capital

I breezed into Ottawa today for a quick stop. My friend Soha picked me up and whisked me away for an afternoon of fun.

After showing me her stained glass studio and home-brew kombucha, we dashed off to pick up her son and then meet her husband at a reception for a graphic novel about exploitative mining.

Then it was off to Northern Lights, a free multimedia extravaganza honoring Canadian history and values. The images are projected onto the Parliament building and accompanied by bilingual narration. 

It was such a pretty night. 

How much Canadian history do you know? I know a little.

Very little. We lost the War of 1812?!

No idea who these people are.

First Nations were well represented. 

Mostly the presentations spoke to heartfelt Canadian values. Valor and voyaging and inclusiveness.

The tulips were a gift from Holland for WWII service. 

I loved the stained glass projection at the end. Like VR but better: real life. They reminded me of the SF City Hall 100 celebration.

Next year, Canada turns 150. But don't worry if you missed Northern Lights this year. It runs through 2019!

We all left humming O Canada.