Kingston, War Museum and Longwoods

Emily and I took a few days off and spent some time in Kingston and Ottawa, neither of us had visited Kingston. It has a beautiful downtown and harbour. We toured Fort Henry and we were both surprised and impressed by the size of the fort and the postcard scenic view from the top rampart of the St. Lawrence and Kingston.

The War Museum in Ottawa was well worth the visit; you need at least 3 hours for the tour and it is a compendium of information with every step.You walk out with a renewed pride for Canada and what our country has accomplished. The displays in the War Museum give you pause to reflect on the contribution Canada made in servicemen, servicewomen and material in both World Wars.We found time the same day to visit the Aviation Museum in Ottawa and again we were impressed with the collection. I dare say Emily was a touch fatigued by all the walking, for at the end of the day she was ready for a long swim at the hotel.

An applicant alerted me to a War of 1812 battle re-enactment May 3rd and 4th at Longwoods Conservation Area (it is located between London and Sarnia); off we went on Sunday and what a beautiful day it was. We strolled through the camp of tents and said hello to a number of the men and women dressed in period costumes. The smell of slow burning fires filled the air. Emily took note of the number of children who were playing and having a great time. We watched the soldiers march and jumped when the cannon were fired. It is worth the visit just to hear the cannon being fired. The best part of the day though was finding in a sheltered meadow, an Indian village from the 1600s and currently under restoration.

I am guilty sometimes of forgetting what a rich and colourful history we possess. During these past few weeks I have drank in my fair share and enjoyed every moment.