Ottawa is a city used to fire breathing politicians wandering the streets.

But tens of thousands of people in the nation害羞草研究所檚 capital were treated this week to the awakening of a beast of a different sort.

Long Ma, a giant smoke billowing, fire breathing mechanical dragon from France, gracefully wandered the city害羞草研究所檚 streets after being 害羞草研究所渁woken害羞草研究所� in a ceremony at Ottawa city hall.

The dragon was part of an elaborate 害羞草研究所渟treet theatre害羞草研究所� performance brought to Ottawa for the city害羞草研究所檚 celebrations of Canada害羞草研究所檚 150th birthday, along with a 5.7-metre-high mechanical spider called Kumo.

Guy LaFlamme, executive director of Ottawa 2017, first saw the dragon while in France, where it was created for a philanthropist in Beijing.

LaFlamme says he immediately thought of bringing it to Ottawa, since Beijing is the sister city to Canada害羞草研究所檚 capital.

害羞草研究所淪o I felt this is a perfect fit, having the dragon Long Ma and the spider, which is becoming more and more a symbol of Ottawa, home to Maman,害羞草研究所� the iconic Louise Bourgois spider sculpture located outside the National Gallery of Canada.

City streets were awash with people, including hundreds of families with young children, to witness Long Ma害羞草研究所檚 awakening and oscillating movements.

The Canadian Press