September 7, 2010

So tomorrow is finally back to school for yours truly! Hence, in honor of all things academic, I thought I would share with you a picture from the University of Ottawa, my home away from home.

This picture is of Tabaret Hall, which is perhaps the most iconic building on campus. Heck, it's so iconic, it ended up on the University of Ottawa shield. Now home to offices, I have had the pleasure of gracing it's halls, mostly in regards to paying tuition, picking up student ID's, and getting proof that I'm a full-time student. Nevertheless, the beauty of this building, even when I am doing the most basic tasks, always sets me back.

September 6, 2010

Happy Labor Day!

A cold, gloomy day needs a cold, gloomy picture. In this case, it's a picture of the National Gallery of Canada. Home to all things artistic and Canadian, the Gallery is another museum filled with light. Though I personally find some of the permanent exhibits ho-hum, I nevertheless like to visit the traveling exhibits and the gift shop. Seriously, they have one of the best gift shops I have ever been to at a museum. And I dig me a good gift shop.

September 5, 2010

Well, after a week of heat and humidity, the temperature is hovering around 15 degrees and I like it. I like it a lot. So as I a result, I'm sharing with you guys a nice "indoor" picture today.



Today's picture is from inside the Peace Tower (yes, my friends, you can go in it!). At the base of the tower, there is the Memorial Chamber, which is dedicated to the men and women who loss their lives defending our country in countless wars. It's a room rich in symbolism, but I'll let you check that out for yourself.

Overall, it's a quiet, respectful room, filled with dignity for those who have died so that we can be free.

September 4, 2010

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

It's the last long weekend of the summer, the temperature is dropping, and hopefully, the rain will hold off so I can go to a very interesting festival tomorrow night. Pictures, of course, will follow.



So we're still hanging around the Canadian Museum of Nature, mostly because it's cool and newly renovated. What more could I want?

Today, I'm sharing with you a shot from one of the galleries. More specifically, this is from the RBC Blue Water Gallery, which deals with all things aquatic. This, my fine internet friends, is the rib cage of a blue whale, who's body was washed up on show in Newfoundland. Needless to say, they carefully put her back together (yes, she is a lovely lady!) and have concluded that she was more than likely killed by a ship that broke her spine. Poor Ms. Whale.

However, the sheer size of it makes me think of all things related to being swallowed by a whale. Though I know that this is scientifically impossible because blue whales eat tiny stuff and have the teeth to prove it, it is still an interesting thought!

September 3, 2010

Happy Friday friends!

Hopefully, today will be the last day of this terrible heat wave and we'll be back down to seasonal temperatures. Fingers crossed!

So back to the Canadian Museum of Nature. This picture was taken from the 3rd or 4th floor of the building, looking down onto the front lobby. It made me feel like I was looking down on little ants. Plus I was also able to see some of the awesome architectural details of the building. The building is in least a 100 years old and thanks to it's age, has so many interesting architectural details that newer buildings do not. I'm sure I'll show you more, especially once you discover my obsession with ceilings and windows!

September 2, 2010

As promised, starting today, I'll share with you some pictures of the Canadian Museum of Nature. It was recently re-opened after several years of renovations, which resulted in updated exhibitions and this really awesome addition called the Queens Lantern.

I went on a Thursday night which is good because it is free from 5 pm to 8 pm, but is bad because well, there are A LOT of families, children, and tourists running around. Needless to say, this did not make picture taking the easiest!

So to start at the beginning, here is possibly the most noticeable change to the museum, the Queens Lantern. Named in honor of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II, this glass lantern replaced a tower that used to be there, but was removed because it was sinking. It's really quite beautiful and it brings so much light into the museum.

September 1, 2010

Eek! Where did the summer go? Or for that matter, where did my blog go? Thanks to a good friend who added me to her favorites (Thanks K!), I realized that I haven't updated my blog since, um, April.

Needless to say, there is also a backlog of Ottawa pictures. I suppose that will save me time in regards to taking pictures. So perhaps September can be my new start-over point.

This picture was taken from the Sommerset Pedestrian Bridge overlooking the Rideau Canal. In the distance, you can see Parliament Hill and the Chateau Laurier. I was on my way to the Museum of Nature, which I will have pictures of in the upcoming days.

So Happy End of Summer! And here's to a beautiful autumn and an new school year!