Celebrating Canada Day in London

[cessna152towser]

London, England, not London Ontartio

Canada House is a Greek Revival style building fronting onto Trafalgar Square in London, built between 1824 and 1827 and acquired by the Canadian Government in 1923. The offices were closed on Thursday 1st July for the Canada Day holiday, when Canada takes over the adjacent Trafalgar Square for the annual Canada Day celebrations.

The formal opening was performed by His Excellency James Wright, High Commissioner of Canada in England.

The Canadian Tenors sang "Oh Canada" at the opening ceremony. They had just arrived from singing at the G8 and G20 summits and were rushng back to Canada to sing to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The High Commissioner and his wife with two Mounties and a Hockey player.

An overview of the event, with a Street Hockey tournament and Canadian musicians on stage. A reasonable substitute for spending the day on Dundas Square, Toronto

The hockey tournament quickly got going.

Your guides for the day, Chas and myself.
More to follow shortly.

[cessna152towser]

Fall in Love with Canada.







Chas chats with a Canuck
more to follow shortly

[cessna152towser]

Go Canada Go!


We met a Utilikilt wearer

and Chas inspected a Mountie's horse.
More to follow shortly.

[cessna152towser]

First Nations artists were carrying out restoration work on a totem pole which had been created in 1969 for Salford, Manchester's port, in recognition of trading links.
It really is a small world. We talked to Bruce Alfred, nearest the camera, who is a Kwakwaka'wakw artist from Vancouver Island, and learned that he is a friend of my cousin Edith's husband. Edith is married to a member of the Kwakiutl tribe.


First Nations Dancers

Lone piper

I had to sample a Bison Burger for lunch

Washed down with Coca Cola at the beer tent before it got too busy. For beer fans, Sleeman's was available.

The Sharks

The Puck Heads

The Puck Heads in action

Goalmouth action.
One more instalment to follow shortly.

[cessna152towser]

Bombardier, a Canadian company which builds many of the world's trains and aeroplanes had their own display.

Soon it was time to eat again before heading for home. I decided to pass on the poutine in favour of.....

..........curly fries......

Washed down with coffee and a doughnut from Tim Horton's

This Irish pub in London held its own Canada Day celebrations

and lastly,
The Mountie Always Gets His Women.
That's all folks.

[McClef]

Great photos Alex.

I have been to Canada twice and still not seen a Mountie in the traditional uniform!

[Spc. Scott]

Great pics! That looks like it was a blast.

I've only seen one Mountie in the traditional uniform. Was many years ago on a trip to Niagara Falls.

[xman]

I decided to pass on the poutine ...

I think you made a bad call.

Thanks for sharing all the fun picks!

[goodrat]

That's awesome Alex, glad to see there is that much love for Canada. Great pictures.

[Darkislander]

Wow - very good.