Ooops...
I was working in the Peace Tower yesterday and was talking to some visitors (as usual). I asked them where they were from, and they told me the name of the city. I didn`t recognise the name, so I asked them if it was far from Ottawa. They said that it was a suburb of Ottawa...
Yup, I`ve been here for four months folks! I know most of them, but it must be a little further out of town. I guess it doesn`t help that I don`t really go out of the centre of town that often, as I don`t really have any need to.
August 21, 2005
Update, finally...
OK, OK, OK -I know that the updates have been slow in coming. But in all fairness, I`ve been so busy that I haven`t had the chance to update, nor to send out any emails in the past few days. What have I been doing you ask? Well:
Since I don`t exactly remember in what order I`ve done things over the past few days, I`ll just write. I went to the Contemporary Photography Museum during one of my split shifts. There was a really cool exhibit on by Michael Semak, a Canadian photographer. During the split I also tried a beaver tail, for the first time ever. I decided to go all out, and get one with maple butter, chocolate, and nuts (queue c'est bon -sorry for the pun). We also had a BBQ at Anna`s place, since she`s leaving early to practise with the McGill soccer team. I also met up with Kyla, and we went to the Festival de Lumière (lots of cool lanterns, and fire dancers). Apart from that, I`ve been working, eating, and sleeping.
I`ve only got two weeks left here in Ottawa, which is a bit scary to think about.
OK, OK, OK -I know that the updates have been slow in coming. But in all fairness, I`ve been so busy that I haven`t had the chance to update, nor to send out any emails in the past few days. What have I been doing you ask? Well:
Since I don`t exactly remember in what order I`ve done things over the past few days, I`ll just write. I went to the Contemporary Photography Museum during one of my split shifts. There was a really cool exhibit on by Michael Semak, a Canadian photographer. During the split I also tried a beaver tail, for the first time ever. I decided to go all out, and get one with maple butter, chocolate, and nuts (queue c'est bon -sorry for the pun). We also had a BBQ at Anna`s place, since she`s leaving early to practise with the McGill soccer team. I also met up with Kyla, and we went to the Festival de Lumière (lots of cool lanterns, and fire dancers). Apart from that, I`ve been working, eating, and sleeping.
I`ve only got two weeks left here in Ottawa, which is a bit scary to think about.
August 17, 2005
Mussels, CWM, Ethiopian Food...
Last night I went for all-you-can-eat mussels for Chantalle`s (one of the guides) birthday at a seafood restaurant in the market. I`ve been feeling like mussels for a while, so it was nice to finally have some. We ended up closing down the kitchen :)
Today I went to the new Canadian War Museum to see the rest of the exhibit that I didn`t have time to see on the opening day in May. I got in for free, and went through the Second World War (and saw Hitler`s car) and Peacekeeping sections of the museum. The new war museum is really incredible. They do a very balanced job of explaining the war, including the internment of the Japanese Canadians during WWII.
This evening I went for Ethiopian food for the first time ever at a cool restaurant called the Horn of Africa. The food was amazingly good, and reasonably priced. You ate the food with your hands, using injera (a spongy flatbread, made from slightly fermented batter that tastes a bit like sourdough) to scoop up the various dishes. The sauces weren`t overly hot, but were nicely spiced. I`m planning on going again before I leave it was so good!
Last night I went for all-you-can-eat mussels for Chantalle`s (one of the guides) birthday at a seafood restaurant in the market. I`ve been feeling like mussels for a while, so it was nice to finally have some. We ended up closing down the kitchen :)
Today I went to the new Canadian War Museum to see the rest of the exhibit that I didn`t have time to see on the opening day in May. I got in for free, and went through the Second World War (and saw Hitler`s car) and Peacekeeping sections of the museum. The new war museum is really incredible. They do a very balanced job of explaining the war, including the internment of the Japanese Canadians during WWII.
This evening I went for Ethiopian food for the first time ever at a cool restaurant called the Horn of Africa. The food was amazingly good, and reasonably priced. You ate the food with your hands, using injera (a spongy flatbread, made from slightly fermented batter that tastes a bit like sourdough) to scoop up the various dishes. The sauces weren`t overly hot, but were nicely spiced. I`m planning on going again before I leave it was so good!
August 15, 2005
Guide Ball...
Last night was the annual guide ball in the West Block ballroom. This year it was Oscar themed, which made it easy to dress up for. I wore a new blue shirt that I bought at Simons in Québec, with a black suit. It was a really fun evening. Almost all of the guides were there, including the East Block guides, the infotenters, and some of the scanners.
Équipe Avenir -Hugo, Monic, Graeme, Laura, Stephen, Karissa
There was lots of food, and being that it was the Oscars there were awards for everyone! They were all funny, although most of them were inside jokes. For example, Meena won the "most visible minority" (she always jokes about how she`s brown), and Genviève won "most communist monopoly player" (her and I shared money and land while playing Monopoly). I wasn`t too surprised by my prize -"Scariest Spice". After the food and awards was lots of dancing.
Today is the Fête Nationale de l'Acadie! It`s been 400 years of French settlement in Acadia, and 250 years since Le Grand Dérangement (the deportations by the British).
Last night was the annual guide ball in the West Block ballroom. This year it was Oscar themed, which made it easy to dress up for. I wore a new blue shirt that I bought at Simons in Québec, with a black suit. It was a really fun evening. Almost all of the guides were there, including the East Block guides, the infotenters, and some of the scanners.
Équipe Avenir -Hugo, Monic, Graeme, Laura, Stephen, Karissa
There was lots of food, and being that it was the Oscars there were awards for everyone! They were all funny, although most of them were inside jokes. For example, Meena won the "most visible minority" (she always jokes about how she`s brown), and Genviève won "most communist monopoly player" (her and I shared money and land while playing Monopoly). I wasn`t too surprised by my prize -"Scariest Spice". After the food and awards was lots of dancing.
Today is the Fête Nationale de l'Acadie! It`s been 400 years of French settlement in Acadia, and 250 years since Le Grand Dérangement (the deportations by the British).
August 13, 2005
Happy Birthday Castro...
Today, August 13th, is Fidel Castro`s birthday. I was reading a bit about him in The Embassy (a Canadian foreign affairs newsweekly). They printed part of an early speech by him after his revolutionary victory (you can read translations of his speeches from 1959 to 1996).
Here`s a few things that he said on January 3, 1959 in Santiago de Cuba, and I quote:
-[The President] will decree the re-establishment of all rights and freedoms, including the absolute freedom of the press (there`s 2 TV stations in Cuba today)
-I will not go and live in Havana because I want to live in Sierra Maestra...
-I [do not] intend to exercise any power greater than that of the President of the Republic (at the time it was Dr. Manuel Urrutia)
Today, August 13th, is Fidel Castro`s birthday. I was reading a bit about him in The Embassy (a Canadian foreign affairs newsweekly). They printed part of an early speech by him after his revolutionary victory (you can read translations of his speeches from 1959 to 1996).
Here`s a few things that he said on January 3, 1959 in Santiago de Cuba, and I quote:
-[The President] will decree the re-establishment of all rights and freedoms, including the absolute freedom of the press (there`s 2 TV stations in Cuba today)
-I will not go and live in Havana because I want to live in Sierra Maestra...
-I [do not] intend to exercise any power greater than that of the President of the Republic (at the time it was Dr. Manuel Urrutia)
August 12, 2005
The Day...
I met up with my parents again last night for dinner (we went to The Black Tomato, which was incredibly good). Sitting at the table next to us, totally par hasard, was Sarah (one of the guides) with her mother, grandmother, and sister.
This morning I bought Shake Hands With the Devil, by Roméo Dallaire, after meeting up with Adeline for breakfast before she leaves for Taiwan. I went to his office and got a sticker that he had signed placed into the front cover of my book. My parents stopped in for a quick visit while I was working today, before they head back to BC tomorrow morning.
There were a few cool groups that came through today while I was working out front. First there was an Israeli-Palestinian Peace Camp that came through. The campers were from Israel and Palestine, and some had never talked to people from the other side of the divide. It`s all privately funded; a lot of it by the former Israeli ambassador. Actually, the wife of the former ambassador came on the tour. It was fascinating to hear from the leaders a bit about the camp, some of the stories, and what they were doing. We also had a group of Iraqi scientists, as well as the Iraqi Minister of the Environment come for a tour this afternoon.
I had a lady in the Memorial Chamber this evening who`s uncle fought in WWII -from southern Italy through to the liberation of Holland. She told me a few stories, and I found one really fascinating. It was of the troops marching single-file though a vinyard in Italy. Her uncle was quitely talking to the soldier behind him, when he noticed that he wasn`t responding. After a few seconds, he turned around and the man had been shot dead -as well as the other soldiers in the row behind him. The sniper was using a silencer, and her uncle would`ve been his next target. When they located the sniper hiding in a tree, they found out that he was a 10-year old boy who had been trained by the Italians...
I met up with my parents again last night for dinner (we went to The Black Tomato, which was incredibly good). Sitting at the table next to us, totally par hasard, was Sarah (one of the guides) with her mother, grandmother, and sister.
This morning I bought Shake Hands With the Devil, by Roméo Dallaire, after meeting up with Adeline for breakfast before she leaves for Taiwan. I went to his office and got a sticker that he had signed placed into the front cover of my book. My parents stopped in for a quick visit while I was working today, before they head back to BC tomorrow morning.
There were a few cool groups that came through today while I was working out front. First there was an Israeli-Palestinian Peace Camp that came through. The campers were from Israel and Palestine, and some had never talked to people from the other side of the divide. It`s all privately funded; a lot of it by the former Israeli ambassador. Actually, the wife of the former ambassador came on the tour. It was fascinating to hear from the leaders a bit about the camp, some of the stories, and what they were doing. We also had a group of Iraqi scientists, as well as the Iraqi Minister of the Environment come for a tour this afternoon.
I had a lady in the Memorial Chamber this evening who`s uncle fought in WWII -from southern Italy through to the liberation of Holland. She told me a few stories, and I found one really fascinating. It was of the troops marching single-file though a vinyard in Italy. Her uncle was quitely talking to the soldier behind him, when he noticed that he wasn`t responding. After a few seconds, he turned around and the man had been shot dead -as well as the other soldiers in the row behind him. The sniper was using a silencer, and her uncle would`ve been his next target. When they located the sniper hiding in a tree, they found out that he was a 10-year old boy who had been trained by the Italians...
August 11, 2005
Montréal and Québec...
I just got back late last night from three days in Montréal and Québec with my parents. We drove to Montréal on Monday morning, and spent two hours there shopping, and drove through a bit of the city (past McGill, Outremont, etc.). We continued on to Trois-Rivières where we stopped for a coffee and a walk along the St.-Laurent. We arrived in Québec a little while later, and stopped in at our hotel. We wandered around the upper-old town for a bit, and had dinner at a crêpe restaurant.
The next day we walked by the Citadel, and along the Dufferin Terasse, before arriving at Château Frontenac. I took off on my own to the Museum of Civilisation in Québec, which was having a cool exhibit about Russia. I was able to get in for free, thanks to my Parliamentary pass. The museum was really cool, and I loved the Russian part. I met up with my parents in the evening, and we went for dinner at an Italian place near the old town. I also got them to try squeaky cheese. Mmmmm, squeaky cheese. I wish they had it on the West Coast.
Yesterday, we had breakfast at Chez Cora`s in Ste. Foy, then drove around Ile d'Orléans, which is a farming island in the St. Laurence River. We drove back to Ste. Foy, and did some shopping. I bought a cool blue shirt at Simons. We drove to Montréal, and had poutines there late in the evening. Then it was back to Ottawa for midnight. At least I`m working later today, at 12h10.
I just got back late last night from three days in Montréal and Québec with my parents. We drove to Montréal on Monday morning, and spent two hours there shopping, and drove through a bit of the city (past McGill, Outremont, etc.). We continued on to Trois-Rivières where we stopped for a coffee and a walk along the St.-Laurent. We arrived in Québec a little while later, and stopped in at our hotel. We wandered around the upper-old town for a bit, and had dinner at a crêpe restaurant.
The next day we walked by the Citadel, and along the Dufferin Terasse, before arriving at Château Frontenac. I took off on my own to the Museum of Civilisation in Québec, which was having a cool exhibit about Russia. I was able to get in for free, thanks to my Parliamentary pass. The museum was really cool, and I loved the Russian part. I met up with my parents in the evening, and we went for dinner at an Italian place near the old town. I also got them to try squeaky cheese. Mmmmm, squeaky cheese. I wish they had it on the West Coast.
Yesterday, we had breakfast at Chez Cora`s in Ste. Foy, then drove around Ile d'Orléans, which is a farming island in the St. Laurence River. We drove back to Ste. Foy, and did some shopping. I bought a cool blue shirt at Simons. We drove to Montréal, and had poutines there late in the evening. Then it was back to Ottawa for midnight. At least I`m working later today, at 12h10.
August 07, 2005
Vacation Time...
Tonight I`m heading off to a birthday party for one of the guides, Ryan. He`s the self-proclaimed card-carying member of the Conservative Party among the guides, and we all tease him about it (he doesn`t mind, because he jokes back). In the spirit of his birthday, he`s decided to have a "conservative themed" dinner at The Keg -I`m not yet sure if I`m going to wear blue, or red...
Tomorrow I`m heading to Montréal and Québec City with my parents, so I`ll be away from the blog for a bit. I`m looking forward to the two cities. It`ll be nice to play tourist for a while, and ask some stupid tourist questions :)
Tonight I`m heading off to a birthday party for one of the guides, Ryan. He`s the self-proclaimed card-carying member of the Conservative Party among the guides, and we all tease him about it (he doesn`t mind, because he jokes back). In the spirit of his birthday, he`s decided to have a "conservative themed" dinner at The Keg -I`m not yet sure if I`m going to wear blue, or red...
Tomorrow I`m heading to Montréal and Québec City with my parents, so I`ll be away from the blog for a bit. I`m looking forward to the two cities. It`ll be nice to play tourist for a while, and ask some stupid tourist questions :)
August 06, 2005
Pirate Party...
Last night I went to Erin`s pirate party. She`s one of the guides, and decided to have a pirate themed birthday party last night. It was a lot of fun, especially since almost everyone actually dressed up. I didn`t really have any pirate stuff, so I made an eye patch out of cardboard, and wrote "ARRGH" on it. I ended up staying much later than I had expected, especially since I worked the 8:20 shift this morning.
Tonight I`m off to a farewell night for Adeline, one of the girls who worked as a Vimy guide when I was in France. She was given three weeks notice before she`s off to Taiwan for an indetermined amount of time. It`s a good-bye party, as well as an "eat and take anything that`s still left in my house before I leave" party.
Last night I went to Erin`s pirate party. She`s one of the guides, and decided to have a pirate themed birthday party last night. It was a lot of fun, especially since almost everyone actually dressed up. I didn`t really have any pirate stuff, so I made an eye patch out of cardboard, and wrote "ARRGH" on it. I ended up staying much later than I had expected, especially since I worked the 8:20 shift this morning.
Tonight I`m off to a farewell night for Adeline, one of the girls who worked as a Vimy guide when I was in France. She was given three weeks notice before she`s off to Taiwan for an indetermined amount of time. It`s a good-bye party, as well as an "eat and take anything that`s still left in my house before I leave" party.
August 05, 2005
Parental Visit...
My parents are in Ottawa now for a week and a half. I went to the airport yesterday to pick them up, then showed them around downtown a bit before we went to the National Art Gallery (free on Thursday evenings), and then out for dinner. Today I took them for lunch at the parliamentary café, gave them a private then public English public tour, and finally on an East block tour. We`ll be heading to Montréal and Québec City on Monday, which I`m really looking forward to.
My parents are in Ottawa now for a week and a half. I went to the airport yesterday to pick them up, then showed them around downtown a bit before we went to the National Art Gallery (free on Thursday evenings), and then out for dinner. Today I took them for lunch at the parliamentary café, gave them a private then public English public tour, and finally on an East block tour. We`ll be heading to Montréal and Québec City on Monday, which I`m really looking forward to.
August 04, 2005
Chamber Music Festival...
Last night I heard a concert of Italian chamber music, sponsored by the Italian embassy. Right now in Ottawa is the International Chamber Music Festival, which is supposed to be the largest of it`s kind in the world. They have over 120 concerts!
Last night's concert was really amazing. The venue was incredibly hot, as there were no fans during the performance (it would reduce the listening experience). There was a soprano and harpsichord performance, a piano solo, cello sonata, and a few other pieces as well. Just as we left the church, we saw the tail end of the firworks across the river at Lac Léamy in Gatineau.
Last night I heard a concert of Italian chamber music, sponsored by the Italian embassy. Right now in Ottawa is the International Chamber Music Festival, which is supposed to be the largest of it`s kind in the world. They have over 120 concerts!
Last night's concert was really amazing. The venue was incredibly hot, as there were no fans during the performance (it would reduce the listening experience). There was a soprano and harpsichord performance, a piano solo, cello sonata, and a few other pieces as well. Just as we left the church, we saw the tail end of the firworks across the river at Lac Léamy in Gatineau.
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