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Towering stone walls,
rocking boat, water rising
lock gates swing open.
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Endless skating rink,
cycle path companion,
the Rideau Canal.
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My memories of the Rideau Canal: boat trips through locks with my father, skating in winter, and cycling in summer. The canal is a 202 km waterway, consisting of rivers and lakes connected by man made canals and locks. It extends from my childhood home, Ottawa on the Ottawa River (Canada), to Kingston on Lake Ontario—I live 20 minutes away from Kingston today.
If you are unfamiliar with how locks work you might want to check out this Rideau Canal info, including an animated illustration.
Not only is the Rideau Canal part of my roots, it is recognized as a Canadian Heritage River and as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It opened in 1832 and has been running ever since, making it the oldest continuously operating canal system in North America.
My haiku memories of the Rideau Canal were inspired by Ritu of But I Smile Anyway, host of the first Haiku Hub Floating Challenge: ‘Heritage’. Everyone is invited to participate. Please find out how to join in at her site linked above.
haiku: ©2016 all rights reserved by ontheland.wordpress.com
Ontheland 
I love your haiku! Thank you for participating!!
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Thanks Ritu. It is an interesting prompt. I look forward to reading the other entries.
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I’ll be working on a roundup post soon 😊
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Nice… I skate there once..
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:))
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Excellent subject for Heritage. Looks like a wonderful place!
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Thank you 🙂 It’s wonderful as it is available for everyone to enjoy.
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Lovely … my daughter lives in Ottawa and I have often walked by the canal …
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Cycling along the Rideau Canal and beside the Ottawa River are among my favourite teen memories. If we had iPhones back then I’d probably have photos 🙂
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I have aways wanted to visit in the winter to see the skaters. I have been there two times in the summer.
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If you go in winter, you would have to try it out (if you skate). It’s like going for a hike on skates. You can travel on and on instead of going around and around on a rink.
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What a splendid memory to have! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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I haven’t yearned to live there again (yet) but Ottawa had and has many beautiful features.
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One of my friends is from that general area, but lives in western Massachusetts now. I’ll have to ask her about the canal.
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I was just there last month and enjoyed the Rideau Canal Sunset Cruise. The biking/walking pathway along both sides of the canal was amazing to see, unique only to Ottawa. Loved your personal tribute to this beautiful Canadian heritage. 🙂
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Thank you Olga 🙂
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Love to know about Rideau Canal ,beautiful place it seems, love the pictures and your haiku.
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Thank you:) I was just in the middle of reading your most recent post and then my finger made a wrong flick…going back now 🙂
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😀 😀
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Great comparative images Janice, don’t really like the concept of the frozen one though.
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It may not seem appealing but once you’re flying on the ice it’s quite fun unless there is a sharp wind 🙂
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Or thin ice, although its usually politicians who skate on that!!
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