Weird national holidays

In My Humble Opinion
21

Not a national holiday, but Quebec went and changed the Queen’s Birthday (May 24) to a day to celebrade Dollard des Ormeaux. The odd thing is, according to my high school history teacher (a VERY federalist man), some people don’t believe that des Ormeaux was a hero - I was taught that the likely scenario was that he was drunk and attacked the natives first, then managed to win, and “saved” the settlement (History class was a long time ago, so I’m really vague on the details).

Anyways, its a day off, although I know quite a few people in Quebec (anglophones, mostly) who don’t really know what to DO for that day - I mean, its celebrating someone who may or may not be a hero, and this day REPLACED the Queen’s birthday…it’s just weird. Here in Ontario, though, it seems that “May 2-4” is a great opportunity to buy a case of beer and get loaded.

22

There are plans to have another public holiday here in the UK probably in the Autumn. Trafalgar Day in October has been suggested even though our French neighbours might not like this reminder of a defeat. Mind you the Eurostar trains between France and the UK terminate at Waterloo station in London !

23

OTOH, the French themselves celebrate their expansionists pretty heavily, so just take your revenge, Brits*!
This disgusting French chauvinism really is ubiquitous in Paris.

[sub]* OK, you already got it, in Monty Python and the Holy Grail[/sub]