August, 2019
"...I did the research on what could and could not legally be brought into Canada... and then I ignored most of it."
August 1st was a travel day for us, heading west from Bangor, ME. At around 1:00 PM we entered Canada at a place called Coburn Gore in Quebec; not so much a town as a bump in the road. As my first time crossing a border into another country it was an interesting experience. Even a little exciting.
Despite some things that I had read about border guards — that they were stone-faced and bereft of humor — the young man with whom I spoke was very personable. We even shared a laugh about my brand new and pristine passport. Also, contrary to what I'd heard, they didn't search my truck, my trailer or my person, which was a good thing because I had cause for concern about that. You see, I did the research on what could and could not legally be brought into Canada... and then I ignored most of it.
Disregarding my fear of being tossed into a Canadian prison, given nothing to eat but cold poutine, and having no one to talk with but French speaking rats, I might have entered the country with some contraband. Hypothetically speaking, it might have taken the form of, a.) a bit too much liquor. The maximum allowed is 1.2 liters, which is about 40 oz I think, but it's the metric system so who the hell knows. And b.) a few big, juicy, perfectly ripe peaches. Bringing most fruit into Canada is verboten, but I wait all year for peaches like these and in order to confiscate them the border guard would have had to shoot me. Also c.), Bernadette might have carried about 20 lbs. over the limit of dog food. The max is 40 lbs., which is, I believe, the metric equivalent of about 30 MHz. But she wasn't worried about it because, hot or cold, poutine sounded pretty good to her.
Speaking of the metric system, the first road sign that I came upon in Quebec was a bit of a surprise as it indicated a speed limit of 90. After decades of being completely 
ignored, it turns out that the little inner circle of tiny numbers on the speedometer would finally prove useful. In case you haven't figured it out, the sign referred to 90 kph (kilometers per hour), which is either 65 mph or the boiling point of water (don't get me started on Celsius!). It was also pretty thrilling to see a sign touting gas at only $1.24. Never thought I'd see that again in my lifetime. But of course the dream was shattered when I realized that it was priced per liter. And in U.S. dollars that's... yeah, I have no idea.
I'd often heard that Canada was quite beautiful, but I was unprepared for what I saw during the drive from the border to our current campsite in Sherbrooke, QC. That part of eastern Quebec is comprised of farms, large and small, punctuated by what the locals probably consider to be mountains. They have some elevation, but they're not exactly the Rockies, or even the Smokies. The result is some incredible views looking down on a patchwork quilt of green and verdant fields stretching for miles. I'm guessing the scenery is a bit different in January, but in early August it's a sight worth seeing.
In addition, everyone I've met has been very friendly and no one has made fun of me for not speaking French (for other things maybe, but not for my meager language skills). Several folks have said they speak only a little English, but it turned out to be more than a little. One exception is the lady who runs the campground and whose mastery of our language seemed confined to the words, "pay me". That's OK though, she said it with a smile.
That said, if you plan visit Quebec, be sure to add Google Translate or a similar app to your phone before you go. It can be a life saver. As they say, "don't leave home without it" and that applies even if you bring your home with you.
So far, the only shortcomings on this leg of the trip have been problems with phone/internet service (which is to say that, as soon as I crossed the border, I had none) and a brief but unfortunate encounter between my trailer and a concrete traffic barrier. The concrete won, as it almost always does.
More about those things soon. In the meantime, you can see more pics on our Facebook page.
Leave a comment below ⇓