Happy 150th Birthday, Canada.

This is just a coincidence that I asked folks if they wanted to live 150 years and now I am posting a 150th birthday wish to my friends and relatives in Canada.

I have vacationed in Canada many many times.  From British Columbia to Nova Scotia, the only place I haven't visited that is still on my list is Alberta.  I have wonderful memories of so many trips.

My mother's oldest sister lived in Windsor.  We were about twenty minutes from the Detroit-Windsor tunnel and made many trips across the border.  Other cousins lived in Leamington and Toronto.

My mother's father came through Ellis Island in 1913 headed for Fort Frances, Ontario.  His brother-in-law and cousins were already there.  As a matter of fact, even though some of the family relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, a branch of the clan remained in Fort Frances for many years before relocating to Victoria, BC and Seattle, Washington.

Detroit and Windsor have long celebrated their holidays of July 1 and July 4 together.  Many years ago their was an International Freedom Festival.  Since I was in downtown Detroit from 1964 until 1977, I often participated as evidenced by this 1973 photo.

I think I deserve points for having the nerve to publish this relic, lol.

Five years ago I made my second trip to Victoria, BC for my son's wedding.  We enjoyed the holiday celebrations on the following day, today.  Whistler, Victoria and Vancouver, BC; Thunder Bay, Agawa Canyon, Toronto, Niagara Falls, rafting on the Niagara River rapids, Manitoulin Island, Point Pelee, Windsor, Hamilton, London etc., Ontario; Montreal and Quebec City, Quebec; driving along the St. Lawrence River to the northern tip of Maine; Nova Scotia and Cape Breton; Prince Edward Island....  Canada is an incredible place to visit.

If you would enjoy learning more about this country, I highly recommend watching Canada: The Story of Us.   I found it very enlightening and entertaining.

And to those of you Canadians celebrating your birthday, have fun.  Just take it easy on those fireworks.

A Beautiful Place for a Wedding

One week ago today I was in Victoria, British Columbia for my youngest son's wedding.  It was truly a beautiful place to celebrate the occasion.

I had vacationed in British Columbia in 2002, visiting Victoria, Vancouver and Whistler.  It was an amazing trip.  I marveled at the beauty of every place I went, from cosmopolitan Vancouver to the wilds of the train ride to Whistler, prior to it getting 'gussied up' for the 2010 Olympics.  I just knew that my youngest would love to visit this spot.

So, when he and his fiancee decided to have a destination wedding in BC with a few close friends and family, I was excited.  Many of my friends questioned foregoing the big affair with a few hundred folks, but this was the bride and groom's day and I thought they should do what would make them happy.  As it turned out, they got to spend the entire day with us and actually got to sit down and enjoy a meal (I know you have seen weddings where the bride and groom spend the entire time wandering from table to table and then sudenly realizing that the day is over).

The site of the wedding was Hatley Castle on the grounds of Royal Roads University.  Here are some photos from the day. 

The rehearsal

The big day

The lovely flower girl

Signing on the dotted line and making it official

The food - seared tuna appetizer

Back at the hotel at the end of the day (my hair has totally wilted!)



Spending the day after the wedding at Butchart Gardens

The sunken garden.  Who would have thought an old limestone quarry could be so beautiful.

Canada Day versus the Fourth of July

I've just returned from British Columbia, Canada.  I'll be writing more about my trip, but for now I want to focus on their holiday which occured yesterday - Canada Day.

I was in Victoria down at the Inner Harbor.  There were lots of people, lots of entertainers and plenty of food.  What there wasn't any of was fireworks being shot off by every yahoo with a few bucks to burn.

Yes, at 10:22 pm (I have no idea why it was that particular time), there was a fireworks display in the Harbor.  It lasted about eight minutes.  And then everyone quietly dispersed and went elsewhere.

I watched the show from my hotel room terrace.  I closed the door when it was over and went to sleep since I had to be up at 3:00 am to catch a flight home.

On my flight into Victoria I spoke with a woman who had been mayor for eight years of a small town north of Victoria.  She said they did not allow any fireworks.  They were 'too dangerous'.  (They also make motorcyclists wear full helmets.  Go figure.)

When I told her what the legislature has done in Michigan she looked at me like I was nuts.  No.  I just live here.

But what amazed me is that there were no scofflaws to be heard setting off fireworks in Victoria.  What does Canada do that we don't?   Our residents don't seem to think laws apply to them.  They do what they please. 

Frankly, the only reason I came home is because I was worried that with the dry weather, something here may catch fire.  And the booms go on and on.