Battleship America

 

 

Had a wonderfully comfortable train ride from Toronto, the capital of Ontario, to Ottawa, the capital of Canada, which is also in Ontario. Ottawa is smaller and more spread-out with lots of beautiful old buildings and statues. I spent yesterday afternoon taking photos for a gallery. 

We’re staying at the magnificent Fairmont Chateau Laurier right next to the houses of Parliament, and we took the tour of Parliament Hill this morning. I can see why American backpackers put Canadian flags on their backpacks. I don’t want to run down the US, but in my humble opinion, Candians have a healthier, saner attitude toward their country and one another. They might disagree, but they’re still committed to what’s best for the country. 

Their health care system, their public transportation system, their welcoming attitude toward people of other cultures shows that they really believe that we’re all in this together. If you don’t believe that, as many in the US definitely do not, then you don’t really have a country, do you? 

Ottawans were amused when the US embassy, known locally as “Battleship America,” appropriated another lane of traffic to install yet another row of concrete barriers. We spend so much more money, but Canadians feel so much safer. How is that? 

Ottawans are also amused by bronze sculpture “Conjunction” by Joel Shapiro at the US embassy. From the market area below the embassy, it looks just like an upraised middle finger, emblematic of the US attitude toward the rest of the world.