Dad, Pam, Teri & Grandpa – this is one reason May next year would be a great time to visit.
Flat chicken is all I have now.
7 months ago
Thursday, May 27, 2010
History - Say it with flowers...
Spring in Ottawa means flowers, especially tulips. During WWII, Dutch royal family took refuge in Canada and Princess Margriet was born in Ottawa. Well sort of. The maternity ward of the hospital was temporarily declared to be extraterritorial by the Canadian government, thereby allowing her royal citizenship to be solely Dutch as required by the constitution. Beyond this, the First Canadian Army was very active in the liberation of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. In appreciation, the Dutch people sent bucket loads of tulips (aka the Dutch national flower) to Ottawa and then the royal family sent over still more. This became an annual tradition, and has evolved into the Canadian Tulip Festival. Every year there are fireworks, loads of live music and, of course, tons of tulips, all over a long weekend. Nice!
Dad, Pam, Teri & Grandpa – this is one reason May next year would be a great time to visit.
Dad, Pam, Teri & Grandpa – this is one reason May next year would be a great time to visit.
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That looks really spectacular. Is there much of a Dutch presence in the area, a 'little dutch town', or even a couple of places where you can get double salted everything?
ReplyDeleteIn Canada everything *starts* with double salt. But no, I haven't seen a Dutch area. I guess they all went home after WWII.
ReplyDeleteUhhh... WTF is 'Double Salt'?
ReplyDeleteThe tulip thing -- yeah, we get that here too. But with less Dutch Royalty, and more banjo-playing hillbilly.