Canada
I recently got the opportunity to visit Canada for the first time. It did not disappoint! I look forward to my next venture.
You may be wondering, is Canada constructed of all things maple? Dotted by Tim Horton's? Consumed with Hockey? For a while, my only look at Canada was through a TV screen and thanks to numerous sit coms and comedy specials I had a skewed idea of Canadians. Not negative mind you but not fully true (as televised stereotypes tend to be). But what I knew was only a fraction of the true character of this country and its people. According to Wikipedia (I don't solely rely on Wiki but they do have some good factual info)
"The land now called Canada has been inhabited for millennia by various Aboriginal peoples. Beginning in the 15th century, British and French colonies were established on the Atlantic coast, with the first establishment of a region called "Canada" occurring in 1537. As a consequence of various conflicts, the United Kingdom gained and lost territories within British North America until left, in the late 18th century, with what mostly geographically comprises Canada today."
"Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II being the head of state. The country is officially bilingual at the federal level. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. Its advanced economy is the eleventh largest in the world, relying chiefly upon its abundant natural resources and well-developed international trade networks. Canada's long and complex relationship with the United States has had a significant impact on its economy and culture."
Canada for me was a surprise in the best ways. Yes, most everyone was very polite but there was a man flipping off a car from his bike while crossing the road. :) People are people everywhere...good, bad, ugly and everything in between. And I love it, the diversity and the similarity. I am not saying that flipping off people as you are crossing the street is a thing of beauty but in an odd way I guess I am....reminded me of home and that well, all people are people. Whether it is across the street, across the pond or couple plane rides away, I enjoy watching life go by. Now, like every other country I have been too, I have only seen a part. A tiny section of what makes the given country its own.
Canada's provinces and territories all together make Canada the second largest country in the world by area. Over time, boundaries have changed, leaving Canada currently with ten provinces and three territories.
The ten provinces are Alberta, British Columbia,Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. The three territories are Northwest Territories,Nunavut, and Yukon.
Canada is a country rich in history and diversity among its people and environment. I hope I get many more chances to explore our neighbor to the north.
PS. The Caesar ( or Bloody Caesar) the National Cocktail of Canada is freaking amazing. "It was invented in Calgary, Alberta in 1969 by restaurateur Walter Chell to celebrate the opening of a new Italian restaurant in the city. It quickly became a popular mixed drink within Canada where over 350 million Caesars are consumed annually and it has inspired numerous variants. However, the drink remains virtually unknown elsewhere."
It is NOT a Bloody Mary...nope nope nope...different. and wonderful. I may be slightly addicted.
My Canada trip also sparked an addiction to LUSH products. More on that later.
Thanks Canada.
Photos
Flag http://www.freelargeimages.com/canada-flag-545/
Caesar at Earl's (MINE)
Landscapes http://demortalz.com/2012/09/26/45-beautiful-nature-landscape-canada-photography/ (check out this amazing photography on demortalz.com)
Delta Bessborough Hotal (MINE) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Bessborough
Tim Horton's (MINE)
Information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada
Caesar recipe!!!! My favorite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWZ2Jv1wR5E
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