It was a rainy morning for Canada’s 150 Day on Saturday July
1, 2017. We donned our best red and white to get ready for one of the country’s
largest Canada Day celebrations. Every city and community has blanketed their
areas with free events, the Halifax area is no exception.
It is too bad the weather did not cooperate! They had to
move their official citizenship ceremony from outside the Canadian Museum of
Immigration at Pier 21, to inside. They also had to cancel the Royal Nova
Scotia International Tattoo Canada Day Parade and disappointed the over 100,000
spectators that normally watch the biggest parade east of Ottawa. It was a good
decision, we don’t want the kilted highlanders, Royal Canadian Mounties or the
spectators to get drenched in a downpour!
Since Rod is the owner of the company and our wagon master,
he was able to replace our cancelled parade with a visit to the Maritime Museum
of the Atlantic. He was ready to pay the $7 for each of us to get in … he
lucked out, because it was Canada Day, admission was free! It was my second
trip to this museum, but there are several exhibits I want to see again!
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| Photo Credit: Word Press |
I toured the “Collision in the Narrows,” the exhibit on the Halifax
Explosion and ready every piece of information on it. It is really an amazing
loss and source of pride for all those from Halifax. The piece of information I
did not share in my last blog, is many people sent train and boats of volunteer
workers and supplies. The biggest supporter was the town of Boston, they sent
medical personnel and supplies. Halifax feels indebted to Boston, each year
they send a specially selected pine tree for the Town of Boston’s Christmas tree.
There was a special video playing, Over Canada - An Aerial
Adventure. It is one of the first IMAX movies created in 1997. From a bird's
eye view, Over Canada is a beautifully produced, award winning, high definition
"aerial adventure" television documentary that unveils the dramatic
splendor of the awe-inspiringly vast Canadian landscape. It was awesome to see
some of the places we visited from the air, it also made us anxious to explore
western Canada!
Rod had arranged a private lunch at the Prince George Hotel.
When we entered, we were greeted by the Consignere, Steven. The Prince George
Hotel is a 4 diamond hotel located in downtown Halifax, perfectly situated to
enjoy the area’s finest shopping, dining and entertainment. We were within a
block of the venue for the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. We enjoyed a
buffet of fine dining at its best. It was simply a feast for the senses. The
wait staff, Heidi and Kevin, provided us with quality service. I would have to
say, there is simply no better place to dine in the city.
After lunch, we walked across the street to the venue for
the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. It is the World’s Largest Annual
Indoor Show. It is a week-long event held every year in Nova Scotia. The
two-and-a-half hour family show is fast-paced – every scene only lasts about
3-6 minutes, so there is always something new to see and experience. We enjoyed
a glimpse of true Nova Scotia, with bagpipes, highland dancers and military
traditions.
Many of you are saying what is a Tattoo? Here is a bit of
background. In 17th century Dutch villages, drummers marched through the
streets summoning British soldiers to return to their quarters from the taverns
and inns. A drumbeat signaling innkeepers to "doe den tap toe" or
"turn off the taps" was shortened and anglicized to "tattoo."
The phrase now heralds the amazing entertainment highlighted by marching bands,
hundreds of musicians, acrobats, dancers and military competitions. The unique
and varied talent of hundreds of Canadian and international military and
civilian performers makes the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo the
world's largest annual indoor show. The Nova Scotia Tattoo was first held in
1979 to mark the visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother to Nova
Scotia for the International Gathering of the Clans. It has been held every
year since and was granted Royal Status by Her Majesty The Queen in 2006 on the
occasion of her 80th birthday.
Some of the lighter antics of the Groove Onkels entertained
the crowd. We joined in on this breathtaking rhythmic performance from Germany.
Using no instruments, the spectacular show focused on garbage totes and
recycling bins using jumps, kicks, dashes and throws to create great beats.
Obstacle Race between the Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency
Squad and the Canadian Army Rifle Team. The Fire and EMS gave it their all, but
they were outflanked by the Canadian Army Elite fighters!
Members of the IMPS Motorcycle Display Team, from the
United Kingdom, perform a jump of more than 25 people … not really, the men he
was supposed to jump scatter at the last minute. But his driving skills are
great for a 5 year old … better than some 55 year olds I know!
The floor is getting covered by mixed groups of
players. The sights and sounds they created were breathtaking.
The Calgary Fiddlers traveled along way to entertain
us. These teenage fiddlers play everything from traditional folk fiddling,
country, bluegrass, Celtic and even a little big band!
The Titans Gymnasts joined the Tattoo on behalf of
the Titans Gymnastic and Trampoline Club, one of the largest gymnastic clubs in
Eastern Canada.
The only United States representatives at the Tattoo are the US Fleet Forces Band. The UNited States Fleet Forces Band is often called the "finest of the fleet" and is teh musical representative of the US Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Kalutskikh Brothers, from Russia,
perform amazing feats of synchronization and strength!
Danil and Kirill
Kalutskikh are the most flexible acrobatic duo I have ever seen! Did I mention
they are Guinness World Record holders.
D’Holmikers entertained the crowd with thiee wild antics and aerobics!
Wondering where the name D’Holmikers came from? It’s a combination of ‘holm’ meaning bar and ‘komiker’ meaning comedian … loosely translated … comedians who perform on parallel bars.
The 100th anniversary of Vimy Ridge is
commemorated at the Tattoo. I wrote about Vimy Ridge in my blog from June 29th,
you can read about it here.
The Calgary Stetson Show Band portrayed the birth of
the railroad into Western Canada.
The Gebirgsmusikkorps Der Bundeswehr, say that three
times fast, has traveled around the world in its 61-year history and perhaps
most famously, at the 1972 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Munich. They
entertained us from the stage and the show floor!
Bradisha is performing on behalf of the
Atlantic Cirque and considers silks, contortion, cereau and trapeze among her
favorites.
Atlantic Cirque is celebrating their 15th anniversary
this year. It is amazing to see her hang with no hands!
The second performance of the Groove Onkels included
the use of bottles and 55-gallon drums.
A drum circle was created and words cannot describe
the sounds!
The drums were joined by the Massed Pipes and Drums,
including 12 Wing Shearwater, 14 Wing Greenwood, 1st Battalion, The
Nova Scotia Highlanders, 2nd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, 5
CDSG Gagetown, the Atlantic Black Watch Association, Scotch College Pipe Band
from Australia and Halifax Firefighters Pipes and Drum.
Marine Tactical Operations Group gave us a display of
their tactical prowess.
The La Baie en Joie, Nova Scotia’s premier Acadian
dancing troupe, was joined by the Calgary Fiddlers.
The German Army Mountain
Division Band entertained us using standard instruments and unique ones, like
an anvil and whips. I found their calm warmers very interesting …. need I say more!?
Members of the IMPS Motorcycle Display
Team wowed us with their slick motorcycle tricks.
They are high-flying
daredevils for being under 16 and many of them are under 10!
Every act from the Tattoo filled the stage and floor for the
finale.
We had a relaxing evening with friends at the campground.
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