Batman Avenue

Location: Melbourne, Australia
Address: Batman Avenue
Date: May 2012
Website: www.onlymelbourne.com.au

  We were headed towards Federation Square when we noticed the street sign in front of us.  We were about to cross Batman Avenue.  Maybe Melbourne would also have a Spiderman Street or Iron Man Crescent?  We wondered why the street was named after a fictional superhero.  It was only much later that we would discover the street was actually named after John Batman, who was one of the founders of Melbourne, Australia.  John Batman died in May 1839 and it would be almost exactly 100 years before the Batman character made his debut in Detective Comics #27.   Detective Comics is better known as DC comics.  Try as we might we could make no other connections between John Batman and the caped crusader.  We even looked through his family tree hoping to find a Bruce or an Alfred or a Wayne.  No luck.  John Batman had seven daughters and one son and married a woman named Elizabeth.  We were hoping that he had married a woman named Robin, because the name Robin Batman would have been awesome. 

---

Map of Our World
Batman Avenue

---

Post # 110

High Park Cherry Blossoms

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: High Park
Date: May 2015
Website: http://www.highparktoronto.com

   Since 1959 there have been sakura in High Park.  Sakura is the Japanese name for cherry blossoms.  Toronto was given 2000 trees by the Japanese ambassador for helping Japanese-Canadians after World War II.  When the sakura tree blossoms it is a beautiful sight.  The trees all tend to bloom around the same time, but some trees will bloom sooner than others.  The timing has to be just right if you want to see the blossoms as they only last for about a week.  If a heavy rain occurs all the blossoms could fall even sooner.  In High Park it is usually late April or early May when the majority of trees are in bloom.  We kept a close eye on the website above in order to make sure that we did not miss the event.  As soon as the announcement was made that the trees were in peak bloom we headed to the park.

 
  We were not alone as thousands of people come to witness the beautiful blossoms each spring.  Cherry blossoms are usually white or pink in colour and have a star shaped pattern inside.

  There are a few spots where sakura trees have been planted in High Park, but the best spot to see the trees is along West Road and the edge of Grenadier Pond.   The cherry blossoms are said to be a metaphor for life.  They are only here for a short time so appreciate their beauty while it lasts.

---

This location is near High Park subway. Visit other Toronto TTC stations.

Map of Our World
High Park Cherry Blossoms

---

Post # 109

Queen Elizabeth II Statue

Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Address: 450 Broadway
Date: Oct 2014
Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca

   Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926.  She will turn 90 years old this year.  She is currently the world's oldest monarch and the longest reigning British monarch of all time.  Queen Elizabeth II is not only the Queen of England, but also the Queen of Canada.  Therefore, she visits Canada quite frequently and there are many statues and monuments in her honour across the country.
  When we were in Winnipeg, Manitoba we visited the beautiful legislative building.  On the east side of the grounds near Kennedy Street is a monument which commemorates the Queen’s address to the Manitoba Legislative Assembly during its provincial centennial in 1970.  The sculpture was created by Leo Mol who also has hundreds of other sculptures located in Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park. When the statue was relocated to the legislative building grounds the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh were there for the unveiling.

---

Map of Our World
Queen Elizabeth II Statue

---

Post # 108