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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   The Maple Leaf (https://britishexpats.com/forum/maple-leaf-98/)
-   -   Canada Day London (https://britishexpats.com/forum/maple-leaf-98/canada-day-london-801018/)

newstart187 Jun 23rd 2013 5:38 am

Canada Day London
 
While we're all waiting to move to the land of hockey, Sleeman's and poutine, Monday 1st July is fast approaching. For anyone who doesn't know it's Canada Day.

London, UK has the biggest Canada Day celebration outside of Ottawa. It's a free event in Trafalgar Square http://www.canadadayinternational.com/london/

Muskoka Jun 23rd 2013 6:21 am

Re: Canada Day London
 
Yup - I'm going with a friend. Went two years ago and its a really good day out. Nearly, but not quite as good as actually being at home in Canada. I'd highly recommend it if your stuck in London. I'd be heading out to Canada by now but the flight prices are obscenly high at the moment, so London it is for the moment

MillieF Jun 23rd 2013 10:46 pm

Re: Canada Day London
 
It's my First Canada Day:thumbsup::thumbsup: But what do most people do? I asked my husband and he looked at me somewhat oddly, so no change there then! What are YOU doing, I'm presuming that it's not a roast turkey jobbie? Are there traditions?

CanadaJimmy Jun 23rd 2013 11:24 pm

Re: Canada Day London
 
Had no idea about this, may pop along to this since I'm coincidentally going to be in London that day.

Little D Jun 24th 2013 4:47 am

Re: Canada Day London
 

Originally Posted by MillieF (Post 10771346)
It's my First Canada Day:thumbsup::thumbsup: But what do most people do? I asked my husband and he looked at me somewhat oddly, so no change there then! What are YOU doing, I'm presuming that it's not a roast turkey jobbie? Are there traditions?

I'm working :thumbdown:

newstart187 Jun 24th 2013 7:02 am

Re: Canada Day London
 
Canada Day is a day best spent drinking & BBQing if in Canada :)

Thanksgiving is in October and that's turkey day. Canada gets in first before the Americans on both occasions (1st July v 4th July, October thanksgiving v November thanksgiving)

Those who haven't been to Canada Day London (UK) before it really only starts to get going in the afternoon and the evening is the big music acts. It spills over into Maiden Lane in Covent Gardem and it can often be a queue to get into the leaf mid afternoon. A lot frequent Porterhouse too on the same street.

bats Jun 24th 2013 7:08 am

Re: Canada Day London
 

Originally Posted by MillieF (Post 10771346)
It's my First Canada Day:thumbsup::thumbsup: But what do most people do? I asked my husband and he looked at me somewhat oddly, so no change there then! What are YOU doing, I'm presuming that it's not a roast turkey jobbie? Are there traditions?

I will be at Cobourg Waterfront Festival selling my paintings in tent A. The evening will involve a firework diplay, just not sure as yet which one. Due to poor choice in gkuten free food I will be obliged to eat fries.:sneaky:

Oink Jun 24th 2013 7:20 am

Re: Canada Day London
 

Originally Posted by MillieF (Post 10771346)
It's my First Canada Day:thumbsup::thumbsup: But what do most people do? I asked my husband and he looked at me somewhat oddly, so no change there then! What are YOU doing, I'm presuming that it's not a roast turkey jobbie? Are there traditions?

You wander around a local strip mall for the morning where the children wave a free flag around or if they're middle class have a Canadian flag sticker on their face. In the afternoon you go back to your subdivision McHouse and have a barbecue for your family, where the fat old people sit around some cheap patio table guzzling formaldehyde infused beer or some foul smelling alco-pop while covered in mosquito replant. Their conversation is always about the old days while they watch the children run around the grass, oblivious. And you then eat desecrated cheap hamburgers and insipid hotdogs and hope everyone leaves soon because you want to finish the rest of that bottle of sauvignon blanc without anyone seeing. Oh Canada! ;)

Shard Jun 25th 2013 2:45 am

Re: Canada Day London
 

Originally Posted by MillieF (Post 10771346)
It's my First Canada Day:thumbsup::thumbsup: But what do most people do? I asked my husband and he looked at me somewhat oddly, so no change there then! What are YOU doing, I'm presuming that it's not a roast turkey jobbie? Are there traditions?

There's often a parade, and often various personal and public BBQ's going on. A maple leaf flag is de rigeur.

magnumpi Jun 25th 2013 3:14 am

Re: Canada Day London
 
In Toronto on Canada Day they all dress in tight shorts blow whistles boys kiss boys girls kiss girls and we all have a jolly gay time of it.

Ohh !!!! Hold on !!!! Think I'm mixing my days here ? Nope it is Canada gay weekend. Carry on !!!!

Souvy Jun 25th 2013 4:19 am

Re: Canada Day London
 

Originally Posted by newstart187 (Post 10771951)
Canada Day is a day best spent drinking & BBQing if in Canada :)

Thanksgiving is in October and that's turkey day. Canada gets in first before the Americans on both occasions (1st July v 4th July, October thanksgiving v November thanksgiving)

Those who haven't been to Canada Day London (UK) before it really only starts to get going in the afternoon and the evening is the big music acts. It spills over into Maiden Lane in Covent Gardem and it can often be a queue to get into the leaf mid afternoon. A lot frequent Porterhouse too on the same street.

I did the Maiden Lane thing back in 2000. There was no chance of getting into the Maple Leaf if you weren't in a line up before it opened. People brought their own booze and filled Maiden Lane. There were lots of people. There were two cops. Very bored cops. They had nothing to do. Well-behaved drunks.

Monday is a public holiday. There will be beer and probably a BBQ because it involves less washing-up. I doubt that there will be much Canadian flag waving going on here. It was the Quebec National Day yesterday. Not many Quebec flags were in evidence.

The only people who really care about that stuff are the media, various levels of government and the tourist boards.

Auld Yin Jun 25th 2013 5:01 am

Re: Canada Day London
 

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 10771976)
You wander around a local strip mall for the morning where the children wave a free flag around or if they're middle class have a Canadian flag sticker on their face. In the afternoon you go back to your subdivision McHouse and have a barbecue for your family, where the fat old people sit around some cheap patio table guzzling formaldehyde infused beer or some foul smelling alco-pop while covered in mosquito replant. Their conversation is always about the old days while they watch the children run around the grass, oblivious. And you then eat desecrated cheap hamburgers and insipid hotdogs and hope everyone leaves soon because you want to finish the rest of that bottle of sauvignon blanc without anyone seeing. Oh Canada! ;)

Your imagination knows no bounds obviously.

Atlantic Xpat Jun 25th 2013 10:28 am

Re: Canada Day London
 

Originally Posted by Souvy (Post 10773095)
I did the Maiden Lane thing back in 2000. There was no chance of getting into the Maple Leaf if you weren't in a line up before it opened. People brought their own booze and filled Maiden Lane. There were lots of people. There were two cops. Very bored cops. They had nothing to do. Well-behaved drunks.

I did it in 2003 while courting the now Mrs AX. As you say, drunken but well behaved fun.

We'll be spending Canada day this year in En-ger-land, mostly driving from Derbyshire to Norfolk. Canada flag's will be conspicous by their absence.

Alberta_Rose Jun 26th 2013 3:02 am

Re: Canada Day London
 
I shall be singing with my chorus at Heritage Park in Calgary! :D

We are in some sort of parade at 11.00 (I think), then we have the honour of entertaining New Canadians at their citizenship ceremony at 12.30. Such a happy event. :thumbsup:

If anyone's coming, I am the one with no hair! No, actually I do have some hair grown back but it is almost snow-white. I think I look like my dad! (He's just had his 90th birthday!!) I might confuse everyone and wear my wig, which has spent the last 6 months in its box looking like a dead animal! ;)

Anyway, personally I will be celebrating completing my chemotherapy, as my last treatment is today!!!!!!

I'm a little bit tottery, and my arm swells a bit if I use it, but other than that I'm O.K.! .... and managed to keep singing. :drinkwine:

Radiation therapy starts July 22, so I have a wee break first.

Tangram Jun 26th 2013 3:05 am

Re: Canada Day London
 

Originally Posted by MillieF (Post 10771346)
It's my First Canada Day:thumbsup::thumbsup: But what do most people do? I asked my husband and he looked at me somewhat oddly, so no change there then! What are YOU doing, I'm presuming that it's not a roast turkey jobbie? Are there traditions?

No special meal. Fireworks downtown.


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