My condolences to the people of France and Canada today. Collectively we have lost one of humanity’s best men. I am deeply saddened at the passing of Monsieur Devloo, the grand-pere of Vimy. He would, for the past 13 years, stand waiting at a train platform to pick up and drive Canadians on their way to the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge, just outside of Arras, France. It is said that it was here that Canada was born, much in the same way New Zealand and Australia regard Gallipoli as their independent arrival on the world stage.

“It was Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific on parade. I thought then … that in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation.” -Brigadier-General Alexander Ross

I visited almost two years ago to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the battle. I had missed the train to get to the ceremony, and stayed in Arras that night. The next day I took the bus to Vimy, and realised that even from Vimy the walk to the park was quite long. I began to walk, when a little red car pulled up beside me. There was a gentle old man inside wearing a berret, asking if I was a Canadian on my way to the memorial. I would learn later that he was Monsieur Devloo, grand-pere des guides, or grand-pere du Vimy. He gave me a ride there, all the while telling me about the war and why he picks Canadians up each day. He does it to thank Canada for their help in liberating France. I was deeply humbled by his commitment to our country, and to freedom and peace. He dropped me off at the visitor centre, and chatted with the guides. He promised to pick me up in a few hours.

That day Vimy Ridge was a spectacular sight. The sun shone brightly and the forest was verdant with springtime shoots and musky aromas. Up in the distance, on the ridge ahead, soared two pylons of the impressive, solemn white memorial. The hooded and weeping figure of the Motherland - Canada - stood with her head hung low, mourning for the fallen. The trenches had since grown over with trees; the frontlines preserved for visitors. Sheep tended to the grass, for human weight may accidentally trigger a mine or other ammunition left over from the war. I was glad I didn’t make it to the ceremony the day before, with thousands clamouring to see the Queen and the Canadian and French Prime Ministers. There were relatively few people taking the long walk up the ridge. The French countryside was so peaceful. It was hard to imagine what the land looked like after the war, scarred and scorched. I knew that visiting the sacred sight in person was so much more meaningful than learning about it in class. I was deeply moved.

Monsieur Devloo picked me up from the visitor centre as promised. There was another Canadian there, a former guide. As we drove back to Arras we stopped at the German cemetary with rows upon rows of black iron crosses. Several of them had Stars of David on them - an unsettling remembrance of the Jewish German people that fought for Germany during the First World War, only to be targetted themselves in the next. The ruins of a cathedral rose in the distant countryside, also allowed to exist in a state of deterioration to remember the high cost of war. Monsieur Devloo was a great guide and traveling companion, and would not accept anything in exchange. His stories and his kindness will forever be remembered.

Merci, grand-pere. May you rest in peace.

For more on Monsieor Devloo please visit: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/02/09/f-rfa-arsenault.html#socialcomments-submit

For more on Vimy Ridge and it’s importance to Canada please visit: http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=history/firstwar/vimy/vimy5

The deadly wildfires that are sweeping through South East Australia have left me in profound sadness. My condolences go out to my cousins, the people of Australia, and my thoughts are with you.  If there is anything I know about Australians, it is that they are a strong and resilient people. They will be stronger at the outset of this tragedy.

Since I am new to the blogosphere and I have had several incredible adventures, I will post them one by one as a series of back-blogs. They will not be in order, but I will provide the timeline of my travels here for future reference:

Australia Exchange 2005:Hong Kong, Sydney, Canberra, Albury-Wadonga, Melbourne, Great Ocean Road, Adelaide (I lived here for 6 months), Kangaroo Island, The Outback (Flinders National Park, Coober Pedy, Stuarts Well, Alice Springs, West MacDonnell National Park, Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta and Uluru), Macau

Europe Exchange 2007: Ireland, Germany, Switzerland (I lived here for 3 months), Austria, Italy, France, Finland, The Netherlands

Canadian Arctic 2007: Fieldwork in Cape Dorset and Iqaluit, Baffin Island, Canada

Burning Man 2007 ‘Green Man’ : San Francisco, Reno, Black Rock City, Utah, Colorodo, Wyoming

Cancun 2008 - First trip for no other reason than pleasure and escape from winter

St. John’s, Newfoundland 2008 - “Present processes, Past changes, Spatiotemporal dynamics (PPS)Arctic Conference”

Canadian Arctic 2008 - Fieldwork in Cape Dorset and Sanikiluaq

Alaska 2008: “Ninth International Conference on Permafrost” in Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs, Denali National Park

European Conferences 2008: “Exploring Domestic Spaces in the Circumpolar North” in Tromsø , Norway, “Human Dimensions in the Circumpolar Arctic” in Umeå, Sweden and by the way side-journeys to Copenhagen, Berlin, Dresden and Prague.

I cannot praise the opportunities available for travel as a student of architecture and a researcher in geography. Of course, much of the onus is on the individual to seek out and actively pursue such adventures as well, regardless of what one does for a living. The best way to learn about yourself and the world you live in is to actually go live and experience the wonders this planet offers, and to respectfully do so. My memories over the past few years are not as fresh as they once were, and so I am looking forward to going over and posting my photos from each trip to relive the experiences.

I also look forward to reporting on future journeys, such as one in Las Vegas, Nevada to present a paper entitled “Geography, Culture and Collaborative Design” at the American Association of Geographers Annual Convention at the end of March. Stay tuned!