I should have paid more attention to the clues. The official beginning of summer, the giant flags displayed on government buildings, the many aisles at the Dollar Store dedicated to “Canadian pride” products, the mountain of fireworks at Walmart with the “NO SMOKING!!!” sign beside… Yet, somehow, July 1st and Canada Day took me by surprise.
June went by fast and the last week of the month went by even faster. On Thursday night, I finally got the message—“Canada’s birthday, mommy, happy birthday… I made a flag, red, and white, and red, and oh… white, and… is it my birthday? Oh no, Canada’s birthday. But why? Oh look, balloons! Red, and white and…” Yes, this is a normal car ride with Mark who, this time, was all hyped up after the daycare’s Canada Day party.
It had been a while since our last Canada Day in the national capital, aka the “we are the centre of the world once a year” city. The past three years, we were in France. When we last partied in Ottawa, in 2012, I was pregnant with Mark.
On Friday morning, we headed downtown with Mark to check out the day’s festivities. We didn’t have a plan and just wandered around Parliament Hill, Major’s Hill Park, the Byward Market and Sparks Street—the usual places, but with twenty times more people. It’s best to embrace the day and go with the flow because of the crowd, the closed streets and the various impromptu events that take place here and there. I was too lazy to queue to get free stuff from sponsors—free coffee, free ice cream, free samples, etc., but we did score the accessory of the year, a plastic moose hat with antlers. And of course, we were given Canadian flags and pins.
We saw the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and heard Justin Trudeau, our new Prime Minister, and David Johnston, the Governor General, addressing the crowd. As usual, I appreciated the fact that despite various terror attacks around the world (including in Ottawa) in the past few years, we were still free to party in the heart of the national capital around various sensitive landmarks like the Parliament, the Senate and the many government buildings. This means a lot to me. The streets belong to the people, as so do landmarks symbolizing our democracy.
In the evening, we attempted to go back downtown for another look but most streets were closed because of the festivities and upcoming fireworks. We saw a major thunderstorm approaching, so we turned around and ended up on Bate Island, on the Ottawa River, where we watch lightning and thunder with a few fishermen (??!).
Happy Canada Day!
Storm in summer? I love Air Show by the National Air Force! love love love. The event seems fun with a lot to see!
Anyway, if think you’re not tall, I think I’ll see nothing if I am around the crowd in front of parliament building =))
problem is, Canadians are super tall! I’m fairly tall, 1.70 metres, so in Asia I’m fine 😉
We get many severe thunderstorms over the summer because the weather is hot and humid (like, 35C).
Love this whole post thanks for sharing all the pictures this was fun!!
Next year… you’ll party too! 😉
I love reading these daily slices of life.
Your little Canadian is so cute! Lucky him to have an elevated view.
I have never seen a symbol for street entertainers before. No juggling allowed!
I’m sorry to tell you this, but it seems like none of you know how to wear the moose antlers…
We suck at moose antler wearing. I agree 😆 You made me laugh, thank you for this 😉
Ottawa loves banning weird stuff. For example, technically, you cannot enjoy parks and playground from 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. There are no doors, but there is a sign. I find it absolutely stupid, especially in suburbia (it’s not like anything is going on…) and over the summer where these parks can be a fun place to relax right after sunset. Mind you, I don’t think it’s enforced. I often see couples chatting or kids playing past 9 p.m.
Happy belated Canada Day!! We didn’t do anything at all :/ it rained all day and Luke had a hangover ha ha ha.
Next year will be more fun. I had a miserable Canada when I was pregnant with Mark!
Love the pictures, and seeing more of you as well 😉
Mark is so adorable with his Canada T-shirt, he looks so much like you on that first picture of him as well 🙂
We just hid at home this year.. It was nice to spend the day just the two of us together. Plus, there isn’t that much going on here. There is a concert and some fireworks, but it’s not like there was any FOMO on our end.
Yeah, Ottawa is kind of “the place to be”, that’s why we celebrate. Anywhere else in Canada is probably quieter 🙂
I can never tell if Mark looks like me, Feng or both!
I can imagine, would be fun to be there one year 🙂
I would say a perfect mix of both 🙂
Happy Canada Day 🙂
It was an ocean of people in red; it was awesome!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
On Canada Day I woke up singing (very loud) the first bars of the national anthem to which I received a very annoying eye roll from hubby (or was it me the annoying one?). To be fair, I do the same thing for Bastille Day (though the lyrics are much less family friendly and not a proud moment in world history, in my opinion).
😆 I imagine the situation! “God, is she possessed??! Oh no… just Canada Day/Bastille Day!” 😆