This weekend is Doors Open Ottawa, and there are 108 locations - far too many to see in one weekend so you have to pick and choose. We chose Parliament and the Supreme Court.
Reflection of some Parliamentary office buildings
The Supreme Court of Canada
In the entryway
Where the big decisions get made
What the Supreme Court Justices wear. Yes, there's lots of pomp and circumstance left over from being associated with the British for so long. (Pardon the odd camera angle; it's the only one where light from the windows wasn't reflecting back into the camera.)
The Centre Block of Parliament. The tower in the middle is called the Peace Tower.
The East Block. There's a West Block too but I didn't snap a pic of that. The rooftops of all the Parliament Buildings, incidentally, are green because they are made out of copper.
Mountie and me. Mountie is short for Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or RCMP. It's Canada's answer to the USA's FBI. The fountain behind us has national and provincial symbols on it and the Centennial Flame in the middle. In the far background is the Centre Block and Peace Tower.
I know I'm really supposed to be looking at the statue of former Prime Minister John A. Macdonald above, but this statue underneath him really caught my eye. It's so graceful and majestic.
The detail is incredible. This photo doesn't do it justice.
View of the Ottawa River from Parliament Hill
The Library of Parliament
Inside the Centre Block - the architecture is stunning.
View from inside the Peace Tower
A Mari usque ad Mare ("From Sea to Sea"), Canada's motto, was derived from Psalm 72:8 in the Bible. The beaver is an emblem of Canada, and has had a greater impact on the history and exploration of Canada than any other animal or plant species. (more)
Speak of the devil...
Despite having previously lived in Beaverton, Oregon - a town named for the once-plentiful beavers in that area, we never saw even one until we came to Canada. Here, they're everywhere - from wilderness to public parks to large lawns in the middle of town.
Here, a mother beaver brings some food for her babies, to their home right on the Parliament lawn. This was a lucky shot - she was running fast.
She has some beautiful babies.
3 babies
Mom comes out to investigate us. Look how she uses her little hands to eat.
Uh-oh. Mom is really gonna check me out, now.
I was crouching to take their pictures. She got about a foot or so from me, and would have gotten even closer, but her sudden dash in my direction startled me and I almost fell backward. (Do these things bite?) What a beautiful creature she is.
