Customs
I’ve been to Canada a handful of times – lovely country. I’ve never made it as far as the Boreal Forest, but I hope to one day. My most memorable trip was the time I found myself on one side of the border and my belongings on the other side (see They Closed Canada from February 2020). I also, technically, never entered Canada when I visited the Peace Garden Park. The way the park functions, visitors leave their home country, cruise through the park, criss-crossing the two countries, then must show passports to get back into their own country (see Always Bring Your Passport from March 2020).
I wandered through customs a few times, though. After both of my cruises to Alaska, I returned through Vancouver once, and back into the United States the other time. I certainly understand it is part of the process, but after a relaxing cruise throughout some of the most spectacular scenery (see Shared By Bears And Coeds from January 2012) the United States has to offer, standing in a line for a couple hours just to say, “Yes, remember me?” takes away most of the scenic buzz. You can imagine how spine-tingling the experience navigating the airport in the booming metropolis of Regina, Saskatchewan.
Welcome To Canada
The first time I visited Canada, the process did include showing ID, but not even a passport. A nice person simply asked where I was headed, who was with me, and wished me well. Granted, I was crossing into Ontario across the St. Mary’s River into the town of the same name, albeit en Français. Likely not the busiest crossing from the Upper Peninsula and around Lake Huron (see The Fifth Lake from March 2012), Once we left Sault St. Marie, we cruise the Trans Canada Highway eastward to Sudbury. We will enjoy the next day (see Brock University from January 2012), too, as we make our way around Lake Ontario and back into the United States across the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge into New York.
Our reservation at Université de Sudbury gave us a place to stay during the summer months with most of the students away from campus. Yet, no one was around to greet us, or assist us, or give us access to the dormitory, so we wandered across the street to Thorneloe University (which has since changed names), where we do find room at the inn. From the hilltop overlooking the heart of the city to the north, we enjoy the fireworks celebrating Canada’s 125th birthday, and the end of our first day of the twelve days of July (see Twelve Days And Ten Years from October 2021). Welcome to Canada. We have fireworks and wayward hospitality just for you.
Pam Portland 