(This blogpost covers the day of May 12th, 2025.)
Desired to visit Ottawa’s Tulip Festival for a lengthy while. I happily went all thanks to Azur Lane’s recently introduced ‘Kingdom of Tulipa’ Dutch faction. Ottawa hosts a yearly festival dedicated to the both the liberation and friendship of the Netherlands, hence Tulips at Dow’s Lake and downtown. I also had to add an Azur Lane Dutch touch to this, something you’ll see with the occasional Azur Lane AR mode characters in various photos.
I also happily used my BK6M Hitway bike to make my way towards Dow’s Lake. I had to use my E-Bike with how fatigued I’ve been lately. Constant work to pay the bills, weather fatigue issues, and etc. Constantly stressing. Either way, I absolutely love how reliable an how the bike allows me to check out places I otherwise wouldn’t, or would struggle with.
I also can’t wait for when Azur Lane finally embraces Canadians, something they’ve initially teased us Canadians with around the 2018~ timeframe, and a few character dialogue lines. Maple Monarchy (or RCN) was mentioned in HMS Fortune’s lines, something which also motivated me in visiting Ottawa’s Tulip Festival. I had to! For my own sake, Azur Lane’s sake (with the Dutch & Canadians), and to share the few things which makes Ottawa truly awesome. People keep needlessly gaslighting the Canadians, I however can’t wait to see them eventually, and properly, implemented into Azur Lane. Their own Maple Monarchy banner, shipgirls, and their lore.
Onto the Dutch-Canadian Tulips!
Started off my E-bike trip while spotting a guy in a black protective suit zipping by on an electric scooter on an NCC trail. You’re not supposed to have E-scooters, yet he went by without worry. Granted, I’m not supposed to be on the NCC trail either with my E-Bike’s wattage power, everything else however checks out.
The weather was also between 25-30 degrees Celsius making things fairly toasty. Was wearing my grey Yamato Battleship light sweater I obtained from Kure, Japan (2024), something I wore for how chilly it tends to be around rivers, canals, etc. It paid off, just not at the park. As long as I stayed in motion I was fine.
I became slightly paranoid with the battery level on my BK6M E-Bike. It was at half charge, even threatening to be 2 bars, once which had me all anxious for the return trip back home later in the day. I attempted to put my bike into manual mode to test out how it would both handle and feel. I didn’t admire the sensation. I kept my bike on powered mode while coasting where able.
Intentional Detour via Hartwell Locks:
Intentionally passing through the Hartwell Locks. The same river which connects with Rideau River, and downtown Ottawa. I have to make note of this area for blogging purposes, and so people can admire Ottawa all that much more, the little bit that actually makes Ottawa overly fun and entertaining.
Attempted to seek out any Crab Apple trees, Sakura trees (cherry blossoms), and any other colourful tree along the way. Had to make a few detours, also wishing I would have made even more detours to further document other beautiful views for its neat scenic beauty.
Naval Reserve Monument:
For both the KanColle & Azur Lane vibes! That, and the Canadian navy pride! The real pride. 😉
(Side-note: I missed out on documenting a nearby warship turret in the area. I was too busy focusing on navigating the bikepath, even becoming slightly disoriented from sudden turns at 24-32 KM/h. Many mistakes were made, especially detours I probably shouldn’t have taken. I may have to come back to further document the area.)
Dow’s Lake & Commissioners Park – Ottawa’s Tulip Festival 2025:
Walked a fair distance, crossing a manual pedestrian crossing intersection (cars stopping at flashing lights), making my way towards Commissioners Park proper. Had quite a few people looking my way, something which I found annoying. Tried my best to ignore the few stares I had coming my way. It was probably thanks to my Star Wars shirt at the time noting how my Vader’s expression is my happy face.
Not only a Corvette, also unique Landrovers, numerous firetrucks every now and again, and the occasional sporty cars. No Ferrari were spotted, though semi-rich vehicles roaming around.
I was actually annoyed seeing people being stupid-crafty, in a very stupid manner, obtaining images in ways they shouldn’t otherwise be doing. Stupid people doing stupid things, as shown above with the body shown on the top left of image.
According to ChatGPT:
Tulip ‘Cool Crystal’ (or similar fringed pink variety)
- Type: Fringed Tulip (also called Crispa Tulips)
- Color: Pink petals with heavily fringed, almost feathered white edges.
- Bloom time: Mid to late spring, which matches the festival’s timing.
- Notable features: Their ruffled, crystal-like edges are a hallmark of the “Fringed” category of tulips.
While there are other fringed tulips with pink hues (like ‘Mascotte’ or ‘Cummins’), Cool Crystal is a strong candidate because of its softer pink coloration and prominent white fringing, which matches your photo really well.
– ChatGPT
Noted. I may have to confirm it later, I’m however more satisfied knowing what they are now. Trust, but verify.
The whole Queen Elizabeth Driveway was actually brutally backed up. Constantly busy, backed up, and constantly seeking places to park. If Ottawa was intelligent, they could have used the O-Train. That, and actually have a Japanese-tiered JR Train and bus system running through the city. But that’s for when Ottawa is actually authentically intelligent and authentically intellectual. None of this fake stuff going around the city.
I stated this already, I’ll say it again in how I desire to see Canadians properly added into the Azur Lane navy game. Azur Lane is based on KanColle, a Japanese-made game with a more serious tone, less naughty, yet still lightly suggestive. Both games are honest (one more so than the other) with how you are allowed to connect with any nationality of yours already present in the game.
I’ve had numerous people gaslight me, downplay, and void Canadian history, even if and when Canadians actively participated in the war. They’ve actively escorted, fought, and escorted on land, sea, and air. It would be highly respectful to have Canadians appropriately represented in Azur Lane, with their shipgirls, and under their own Canadian banner (possibly ‘Maple Monarchy’), as previously teased via HMS Fortune’s in-game dialogue lines, and with various 2018~ Azur Lane EN/Global Tweets/Posts from the time. I’m happy for ‘Kingdom of Tulipa’ being able to represent the Dutch, something I wish could bridge the gap for Canada’s Maple Monarchy (or whatever name they may carry) for future lore additions. It genuinely peeves me how others (Canadians & Americans) and myself are not allowed to admire HMCS Haida, nor our 3-5 aircraft carriers, 3-5 battleships (planned vessels), 2 light cruisers, and the various other destroyers. Canadians had vessels, their own national pride, and their own way of doing things. People genuinely desire Canadian shipgirls & navy vessels in these games, they’re however denied in connecting with them. Canadians are downplayed, voided, and portrayed in intellectually dishonest ways. Rewritten history to favour the boring, the insecure, and the uptight idiots.
It’s also because of Azur Lane (and KanColle) as to why I’ve seriously documented this Tulip Festival, and because I need to suppress any symptoms of ‘Cabin Fever’ caused by Ottawa’s various forms of negativity itself. It’s genuinely an authentic festivity I would have enjoyed regardless. This is why you also see me posting somewhat repetative Azur Lane AR mode of two Dutch HNLMS shipgirls. Both HNLMS De Zeven Provincien & HNLMS Evertsen, and potentially more to come in the future. These recently introduced Dutch shipgirls couldn’t have come at a better time, also in time for Ottawa’s Tulip Festival. Very fitting! Can’t wait for HNLMS Tromp, the elusive ‘Ghost Ship’, as noted by the Japanese fleet.
I still hold out hope the Dutch shall acknowledge the very Canadians who aided them, especially in the lore in their own Azur Lane world, in whatever timeline and dimension necessary to introduce them. The Canadian Ottawa Tulip Festival is a way to remember Canada’s contribution, something I wish we could also respectfully acknowledge them in Azur Lane. People may annoyingly view this as ramblings of mine, I’m simply making note as to why everything is significant, and of importance. Only dishonest individuals gaslight, downplay, void, and berate other people for desiring to connect with their Canadian nationality, let alone ANZAC, and other intentionally forgotten nationality in a historical point-of-view.
Was considering snacking at the festival, also with how hot it was, wondering where and what to have. Was curious if I could use my debit card, something I was allowed to do thanks to vendors having card readers. I also had cash, preferring debit card for easy paying.
It was amusing overhearing a conversation on the phone, the same guy who was shaking up lemonade drinks to sell to people. I was amused to hear the following:
“Today is way busier than I thought it would be.” – Lemonade Drink Guy
(Now can you see why I keep hyping up Azur Lane and the Kingdom of Tulipa shipgirls? I mean, I’m sure you know why, it’s obvious, but I have to keep stressing the point, even if it’s annoying.)
*Hint hint* I’m trying to see such collaboration and friendship in Azur Lane. Major missed opportunity here! Shame. Major shame, especially by Yostar, Manjuu, & Yongshi.
So, how are Canadians “minor’ when they’ve done so much in the Netherlands, and also in Italy, and other areas. They’ve existed, they’ve contributed, and they deserve a place in both history & gaming mediums. No gaslighting, no voiding, and no childish nonsense.
I used to know an awesome Dutch person (Naito-nii), sadly losing him to a cult-like Left-Wing political nonsense sweeping the Western world. We used to be awesome friends, playing games, even recalling such Tulip Festival, until he had the delusional ‘bright idea’ to betray me over faux-political movements. The death females, destruction of statues, degradation of society, and all that nonsense. Other Dutch folks I’ve met online weren’t any better. They tend to be highly slimy, eager to berate, troll, and degrade other people, as my parents had noted. My parents, in a passing comment, noted how the Dutch were basically ‘slimy’ people. Kind to your face, yet horrible to you and others on other fronts.
Shame. I wish I could be friends with at least one authentically sane Dutch person. Just one, but that’s asking too much in this political climate. *sad face*
Everybody has to betray one another….
(Side-note: I had to skip one signage POV because it contained faux-political nonsense. Fake diversity. Sorry, but unlike other people, I’m not into underage sexual perversion. I’m not into child porn, child violations, or destruction of property. Everything else was fine about this festival, just not one of the faux-political, depraved, perverted nonsense. Reality over grand-delusions. I can be falsely labeled -phobic, but I’d rather stick to authentic history, not faux-modern depravity of others urinating on streets, sidewalks, etc.)
I awkwardly waited for a few moments, even allowed a few tourists to make their way ahead of me, before ordering the Classic Beaver tail. I desired one, I was charged for two, and I obtained two. I would later regret this with how the secondary BeaverTail may have caused nightly stomach pains. Too heavy on the stomach.
Was deciding where to go, eventually realizing I needed to capture my own perspective of tulips, Dow’s Lake pavilion, and the few things which makes Ottawa awesome.
A few days prior I was shown an image similar to this, one I had to obtain myself. Just tulips and Dow’s Lake pavilion.
Canada was honoured when her royal highness Princess Juliana, now Queen of the Netherlands, found refugee in Canada’s capital during the occupation of her homeland, 1940 to 1945.
Her Majesty’s gifts of tulips each year have created great beauty for the enjoyment of residents and visitors.
– Unveiled by her Majesty, May 17, 1967.
This, and the whole Canadian-Dutch contribution falls on deaf ears to those who downplay, void, and degrade Canadian presence and contribution in war. Once again, shall stress the point in how I can’t wait for Canadians to be properly respected, acknowledged, all the while also being respectfully featured as a national faction in a game called Azur Lane. A simple name-drop at first by the ‘Kingdom of Tulipa’ (Dutch), eventually represented by their own properly authentically Canadian presence in Azur Lane. Plaques like these are important. Severely so…. It reminds us others are intellectually dishonest, and that there is a bigger picture in this world, one they can’t gaslight, downplay, or degradate (degradation).
(I’m still also angry about being unfriended by an American friend over my strong desire to see Canadians added into games like Azur Lane, KanColle, and other war, military, and navy game. Telling me to stop, relax, and to calm down. Canadians need their actual representation, respect, and acknowledgement, as these Tulip festival are meant to remind those in the world. Canadians existed, they’ve contributed, and provided refuge for the Dutch, something even both the Dutch and Canadians tend to forget. Canadians need to be respectfully remembered, taught, and represented, hence the push for Canadians in Azur Lane, even if it’s an R18 type game. It still encourages people to learn, similar to how the Tulip Festival informs people of historical significances.)
I was too tired at this point. Still thirsty, eager to return home, if a bit regretful of being unable to stay to document evening, and nightly displays. My phone was swiftly draining in percentage (30%, or less), to which I was forced to hastily make my way back home from this point forward.
I was also annoyed how I was being peer-pressured by the presence of other cyclists. I was forced to speed up, pass other pedestrian traffic, all the while potentially having people curse at me zipping past at 24-32 KM/H speeds on the NCC trail. The annoying cyclist eventually overtook me, to which I eventually felt gravitated towards the above spot in the above image, taking another brief moment to soak in the beautiful scenery.
I become highly agitated when people are pushy, have that ‘peer-pressure’ presence, and simply annoying. Makes me miss Japan, even if Japan tends to be worse with how people swarm areas. Ueno was the worst area, one where people could care less about you being there. Everything else in my point of Japan being more worthwhile, just not Ueno. I digress…
Sped my way towards the locks, up the hill, stopping at a few areas for Pokemon GO reasonings. Catching, spinning Poke-stops, and putting my Pokemon in Red-themed gyms to obtain free points to eventually spend on more storage space.
Constantly stopping and going, as one would, when playing Pokemon GO. Possibly annoying people how I would pass them, randomly stop, and go again. Pokemon GO makes me do stupid things.
Obtained a secondary shiny Slowpoke on the way home. On the NCC Trail, still tied to the Experimental Farm, if speeding up a hill using my bike’s E-Power to climb the incline.
This year’s Tulip Festival was special, and I’m glad to have at least used my Monday’s day off given to me to document it for blogging purposes. Makes me happy to have also volunteered in downtown Tulip Festival many years ago. I have a very personal attachment to the Tulip Festival, now especially with Azur Lane’s Dutch and forgotten-Canadian attachment, to which I’ll hype this Tulip Festival up as possible. Respectfully, yet boastfully.
Phone nearly died at 3% upon arrival at home. Attempted to wireless power-bank my phone, eventually switching to tethering with proper power cable.
Blamed for a few things shortly after arrival, those related to my E-Bike, something which was supposed to have been mended initially. Everything I do for myself always tends to be thrown back to myself, almost as if it was jealousy related. Find a reason to blame me, I get blamed, and everything is my fault.
- How dare I be happy in Vancouver to cheer up my morally demoralized friend in 2022.
- How dare I be happy in Japan (twice), I’m taking advantage of people…. (2023 & 2024)
- How dare I have an E-Bike, I’m making a mess of property.
- How dare I do D, E, F, G, H, & etc, I’m an person needing to be shamed, dehumanized, and a punching bag for Canadian-jealousy……
How dare I do things to make myself happy. I’m desiring to check things off my checklist, to knock things off my bucket list, and also done out of necessity, but I keep being blamed for dumb things. Canadian jealousy is both toxic and vile. How typically Canadian. It’s things like these which had me desiring suicide in 2020, right after my Father died on May 13, 2020 (few years after my Mother & Sparky the Dog passed away), to which my morale was overly low. Severely depressed. I could have easily killed myself (suicide), berated by online folks and those hosting me after my Father’s passing, and things like these make me want to hurt other people in return for their own insensitivity. I miss how formally respectful Japan was, something I know is also an illusion, yet shall happily constantly boast about. Japan was respectfully awesome, for the most part.
Attempting to connect with as many positive things as able to stave off ‘Cabin Fever’, ‘depression’, and all other symptoms caused by 2020, negativity, and Canadian-jealousy. The Ottawa Tulip Festival was a nice morale booster.
I shall send this article off with hoping Yongshi, Yostar, and Manjuu being intellectual enough to respectfully, properly, and appropriately implement Canadians into Azur Lane via Dutch and normal channels, as noted via standard Dutch-Canadian collaboration via historical signboards posted at the festival. Canadians assisted the Dutch, and that should be fully respected in a game like Azur Lane. Canadians also need to stop being lazy. HMCS Haida & HMCS Sackville historical groups need to reach out to Yongshi, Yostar, and Manjuu to respectfully pay respect to the RCN in Azur Lane. It’s initially thanks to KanColle I sought out HMCS Haida; to visit Japan’s Yokosuka, Kure, Maizuru naval areas; visiting Esquimalt in B.C; to visit Ottawa Tulip Festival 2025, and to eventually visit HMCS Sackville in Halifax to pay homage to our Canadian nationality, pride, and naval accomplishments. So many missed opportunities, also from laziness, especially from Canadian laziness and tardiness. Honestly…. Lame.
Happy Dutch-Canadian Tulip Festival!
(Proudly visited, hopeful for Canadians to join the Dutch in Azur Lane, regardless of the nay-saying, gaslighting, and needless downplaying. Respect is respect.)