked him when he should receive divine honours, to be one with the gods.
The man died at the peak of his powers. What a way to go. But it also shows how ephemeral worldly things and achievements are. A man who in his 20s had conquered all of Greece and the surrounding states, ruled Persia, and conquered India, died from too much partying. A fucking fever killed the world's greatest warrior.
What odds do we mere mortals have?
(Note: well, at least that is one version of how he died. We're here talking about something that happened some 2,300 years ago, so who the hell knows for sure?)
************************************
On a more amusing note, how would you pronounce the name of this restaurant???
Apparently those were the last words of Alexander the Great, as he was in his deathbed. His generals had asked him when he should receive divine honours, to be one with the gods.
The man died at the peak of his powers. What a way to go. But it also shows how ephemeral worldly things and achievements are. A man who in his 20s had conquered all of Greece and the surrounding states, ruled Persia, and conquered India, died from too much partying. A fucking fever killed the world's greatest warrior.
What odds do we mere mortals have?
(Note: well, at least that is one version of how he died. We're here talking about something that happened some 2,300 years ago, so who the hell knows for sure?)
************************************
On a more amusing note, how would you pronounce the name of this restaurant???
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