GPS... Nope, it's not what you think.

Garlic, Puppets, Scoops - Yes, I know. It's a bit of a weird combination, but it was great to get out with friends to visit some local area festivals. Armed with wallets, coolers, cameras and a sense of humour, we headed out to see what the day would bring. First stop was the Carp Farmers Market and annual Garlic Festival.

© Joan Anderson

For two days each year in August, this normally quiet village of 6500 people becomes a mecca for garlic lovers. Traffic jams become the norm as garlic worshippers stream in to claim their treasure. There was big garlic, little garlic, red, green, and white garlic.

© Joan Anderson

© Joan Anderson

There were long garlands, short garlands, round garlands and gigantic garlands - kids, cookies, jams, juices, darlings and doggies, and most important of all there were photo opportunities to be had.

© Joan Anderson

We looked, shopped and clicked away the morning, then grabbed a quick bite to eat in the food court that had been set up outside. There were many good options to choose from, some more wholesome than others, but all very tasty.

The Almonte Puppet Festival was next on the list. We arrived about a half hour before the parade was due to start and the streets were lined with people who had staked out their spot. Being late comers were were relegated to the sunny side. It may have been warmer there but the view was just as good. I was surprised at the size and quality of the puppets. They were much larger than I had expected, and the likenesses of many local villagers and celebrities was remarkable.

© Joan Anderson

© Joan Anderson

Not only did they look good, but in some cases they were talented too. The balcony performance by these two drew big crowds. The cast of characters was impressive as were their comedy and singing routines. It was a job well done.

© Joan Anderson

We watched for a while from the shady side then headed off for some refreshment at the local Pub. Who can resist a cold one on an outdoor patio by the river. Ahhh... summer in Ontario.

Scoops. If you haven't been to Scoops it's not too late. The tiny village of Packenham is a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon. Situated on the Mississippi River, its a favourite place for summer bathers, and boutique aficionados in search of fine clothing and art at the foot of the historic old stone bridge. Many people drive from Ottawa and the surrounding area to swim and shop, while others come here simply for Scoops - a local business known for its wide selection of ice cream and frozen yogurt. I will personally recommend the Turtles ice cream! Now if you are looking for a photo of their offerings, you will have to wait until I make another trip. I was far too busy enjoying my treat to grab my camera and capture that definitive ice cream photo.

So there you have it. There's nothing quite like a lazy Saturday afternoon and GPS... Garlic, Puppets and Scoops. It's cheaper than a traditional GPS too.

Bridging the Gap

Last night I was witness to a major Ottawa project that literally bridged the gap between commuter safety and construction technology. A 12 member Dutch engineering team used German equipment to replace the first of several bridges in the highway that traverses the city. Over a 15 hour time span the Island Park Bridge, which had surpassed its use-by date, disappeared in the dark of night and a few short hours later the sun rose to shine on a new day and a new bridge. In light of the recent disastrous collapse of a bridge in Minnesota, the Island Park Bridge Replacement Project which used Rapid Replacement Technology brought comfort to many commuters. Under the watchful eye of engineers from around the world and hundreds of citizen observers:

• the bridge was severed from the it's foundation;
• a heavy duty jack topped with a huge platform (a transporter) was manoeuvred under the cut away bridge;
• the bridge was gently lifted and rolled out of the way;
  
• another transporter jacked up the new prefabricated bridge and roll it into place.
  

This modern day engineering feat brought back memories of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the late 1950's where similar methods were used to move houses. Homes were cut free from their foundations, houses were jacked up, rolled away, then set down again on a foundation in a new location.

The bridge replacement was exciting to watch but after having spent a full day in the country with friends checking out the garlic festival, the puppet festival and Scoops ice cream place in Packenham, we called it quits around 12:30 and headed home. Tired as I was I couldn't quite break away from it all. It wasn't until 4:00am that I dropped off to sleep, content in having downloaded 575 images from the days outing and watched the new bridge being lowered into place on TV.