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When you cross the border into the U.S. on land, do you get excited? What’s the first on your mind?
For me as an American, when I cross the border I get very excited especially once entering Québec how signs are in French and the use of metric system Love it! And of course how well maintained roads are, and the beauty of Montréal of course when entering from Pont Champlain Bridge especially at night with the beautiful skyline view and mountain background.
I love Canada and Québec especially you guys are lucky living there
I think that there is an excitement in the idea of a holiday no matter where you're going on holiday or what border you're crossing. Glad to hear you enjoy your trips here!
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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We go several times a year to the Vancouver BC area, it’s less than 3 hours drive, and always a fun trip. Yes, crossing the border can be considered exciting, but we dread coming back, as our entry is always backed up and takes a long time. I actually got a parking ticket in Quebec years ago, the sign was in French. I learned what “Defense de Stationner” means. I paid it, sent a check as it was only $5. I bet they are more now.
Crossing the border itself wasn't that exciting. What was exciting for me when I lived in MTL was going to NYC and seeing the New York skyline. The anticipation of getting there and getting closer and closer to the city was great.
Also landing at LAX is always cool. The view of the lights is awesome and landing there and getting on the freeway, seeing the palm trees and driving close to the LA skyline.... Man LA is a cool city, I miss my trips to LA.
My experiences are along the lines of those of Luis. It's no so much being on U.S. territory itself that is exciting as it is visiting certain specific places in the U.S. - and there is no shortage of these.
Now, I am highly fluent in English and grew up with lots of U.S. culture so there is very little shock crossing into the States for me.
Things may be different for Québécois who don't have as much ease in English and may feel in exotic territory to some degree as soon as they cross the border.
Another thing that's not necessarily positive about crossing the border is, for my family at least (likely shared by many Canadians) a constant consciousness of the need to avoid conflictual situations with strangers at all costs when down there.
Another thing that's not necessarily positive about crossing the border is, for my family at least (likely shared by many Canadians) a constant consciousness of the need to avoid conflictual situations with strangers at all costs when down there.
Agreed,dont bring up the subject of politics while vacationing in USA as its a very sensitive issue.In my case we dont travel to the USA anymore and much prefer exploring Canada.
When you cross the border into the U.S. on land, do you get excited? What’s the first on your mind? .......
I'm not trying to bum out your enthusiasm and pride about your own country but I stopped getting excited and instead started to become worried about crossing the border into the States after the day a bad tempered misogynistic American border guard named Escobar got an ugly bee in his bonnet about me because he thought a single woman wouldn't be travelling alone in the States unless she was up to no good. He decided to have my car searched, he interrogated me, finger printed me and red flagged me in their data base system before allowing me to enter the States. The next few times I crossed the border into America after that, as a result of being permanently red flagged in the data base I was taken aside, detained for half an hour or more each time to be given the 3rd degree and harassed about my "true" intentions while in America all the while my car was being searched before they finally permitted me to continue on my way.
Visiting America and my friends and relatives there before that was always fun but it's just not worth that kind of hassle, interrogation and humiliation for somebody who has never done anything wrong and always been a respectful visitor and big spender. Finally, fed up with the repeated harassment and fearing the risk of one day being falsely charged of something trumped up and of being arrested and not being allowed to return back home to Canada I made the decision to stop travelling to America. I haven't been back in recent years and have no intention of ever doing so again. Their paranoid intimidation to keep me away has worked on me.
I'm not trying to bum out your enthusiasm and pride about your own country but I stopped getting excited and instead started to become worried about crossing the border into the States after the day a bad tempered misogynistic American border guard named Escobar got an ugly bee in his bonnet about me because he thought a single woman wouldn't be travelling alone in the States unless she was up to no good. He decided to have my car searched, he interrogated me, finger printed me and red flagged me in their data base system before allowing me to enter the States. The next few times I crossed the border into America after that, as a result of being permanently red flagged in the data base I was taken aside, detained for half an hour or more each time to be given the 3rd degree and harassed about my "true" intentions while in America all the while my car was being searched before they finally permitted me to continue on my way.
Visiting America and my friends and relatives there before that was always fun but it's just not worth that kind of hassle, interrogation and humiliation for somebody who has never done anything wrong and always been a respectful visitor and big spender. Finally, fed up with the repeated harassment and fearing the risk of one day being falsely charged of something trumped up and of being arrested and not being allowed to return back home to Canada I made the decision to stop travelling to America. I haven't been back in recent years and have no intention of ever doing so again. Their paranoid intimidation to keep me away has worked on me.
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Same thing happened to me evidently because i was wearing a camouflage ball cap, for the next few years when i crossed into USA i was always sent to secondary interrogation,one time crossing at Sault Ste Marie not only was i asked to pull over but i was escorted to the shake down garage with a border guard with an assault rifle at the ready and a guy on the other side of the car with a spike strip, the kids were crying and thought we were going to be shot which got me pissed off enough to ask the interrogator what he was actually looking at on his computer to warrant such action,he was nice enough to inform me of the problem,turns out the guard who had initially taken me to task for the camo ball cap had written down i was an undesirable character, i sent letters to that Richford Que. border asking them to look into the matter,i guess they did as i no longer have to go through strict interrogation any more.However as Mom and Dad have passed away in the last few years i find no reason to go to Florida or any place else in the USA anymore as the place has gone mad..
When you cross the border into the U.S. on land, do you get excited? What’s the first on your mind?
For me as an American, when I cross the border I get very excited especially once entering Québec how signs are in French and the use of metric system Love it! And of course how well maintained roads are, and the beauty of Montréal of course when entering from Pont Champlain Bridge especially at night with the beautiful skyline view and mountain background.
I love Canada and Québec especially you guys are lucky living there
Yes the designs of the roads and signage all have sort of a European vibe to them, construction zones were pretty organized and i loved hearing french radio stations. the whole mph to kph conversion is fun too, wondering if 10 kph over the limit is as extreme as 10 mph over the limit.
Its also cool when you are driving north and you hit the trans Canada and seeing the highway signs for for away Canadian cities.
After heavily studying the cities you will also notice that the main freeways are meant for long distant travels, maybe suburb of one city to the suburb of another city... here in America every freeway goes straight into the core of pretty much every U.S city which has its ups and downs.
I did however have a cool feeling crossing back home from the country roads of Manitoba to the Interstate Highway system in North Dakota. after answering a million questions to the American border patrol than boom you are right on I-29 speed limit is 70 or 75 and you are just flying by, big billboards everywhere and the freeway signs were insanely larger too.
but of course that is a dramatic change in scenery.
I have never driven on an actual Canadian freeway but i can imagine they are very nice.
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Love it! And of course how well maintained roads are, and the beauty of Montréal of course when entering from Pont Champlain Bridge especially at night with the beautiful skyline view and mountain background.
