Ottawa - July 10th, 2011

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Canadian War Museum Vickers machine gun from the Great War. The photo in back shows men from<br />the 90th Winnipeg Rifles firing a Colt machine gun in training... A rare First World War armoured vehicle used <br />by the Canadian Machine Gun Corp... 1940 Mercedes-Benz limousine, formerly Hitlers staff car. <br />Acquired by the museum in 1970... German Panzer tank... and one of the museum highlights, the plaster figures created <br />by Walter Allward for the Vimy Memorial in France. Sympathy of Canadians for the Helpless Breaking the Sword Sacrifice The Spirit of Sacrifice Honour Honour Truth Knowledge Justice Faith Peace Charity Charity Walter Allward created these sculptures himself, which became the designs <br />used by French stonecarvers to create the marble sculptures <br />carved into the Vimy Ridge Memorial. The plaster models were shipped to France during the building <br />of the Vimy Ridge Memorial, and were then returned <br />back to Canada in 1937 and put into storage. But because of space constraints, it was decided in 1960 that <br />the sculptures should be photographed and then destroyed, a <br />decision that the Minister of National Defence fortunately did <br />not agree with. But without a place to display them, <br />the sculptures were left in storage. It wasn't until 1993 that the crates were opened for the first time in <br />56 years, and Walter Allwards sculptures finally saw the light of <br />day. They were restored in 1999 and went on permanent display <br />at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa in February 2000. Canadian War Museum, Ottawa Canadian War Museum On our way back downtown, <br />we made another discovery... the Currency Museum, which we <br />found completely by accident... the Collectors Vault... which contains a huge collection of rare Canadian <br />currency going back to before Confederation... including this plaster model of Edward VIII intended to be used for the design <br />of all 1937 Canadian coins, but withdrawn soon after his abdication... Edward VIII official portrait... a very rare Edward VIII dollar bill that never went into <br />circulation. Note the serial number... another equally rare bill... art critics... hot dog vendor... walking maze... Ottawa river... Parliament buildings... Mary-Ann and Ian... Anishinabe Scout, Hamilton MacCarthy, 1918. The Great Hall, National Art Gallery... Samuel de Champlain at sunset... Mary-Ann, Jennie and Ian... Sculpture in store window... skateboarder... roller blader... motorbikers... and a very nice Ferrari.