Thinking…

Tags

2020, climate change, covid19, disasters, New Year, thinking, virus

Late last night I was thinking,  as Will would say to me; what have I told you about thinking. This is our little inside joke we share. I was thinking that this Covid19 Pandemic has change fundamentally the way we live and it is unlikely we will return to the way things were before March 2020.

It has been 10 long weeks of staying at home and only going out for essentials. The word essential has become the key word in our life. Someone is essential or not, shopping is essential or not, businesses are essential or not. All Government directives are based on what is essential or not in terms of services etc.

These 10 weeks which upset our lives are lost forever, we followed the rules because this is what was required in order to stay healthy and not infect anyone if we happened to be Asymtomatic. I believe in Civic Duty and responsibility in such cases so we did it.

However this pandemic also revealed the ugly side of many people, the selfish, self-centred attitude, ME first is their mantra. That is very disturbing to see and hear. People who place the economy first and foremost and do not care how many will get sick and die. The economy is more important, really? Obviously such people do not know that you can’t take the money with you when you die. We have them here on PEI, and such people are a sad spectacle.

But my thinking was more about how our lives had changed, we went in just 24 hours on 11 March from having lots of social activities with friends to nothing, zero, zilch to do. Could not meet anyone, ok will do zoom instead, well it’s not the same. Also having nothing to do plays on your mind. We did try to keep busy and that lasted all of one week. I started to forget what day of the week it was and had to look at the calendar and my iPhone for confirmation. It all looked the same, nothing had any order, time became irrelevant. Streets around us were deserted, no one anywhere, we took the dogs out for walks but it was eerie, no one anywhere, the silence. We have two large parks by the house and the Hillsborough river in front but seeing the snow melt and then the grass grow, the City employees were not coming, garbage collection was cut back, all businesses closed including the bank branch. All of it was very strange and unsettling. The only distraction was going to the gas station to fill up and going to the grocery stores but we were told only once every 2 weeks. Lucky us, we never really had any shortages, though on 13 March we had the great toilet paper caper, that was silly and we all laughed at it, within two weeks that was resolved.

Now since 1 June we are in phase 3 and businesses have re-open and so has restaurants, but we are not going. We will do take out but that is it. Our Club is also re-opening but no we are not going there either. Because of the frustration of being limited in what we could do, far to many people are now behaving thoughtlessly, not observing social distancing, no masks or gloves.

I miss seeing our friends, good conversation, cocktails, birthdays or having dinner parties. I joked in March that this would last 8 months, looks like I was right about that one, it may be longer. What we have now is fear, the fear of getting sick. The fear that something may go terribly wrong. Fear for the future, fear for the economy, though so far nothing major has happened. Yes there is a lot of unemployed, in PEI it’s 20% but it is not apparent so far. Our tourism Season will not happen and fishers are complaining of no markets. People are fearful but what can we do. Everyone is hoping that life will return to some kind of normality, even if this means a new normal. I can see it with the Dentists and Doctors, procedures for patients is very different now. Wearing a mask is not mandatory but strongly recommended. Everything is done through a plexiglass window and there is lots of cleaning going on. It really feels like a twilight zone, a bad dream.

Climate change has not gone away and we see signs of it with strange weather no one remembers ever happening before. We have to reconcile ourselves to the fact that we may have this pandemic for a long time, it may not go away and coupled with worsening effect of Climate change, quite the combination.

So on New Year’s Eve I thought to myself what will 2020 bring, I thought well for sure there will be some disaster or incident, something to make us pay attention. Well we had our load of disasters for the year in the first 3 months, from the downing of a commercial airliner over Tehran by the Iranian guards with all those Canadians on board, the month long railway blockades by native groups across Canada over a pipeline in British Columbia, the price of Oil in Alberta dropping to almost zero, the crisis with China over Meng of Huawei and her possible extradition to the USA and then Covid 19.  Now our border was closed with the USA in March and will remain so for the time being and all our seaports are also closed until 31 October. Maybe it is a good thing we cannot see what the future holds. I do hope to see our friends this Summer, I miss them and I hope that we will remain safe and healthy.

 

As the year ends

Tags

2020, age, levee, New Year, PEI, seniors, tradition, Travel

Well now we look at the New Year 2020, what will it bring, who knows.  My only wish is really for good health, because if you are in good health then you can do pretty much anything. For me this new decade means I will truly be in my so called golden years.

I still do want to travel to cities like Berlin in 2021 and maybe to other European countries, but has one ages the window of opportunity for travel closes and it becomes more difficult to travel given the stresses involved nowadays. I also have to look at priorities, living on this small island, spend more time going to the beach, visiting the Maritimes, going to Nova Scotia and Cape Breton all of which is very close to us. As for my volunteer activities, I may become more picky about it, I really don’t want to spend an entire Summer doing guided tours at the Art Gallery, there are other things to do.

This week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day is always a bit of a loss, people are away on vacation or visiting family. Then the question is what to do with New Year’s Eve, well frankly speaking we do not have any plans and not sure we want any. We are in no mood to go to a pub to listen to some music with a rowdy crowd. Maybe these parties are for the under 40 crowd or go to a restaurant for more rich food, we have a fridge full of food. The big day is Wednesday 1 January for the Levée activities, this is a very big thing in PEI and everyone participates, it is rare to find someone who does not partake in visiting all the different Levée held not only around Charlottetown but in other towns and communities on the Island.  The tradition of the Levée, a French word meaning to rise, dates back to Louis XIV, the Sun King, who made his courtiers attend his rising every morning, if you missed that event you were banished. With time the tradition transformed itself into this event on New Year’s Day where the population comes to pay their respect to the personal representative of the Sovereign in PEI, the Lieutenant Governor and to other elected Officials Civic and Military.  Anyone can hold a Levée, if you are willing to put up with the crowds. Government House will see about 700 people, our Club will have about 500 people show up.

This 1 January I will be at the Haviland Club in the greeting party to welcome all the visitors to our Club. Our time slot is 11am to 1pm. Many will go to pay their respect to the Lieutenant Governor at Government House at Fanningbank first and then wander down to the other venues like the PEI Regiment barracks to see the Military Commander, to City Hall to see the Mayor, to the Fire Hall, to the Premier’s Office, etc… Everyone offers a drink, a piece of cake and coffee.

Government House, Charlottetown, PEI.

The Haviland Club, Charlottetown, PEI.

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2020. BONNE ANNÉE!

The bucket list

Tags

Friends, Holiday, home, memories, Music, New Year, Travel

In the 1980’s the expression my bucket list started to appear in conversations when people spoke of things they wanted to do or visit. Then silly lists started to appear of the 10 things you had to see or do before you died. The expression the bucket list is now part of general conversations and it seems most people expects that you have a bucket list. I don’t!

Always being the contrarian, I don’t have one. I do not see why you need to do or see this or that during a life time, I just don’t get it.  Until the 1970’s travelling far and wide was not common, until the age of mass tourism and cheap destinations, few travelled. Nowadays it seems everyone travels and have a bucket list, though travelling now is not has cheap as it was once when you could visit a country on $10. per day, remember those travel guide books, impossible now.

I can say that I spent my life travelling and living abroad so travelling some more now is not appealing, unless it is to a favourite city where I know where to go and who to see, like Rome, Vienna, Salzburg, London, Berlin, Palermo. What I have not seen in the world is no big deal and I do not need to go. There are places I really do not want to go back to, I did not enjoy them when I was there, example China. Some place have changed so much I don’t think I would enjoy them today as it would clash with my memories of them, example Egypt.

Travelling at Holiday time is also something I do not want to do, it seems that stories of things that went wrong and exhausting tales of family gatherings and all manner of unpleasantness abound. As someone said, you do not choose your relatives it is an accident of birth. Staying in town and with friends is our tradition. A nice meal at home with people we enjoy and same for New Year’s Eve, quiet and pleasant.

Now we still don’t have any snow maybe a sprinkle would be nice, not too much, just like icing on the cake.

And because this is the Season, my favourite Christmas Hymn heard in Roman Catholic Churches at Midnight Mass in French Canada. It was de rigueur as part of the religious service then.  Ça bergers, assemblons-nous!

 

Shopping street in Rome, Via dei Condotti on the left is BULGARI at no.10 and just a few steps further you arrive at Piazza di Spagna and the famous steps, all decorated for Christmas.

The year 2018

Tags

Charlottetown, Halifax, memories, municipal, New Year, Nova Scotia, PEI, volunteerism, Wolfville

I was reminded this morning that on 28 December 2012, some 6 years ago I retired from the Foreign Service, time flies when you are having fun as they say. In that time I started to work as a volunteer at the National Gallery in Ottawa, then some 3 years ago we moved to Charlottetown, PEI. We had been looking for some time for a place to retire and the condo we were renting was up for sale, we had to move. Only on the day the new owners took possession which was also the day we moved out,  they told us why don’t you stay,  the new owners had no plan to move in, in the foreseeable future.

We moved with the old puppies and 4 tons of furniture to PEI some 1100 Km away and one time zone Eastward. We have made a new life for ourselves here, involved in a myriad of volunteer activities.

In November 2017 I floated the idea that I might want to run for Office at City Hall. This is a considerable challenge, first I was unknown here in town. I was also warned that not being born in PEI was also a handicap. This is a small Island Province with a total population no bigger than a neighbourhood in a large metropolitan area. It is an Island and though the mainland of Canada is only 12 Km away and visible, it often feels like we are in another country. The Islanders are a friendly bunch but being a small community they are weary of foreigners even if they are fellow Canadians. The Island still operates on the idea that they are a Summer resort which is a shame since there is so much to do year round.

I started my campaign in February 2018 for the seat of City Councillor in Ward 1 in Charlottetown, I met tons of people, made 7 YouTube videos on issues, attended all manner of events around our Ward, knocked on doors, talked with people, participated in a candidates debate, gave interviews to the press etc. It was a huge learning experience, my neighbours are chatty and will give you their opinion on any topic. Many have lived here all their lives, some were even born on the very street the now live on in old age. Some rarely leave the City, let alone cross the river to visit Stratford which is 2 minutes away.  I really enjoyed the inter-action and talking to people, I met and had coffee with other politicians, got advice from other city mayors, councillors in other Wards, Provincial politicians, everyone seemed interested in my campaign, many told me I was a brave soul to throw my name into the hat.

During the Summer, in August I took a small vacation and we visited with our friends MCR & DAW from Phoenix the Province of Nova Scotia which is about 90 minutes away from our home. We met in Halifax, a great city with wonderful attractions and restaurants. Designer Cocktails are all the rage and quite fun. We then drove leisurely towards Annapolis Royal which at one point was a bouncing ball between the French and British Empire with a hostage population of Acadians. This small town is an object lesson in how Empires can mismanage their colonies when distracted by other events in Europe. We then proceeded to Wolfville a college town on the Bay of Fundy and Grand Pré the celebrated Acadian settlement with its museum. The area is dotted with vineyards and good restaurants not to forget the beautiful scenery.

I never realized how much work campaigning was all about. In the end I did not win but did get more than 10% of the vote, which for an unknown like me was an accomplishment. Many people have since asked me to stay involved in City politics and I remain involved and have met with our new Councillor several times since election night. But I was exhausted and quite happy to take a Holiday to Portugal which I really enjoyed. It was a celebration, since Will and I were celebrating our 40 years together.

Finally in the week of 17 December Parliament in Ottawa ended its Fall Session and this will be the last in the Old Central Block of Parliament. The House of Commons is moving to the West Block next door for the next 15 years and the Senate will move across the street to the old Train Station. The Central block built between 1917-21 is undergoing the first renovation ever of all its mechanical system and the entire building will undergo a great renovation to bring it up to the modern age. This means when it re-opens again all the Members sitting in the House will be retired and the same applies to the Senators. The cost of renovating the buildings of Parliament is estimated at $3.1 billion dollars. Already the West Block alone cost $250 million in renovations and the old Train Station was another $210 million.

What will 2019 bring, well I do not know. I will continue with my volunteer activities and will follow developments at City Hall. Our New Mayor is a progressive guy with good ideas and vision for the City, which is a relief and an improvement on the past.

Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor of PEI, the Honorable Antoinette Perry and I at Government House. Every year the public comes to pay their respect on January 1 at the Annual Levée on January 1. I will be on site volunteering on that day and greeting people.

 

Wishing all a very Happy New Year with all manner of good things. 

Bonne et Joyeuse Année 2019.

Canadian Coast Guard wharf, Port of Charlottetown, December 2018 the number 9 has been put in place. 

Something I learned today

Tags

Acadians, Cape Breton, Christmas, Holiday, Mi'k Maq, native, New Brunswick, New Year, Nova Scotia

The Maritime Provinces of Canada are part of what is the ancestral homeland of the Mi’k Maq people. CBC PEI interviewed Elder Bernie Francis who was raised in Membertou, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and asked him how do you say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in the Mi’k Maq language. Elder Francis is a linguist and he explained how it came about. The two holidays are foreign to the Mi’k Maq people and in living alongside French Acadian settlers they came in contact with the celebration of Christmas and New Year. They simply used their own words to do a simple translation into their language.

Per example seeing Midnight Mass, the Mi’k Maq of Nova Scotia will say Etawey Wli Nipi Alasutman or Happy Midnight Prayer, while their cousins in New Brunswick will say Wli Newelewin based on the French saying of Joyeux Noël.

As for New Year seeing the French say to them Bonjour, Bonne Année and extending their hand to shake the Mi’k Maq simply translated it into  Pusu’l Punane. The Mi’k Maq are all around us here in the Maritime Provinces and their ancient history mixed in with the Acadians in the 17th Century.

A fun fact to learn.

New Year activities

Tags

2018, Charlottetown, Fanningbank, levee, New Year, PEI

For New Years Eve we went down the street to the Haviland Club which is an old Club in Charlottetown, at the corner of Water and Haviland street with views of the Hillsborough river, once a grand private residence built in 1866 by Mrs Esther Lowden in the Italianate style. She was a widow, her husband had been a prominent ship builder. At her death in 1896 her family leased the house to the USA Consulate, the American Consul  was Delmer J. Vail. At the time of the closing of the US Consulate around 1917 all the expensive mahogany furniture and carpets were sold at auction. For a few years the house was rented out to various tenants. Then in 1932 it became an Officers Mess, being across the street from the PEI Regiment HQ was ideal, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force also had its mess on the premises. Finally in 1997 it became a private Club. The Club has an ornate decor of the period with marble fireplaces and grand views, wood paneling and ornate ceilings.

Quite a few members were present and we spent the night drinking and eating, we also decided to become members on the spot.

This morning, New Year’s Day I had to be up early, I was on duty at Fanningbank, the Residence of the Lieutenant Governor for the New Year’s day Levee, the 40th, the first one open to the public was in 1978. My first station was as greeter at the door, though I was near one of the fireplaces, it was a cold spot, the door opening and closing and the temperature outside with the wind chill was -25C. Some 800 people came through that door in 90 minutes. Amongst the general public, quite a few dignitaries, politicians, the Premier wearing is clan kilt, Leader of the other political parties, the commanders of the army, navy and air force, the Archbishop, the President of the University, the CEO of the Art Centre, etc.

I got to shake hands with about 500 people as they came in and greeted them before they proceeded into the receiving room to shake hands with the Lieutenant Governor. I was asked how do you address the L.G., a few men were told to remove their hats out of respect for the Sovereign’s representative. Two people asked me to take pictures of them, which I politely declined, too busy with the crowd. We had also a 15 member string orchestra playing which gave a very nice atmosphere to the event. Once past the L.G. people would then proceed into the dining room of the residence for cake and refreshments and out they went. It all went very well considering the numbers, many were making their first visit to the residence and were impressed by the surroundings. Lots of comments on the Christmas decorations and the house.

On my way home other levees were taking place, at City Hall, at the Legislature, at the PEI Regiment HQ, I was too tired to go to any other, pretty sure I would have met the same crowd making the rounds. Everyone comes first to Fanningbank to see the L.G.

I got lunch out of it, the cook made Fricot, which is a clear broth of carrots, potatoes, onion and celery with big pieces of shredded chicken, it was quite good and hit the spot. It was served to all of us volunteers and Aide de Camp in the private dining room of the L.G. in the meantime Her Honour was gone to another function, today for public officials it is a very busy day, I would not want to be in their shoes, even if you are chauffeured around.

Tonight a quiet night at home, Salmon steaks for dinner.

 

New Year Blessings!

Tags

2018, Canada., Charlottetown, New Year, PEI

A new Year is upon us with all its promise of renewal, Spring around the corner, may your cup overflow with good health, happiness, success and may your days be sunny and bright.

Generous New Year blessings to you all!

 

 

Here we are 2017

Tags

2017, Charlottetown, New Year, party, PEI, Prosit NeuJahr, Tracadie, Vienna, Wien

We were at this great party to usher in the New Year with two Fireworks display on Grafton Street in front of the Legislature, on a beautiful if slightly cold evening, drinking champagne in our tuxedos. Had the most wonderful food all prepared in great variety by our friend Pico.  We will remember fondly this party for years to come as it was our first New Year’s Eve on PEI.

This will be a lazy morning since it is raining and we have high winds. So let’s listen as tradition dictates to the New Year Day Concert from the Musikverein with the Vienna Philarmonic this year under the baton of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel in Vienna. Prosit NeuJahr!

PEI Islanders of the decadence. Oil on canvas by Thomas Couture of Tracadie.

From one year to the next

Tags

2017, Charlottetown, life, New Year, PEI, World

Here we are on the Eve of a New Year, despite our fears and hopes, we really do not know what the year will bring.

For us it was quite the year, it was a new beginning, new friends and a new life chapter, I really had no idea on New Year’s Eve 2016 how any of this would turn out. In the end now I would say it was a wonderful year.

Now on the Eve of 2017, the 150th Anniversary of Confederation, the birth of modern Canada, I think of 1967 the year of the Centennial, I was 11 years old living in Montreal at the time and it was the year of the World Exhibition, “Man and his world” with all it’s wonders and 90 National pavilions to so many countries and over 5 million visitors during the Summer months. I remember all the Heads of State who came, from the Emperor of Ethiopia to the Shah of Iran. All Canadian currency that year in circulation was designed by famed Canadian Artist Alex Colville (1920-2013). We were displaying our new National Flag adopted just 2 years previously, there was a lot of optimism in the air, anything and everything was possible. Progress was good for everyone.

Now 50 years later, so many things have changed some for the better and some we need to really work on, but Canada is still a fantastic country, we have social peace, stability and the rule of Law. Considering that of the 190 countries on Earth many simply don’t have any of this, we are pretty lucky and should be thankful. I finished my education, had a great career, travelled the world, lived in many countries and saw incredible things, most never have a chance to witness. I have also been with the same person for almost 40 years.

This New Year’s Eve we will be with friends in this house pictured here in Charlottetown (it is a lovely house) celebrating, steps from Province House to see the two fireworks at 7:30pm and at Midnight. The best part is we can walk to it all it is only a few steps from our home.

To all my readers and followers, thank you for reading my blog and your comments, I really appreciate it.

The very best of good wishes to you all for a peaceful and prosperous New Year 2017.

 

 

 

New Year in Asia

Tags

Asia, China, cuisine, DaDong, Food, Hanuman, Monkey, New Year, Peking Duck

At the moment it is the Spring Festival or New Year in Asia. Commonly know as Chinese New Year. This year 2016 is the year of the Monkey an animal who has magic properties.

I was born under that sign since my birth year was the year of the Monkey, 2016 is the 4713th Chinese Year. According to Chinese Horoscope calendar, the first day of Red Monkey is on February 4, 2016. Monkey is the 9th animal in 12 zodiac signs.

Many Chinese women try to give birth in a year of the Monkey, as they believe that this will make their babies clever. In China saying, “Your kid is like a Monkey,” is perceived as praise.

In traditional Chinese mythology, the monkey god is almost all-pervading and all powerful. Images of the monkey (god) can be seen in many traditional settings as a talisman of protection: According to ancient beliefs, the stone monkey blesses the baby with peace, and the baby will be very capable and efficient when he or she grows up.

Monkeys frequently appeared in Chinese literature, most famously “the Monkey King” — Sun Wukong, hero of classical novel Journey to the West. In India he is known at Hanuman and is mentioned in both the Hindu epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata.

When I lived in Beijing in 2004 we celebrated the year of the Monkey. This period of the year in China is marked with fireworks day and night for 7 days. Everyone buys fireworks and firecrackers. If I remember correctly I believe that each person living in Beijing was allowed to buy 20 Kg of fireworks of all kinds and some of them where the size of what is used here in Canada in professional displays. The Chinese grocery stores sold them on the sidewalk. You could buy the little firecrackers in wheels of 600, you lit up your match set the fuse on fire and ran as fast as you can, it was so much fun, the noise was deafening. Every one did it and it was fun, the sky were illuminated with firework displays.

Also at the time of my living in China, the old Imperial Temples were being all restored after decades of neglect. We visited them and prayed to the various gods for good luck or fortune or whatever, burning incense sticks. The Lama Temple in Beijing was a favourite of mine as was the Temple of Heaven south of the Forbidden City. The Lama Temple was for many centuries the Official Residence of the Yellow Hat Buddhist and where the Tibetan Dalai Lama came to reside when he would visit the Emperor. Tibet in Imperial times was an independent kingdom.

The Lama temple in Beijing

The Temple of Heaven set in a great park full of Juniper trees and old Cypresses.

These temple complexes were not open to the public in Imperial times, they were reserved for the Emperor who would come and perform complex religious rites to bring prosperity, rain, good harvest for the people. The Emperor would travel the short distance from the Forbidden City with an army of Mandarins, Courtiers, family members and other dignitaries, flag bearers and guards along a special road paved with great stones. The people had to kowtow and it was forbidden to look at the Emperor on pain of death.

I was lucky to live in Beijing when these temples were being restored, they had suffered enormous neglect under Mao and his fanatical young Red guards.

Temple of Confucius and the academy for the training of Mandarins who would work in the Imperial government. In the final exam students were judged for their handwriting and ability to compose poetry under some very strict guidelines based on ancient rules, the judges would then recommend the winner to the Emperor. This 5.4 acre temple park was until recently a school for Communist Cadre and a day care centre for their children, I saw it before restoration in 2005, it was a sad looking place.

But if you are in China food is an important topic, the Chinese love fine cuisine, unfortunately it does not exist here, what you find in most Chinese restaurants is very poor imitation or made up Chinese food, dishes that are unknown in China. I was spoiled by Chinese cuisine while in Beijing.

My favorite dish was Peking Duck and I had my favourite restaurant to go to for it. Beijing’s Da Dong Restaurant is one of the best places in the world serving up Peking duck. Succulent, crispy and perfectly sweet when lightly dipped in a bean sauce, roast Peking duck is pure indulgence. The owner chef is very famous Dong Zhen-xiang.

DaDong dining room in Beijing

Duck’s roasting in wood fired stone ovens.

Roast duck with all the condiments and the paper thin pancakes.

I also liked the Sea Cucumber, (it’s not a cucumber) delicious.

First image on the left is Duck Foie Gras shaped into small balls and coated with a hawthorne berry sauce. Middle photo duck steak and on the right duck meat wrapped in cucumber slices.

Here is Chef Dong Zhen xiang sitting surrounded by other chefs.

There are so many great dishes and none I ever found outside of China. This is all part of the food culture in China which can be refined. In the days prior to the Olympics in Beijing  prices were still reasonable and you could go out almost every night to the restaurant.

The Northern Gate, Shenwu-men or Divine Prowess, of the Forbidden City looking south towards Meridian Gate, Wu-men and Tian’An Men, Heavenly Peace Gate.