The historic occupation of the Halifax Citadel in June, 2006, in which the flag of New Cathertonia was raised, the Union Jack lowered, and the fortress renamed the eponymous Fort Catherine, fomented schemes of Manifest Destiny writ large. Well, that, and sitting beside the official portrait of Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth, I was commissioned to paint for the province of Nova Scotia didn't help curb my appetite. Now, world domination is all fine and dandy, but internecine folly lies in endeavoring to hold newly acquired turf for too long. Oddly, it only ever seems to upset the locals. The idea is to get in, get out, and go have drinks.
To this end, a multitude of flags were deployed and on the 10th day of July, anno Domini, 2007, the true colours were raised once more. This time from a rooftop in Balad, Iraq*.
Sincere thanks to the superb troops, who, in miserable 125f heat generously took the time to accomplish this feat and to Gabe for conceiving to ask them. Thank-you, also, to the wonderful individuals, scattered hither, thither and yon, who have secured victory in this ambitious bid for world domination. They fearlessly took China and Russia, too, but the photos were not quite the thing. Let's face it, if it were a game of Risk, we'd have won. And that is why my beloved troops rock.
To be continued. Hey, world domination takes time.
Seriously, could I possibly be any worse a fate than what that man's folly has wrought on that poor country?
Preparing to raise the flag of New Cathertonia in Balad, Iraq.
Please note that Old Glory has been removed and carefully folded.
The troops receiving the colours of New Cathertonia.
Loading the flag.
Way hay. . .
. . . and up she rises
Res ipsa loquitur.
Preparing to fold the flag.
Many steps are required.
Flag as sculpture, replete with actual dust from Iraq.
The grave of Major-General Ross,
The Old Burial Grounds, Halifax
In 1812, he successfully led the raid on
Washington, torching the capital. It was
subsequently rebuilt, repainted, and as such is
now known as the White House.
The Sebastipol, The Old Burial Grounds,
Canada
Apollo's Temple, Didim,
Turkey
RCMP Musical Ride,
Ottawa, Canada
The beauty of this is that the initials
on the horse's blankets don't
even need to be changed.
(I always wanted a pony)
Stirling Castle
Scotland
Loch Lomand
Scotland
Signal Hill, St. John's,
Canada
Bonavista
Canada
C.N. Tower, Toronto,
Canada
Dwarfed by the flag of New Cathertonia.
Sleeping Giant, Thunder Bay,
Canada
Sidney Opera House
Australia
Sidney Bridge
Australia
Eiriksbakki Falls
Iceland
Stave Church
Norway
Canadian Forces Base Range, Edmonton,
Canada
The Strip, Las Vegas,
United States of America
Santa Rosa Mountains
United States of America
Pinyon Flats,
United States of America
Deeley Plaza
Knowing the loyalty of the cheeky troops, it was with relief that my flag was
not documented over by the grassy knoll. . .
until spying who was lurking in the window. I could have sworn
that I was in Mrs. Taylor's grade two class at the time. Honest.
Shades of the Manchurian Candidate.
School Book Depository, Dallas
Palais des Nations, Geneva,
Switzerland
World Intellectual Property Organization
Switzerland
Jet d'eau, Geneva,
Switzerland
Lac Leman,
Switzerland
Locks, Panama Canal,
Panama
Canopy Tower Hotel, Gamboa,
Panama
Formerly the radar station for the canal.
Church, Prague,
Czech Republic
Market, Barcelona,
Spain
Opera House, Budapest,
Hungary
Chebogue Point
Canada
City Hall, Hamburg-Harburg,
Germany
Church, Nenndorf,
Germany
Map in War Ops (formerly the studio)