After years of living with five hours of the Canada border
in both Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Lacey finally made her first
trip to the great white (and red) North. We left Seattle after a great week of
relaxation and getting some work done, and headed to the border.
The border crossing into Canada was pretty funny actually.
The conversation went something like this…
Border Agent: So, where are you coming from in the States,
eh?
Me: Well… San Diego.
Border Agent: Did you come straight here from there?
Me: Actually, we’ve been on the road for two months now.
Border Agent: Where have you been?
Lacey: Arizona, Colorado, Utah, back to California, Oregon,
Washington, now here.
Me: We’re on a National park tour.
Border Agent: A lot of people when they go on a trip like
that they bring a weapon or something with them for self-defense. Do you have a
weapon with you in the car?
Me: (Thinking now that maybe I should have a weapon for
self-defense) No, just a couple pocket knives.
Border Agent: How long are you planning to stay in Canada?
Us: Three nights.
Border Agent: Are you camping while you’re here? Staying in
a hotel?
Me: No, we’re staying with a friend.
Border Agent: How do you know this person?
Lacey: I studied with her in Australia for four months.
Border Agent: When was the last time you saw her?
Lacey: Eight years ago.
Border Agent: (A bit confused now) Well, do you even know her address?
(At this point I’m thinking they are going to pull us over
and search our car for sure, this story doesn’t sound very feasible)
Lacey: Yeah, it’s XXXX Blah Blah, Coquitlam, BC (you know,
with real numbers and a street name)
Border Agent: What did you bring her for a gift?
Us: Umm… nothing?
Border Agent: Okay (thinking we’re very rude now and with a
slight hesitation while looking at our passports)... welcome to Canada, eh!
At the border crossing
Just for the record, we did pick up a bottle of wine for our
hosts (so we’re not that rude) and left them a very nice thank you card on the
way out. We did, however, think it was very funny that he seemed to assume we
didn’t know the address and that we were just wandering into Canada. That may
be a standard border crossing question, but the whole interaction was quite
funny for us (although probably not so much for you, the reader).
After that debacle we made it to Joanna and Ryan’s house
outside Vancouver and had a great first evening with them chatting, going for a
walk around the lake near their house, and eating a great dinner. The next day
we headed in to Vancouver (or just Van as the locals call it) and explored the
city a bit by walking along the waterfront, taking an aqua taxi to Granville
Island, driving around Stanley Park, and checking out North Van a bit before
heading back to the house. We got to go check out the restaurant that Ryan
manages and had some great appies (another Canada-ism) and some drinks. That
night we even got to play some Yahtzee (we really can’t get enough Yahtzee).
Canadian flags flying on the Vancouver waterfront
That weird rock thing that they made the Olympic logo look like
Lacey and Joanna on the aqua taxi
On the waterfront with the bridge to Granville Island in the background
On the last full day of our visit we got experience a true
Vancouver adventure when we hiked the Grouse Grind! Grouse Mountain is a ski
resort in North Van that built a hiking trail up the face a while back and has
opened it up to the public. The trail is about 2 miles, but covers 2,800 feet
vertical! Basically, that’s like being on a StairMaster at level 20 for over an
hour. I’ve never felt a sense of accomplishment like that from finishing a 2
mile hike, that’s for sure. The trail is so steep, in fact, that they don’t
allow people to hike back down. From the top you actually have to take a
Gondola down. Well… it might be for safety and it might be because they charge
$10 to get down. Either way, the hike down would have been twice the hell that
the hike up was.
The trail head sign
Excited...
...A little less excited...
...Less excited...
At the top
The trip to Canada was a blast! That is, until
we had to wait over an hour at the border crossing to get back into the States.
Now it’s on to North Cascades National Park for our next outdoor adventure!
Stay tuned…
Glad you didn't have any problems at the borders. I actually went to Canada this weekend with my In-laws. I was surprised a couple of carloads of persians weren't harassed in either direction, especially coming back to the US.
ReplyDelete-Kyle G.