How long has it been since I pointed out something that's different in Ottawa than I'm used to? Too long!

In the neighbourhood of Nepean that I live in, there are many streets without streetlights and sidewalks. I don't remember this being a thing in any other city or large town I've lived in -- there's basically no dark areas in urbanized Dublin or Stafford.

I've gotten used to the absence of sidewalks, but the lack of lights is seems less consistent. When I lived in Westboro there were lights on all the streets. Not as many or the way that I was used to, but basically every street.

Add to this the fact that the summer evenings are so long, and that in Winter the snow on the ground means it's never _that_ dark, it's only this time of year that you _really_ notice that we don't have streetlights, and I need to take a flashlight (torch) out with me and the dog.

I also noticed that everywhere there's a Stop sign, there's a streetlight. I wonder if that's a rule?

Canter Boulevard is one black abyss between two stop signs (which have lights over them). Walking from one end to the other feels like playing Alan Wake...