My wife and I attended the opening of Carnivale Lune Bleue on Friday night in Kars, Ontario. Lune Bleue is a trip back in time to an authentic 1930s carnival, complete with a freakshow, a circus performance, a ferris wheel and games of chance.

We arrived around 6:15pm in the heart of Kars, where we lined up before entering the grounds. We had to wait for a ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for 6:30, but that was running a little behind schedule due to a tardy mayor. As we waited, we were entertained by the grounds Master of Ceremony who was completely dressed from head to toe in 1930s garb, which included an old fashion cone bullhorn.

The ribbon cutting ceremony finally concluded around 6:40pm, after which we were whisked onto the carnival grounds. It was a little disappointed to find that a number of attractions weren’t ready yet. The Thrills and Skills tent which was supposed to house a 1930’s carny arcade was completely barren. There was no games of chance; no knocking down of milk bottles, no ring tosses, no shooting gallery.

The first attraction that we visited was the Ten-In-One tent where I eagerly awaited the start of the authentic freakshow Carnival Diablo. This sideshow has been in existence for the last 14 years, entertaining crowds across Canada. We were first introduced by the master of ceremony who called himself Nikolai Diablo. The first trick was a skit that derived from the russian roulette game. Diablo invited a member of the audience to hide a 9 inch long spike under one of 4 paper bags. Diablo, seemingly not knowing which bag had the spike,proceeded to smash 3 of the bags with his hand, always picking an empty bag.

We were also entertained by the strongman Mighty Leviticus who bent an iron bar between his teeth, served as a human dart board and suffered at the hands of Diablo in an electric chair. Also on the stage was Istvan Betyar, a world renowned sword swallower. The crowd gasped and clapped as he swallowed a 24″ french corkscrew sword, and simultaneously swallowing 2 broadswords. Diablo himself also entertained the crowd by seemingly swallowing razor blades, performing a fire eating act and piercing his tongue with a shark hook and then proceeding to lift a basket of rocks with his tongue.

45 minutes after the show began we were escorted into another tent, The Big Top, which is the original tent used in the first ever world performance by the Cirque du Soleil. We beared witness to a human circus, the Cirque Maroc. The acrobats in Cirque Maroc are all alumni from the Cirque du Soleil and Ringling Brothers. We were amazed by watching these acrobats performing breathtaking feats which included high wire acts, a couple of trapeze performances, a contortionist performance, a hoop show, all wrapped around a story filled with dances and a lot of comedic moments. These performances were flawless in their execution and left the crowd amazed and wanting more.

After the 1 hour long show, we briefly walked the carnival grounds. We skipped the Tropical Terrors tent which was holding the Great Snakes of the World Show as my wife has a big fear of snakes. I admired the ferris wheel, which is an authentic 1917 Eli Bridge ferris wheel. I only admired it from afar as the lineup for the ride was long and we were both a little tired.

On our way back to the car we also passed the carousel, another authentic piece of a 1930’s carnival. The vintage carousel dates back to 1938. Near the gate exits also sat a 1930s bus, the Clairvoyant Caravan, where you can have your fortunes read by either a Tarot reading or a palm reading.

The carnival also includes the Congress of Wonder, a tent filled with authentic early 1900 carnival artifacts, an outdoor restaurant entitled the Cookhouse, a High Striker and a Coin Toss.

As much as we enjoyed ourselves, I’m not sure the 60$ a ticket price is fully worth it. At 120$ for a couple, I find that price a little steep for what you get. This is not a cheap outing for a family of 4! I think it would have been more sensible if the price was in the 30$ to 40$ range. I’m sure at that price range the carnival would attract more people. We can’t really complain though, as my wife was given the tickets for free at her workplace.

All in all, I enjoyed our night out at Carnivale Lune Bleue.  If you enjoy carnivals/fairs, and you can afford the high ticket prices, this is one that you shouldn’t pass up. Just don’t do like we did and forget the bug spray!

OC Transpo, the public transportation company that operates in Ottawa, is attempting to launch a trial project that would allow pet owners to carry their pets on buses in pet carriers. I’ve had pets all of my life and currently have 4 cats. I am also very much against this new project.

The main issue I have with this project is room. I live in the suburbs and very often I have to look at 4 or 5 95 buses pass me by without stopping. They don’t stop due to the fact that there’s no room in the bus. On the route home from Place d’Orleans, the major hub of that suburb, the only local bus that ends up taking me close to home is often full because it only runs every 30 minutes (when it shows up). Allowing pet owners to carry their pets in bulky pet carriers would only make things worse. We’re already squished in like sardines as it is. Supporters of this pet project claim that a handful of other cities in the country have allowed pets on buses for years. I’m sure if these supporters would look at these other public transportation systems, they would see that they don’t suffer the overcrowding that we have. With rising gas prices, ridership has also increased, making the problem even worse than it was.

Before looking into allowing pets on buses, OC Transpo should address the lack of buses, their maps/runs and their schedules. I’ve moved into a new part of Orleans that has grown by 6-8 thousand people in the last 2 years but the schedule and number of buses that run have not changed to reflect this growing area, Also, there’s a ‘major’ stop about 1 km from where I live, the Trim bus station, yet I have no local buses that go to that station. I must take a bus to Place d’Orleans, a trip that takes 30 minutes, so that I can catch a 95. Instead, OC Transpo should have a local bus that goes to Trim station, which would cut a good 20 to 25 minutes off travel time each way.

Some folks have written in the local paper saying pets should be allowed except during peak hours. This would be a logistical nightmare. How do you kick off poor little Ms. Smith and her pet poodle off a bus she got on during off peak hours (let’s say 3:20pm) who’s long ride ends up going into peak hours? Do you just kick her off at a random stop and wish her luck at getting home? This makes no sense.

There’s also some people who have severe allergic reactions to pet dander. Should they have to suffer because someone can’t afford to take a cab to their vet appointment? Now some supporters of this proposition state that people with pet allergies already ride the bus with people covered in pet hair. This statement is absolutely ludicrous. Newsflash! Those who have pet allergies aren’t allergic to pet hair, but pet dander. A person having a few stray pet hairs on their clothes will not cause someone with allergies to have a reaction, save for an extremely small minority who have an acute allergy to pet dander. Those people probably already avoid taking public transportation. Now carry a pet on a bus, there’s a lot more dander flying around, which would cause even those with mild allergies to react.

Then there’s the issue of noise. I know a lot of pets (3 of my cats included) that meow or bark constantly when in public or a moving vehicle. I’m sure there’s nothing else one would rather look forward to after a long hard day at work than to get on an overcrowded bus with dogs barking and cats meowing. Ah, such a wonderful symphony of headache inducing noise.

OC Transpo should also conduct studies to see how many more new riders this project would bring in. A dozen new riders a month? A hundred? I somehow suspect that the number would be quite low, as those who would benefit from such a new policy probably already take public transportation. How many people would stop taking the bus because of this policy?

That being said, I am not against all pets on public buses. There are some people who suffer from a physical disability that require a pet, such as the vision impaired. At my old place of residence, I often took a bus with a very nice gentleman who used a seeing eye dog on the bus. These pets are highly trained, will not bark or bite and are there to aid someone who really needs the help. I have absolutely no issues with those types of pets being on buses. I do however have issues with someone getting on a bus with a ferret due to emotional reasons (see the article Ferret barred from Ottawa buses).

As a responsible pet owner, I knew the financial responsibilities that were attached with owning a pet. If one doesn’t have a car and can’t afford to take a cab ride to their vet appointment, then perhaps you shouldn’t own a pet to begin with. Else, when you’re taking Spot to his next yearly appointment, make sure you factor in the cost of a cab into the vet bill. I also suspect that most people who would end up taking their pets on a bus is not solely to go to vet appointments, but to bring their pet with them as they go visit friends or family.

OC Transpo has a lot bigger issues than looking at allowing pets on buses. These issues should be investigated and addressed before allowing pets that would take up much needed room on overcrowded buses. And if this proposition does go through, I do hope that riders who bring their pets onto a bus have to pay a fare for their pets. After all, the pet carrier takes as much or more room than a person, so it would only be fair that they have to pay a fare for it. I know there’s no chance in hell of that ever happening, but one can only hope.

The Ottawa Humane Society is overcrowded and is in dire need of your help. There are currently close to 300 kittens and cats that are in need of adoption. The OHS usually has a maximum capacity for 200 cats and has had to resort to putting multiple cats per cage.

In order to help boost adoption, the shelter is holding a Canuck special during the month of July. The OHS is reducing its adoption fees by 25$ for any cats with a Canadian themed name, such as Chinook or Tuque.  Cats pictured on their adoption website that bare a maple leaf are also part of this event.

The normal rates for cat adopting a cat is 205$ for a kitten and 150$ for an adult cat. This price is very low for everything that your pet will get. All cats are vaccinated, are implanted with an ID microchip and are spayed or neutered. If the kitten is too young to have been spayed or neutered, the OHS will give you the paperwork necessary to receive a free sterilization from your local vet. If your pet is suffering from a medical condition (such as ear mites, which is very common in kittens), you will also receive medication free of charge. Your new pet will also be covered with Petplan Insurance for a period of 8 weeks after adoption. All these extras add up to over 625$ if you were to pay for them yourself.

If you can’t adopt a cat, the shelter is looking for foster homes for a multitude of felines due to an upper respiratory infection outbreak that is very similar to a cold. The OHS is looking for loving fosters who can look after the poor sick kitties and help them recover more quickly from the infection.

Housing, feeding and caring for all these animals requires money. Even if you’re not in a position to adopt a pet, a money donation goes a long way to ensure that these animals are healthy enough to find a loving home. The OHS is also in need of receiving blankets to help with cat care. If you have some to donate, they can be dropped off at the OHS’s main shelter.

The Ottawa Humane Society is located on Champagne Avenue in Ottawa and is open weekdays from 9am to 7pm and Saturdays from 10am to 5pm. If you can’t make it down to the main shelter, the OHS also has pets for adoption at a multitude of local area pet stores. To find out which pet stores are participating in the program, please call the shelter at (613) 725-3166 or email the adoption department.

On Sunday July 20th a part of Ottawa history will be no more. The south side stands at Frank Clair Stadium will be demolished, wiping away 50 years of history in just the blink of an eye.

Frank Clair stadium, formerly known as just Landsdowne Park, was first built in 1909 for the Ottawa Exposition. For 50 years only the “North Side” stood, with seating for 10,000, the south side comprising of simple small bleachers. It was in 1960 that the South Side as we know it today was erected. The new structure added 6,414 seats in the lower bowl and 7,870 in the upper bowl. In 1967 the North Side was torn down and rebuilt to include 14,542 seats and also included the Civic Centre arena and convention space.

Over the years, Frank Clair stadium has been home to 2 CFL teams, the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Renegades. The yearly Panda Bowl between rivals Ottawa University Gee Gees and Carleton University Ravens was also held at the stadium.

It was after hosting part of the FIFA under 20 World Cup in 2007 that cracks and defects were found in the South Side stands. This lead to the immediate closure of the stands. Upon further investigation it was determined that fixing the problems would be too costly and that the South Side had to come down.

I have many memories of Frank Clair stadium. I spent one summer working at the stadium during the Rough Riders’ final season, dispensing beer to the many thirsty football fans that walked its halls. I attended many concerts, including the biggest concert to ever come to Ottawa. It was in the South Side stands that I sat for the 2005 Rolling Stones concert, sharing that experience with 45,000 others.

I also attended many football games, for both the Renegades and the Rough Riders. For most of those games I sat in the North Side stands (not by choice), but I always found the atmosphere more fun on the South Side. The North Side always appeared to have a more sophisticated, sports minded atmosphere while the South Side was always party central.

At 8am next Sunday the stands that tower over the Rideau canal will come crashing down in a puff of smoke, concrete dust and melting steel. Never again will fans hear a response to the famous local football chant “South Side sucks!”

Pickpockets can be found in every country on the globe and they can ruin a vacation. There are steps you can take to limit the chances of falling victim to pickpocketing. This article will shed some light on ways to protect yourself,  your money and your belongings, to help ensure that they remain in your possession instead of falling into the hands of thieves. I will also cover some of  the various scams used by pickpockets to try and steal your belongings.

Before heading on my Paris honeymoon I read up on how to best protect yourself against pickpockets in Paris. Though every tourist destination has its share of pickpockets, the crime of pickpocketing is rampant in the city of lights. It is such a big problem that tourist attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Notre-Dame cathedral have signs warning you about pickpocketing. I am pretty sure that its due to my diligence that we didn’t fall victim to their scams.

Though the violent crime rate in Europe is very low, pickpocketing is increasing at an alarm rate. Police in general do what they can to curb the problem, but the issue lies with the justice system. Most times pickpockets will target tourists. In order for a pickpocket to be successfully prosecuted, the victim of the crime has to appear in court. Since most tourists only stay in a country for a few days or a few weeks, trials are usually months removed from the crime. A victim would have to fly back to the country in which he or she was robbed in order to testify against the defendant. Since this rarely happens, pickpockets are usually set free or receive but just a small slap on the wrist.

Ways to protect yourself

• Use a money belt or a sling neck purse. Only carry the money you’ll need for the day in your wallet. If you need more, you can always go to a washroom and take out more cash from your money belt or sling neck purse.
• Never carry everything in the same container. Don’t carry your wallet, cellphone, cash, passport and other valuables in the same purse or bag.
• Keep your passport in the hotel’s safe and only carry a photocopy with you. Its also a good idea to give photocopies to family back home who can fax it to you if you lose your passport.
• If carrying a backpack, never carry it on your back in places where there are a lot of people. Always carry it on your front. Its very easy for someone to unzip and rummage through your backpack if you can’t even see it. I used a messenger bag instead of a backpack and I always had it slung to the front.
• If carrying a purse or a messenger bag, make sure that the zipper is not facing your back but instead is facing in front of you. Its harder for someone to try to open it if the zipper is in plain view. Never use a purse or bag that only has flaps and no zippers.
• Sling your purse or messenger bag across your chest. Having a bag that loosely dangles from the shoulder is an easy target for a purse snatcher.
• Write down your credit card/bank card numbers, health card, driver’s license information and other important documents along with contact numbers and keep them in your hotel’s safe. If things do disappear you’ll have all the information you’ll need to cancel your credit cards/bank cards and it will also be easier to get things replaced when you get back home.
• Make sure you know where the nearest embassy or consulate of your country is, along with their contact information. Its also a good idea to know the contact numbers for the local police.
• Don’t dress or act like a tourist! Pickpockets in tourist areas will mostly only hit tourists. Don’t pull out a map in the middle of the street or on the metro. Plan your routes ahead of time. If you need to look at a map, make sure you do so discreetly, like inside a restaurant/cafe or a store.
• Display confidence. For the most part, pickpockets are a cowardly lot.
• Never travel alone if you can. Always travel with someone else or a group and make sure to keep an eye on one another.
• Move around. Its easier for someone to take your wallet or belongings from you if you’re standing still.
• Men keep your wallets in your front pant pockets. Tight jeans won’t stop a professional pickpocket from stealing it from your back pocket. Jacket pockets are also very easy to pick from.
• Keep your valuables and jewellery at home. Don’t take something irreplaceable with you. Only wear the absolute necessary jewellery on you.
• Be alert at metro or train stops where thieves can easily dash on and off the train.
• Don’t use a fanny pack. Using one is an open invitation for would be theives to steal from you.

Scams

One of the best tricks used by pickpockets is distraction. If you’re busy concentrating on something you won’t notice someone riffling through your purse or taking your wallet. These are some of the most well known cons used by pickpockets in Paris.

• Someone, usually a teenage girl, will approach you asking if you speak english and if you could translate a piece of paper for her. As you’re busy reading the paper and translating, either the person asking for the translation or a second person will strike. At the time of my vacation, this was rampant at the Arc de Triomphe and the Notre-Dame cathedral.
• Someone will bump hard into you, hard enough to make you fall. As the ‘good samaritan’ helps you up and makes sure you’re OK, an accomplice will try and steal from you. A similar scam is one where you’ll be sprayed with something. As a good samaritan helps you clean up, he or she is really busy stealing from you.
• A person will pretend to drop something at your feet. As you’re distracted someone is busy riffling through your stuff.
• The gold ring scam. Someone will pretend to pick up a fake gold ring from the ground and ask you if its yours. They’ll then insist that you keep it. One of 2 things will happen. Either an accomplice will be stealing from you, or the scam artist will then ask you for money for food in exchange for the ring.
• In lineups, whether its at the metro, at a museum or climbing the stairs at the Eiffel tower, a person in front of you will abruptly stop, causing everyone to bump into each other. As you’re being bumped from behind, that person may be taking your wallet.
• An older woman will be overdressed and carrying an overdressed baby on her arm. Usually the arm holding the baby is a fake, with her real arm free to take things from you.
• Be wary of men holding anything over their arm, like a newspaper or jacket.

Pickpockets can be anyone. They can be a 5 year old child, a well dressed business man, a woman with a baby or a homeless looking gypsy. Be alert and be aware of your surroundings and the people around you. You’re on vacation to enjoy yourself and by being prudent you can ensure that you won’t lose any time from having to deal with things being stolen from you. But even if you are a victim of a pickpocket, you can limit the amount of damage they can do so that you can still have a good and fun vacation.