Although I have traveled to some rather distant locations, I never crossed the border to visit our northern neighbors. Yes, I’ve been to North Korea and Azerbaijan, but not Canada. My friends tease me mercilessly about this.
So, when we finally arrived in Seattle, we decided to spend one of our days in Vancouver, which is about a 2.5 hour drive from Seattle. Upon arriving at the border, we encountered a Canadian immigration control officer who was, to put it mildly, a complete asshole. I wasn’t even sure he would let us in because he probably thought we were drug dealers or something. But now I finally know what it is like for my foreign friends who visit the U.S. and are constantly forced to deal with rude U.S. customs agents. Sorry, guys!
Waiting to enter
Welcome to Canada
Obligatory American pose
Vancouver harbor
Since we were only in Vancouver for the day, we didn’t get to experience much of the city. Still, a few observations: a) With the bay and mountains as a backdrop, this city is incredibly beautiful; b) it is also damn clean; c) parking is very expensive; d) it was not unusual to see people boarding city buses with their snowboards and gear.
Lions Gate Bridge, as seen from Stanley Park.
Ships in the Burrard Inlet and English Bay
More photos here.
From Trip Planning:
Nice pics. Vancouver and the surrounding area are great outdoor recreation areas. Victoria is also a fun day trip by ferry.
From Gloria:
Amazing photos in spite of the weather! Vancouver is such a beautiful city…