The perception of culture is not only just to sit at the opera house listening to the wonderful music and watching the ballets. Or hanging around the vernissages. That is what is all very important and interesting.
On the other hand, there is another way to explore a nation’s culture: to go outdoors, to open our eyes and hearts to comprehend the Canadian Rocky Mountains history and culture, for example, following the trail of David Thompson and Charlotte Small who arrived in this valley on July 18, 1807.
We are in the small BC town Invermere on the Lake standing on the high hill marked “Historical Site #1″-Pioneer Museum.
The surprising thing is how those pioneers could choose the right place at the right time exactly 204 years ago. We see the Warehouse on the edge of the lake, then Kootenay House, the first trading post on the Columbia River where David Thompson began a successful commerce with the people of the First Nations.
After passing by through the only set of traffic lights in town, we saw the statue of Thompson and Small (the pictures of them are in the post), situated at the edge of the natural phenomenon known affectionately as “Pot Hole Park”, the residents’ favorite place to get together on big occasions.
Watch the photo show “Invermere Pioneer Museum”:
The Monument was erected by the Windermere District Historical Society in 2003, the centennial project celebrated
the opening of the Valley Museum paying tribute to many families who pioneered the area. We walked around this statue: tall Thompson and a short Native woman Small as if they talk to us through two centuries. History and culture became alive thanks to the human spirit, people’s documentary life stories connected to the present days of the village of Wilmer where Thompson began his business activities.
There the Canadian history and culture as though merged. We left Museum and came to visit other historical sites of the valley. Here we are at the Lake Dorothy, a beautiful tiny lake with turtles. Yes, yes, don’t be surprised. The painted turtles live in it. To say the truth, Besides the ducks I did not see any. But maybe, because it was October, cold season but they prefer summer. Any way, I took pictures of Dorothy Lake and prepared a little presentation for a little lake.
Who told that Canada does not have culture?
Sure, it has. And a great one.
(to be continued)
Watch photo expose “Dorothy Lake”:
Listen to:“Ode to My Family”(2007) by Dolores O’ Riordan (Cranberries)-Basel, Switzerland
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