DE-7860332 Peggy's Point Lighthouse, Nova Scotia, Canada

Peggys Point Lighthouse is an active lighthouse and an iconic Canadian image. Located within Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, it is one of the busiest tourist attractions in the province and is a prime attraction on the Lighthouse Trail scenic drive. The lighthouse marks the eastern entrance of St. Margarets Bay.

The classic red-and-white lighthouse is still operated by the Canadian Coast Guard, and is situated on an extensive granite outcrop at Peggys Point, immediately south of the village and its cove.

The first lighthouse at Peggys Cove was built in 1868 and was a wooden house with a beacon on the roof. At sundown the keeper lit a kerosene oil lamp magnified by a reflector (a silver-plated mirror) creating the red beacon light marking the eastern entrance to St. Margarets Bay. That lighthouse was replaced by the current structure, an octagonal lighthouse which was built in 1914. It is made of reinforced concrete but retains the eight-sided shape of earlier generations of wooden light towers. It stands almost 15 metres (49 ft) high. The lighthouse was automated in 1958. Since then, the red light was changed to white light, then to a green light in the late 1970s. Finally to conform to world standards the light was changed to red in 2007.

This postcard came from Yvonne in Germany (Postcrossing, January 2019).

CA-527389 Algoma Central Railway, Canada

The Algoma Central Railway in Canada operates regular passenger service between the depot in Sault Ste. Marie and the northern terminus, 296 miles to the north, in Hearst, Ontario. The rail line runs through the heart of 22,000 square miles of recreational wilderness called Algoma Country and provides access to numerous lakes and rivers, private camps and cottages and a variety of Wilderness Lodges. In many cases the Railway is the only means of access to this remote region.

The Algona Central Railway provides three Northbound and three Southbound trains with trains going NORTH onThursday, Saturday and Monday and SOUTH on Friday, Sunday and Tuesday.

This postcard came from Julie (15 May 2015) Postcrossing.

CA-509751 The Canadian North / Le Nord Canadien

Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. The North, with an area of 3,921,739 km2 (1,514,192 sq mi) makes up 39.3% of Canada. Although vast, the entire region is very sparsely populated. As of 2011, only about 107,265 people lived there compared to 33,369,423 in the rest of Canada.

Much of Northern Canada has a subarctic climate. Most of the Canadian Artic Archipelago has a tundra climate. There is an ice cap climate in Arctic Cordillera. For more than half of the year, much of Northern Canada is snow and ice covered, with some limited moderation by the relatively warmer waters in coastal areas.

This postcard came from Christine (11 March 2015) Postcrossing.

SW EW-450 & CA-499397 The Maple Leaf Flag of Canada

The National Flag of Canada also known as the Maple Leaf and l'Unifolié (French for "the one-leafed"), is a flag consisting of a red field with a white square at its centre.  In the middle is a stylized, 11-pointed, red maple leaf. The Maple Leaf was adopted in February 15 1965 to replace the Union Flag and it is the first ever specified by statute law for use as the country's national flag. February 15 is now celebrated annually as National Flag of Canada Day.

The ratio of the red and white portions of the flag is 1:2:1.  The red came from the red of St George’s cross and the white came from the French royal emblem.  As early as 1700, the maple leaf began to serve as a symbol celebrating Canada's nature and environment. The maple leaf on the flag is a sugar maple leaf. Sugar maples are native to Canada and have brilliant fall foliage. The number of points on the leaf has no significance; they do not, for instance, represent the ten provinces plus the federal government. In fact, some of the very first Canadian flags made had maple leaves of 15 points.

Before the Maple Leaf Flag, the Canadian Red Ensign, since the early 1890s, had been unofficially used to represent Canada.  This Red Ensign was approved by a 1945 Order in Council for use "wherever place or occasion may make it desirable to fly a distinctive Canadian flag".

 

I received 2 copies of this flag postcard from 2 senders (a) Robyn H. (6 February 2015) Swap-bot and (b) Richard (27 January 2015) Postcrossing.

CA-494385 The North American Beaver (Castor canadensis)

The beaver is as iconic to Canada as the kangaroo is to Australia.  But unlike the kangaroo, the beaver actually contributed to the development of Canada. In the period around 1600, the beaver trade built Canada’s first cities. Trapping and trading with Europeans meant international business and demand for fur-topped beaver hats and beaver pelts was high. The word “beaver” defined the Hudson’s Bay Company.

The beaver (genus Castor) is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. The North American beaver  is Castor canadensis. Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges (homes). They are the second-largest rodent in the world. Their colonies create one or more dams to provide still, deep water to protect against predators, and to float food and building material. The North American beaver population was once more than 60 million, but as of 1988 was 6–12 million. This population decline is the result of extensive hunting for fur, for glands used as medicine and perfume, and because the beavers' harvesting of trees and flooding of waterways may interfere with other land uses.

This Canadian postcard shows a beaver hard at work getting the material necessary to build a dam.  This postcard came from Sarah (20 January 2015) Postcrossing.

CA-486831 Mount Sir Donald, British Columbia, Canada

Mount Sir Donald (3,284 m) is a peak in the Rogers Pass area (Selkirk Mountains) of British Columbia, Canada. Its shape resembles the Matterhorn to some extent. Mount Sir Donald is popular with alpine rock climbers and the Northwest Arete route is included in the popular book “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America”. The peak was originally named Syndicate Peak in honour of the group who arranged the finances for the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway but was later renamed after Donald Smith, head of the syndicate.

Mount Sir Donald is in the Glacier National Park of Canada.

This postcard came from the Pughs (20 January 2015) Postcrossing.

SW EP-359 WC 29-159 Montreal - largest city in Quebec and 2nd largest city in Canada

Downtown Montreal at sunset

Montreal (French: Montréal) is the largest city in the province, the second-largest in Canada and the 2nd largest French-speaking in the world. The city is on the Island of Montreal.


Downtown Montreal - view from Mount Royal at night

The city has a population of more than 1.6 million and in Montreal's metropolitan area there are 4.1 million inhabitants.
Montreal was incorporated as a city in 1832. For over a century and a half, it was the industrial and financial centre of Canada. There is a variety of buildings including factories, elevators, warehouses, mills, and refineries which today provide a legacy of historic and architectural interest, especially in the downtown area and the Old Port area. There are many historic buildings in Old Montreal still in their original form: Notre-Dame de Montréal Basilica, Bonsecours Market, and the impressive 19th‑century headquarters of all major Canadian banks on Rue Saint Jacques.

French is the city's official language and is the language spoken at home, as Québécois French, by 56.9% of the population of the city, followed by English at 18.6% (2006 census). Quebec is the 2nd largest French-speaking city in the world.
The first postcard came from Kimmi B. (28 November 2014) Swap-bot and the second from Jessica (24 June 2014) Swap-bot.

CA-471526 Whistler - a very popular resort town

Whistler is a very popular Canadian resort town. It has a permanent population of about 10,000 but a very large transient population of workers, typically younger people.  Over two million people visit Whistler annually, primarily for alpine skiing and snowboarding and, in summer, mountain biking.

Whistler is located in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia.  It is approximately 125 km (78 mi) north of Vancouver.

Whistler was the Host Mountain Resort of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games.

This card came from Tristina (15 October 2014) Postcrossing.

SW DS-300 Columbia Icefield, Alberta, Canada

The Columbia Icefield is an icefield located in the Canadian Rockies. The icefield lies partly in the northwestern tip of Banff National Park and the southern end of Jasper National Park. It is about 325 km² in area, 100 to 365 metres (328 to 1,197 ft) in depth and receives up to seven metres (275 in) of snowfall per year. The icefield feeds eight major glaciers, including:

Athabasca Glacier

Castleguard Glacier

Columbia Glacier

Dome Glacier

Stutfield Glacier

Saskatchewan Glacier

Some of the highest mountains in the Canada Rockies are located around the edges.

Parts of the Icefield are visible from the Icefields Parkway. The Athabasca Glacier has receded significantly since its greatest modern-era extent in 1844. During the summer months visitors to the area can travel onto the glacier in the comfort of large "snowcoaches".

Personal note:

In 2009, we travelled onto the Columbia Icefied in this giant snow coach during our tour of the Canadian Rockies.

SW DV-247 An inuksuk in English Bay, Vancouver

An inuksuk (plural: inuksuit) is a stone landmark or cairn built by humans, used by the Inuit, Inupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other peoples of the Arctic region of North America. These structures are found from Alaska to Greenland. This region, above the Arctic Circle, has areas with few natural landmarks.

The meaning of inuksuk is “stone man that points the way”. The inuksuk may have been used for navigation, as a point of reference, a marker for travel routes, fishing places, camps, hunting grounds, places of veneration, drift fences used in hunting or to mark a food cache. Varying in shape and size, the inuksuit have ancient roots in Inuit culture. 



The flag of Nunavut shows an inuksuk

This postcard sent by eepy (28 August 2014) Swap-bot shows the inukshuk in English Bay, Vancouver.  This particular inuksuk was once used at the Northwest Territories Pavilion during Expo ’86 held in Vancouver. It was moved to English Bay beach in 1988. It was an inspiration for the official logo for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

 

American Indians - costume

Why a feathered headdress should not be worn for ‘fun’

The feathered war bonnet or headdress of the American Indians is more than a cultural item and not a ‘fun’ item for anyone to wear.  According to a source:

“The headdress is reserved for revered elders who, through their selflessness and leadership, have earned the right to wear one. It’s a spiritual garb, not just cultural; it’s not merely an addition to one’s attire. Wearing one, even an imitation headdress, belittles what the elders have spent a lifetime to earn.”

Feathered war bonnets or headdresses are worn by honoured Plains Indian men. In the past they were sometimes worn into battle, today they are worn primarily for ceremonial occasions. They are seen as items of great spiritual and magical importance. The eagle is considered by Plains tribes as the greatest and most powerful of all birds and thus the finest bonnets are made out of its feathers.

The bonnet had to be earned through brave deeds in battle because the feathers signified the deeds themselves. Some warriors might have obtained only two or three honour feathers in their whole lifetime, so difficult were they to earn. The bonnet was also a mark of highest respect because it could never be worn without the consent of the leaders of the tribe. After about ten honours had been won, the warrior went out to secure the eagle feathers with which to make his bonnet.

A chief's war bonnet is made of feathers received for good deeds to his community. Each feather would represent a good deed.

 

This postcard came from Michelle (28 August 2014) Swap-bot.

SW CT-228 Laying the Last Stone on the Canada Life Building

The Canada Life Building is a historic office building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The fifteen-floor Beaux Arts building stands at 285 feet (87 m), 321 feet (97.8 m) including its weather beacon.

It is located in the city's downtown. Work on the new headquarters of the Canada Life Assurance Company began in 1929 and it opened in 1931.

It was the fourth building to serve as the headquarters of Canada Life, Canada's oldest, and at the time largest, insurance company.

This interesting postcard shows workmen laying the last stone of this iconic Toronto building.

Present day Canada Life Building

This postcard came from Helen G6 (01 August 2014) Swap-bot.

SW AP-060 CA-816037 Aurora Borealis - Canada

The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) can be seen on a clear winter night from many parts of northern Canada.

From an official site of the Canadian Tourism Commission (quite a sales pitch!):

Race to the window or run outside to see ribbons of green, red, blue and purple rippling across the sky, gathering momentum until the Northern Lights shimmer and loop over the entire horizon in surreal swathes of colour. Watch in silence in Nunavut and you’ll understand how many Inuit believe the lights become so intense they sing or crackle. The Aurora Borealis is Mother Nature’s light show so grab a front row seat in fall, winter and early spring when nights are long and dark. Try your luck at fly-fishing for Arctic Char by the lights of the Aurora in far Northern Quebec or pair light-peeping in the Northwest Territories with a locally sourced, gourmet meal of caribou, or pickerel plucked from an icy lake near your log lodge. The Aurora is so bright it can light the way for snowmobilers on Labrador's epic Cain's Quest or for dog mushers and cross-country skiers in the Yukon. But the breathtaking displays are just as enjoyable from within the cozy confines of a cabin, tent or glimpsed through the steam of an outdoor hot tub in the lap of luxury. Then slide under a duvet or into a sleeping bag and dream of Technicolor cosmic fairies.

This beautiful postcard was sent by Sarah K (blubutterfly) of Alberta, Canada (23 April 2014) Swap-bot.
.....
This second postcard is a Zazzle card from Meeghan (Postcrossing, July 2018) who said that they could see the Northern Lights from their home location.

and the stamp that she used also shows (I think) the Northern Lights over Canada.

SW AB-043 & CY-237-2 Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Moraine Lake is in Alberta, Canada.  It is a glacially-fed lake in Banff National Park, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) outside the Village of Lake Louise.  It is situated in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, at an elevation of approximately 6,183 feet (1,885 m). At this elevation, the lake remains frozen into the month of June and does not reach its crest until mid to late July.  Once the glacier water starts to run it brings with it rock flour or silt. This is what the light reflects off to give the lake its stunning deep blue colour. The lake has a surface area of 0.5 square kilometres (0.19 sq mi).

There are several trails around the lake that range from casual walks to more strenuous hikes. Due to bear activity some of the trails have seasonal restrictions to maximize safety. Hikers must travel in a tight group of four or more. Occasionally trails may be closed off completely.  The Rockpile Trail is the one most commonly taken by tourists.  It runs along the actual moraine and is approximately 300 metres long, with an elevation change of 24 metres (79 ft). The view of the lake from the top of the rockpile is one of the most photographed locations in all of Canada. That view of the mountains behind the lake in Valley of the Ten Peaks is known as the Twenty Dollar View, as Moraine Lake was featured on the reverse side of the 1969 and 1979 issues of the Canadian twenty dollar bill.

 

Moraine Lake is only half the size of its nearby neighbour Lake Louise, but perhaps even more scenic.

These three beautiful postcards came from (1) Sarah K. (blubutterfly) 15 April 2014 Swap-bot, (2) Maxine K (simcoe54) 20 August 2014 Swap-bot and (3) Sarah M. 7 July 2015 Swap-bot.

SW R-027, CA-452303 City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

The City of Vancouver is the largest city of British Columbia, Canada. It has more than 600,000 people in the city and is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada; 52% of its residents have a first language other than English.  The Greater Vancouver area has about 2.4 million inhabitants and it is the most densely populated Canadian municipality.  Nevertheless, Vancouver is consistently named as one of the top five worldwide cities for livability and quality of life.

While forestry remains its largest industry, Vancouver is well known as an urban centre surrounded by nature, making tourism its second-largest industry. Major film production studios in Vancouver and Burnaby have turned Metro Vancouver into one of the largest film production centres in North America, earning it the film industry nickname, Hollywood North.

The postcard shows Stanley Park (1,001 acres) in the foreground.  The park has a long history and was one of the first areas to be explored in the city. The land was originally used by indigenous peoples for thousands of years before British Columbia was colonized by the British. Unlike other large urban parks, Stanley Park is not the creation of a landscape architect, but rather the evolution of a forest and urban space over many years.

Also shown on the postcard is a cruise liner alongside the giant tent-frame Canada Place which was the former Canada Pavilion from the 1986 World Exposition.  Also visible in the postcard is the tallest building in Vancouver - Living Shangri-La  [201 metres (659 feet) 62 storeys]

This is the second Vancouver postcard sent by eepy post (eepy).  The first one (26 March 2014) was delivered with the bottom third torn off by a Canada Post machine (presumably) and eepy is kind enough to send a replacement (9 April 2014).

This postcard came on 4 August 2014 from Barbara and shows Vancouver at sunset. 

 

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada

Niagara-on-the-Lake (2011 population 15,400) is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara River from Youngstown, New York, USA. It is also the only town in Canada that has a Lord Mayor.

Niagara -on-the-Lake was originally known as Butlersburg, in honour of Colonel John Butler, the commander of Butler’s Rangers. The Town received an official status in 1781 when it became known as Newark, a British military site and haven for British loyalists fleeing the United States in the volatile aftermath of the American Revolution.  Later, it changed names again, this time to Niagara.

Niagara was named the first capital of Upper Canada (now the province of Ontario), and the first provincial parliament was convened there.  During the War of 1812, the capital was moved to York (later to be renamed as Toronto) so as to be farther from the areas of combat.

The Town played a central part in the War or 1812. It was taken by American forces after a two day bombardment by cannons from Fort Niagara and the American Fleet, followed by a bloody battle. Later in the war the Town was razed and burnt to the ground by American soldiers as they withdrew to Fort Niagara. Undaunted by this setback, the citizens rebuilt the Town after the War.

In the 1880’s, the Town was renamed as Niagara-on-the-Lake to avoid confusion with Niagara Falls. The central part is referred to as Old Town or Old Niagara.

This postcard came from AMark of Stampboards as #1 of 3 (Jan 2014 postcard exchange.) He used Canada's Year of the Horse stamps.