Articles in Snapshots
Alexandria Bay, NY State
In 2005, when I had to leave Canada to validate my “landed immigrant” status, I discovered the U.S. border was only a 45-minute drive from Ottawa. Since then, going Alexandria Bay, one of the closest American towns, has become an annual tradition. I now have a Canadian passport and traveling to the U.S has never been easier. We are expert in border-crossing and have an answer to all the tricky immigration questions: “where are you from?” (Ottawa), “how do you know each other?” (long story but we are married), “are you carrying firearms?” (no, should we?) etc.
Watertown, NY State
Last weekend, we took a drive to the U.S. and headed to Watertown, a small town in New York State. A manufacturing centre in the early 20th century, the city was said to have more millionaires per capita than any other city in the nation. This is where the little trees air fresheners were invented! Today, 19.3% of the population live below the poverty line…
And The Tulips Bloomed!
I know, I know, it’s slightly pathetic, I’m raving about spring a month after everybody did. But this is Canada, we don’t really do spring, we go from freezing to boiling in less than a day.
May has been a very rainy month—we were starting to feel like on Noa’s Ark. I mean, this was my daily commute! But suddenly, on Rapture Day no less, the sun started shining and the thermometer went up dramatically. It was the best end of the world ever.
Tulips at Dow's Lake
See, the good side of participating in photo contests? Occasionally, you win.
That’s what happened to me a little while ago: I won the 2010 ESAI Photography Competition. Not only I was flattered, but the prize was really sweet—a $350 gift card from Henry’s, a Canadian camera store.
Foodies Sunday
On Sunday, my foodie friend dragged me to the Ottawa Veg Fest in the Glebe. Okay, she didn’t “drag me”, I volunteered—I love food and the perspective of sampling delicacies from restaurants all across Ottawa was exciting enough that I actually got up early and skipped breakfast.
Winter Melting Away
We started to hear new noises around here. Birds chirping in the trees, the constant waterfall noise of water flowing in the drains and in the sewers, the “splotch splotch” sound when walking on soaked grass. The snow is melting fast, thanks to warmer temperatures. Nothing to get excited about though, it’s only about 3°C and the Northern wind is still cold. Yet, it’s a beginning. Winter is melting away.
Snow & Slush
Since I’m back to a 9-to-5 schedule, I take my week-ends rather seriously. Unfortunately, the powerful Canadian weather Gods conspired against me. It is March, really? Doesn’t feel like it. I know we skipped most of the winter but this doesn’t mean I wanted to experience it in March!
Talkin' Bout A Revolution
On this cold Saturday, hundreds of Canadians gathered on Parliament Hill, right in front of the Peace Tower, to march in solidarity with the people pushing for democracy in Libya and Yemen. The protesters peacefully called for the end of the Gadhafi regime in Libya and a loosening of oppression in Yemen. Despite worrying reports from Libya where violence escalade and demonstrators clash with Gadhafi ‘s brutal security forces, people were optimistic in Ottawa and hoped for a better future.
