Ottawa

Fortunately I’ve had the luxury to spend some time in this breathtaking country. From childhood on I have always been fascinated by Canada. Extreme in its size, its landscapes, its climate and its wildlife, to name a few. And then there are the Canadians, eh?! I met a lovely friend in Bangkok who moved back here and showed me the beauty of the place she can luckily call home. But I felt at home as well. We did hikes and road trips and around every corner there was a new surprise that would take my breath away.
But in the end, after a very nice break from Streets, I’m here for Ottawa.

Ottawa is a special story. Chosen by Queen Victoria as the unlikely place for the Canadian capital it grew out to be just that. And it sure is a capital now. With its pretty setting on the shores of the Ottawa River and wedged between French-speaking Quebec and English-speaking Ontario it is right in the middle of everything Canada is.
I was lucky to be here during Canada Day when Canadian patriotism is clearly visible. Canadians from all backgrounds. And all faiths. And this I thought made Canada even more special. All these people actually want to be Canadian and are proud of it.
Being Dutch I’m supposed to be from a very liberal country where people are tolerant. Sadly enough lately this has changed. And that works both ways. I don’t see the same size in mixture of ‘Dutch’ in the centre of Amsterdam on our Queens Day. It was a special and inspiring site.
That is why I chose this multi-cultural image of Ottawa and Canada. Its wide sky is typical for the wideness of this country.

The hotdog stand actually turned out to be run by very nice Bulgarian immigrants. It seems there’s a place for everyone in this endless and beautiful country.