31 Days in Canada

 In honour of CANADA DAY  I plan to post a daily image of Canada and a link to a random Canadian location we have visited.

Andrew posted a dance video that reminded me of Gurdeep Pandher, an internationally renowned, Yukon-based author, educator, and Bhangra dance artist. Originally from the Punjab region of India, he moved to Canada in 2006 and later settled in a wilderness cabin in the Yukon.

YUKON

Pandher became a global social media phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic by posting viral videos of himself joyfully performing traditional Punjabi Bhangra dances in the freezing Yukon wilderness.

VIDEO INTERVIEW

Gurdeep Pandher was formally invested with Canada's prestigious Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division) at Rideau Hall. 

The national honour recognizes his extraordinary contributions to building cross-cultural bridges, fostering diversity, and spreading positivity and joy across the globe through his traditional Punjabi Bhangra dance videos.

After I got Meritorious Service Medal in Ottawa, Rideau Hall staff invited me to do a move or two!

VICTORIA BC

On Canada Day | Punjabi Celtic Fusion While Paying Respect To The Indigenous Peoples

CN TOWER TORONTO ON

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

CARCROSS YUKON - random post

Monday Mural

 I'm linking up at Monday Mural

April 2026 - Toronto ON Part 3

All these murals were down the same laneway that come out on Ossington, from Dundas W.

Part 2

Part 1

D. Terra

This mural features a portrait of Canadian singer The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye).

D. Terra

 The stencil art features Amália Rodrigues and Mariza, both celebrated figures in the Fado music genre.

The text "Nem às paredes confesso..." translates to "I don't even confess to the walls...", a famous line from a song popularised by Amália Rodrigues.

31 Days in Canada - Music

 

The 100 Best Canadian Songs Ever

Memphis TN

March 2025 - Memphis TN


1992 Memphis Nashville TN

Day 9 Homebound April 2013

April 2015

April 2017

MLK posts

We made a quick "stretch our legs" stop in Memphis this week. It was early, bars were not open.

We visited the Rock 'n Soul Hall of Fame.

When you stroll down Beale Street you can't help but notice a building that is being held up by six steel girders.  As you look closer you then notice it also has no walls and roof.  

What is this building? 

Beale Street had a completely different feel and was still lined with mansions at one end.  A time even before W.C. Handy and the blues were on Beale Street.  

W. C. Handy

In 1891 Memphis had many things to celebrate but the biggest was that they were now a city again. In 1878 Memphis lost two-thirds of it's population as people fled from the yellow fever epidemic. When this happened Memphis lost it's city charter and became a taxing district of the State of Tennessee.  

Memphis was also the home to a thirty-one year old judge and magistrate for Shelby County by the name of Charles Gallina.  Not much is known of Judge Gallina except that he loved horse racing.  The judge must of loved horse racing because he owned up to seventeen racehorses at one time.  He was also a regular at Montgomery Race Track and North Memphis Driving Track.  These were the hottest places in town to bet on horse races.  

By 1891 Judge Gallina must of been making a lot of money from horse racing because he decided to hire local architect B.C Alsup to build The Gallina Exchange Building.  This was not going to be any ordinary building.  He wanted the best establishment on Beale Street.  

By the time it was completed it was a three-story 24/7 saloon complete with a gambling hall with walnut paneling.  This judge had style.  Not only is he involved in race horsing, he now has his hand in a gambling hall.  This guy just keeps getting more interesting.  It also sounds like he was a family man because he decided to move his entire family into the third floor.  I think child services would of had a field day with this guy.  

On the second floor the judge would hold court.  I'm not sure that would be the place I'd want to go if I knew I had to go to court.  At least if you lost your case you could go downstairs and partake in the libations.  

The Gallina Exchange Building was also a hotel with 20 rooms each complete with a marble fireplace.  This is why it was the Pride Of Beale Street.  It was also very popular with the Grand Opera House crowd and many of the traveling actors would stay here.  

The judge would enjoy about 13 years living in this grand palace that he built.  Then in 1914 he passed away.  Over the years it would become the home to a pharmacy, clothing store and dentist's office.  

In 1980 a fire swept through the building and gutted the interior.  Those six steel girders were then placed to hold up the building.  Then a windstorm caused the collapse of the rear and side walls and now you are left with what you see today.  

Sometime in the 1990's Silky O' Sullivan's moved to this location and made the open area their patio.

As we saw it in 2017.

Monday Mural

 I'm linking up at Monday Mural 

January 2025 - Palm Springs CA

Hyatt Hotel - I posted this on Monday Mural in 2015!

Mural of fallen Palm Springs Police officers Gil Vega and Lesley Zerebny.

On Oct. 8, 2016, Palm Springs police received a 911 call regarding a domestic disturbance at a residence on Cypress Avenue. Within minutes after officers arrived and contacted family members inside the home, they were fired upon by Felix, who was using an AR-15 rifle.

Officer Jose Gilbert “Gil” Vega and Officer Lesley Zerebny were killed by gunfire and six other Palm Springs police officers were injured by shots fired by Felix in the subsequent exchange of gunfire. Four of the Palm Springs police officers had to medically retire after the fatal gun battle.

Wal*Mart

There were many painted benches, I only took a few.

The downtown Palm Springs benches are being transformed into works of art on Palm Canyon. These 50+ benches have been commissioned through the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission. 

Trinidad López III (May 15, 1937 – August 11, 2020), known as Trini Lopez, was an American singer and guitarist.[1] His first album included a cover version of Pete Seeger's "If I Had a Hammer", which earned a gold disc for him. His other hits included "Lemon Tree", "I'm Comin' Home, Cindy" and "Sally Was a Good Old Girl". He designed two guitars for the Gibson Guitar Corporation, which are now collectors' items.