Canadian Tulip Festival 2014

Each spring Ottawa celebrates the Canadian Tulip Festival.  In 1945, the Dutch royal family sent 100,000 bulbs to Ottawa in gratitude for Canadians having sheltered Princess Juliana and her daughters for the preceding three years, during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Now, the festival has over 1,000,000 bulbs, and approximately 500,000 visitors annually.

These pictures were taken around the beds near Dow's Lake, where it's reported that there are 300,000 bulbs. Enjoy!!  (all photos were taken with a Canon Rebel XTi with a Tamron 90mm Macro lens...I love my macro!)

The weather was perfect for an afternoon among the flowers! it was gorgeous and sunny but there was a nice breeze blowing, so photography was a little difficult at times, but it made for a wonderful day out!

The colours were amazing, and sometimes almost overwhelming, as were the crowds.  Many a selfie was taken while I was trying to get in good and close to take advantage of my macro lens. I think I did ok, some of the photos turned out great!!

While we were walking around, two couples and their kids stopped and one of the fathers started blowing giant bubbles! Needless to say, two seconds later we hear "Bubbles!!" and a bunch of little kids come tearing over to catch the bubbles. It was one of the best things of the entire afternoon :) after all, who doesn't LOVE bubbles!!