heritage – Slow Lane Musings

The long span of history

Throughout its history, the Iberian Peninsula has been a land on a crossroad: between Western Europe and Africa and between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, as far as the New World. Today’s Spain has been shaped by groups of hunter-gatherers, explorers, conquerors, traders and migrants from around the world. It has been ruled, in turn, by Roman emperors, Christian Visigoths, Muslim Moors and Catholic monarchs.

Recently, when we walked through the historic districts of Toledo, Seville, Granada, and Cordoba, we saw Roman ruins, Moorish palaces, evocative monuments, ancient mosques, synagogues and monasteries and several treasure-laden churches. We experienced the richness of Spain’s intricate past but we also felt the weight of its history.

From our perspective, the perfect place to get an appreciation of Spain’s complex history is a walled city called Segovia. This small city is just an hour by bus to the northwest of Madrid, in the region of Castile and León. Segovia is worth the detour.

An Ottawa River treasure

Driving east from Rockcliffe Park, on the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway, you will be surprised by the sudden sight of an outstanding building jutting out on the Ottawa River. The two-storey wood frame construction looks like it was built as a set for a period-piece movie.

The complex is a good example of an early 20th century boathouse, and this is why it was designated a federal heritage building in 2010. The designation also acknowledged its longstanding association with the history of canoeing in Canada.

Although the first canoe club in the region was established in 1883, it was the merging of the Ottawa and New Edinburgh Canoe Clubs in 1914 that made possible the construction of such a magnificent clubhouse between 1914 and 1923. The Ottawa River Boathouse was conceived by the eminent architect C.P. Meredith, who was also associated with the design of many prominent residences and landmark buildings in Ottawa.

In 2019, the National Capital Commission (NCC) began extensive refurbishment and upgrades to the boathouse, which turned it into a year-round and accessible gathering place and leisure destination. The complex reopened in 2023 under a new name: the NCC River House. Given its location, the facility is linked to the network of all-season NCC trails along the river.

When we visited it recently, the NCC River House was lively with people engaged in water sports, swimming or just enjoying the majestic view of the Ottawa River while sipping a drink or eating a gelato on the verandah.

Old Québec City

Québec City is unique in many ways. It is one of the oldest and, by some accounts, one of the most beautiful cities in North America. The city has a large and well-preserved historic district, which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1985.

We had not visited Québec City for quite a few years, so it was a delight to spend four leisurely days there recently. The city is best discovered on foot, so we left the car at home and took the train from Ottawa.

In a city that cherishes and preserves its history, we saw many sites that were pleasantly familiar. We also noted heritage buildings undergoing restoration, a few of the main public squares being beautified, and many new public sculptures and fountains associated with the city’s 400th anniversary in 2008.

Having no specific agenda or itinerary, we had time to wander and reflect on how it is possible to visit a familiar place with a mindset that keeps the experience fresh and exciting.

Sacred Clonmacnoise

There are many holy places in Ireland and countless ancient sites and ruins. When we lived there together in the eighties, we always kept in the car a handy reference book titled Guide to the National Monuments of Ireland, by Peter Harbison. This amazing book led us to explore many wonderful locations, off the beaten track.

Due to its size and significance, all Irish people have heard about Clonmacnoise, an ancient monastic site in County Offaly, but not all have had an opportunity to visit it. We passed close to it many times on the main Dublin-Galway Road until we finally made the detour. Situated near the Shannon River to the south of Athlone, the historical site is a treasure trove of ruins: ancient churches, a castle, three stone crosses, round towers, and numerous engraved grave-slabs.