Friday 3 July 2009

Dominion Day in Canada and in Rome


This week was the 142 Anniversary of Dominion Day or as we call it today Canada Day on 1 July. I like to think that Canada in fact started in the summer of 1534 when Jacques Cartier landed in the Gaspé off the Gulf of St-Lawrence. My family has been in Canada since 1682 so to me this is more like 475 yrs old. Canada is not really a young country, in terms of modern political nation it is one of the oldest. Italy as we know it today was born in 1861, Germany 1870, and many other countries in Europe are younger.

For this Canada Day in Rome, we were invited to the Residence of the Ambassador of Canada to the Italian Republic at Villa Grandi just above the ancient Terme di Caracalla a spectacular site. It was a beautiful reception and the Ambassador gave a short but very good speech. We had a tenor from Vancouver to sing the National Anthem and the food was great. About 100 people were invited.

Canada as a Kingdom (Dominion) has 2 anthems one Royal and one National, I always like it when they are played together.
Happy Canada Day!

2 comments:

  1. Happy Canada Day Laurent!..
    Wow..Our 4th of July party wasn't as eventful.
    We just barbequed. ;)

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  2. Sling, a good bar-b-q is always fun and great in the summer time.
    Happy 4th to you.

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