A TRIP TO OTTAWA AND ITS' TULIPS
or living the VEA motto: "Sub sole
aut pluvia ducemus ea"
by Paul & Beverly Delaney
On the weekend that traditionally starts our summer outdoor season,
the VEA went to Ottawa. We met early Saturday morning in balmy
temperatures of about 12 degrees, with large black clouds threatening
in the distance.
As intrepid Austin Healey enthusiasts we travelled with our top
down. This strategy worked well until we left our rest stop and
the first rain began to fall. We spent the rest of the voyage
in torrential rain, with no visibility and steady streams of water
falling from the inside of the windshield as well as rising through
the floor. Eventually we reached the National War Museum, a little
damp, but none the worse for wear. After lunching in the 'gourmet'
cafeteria we spent a very interesting couple of hours viewing
the impressive and moving exhibits.
Off to the Hotel as the sun came out and the temperature rose.
The Italian dinner organized by our leader, Richard Boudrias,
was a great success, and we acquired several more attendees than
had travelled from Montreal. After much convivial chat, a little
bit of wine and an excellent meal we strolled leisurely back to
the hotel.
Sunday morning, after an early breakfast our fearless leader got
us organized for a visit to the famed Tulip Festival. This exercise
was somewhat reminiscent of herding fish. Eventually we set off,
but the end of the convoy was lost during a misunderstanding of
'right turns on red' and the amazingly confusing Ottawa street
configuration.
After a couple of false starts and with the help of Bernard Bellevance's
GPS the stragglers eventually made it to the park and actually
found parking. It was windy and cold but the flowers were magnificent.
A couple of hours and we were ready for home, top up, heater on.
This was a great trip, varied in all senses of the word.
Great thanks to Richard Boudrias for organizing it.
©VEA
