Expo 67

50 years ago today, Expo 67 opened in Montreal. A bus ride, then a quick trip on the spanking new Metro, and my family and myself were enjoying the biggest cultural event in the world that year. I believe this picture actually predates Expo's opening. I have a vague recollection of visiting the site with mom and dad, maybe even in late 1966, to see what there was to see. Turns out, not much. That's me standing in the "O."

Coin

Dad is trying his hand at a close-up. But what exactly has he photographed here?
Turns out it's a 1964 silver dollar commemorating the 1864 Charlottetown and Québec Confederation conferences.

Fab!

Fifty-three years ago tonight, The Beatles made their final of their first three appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. This appearance was actually pre-recorded two weeks earlier; they were already back home in England when the show was broadcast. They played Twist and Shout, Please Please Me and I Want To Hold Your Hand. And in those days, of course, there were no VCRs or PVRs. There was no taping of tv broadcasts. The only thing you could was tape the audio out of the earphone jack if you had the right equipment, or take pictures of your tv. And fifty-three years ago tonight, that's what my dad was doing, no doubt encouraged by my older sisters. Apparently, there was more than just the thought of having a memento of Beatlemania that prompted my sisters to enlist dad and his camera on this long-ago evening. One sister told me recently that she sold prints at school during the weeks after the show at 25 cents each. And yes, her sales results proved that Paul was the most popular.

Mystery Place

This shot is a total mystery. I presume dad took it in the late 1960s, but other than that, your guess is as good as mine.

Tree

This is our family Christmas tree circa 1969. This was a magic tree, every so often a small surprise or gift would suddenly appear on the tree, a clear sign that Santa's snitches elves were nearby and continuing in their observational duties. I'm happy to report that many incarnations later, the Christmas tree in our house continues to have this strange magical property. I'm also happy to report that some of the ornaments you see on this tree have survived into the 21st century and continue their yearly service of brightening up our current tree, and our holiday spirit.

What's Up?

So here's a mystery shot. Presumably a quiet Montréal street, probably the early 1960s. I'm not sure what prompted dad to take this shot, or what attracted him to this location.
Perhaps it was the two people in the tree.

The Planes! The Planes!

From a plane-spotting trip to Dorval Airport, here's a row of Air Canada DC-9s ready to go...somewhere.

The jet in the foreground, fin #740, is almost brand new in this photo, having been delivered in Air Canada in March, 1969. It stayed in service with Air Canada until 1998, then served a south-east Asian airline before being scrapped in 2006.

Relic of a Lost Age

Don't see these anymore, do you?

Benched

Dad appears to be bored with taking self-portraits.

Mystery Girl

Dad took this picture, but it's a complete mystery. Who, when, where? Dunno.

Then and Now: Dorchester....?

Here's a vintage shot from 1970. The odd thing is that Dad records this picture as being along Dorchester Avenue. However, the next corner is Rue Cheneville, followed by Rue Jeanne Mance, but Dorchester Avenue runs nowhere near Cheneville and Jeanne Mance. It's a puzzler.
The answer is that the name of this middle part of Dorchester Avenue, which my dad photographed in 1970, was changed in 1987 to Boulevard René Lévesque. The ends of the street maintain the Dorchester name; one end is now Boulevard Dorchester, the other end is Rue Dorchester. Here's the street today. It also appears that Rue Cheneville has been shortened and no longer intersects Boulevard René Lévesque.