Canada Day - Part 1

Canada is 143 years old today.

Canada celebrates with a national holiday where we wear red and white, have barbecues, parades, festivals, music, and fireworks

Our village has a huge firework display which we will be going down to watch. During the day there are performances in the gazebo/bandstand, food stalls, activities for the kids at the oval, and a parade. We strolled down to the village to have a mooch around and to eat ice cream. I had maple walnut, my man had cherry. We sat outside the Water Lily which is a lovely gift/coffee/icecream shop and watched the world go by. Most of the world seemed to be fishing. Whole families come to Hastings for a days fishing setting up picnic tables and BBQs. The dress code varies, from full camoflage- like you need that when fishing from a concrete bridge- to summer dresses, Louis Vuitton handbags/purses and high heels.-which are of course so sensible when standing near rapidly running water.

Food was variations on dead animal between bread and covered in ketchup and mustard and for dessert something deepfried, battered, and covered in icing sugar. I can be superior here because I can't eat any of these foods as I am gluten intolerant.  It all smelled delicious dammit.

The entertainment was local and enthusiastic.

A few boats were lined up along the wall, the marina has to be empty for the evening so that the Fire Department can set up for the fireworks display. Most of these boats had US flags on them.


And the history bit? Here it is.

In 1867 Canada became a country when the colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada became a Federation of four provinces.  The Province of Canada was made up Upper and Lower Canada which became Ontario and Quebec after confederation.  Britain retained some political rights but over the years these became fewer and  fewer until 1982 when the Consitution Act was passed, after this Britain had no control over any part of the Canadian Consitution. The Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II of the Uunited Kingdom.  Canada now has 10 Provinces and 3 Territories. There are two official languages and 8 recognised regional languages.

Canada is the second largest country in the world with one of the lowest population densities in the world. Most of us live down south close to the USA/Canada border. The northernmost citizen is Father Christmas who lives at the North Pole. Canada has the longest coastline of any country and the most number of lakes. I have no idea who counted them all.

This evening we are off to see Elvis and then the fireworks. It's all go.