New Blog Up and Running!

Hello all, I have finally got my new blog up and running.

The link is very hard to see, but it is right below this sentence:
 https://travelingformylifeblog.wordpress.com/

From now on this blog will not be updated.

Hope you all enjoy the new and improved site. Let me know what you think!

Blog still moving, but a little bit late

So it is way past January and it's still under construction. I'm sorry for the delays, but it will be up and running on wordpress in the next 2 months.

Blog getting an overhaul and moving

So I have decided to revamp my blog and move it to a new site. I am working on getting it fixed up and running for January, so just bear with me. Once it's finished there will be a new post about my most recent trip to Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, so stay tuned...it might be a little later than January.

An Empire To Marvel At

Spiegelworld Presents: EMPIRE

 

Thursday night I was fortunate enough to attend an amazing, jaw-dropping and very inappropriate performance. The show is called Empire and it has come to our little capital of Ottawa all the way from New York City. It will completely capture your undivided attention.

 

This show encompasses a large variety of performances, from balancing acts, to acrobatics, as well as singing and some stuff that I can't even name. It's a wonderful mishmash of circus meets burlesque set in another time. This show completely transports you to another world, from the moment you step through the "tent" doors. As one of the crew members shows you to your seat, there are random theatrics going on. Girls in feathered costumes, guys in outfits made out of blue tarp. The beginning is all rather random, but you take notice right away that this is unlike anything you have ever seen before.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment; there wasn't a single minute where I was bored or not enthralled by the spectacles and sounds. At one point a man comes out and it is completely silent except for a low soft song playing in the background. The man then begins to balance sticks on top of one another, ever so fluidly. It is the type of performance that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

 

 

There was also a lot of comedy weaved into the show. Two performers were sort of acting like the "MC's" for the evening, it was there job to fill the space in-between each main act. Although I have to say, they were definitely not space fillers, they were hilarious and had their own acts that kept you laughing or cringing. Some I couldn't watch, there was this part with a banana...but I let you see for yourself.

 

There were points, as I have mentioned, in the show that were very inappropriate, so I'd advise not taking any children under the age of 15 to it, but they do tell you 13 and older on the website. Other than that, I recommend this show to everyone, it does not disappoint.

 

If you want to know more about them and when they are performing, as well as ticket information, this is the website: http://spiegelworld.ca/

 

 

 



Shakespeare In A Park

Today I was pleasantly surprised to find out that we have a troop here in Canada called ‘A Company of Fools’ and they are preforming here in Ottawa. They are a Shakespeare Company that perform his plays and different takes on his plays, in different venues. The play tonight was “The Comedy of Errors”, of course, by William Shakespeare, but done with a twist. Although the speech was Shakespearean for the most part, the attire and set was Dr. Seuss. I found this a brilliant and entertaining combination that I think more performers presenting Shakespeare should adopt.

The acting in this play was very well done, I have to say, because you never really know what you’re going to get when you go to something like this. They really understood how to grab the audience’s attention and had the Shakespearean down pat. Because they added the Dr. Seuss element they had fantastical costumes, such as: gigantic curling wigs and brightly coloured outfits. There was even a bit of rhyming in there if you really paid attention. Let’s face it, Shakespeare does not always translate well, it is sometimes difficult to understand and finding a way to present it that draws you in and really allows you to understand the story can be challenging. The set was nothing spectacular, just a small wooden stage with a backdrop of a town that looked like it had come straight out of one of Dr. Seuss’ books. You didn’t really notice the lack of props or staging, because of how they performed the play, having larger than life characters and exaggerated gestures and movements, along with the comedic aspect, there was always something going on that made you laugh.

This type of activity has always been a favourite of mine, mainly because I love Shakespeare and it is relatively cheap, they take donations as opposed to actually charging a set price for a ticket. You can give whatever you are able to at the end of the performance.

All-in-all it was wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, I recommend finding the nearest park to you that they are playing in next and going to see it, you will be entertained.

The company is preforming the play all around Ottawa in different parks until August 15.

If you would like to know more about this company and the performances here in Ottawa here is the link to their website: http://fools.ca/

The Greeks

Last night I attended the opening of The Greeks, an exhibit that provides a look at ancient Greece, from Agamemnon to Alexander the Great. There are over 500 artifacts on display, gathered from 21 Greek museums, spanning over 5,000 years, and there are some amazing artifacts in this exhibit, such as the supposed golden death mask of Agamemnon, as well as some very well preserved swords, helmets and jewelry.

The exhibit is divided into time periods, as you move through and explore you are provided with bits of information about ancient Greece at that time. There are digital images behind certain artifacts to give you a better idea of how they looked when they were first designed. Every artifact has a tale to tell, and I will admit, some are more interesting than others.

For those of you that know the works of Homer, there is a section that focuses on The Illiad, and The Odyssey. Pottery and other artifacts depict elements of Homers works, taking you through scenes of the Trojan war. There are also sections that talk about the ancient fictional heroes, such as Herakles and Theseus. One piece of pottery depicts Theseus' battle with the Minotaur.

I also saw the IMAX production: "Greece: Secrets of the Past", which gave an amazing condensed version of what it was like in ancient Greece and what happened on the island of Santorini. The panoramic views are spectacular and you get a birds-eye view of the ruins that scatter this historic country. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys history or Greek culture, or just anyone who longs to visit Greece.

This walk through ancient Greece is spectacular and very well done. The exhibit is a must see, but if you're unsure of whether you want to pay to see this exhibit, then don't worry, the Canadian Museum of History, along with most other museums and the National Art Gallery, are free on Thursdays after 4 pm.
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Ottawa Tulip Festival

The Ottawa Tulip Festival has officially started and the people are out in droves to take in the colourful flowers. There are many different spots around the city where you can see the tulips, mainly; Parliament Hill, Dow's Lake, and near the National Art Gallery where the above picture was taken. The Festival lasts for two weeks and is the highlight of spring in Ottawa. 

At this moment when I went out to view the tulips I found there were some that still hadn't bloomed downtown. Don't get me wrong, it's still worth a walk around to see the colours and to just people watch too. I would suggest though, actually making the trip to Dow's Lake, where there will be a whole lot more to see. 

If you want more then just looking at flowers, they also have fireworks at night downtown. I can usually hear them going off, but can't quite see them from my balcony. 

Now if this festival doesn't live up to your standards, than I suggest you get on a plane and head to the Netherlands, where it originated. A tulip festival there might be slightly more impressive, I'm just saying.