The next morning started with blue sky and sunshine and I was happy that I managed to wake up not too early. After a breakfast with homemade blueberry pancakes (very yummy) I started to walk around the city. Albert House Inn is a very cosy B&B with floral design wall paper and all this. And it´s only a short walk from the parliament builings. The parliament buildings with their green turrets looked great in front of the blue sky and even better mirrored in the fronts of the modern buildings on the other side of the street.

The "Parliament Hill" is a decent hill high above the Ottawa River. Next to its steep slope are the Ottawa Locks, a number of locks, which have channeled the ships from the Rideau Canal down to the Ottawa River. They are not in operation anymore, because the middle of them lies a museum ship that is being restored. On the other side of the locks is the historic hotel Chauteau Laurier, again green turrets. Behind it the Major's Hill Park, where the famous Tulip Festival is taking place right now. But I didn´t see as much tulips as expected.

I went back to the locks and took rest on a bench near the water. Slowly it was getting warmer. Then I went on to the Byward Market district.

Several streets with colorful little houses and a market hall in the middle. The whole neighborhood is full of life, that's exactly what I like. Colourful facades, handicraft stalls and small shops, marveling at the variety of food offered (including small green spirals, completely unknown to me,clearly a type of vegetable) and watch the hustle and bustle. Also a lot of street artists were there. Especially fascinating to me was a chocolatier, a bagel lounge and a bakery decorated with Canada designed pastries, what a pity that I could not try everything. I decided to resist, sure I'll find something on my way back through the pedestrian zone at teatime. Instead, lunch at an Indian market in the hall, also very yummy.

Before my departure I had heard several times that Ottawa was rather boring, so my expectations were not too high and I was really surprised now. I loved the atmosphere at Byward Market! But my way back through the Sparks Street Mall, Ottawa's pedestrian zone, was indeed boring. Many empty shops and large bank facades, only few shop windows. And no pastry! So I had a coffee togo at the supermarket opposite the hotel, with vanilla flavor, very tasty. Meanwhile, the weather was really warm. Nevertheless I took a rest in my hotel room before the big concert, my feet were already aching.

At 5 o´clock I met the German-Dutch-travel-group which was already since two weeks in Canada and not only saw much of the country but also a few concerts. They took me to the venue in their rental car, even more comfortable than the bus, which didn´t go on this day anyhow.

A Canadian fan had organized a small fan meeting and so we had the opportunity to meet some Canadian fans and also a couple from the U.S.. There have been even people who knew Chris as the opening act of Supertramp many years back.

For all of them a Chris concert is of course much more special than for us, because he was in Canada for the last time seven years ago. Chris career begun more or less with the success of the Spanish Train album in Canada and it is told again and again how much they love him and how happy he is to be back. Of course that was the main reason I want to see a concert there. The more disappointed I was when I was told in the car that Canadians are much more reserved than the Germans, at the first two concerts did nobody run to the front- except for some crazy Germans. The two girls from Rhineland-Palatinate, who had offered to take me to Montreal the next day, also joined the fan meeting, so I met them for the first time on that journey. They became trusty travel-companions for me. We ate a little something and soon it was time to let the concert begin.

When I heard the Moonfleet Overture I hardly could believe that I was really there!!

I spent a lot of time of this concert standing behind the last rows, because I was not very happy with my seat, which was at the tier with a railing/fence in front of me and next to me. Did not only feel like being in jail, it gave me no chance to get up later. So after the break I stood behind the last rows, later took an empty seat in the very last row.

The band was joined by the guitar player Neil Taylor who played in the band years ago. I like the fact, that he is rather active on Facebook and communicating with fans. Obviously Al didn´t made it to Canada because of another engagement. Neil was great, but for me it was a bit strange that he did a lot of "rock-star-acting" at the end of the song "The Leader", which is such a shocking song and even Chris sang it with only few light on him to let the people concentrate on the film at the screen. So this is perhaps the wrong occasion for Neil to show his great talent. Can´t somebody give him a proper guitar solo at another point of the show?

The pictures of the German reunion day to "Boderline" were a very special feeling, so far from home. A huge surprise for me was "The Tower", a song that I never heard live before. And I enjoyed "Lonely Sky" so much, Chris played it on the piano at the solo part. The solo part seemed to be endless (which I enjoyed very much), including also "Let it Be", "Transmission Ends", "Those were the days" and "Peaceful Waters".But what a pity that "Mona Lisa" wasn´t in the setlist anymore.

When Chris came down the stairs to "Lady in Red" the audience cheered and to my surprise he went right into that aisle where I sat. I stood up and I think he actually recognized my face, at least he went straight towards me and gave me a hug!!! Well, considering that it was already May 6th in Germany at that time, I think I should declare this to my birthday concert and my birthday hug!!

Chris was very busy with all the ladies that wanted to hug him. He even had to hug four ladies, all in red dresses, at the same time. I was surprised, because there was no run to the front like it is in Germany. The people gathered very slowly in front of the stage. A very different kind of "vibes", they were much more active in clapping, yelling, shouting, but they didn´t rush to the front. Well, in fact I noticed that at Bryan Adams´concert too.

But once the space between stage and front row was filled, the party was great!! I was sooo happy, after I had not known if I will even manage to get to the front….and of course after I already had my birthday-hug! The highlight of the concert was of course the encore: "Patricia!!" Well, isn´t Patricia worth to travel anywhere? (Still I hope that soon she will manage it to Germany!!) Though no underwear was thrown to the stage this time, it was such a great fun!

After the concert we met at Jason´s merchandising stand and had again a chat with the Canadian fans. And we said Hello to Neil and Dave, Neil was selling and signing his own CD there.

After that we had a drink at the bar of the venue, there have been more or less three different German (or Dutch-German or Canadian-German) travel groups, that I met every here and then. At midnight they all sang "Happy Birthday" for me. What a great ending for an unforgettable day!