Highland Games, Park Omega, Ottawa and Upper Canada Village

On Friday, I went to the Highland Games in Maxville with Sepp and Claire. The Highland Games are a Scottish festival and competition. We watched them throw the caber and the 4-meter long log into the air, listened to the groups with bagpipes and drums, and admired the dancers who gave their best in the dance competition. But since it wasn't very crowded yet because it was only Friday, we went back home in the afternoon. Sepp helped Christian in the stable, the intern Lisa had the day off, and I sat on my new green Ferrari and mowed the lawn at the stable.

On Saturday morning, I raced with my Ferrari to Sepp and Claire's house and mowed the lawn there too. In the afternoon, I collected the mowed grass with a small wagon and made piles, which Sepp loaded onto a tipper truck with the front loader and transported away. Because there were large lawns, quite a lot accumulated. I finished at 4 o'clock and went to Claire's, where we were entertained by her playing grandchildren Olivia, Tom, and Josh.

On Sunday, I took a trip to Park Omega. It is a large wildlife park with deer, wild boars, ibexes, and moose that roam freely. There was a road you could drive along, and the animals came to the car because you could buy carrots to feed them. In a part of the park dedicated to the First Nations, you could get out of the car and take a walk around the lake. On the way, you passed by 10 totem poles, each one representing one of the Canadian Indian tribes. In this area, there were small deer that would eat directly from your hand. Other animals, such as bears, wolves, or moose, which I unfortunately didn't see, were in large enclosures because it would be too dangerous if they could approach the cars. In the furthest part of the wildlife park were the bison. They could also move freely, but they didn't come directly to the cars because you weren't allowed to feed them with carrots. I had lunch in the Pioneer Land and took a digestion walk to the old farm, which had some farm animals and an inn with a large garden. Then I set off from the park, but stopped by the First Nations area again because the Indian man was continuing to build his canoe in the afternoon. However, it wasn't very exciting, he just sat there and did nothing.

On Monday, I drove to Ottawa, the capital of Canada. I passed by the Rideau Falls, where the water falls 12 meters from the Rideau River into the Ottawa River. Then I walked past the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica to the ByWard Market, where I strolled through the colorful stands. On the way to Nepean Point, a viewpoint on the Ottawa River, I passed by the locks where boats could navigate from the Ottawa River up and down the Rideau River. There were a total of 8 locks that had to be passed. The locks were opened and closed by hand, there was no machinery involved. After that, I went to Jacques Cartier Park because I read that a walk there was worthwhile. But it was just a half-dried up meadow with trees, not really worth it, which is why I went back towards downtown and then headed home.

On Tuesday, I went to Upper Canada Village. It is an open-air museum that shows life in the 19th century. A whole village was recreated and all kinds of activities were carried out. In the woolen mill, yarn and fabrics were made from sheep's wool. In the summer, children could immerse themselves in life around 1866 in summer camps, and two young boys were just helping out in the grain mill. In the sawmill, which was powered by a waterwheel, the logs were sawn into planks. The broom maker made brooms from sorghum. In a small hut stood the Queen, a hand-operated fire engine. From the blacksmith, who made all sorts of iron goods, I was drawn to the bakery, where the scent of freshly baked bread was delightful. In the general store, you could find everything from herbs, dishes, barrels, and ropes, everything you couldn't buy directly from the artisans. There were also some residential houses and stables that were furnished in a period-appropriate manner. The cobbler in the village only made shoes on the side, usually he still had animals to take care of first. The tinsmith was popular in his village, his affordable products had a long lifespan, making the investment worthwhile. The print shop published a weekly newspaper and also carried out other orders, such as printing posters. School was voluntary at that time, especially in the summer and fall when the children had to help out at home on the farm, the teacher didn't see her students very often. In the cheese factory, cheddar cheese was made from milk, which used to be exported to Great Britain. The signal tower was used in the War of 1812 to transmit codes to the naval forces using signal flags and pennants. The doctor had his office in his house, but the patients didn't come to him, he went to their houses and also performed surgeries. I was drawn to the carpenter, who made individually crafted furniture and other objects, such as a coffin. The village was beautifully constructed and the people who were there in 19th-century clothing, engaging in typical activities of that time, knew a lot to tell. It was a very exciting excursion.

On Wednesday, the weather wasn't so nice. I slept in, stayed in the apartment, and used the time to plan the remaining days in eastern Canada.