Whales, Trees, Snails and Playgrounds

Last weekend was St. John's Day. Actually I think it was Monday, and it is a pretend holiday here. It's not a paid holiday, but many people take it off anyway. I'm not really sure what it is about, something to do with John Cabot making the first European discovery of the area on the Feast Day of St John. Hence that is how St. John's got its name, and it has its very own holiday. Good enough for me.
There were lots of activities in the city on the weekend. The pottery studio held an open house where people could come in and make something. In honour of St. John's, we set up a clay model of the hills around the harbour and invited people to make the city in clay. We expected lots of row houses and churches and landmarks of the city. We got a few houses from the adults that came through, but our clientele were overwhelmingly children, and when we suggested they make something in the city, we got some unexpected results.
It started well enough, one little girl made a playground complete with slide and monkey bars.
Another girl made an amazing model of the Basilica.
Someone made the Cabot Tower on Signal Hill.
Someone made a couple dozen cannons to guard Signal Hill even though there are no cannons on Signal Hill.
Someone made a whale for the harbour.
Several others made whales for the harbour.
A fisherman came through and made a boat for the harbour.
Several others made boats for the harbour.
One girl made lots of trees and planted them in Quidi Vidi Gut until we pointed out it was the ocean and perhaps she could transplant them to a hill instead.
Someone made an iceberg for the harbour. (At least that's what I think it was)
Someone made a swimming pool.
One very little girl made all the stop and yield signs for the streets (although we had no streets.)
Someone made a very large snail, about 10 times the size of the Cabot Tower and set it free in Quidi Vidi Lake. (I will admit this city has a lot of snails, and now apparently we also have our own version of the Loch Ness Monster too.)
A boy thought that was so much fun that he spent an hour making small slugs and throwing them all over the model. It looked like a mouse had come and crapped all over the city.
Another Basilica.
Another Cabot Tower.
More whales, trees, snails and playgrounds.
At the end of two days, we came to the conclusion that the next time this city is razed by fire, this is the children's vision of what should come next. No schools, no government buildings, no monuments, theatres, bars or shops.
Just whales, trees, snails and playgrounds. And lots of mouse crap.