Memory of A Canadian Fourth #BlogBoost

Ten years ago yesterday...

For many, many years I took the American Independence Day for granted.  I shouldn't have - I grew up (in the 50's and early 60's) in a neighborhood where a lot of Holocaust survivors had settled, and I met other immigrants in my childhood- from Cuba, from Romania, from China.

But I had never spent an Independence Day away from the United States until 2008, when my spouse and I traveled to Canada, on our way to Saint John, New Brunswick.

We had always wanted to see the Bay of Fundy, and that was the week my spouse was able to get off .So, on July 4th, 2008, we arrived at the U.S./Canada border.

At the crossing, a Canadian border agent questioned our motives for visiting Canada and looked at us funny - like he knew we were about to commit some kind of crime.  Why, after all, would two Americans want to leave their country on July 4, this most important day in our history?

We were finally allowed in, and quickly realized we were in a place where July 4 was simply the day between July 3 and July 5.  No big deal.  And, we realized, there would be no fireworks.  No parades.  No nothing.  Crickets.

Well, we had asked for it, leaving the United States.  It did feel a bit lonely, I admit.

I love fireworks.  I love 4th of July fireworks even better.  What had I been thinking? But, so be it.

After a long drive, we arrived at our lodgings in downtown Saint John, New Brunswick. We wandered down to the waterfront, hungry.  After deciding on a restaurant, we sat at an outdoor table and put our order in.   But then, we overheard the people at the next table, excited about the fireworks Saint John was going to have that night.

July 4 fireworks in Canada?  We asked the people at the table where the fireworks would be.  They were just a short distance away, in easy walking distance.  Perfect!

It turned out that we had arrived on the first decent day in July.  The Canada Day fireworks had been delayed by rain on July 1.  And on July 2.  And on July 3.

On July 4, the weather finally cleared up.

So, that evening, my spouse and I stood in a patriotic crowd of Canadians celebrating their birthday, three days late, with fireworks.  Somehow, I felt right at home.

I'm so glad they held their fireworks up just so we could join them on July 4.  Who says Canadians aren't some of the friendliest people in the world?

Here are some 5th of July flowers for you, my dear readers.

Red

White

and (almost) blue.

Day five of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost