"We're like the mouse living next to the elephant." The elephant is barely conscious of the mouse, but the mouse is aware of every move the elephant makes. That's how Pierre Trudeau, our former Prime Minister (the head guy, like the American President), characterized what it's like for Canadians living next to Americans. We are taught your history and geography in school, we watch your TV stations, wear your clothes, eat at McDonalds (well some of us do), share your language (although some words are spelled differently), and since most of us live within 100 miles of the US border, we have probably visited your country.
This is Sandra writing, and because I'm only talking from my own (Canadian) point of view, I'll speak in the first person. The following photos are all mine, except for the arial shots and one I'm in. The older ones are a little blurry as they've been scanned into the computer, so look for the feeling of them rather than the quality.
Since I've recently married an American, I'm particularly interested in cross-border friendship and commonality. Relationships have been a little tense between our two countries in recent times, and yet we are so alike and have so much in common. The following photo emphasizes this.
This beautiful Peace Arch, with the Canadian & American flags, is right on the border, between Blaine in Washington state and White Rock in British Columbia. The headers have the quotes "BRETHREN DWELLING TOGETHER IN UNITY" on this side, and "CHILDREN OF A COMMON MOTHER" on the other. At the base it says "MAY THESE GATES NEVER BE CLOSED". These sayings echo my thoughts and hope.
And so, if you're an American who's never visited Canada, or if you're just interested, I invite you on a tour of the places I've been in my country. (I haven't yet been east of Ontario or into the far north.)
Perhaps this is what Americans typically think about Canada - snow & ice. It's Algonquin Park in Ontario in winter.
A pretty Ontario lake on a warm summer evening. This is the Province where I was born, and I spent many enjoyable summers on lakes like this.
Lusty Lake Superior between our countries.
A grain elevator on the Saskatchewan prairie - our "big sky country".
Cattle ranching in Alberta.
The badlands of Alberta. Can you see the people in the center foreground - shows you the relative size.
Beautiful Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies, Alberta.
Columbia Ice Fields, Alberta.
A hidden treasure, Helmcken Falls in Wells Gray Park, British Columbia. It's 3x as high as Niagara.
The Thompson River snaking through desert-like country in the middle of BC, where there are real cowboys - just like the American west.
Downtown Vancouver BC seen from Spanish Banks. In 1964 I came to Vancouver from Ontario, and lived here many years.
The mighty orcas swimming along in Johnstone Strait, toward the north of Vancouver Island.
Totems marking the gravesites in Alert Bay, a native community on an island north of Vancouver Island.
And now, I'd like to introduce you to the Sunshine Coast. It's on the mainland north of Vancouver but it can only be reached by water or air as no road goes around Howe Sound. Here's a B.C. Ferry on its way.
After getting off the ferry, you drive up Highway 101 which parallels Georgia Strait, shown here.
Here's Davis Bay, and yes, it's warm here & folks are swimming. In fact, the Sunshine Coast rarely has snow, and is in the comfortable 70s & low 80s F in the summer.
This arial photo shows Georgia Strait in the foreground and Sechelt Inlet in the background, with just 1 mile of land and the little town of Sechelt in between. Before I met Rod, this was my home for many years.
Sechelt is the name of a native band, and their land is an integral part of the town and surrounding area. Here are some of their totems facing out onto Georgia Strait.
This is me with my friend Kay on an adventuresome ATV ride in the hills above Sechelt Inlet.
Sea life of all kinds abounds on the Sunshine Coast, both above and below the water - partly because there isn't much pollution from industry north of Vancouver. These are some seals on the Trail Islands near Sechelt.
And here are some of my favourite animals - seastars. The one below is a sunflower star.
An arial shot of Pender Harbour shows its many inlets & islands, so pleasing to explore by boat. It's been called "the Venice of the north". The marina where we kept our boat one winter is in the lower right corner.
These last two photos are of places where roads don't go, and because of their untouched natural beauty, they're great cruising destinations. This one is Chatterbox Falls in Princess Louisa Inlet.
This final photo was taken from our boat in Prideaux Haven in Desolation Sound, at the north end of the Sunshine Coast, after the end of Highway 101.
I hope you've enjoyed this little tour, and get to see some of these picturesque sights yourself, if you have not already done so. Perhaps you can feel my fondness for these wonderful places.
Rod & I have bought a home in Powell River near the north end of the Sunshine Coast. We plan to settle there when we tire of full time boat and RV travel. See Powell River House & Links for Powell River information.
