Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Casablanca Bookshop
I highly recommend that you go and check out the Casablanca Bookshop. During my high school days, this used bookstore was (and still is) one of my favorite places to go to. Even with the construction taking place on King Street, Casablanca will still be open all summer.
For those who are really into the vintage, there’s currently a 50% blowout sale on VHS.
The Giant, Cancerous Colon (Waterloo Town Square)
(In case you’re wondering, that thing hanging down the colon is the appendix….)
This was how I spent my Saturday morning.
I crawled out of bed and went all the way up to Waterloo Town Square, just to see this inflatable, diseased replica of a colon. There were hemorrhoids, rectal cancer, colon cancer, and other colon ailments inside. I did take pictures of the inside, except that……um…..I got distracted with the polyps (at least I think that’s what they were). Click here to see what I mean.
On a more serious note, the purpose of the display was to raise awareness of colon cancer prevention. The Giant Colon Exhibit, put on by the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, has been on tour across Canada since March 2009 and has made various stops such as malls and hotels.
On a side note, the volunteers (I’m assuming they were volunteers) had really awesome lab coats, with organs and nerves on them (seen on the right – not gonna lie, I secretly wanted one). Overall, the giant colon was an effective educational tool, and I’m all for that.
Happy New Year 2010
Welcome to a new year and a new decade. This year we plan to post a picture taken in Waterloo Region each day of the year. The picture may have just a title or it may have a descriptive post following. Hopefully we will have presented an interesting mosaic of our great community by the end of 2010.
Riverside Park, Cambridge
There are many beautiful parks in Waterloo Region each with their own special appeal. Some are particularly suited for young children, others for organized sports, and others are enjoyed for their trails in a natural setting. Riverside Park is the largest park in Cambridge (102 hectares) and has something for everyone. Located in the old Preston area of the city, it is situated along the Speed River, a couple of kilometers upstream from the confluence with the Grand River.
There are several playgrounds, picnic areas, playing fields, a skateboard park, tennis courts, and a beautiful trail with a well maintained boardwalk which runs through a marsh along Riverside Creek. Some of the roadways are closed to traffic in the winter, but the city clears snow for walking paths on the pavement.
I started going here last year on my lunch hour as the park is quite close to my workplace. Birdwatching opportunities are excellent in all seasons and chickadees are accustomed to being hand fed in the boardwalk area. Large patches of Marsh Marigold bloom in the spring and Skunk Cabbage grows along the boardwalk. I have seen raccoons, red squirrels, foxes, muskrats and a multitude of birds along the trails. Robins are known to overwinter here in small numbers and Great Blue Herons can be found into December. And if nature watching is not your pleasure, pick another part of the park to enjoy a picnic, to play with a child, or to fish along the river.
Directions: King Street West, Cambridge Ontario with the main entrance between Fountain and Eagle Streets (map)
Open year round, but some sections of the park may be flooded in early spring.
All Photos by Ruth Kinzie
