Tim Stowell on thu 21 may 98
In the fall I am doing a show in Michigan...I live in upstate New York.
The easiest (shortest) route for me to get there would be to cut through
Canada. Have any of you done this in the past? Will I have to spend more
time filling out paperwork than I would driving around Canada? What are
the difficulties with crossing the borders?
TIA
Tim
Tim Stowell Gerard Stowell Pottery
Stacey Gerard 290 River Street
tstwll@juno.com Troy, NY 12180
(518)272-0983 www.trytroy.org/gerard/
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MiltonsLin on fri 22 may 98
Hi There!
I took a road trip to Vancouver, BC three years ago. At the I-5 border
(Washington State), travellers from the US were asked to submit proof of
citizenship (your birth certificate is an acceptable document), were asked to
declare any items which one is planning to sell in Canada (and list the value
of said items), and were asked to open the trunk lid, for a brief search for
contraband (illegal drugs, weapons, etc.) in the car. The whole process took
less than 15 minutes. I suggest crossing the border in the middle of the day,
or at night, for the quickest check-in and check-out.
For a traveller flying into Vancouver--beware the "takeoff tax!" It costs
$10.00 Canadian to enter the departures gate for the trip home! This is a fee
which can be paid for at the customs gate only. I don't know if the airports
of other Canadian cities have followed suit!
Is the time at customs worth your while, to just "pass through?" Yes, indeed!
I found Canadian hospitality to be friendly, and the exchange rate for US to
Canadian Dollars is quite good, too. Check your bank for the current exchange
rates.
Best wishes!
Milton of Yucca Valley, where the moths have finally stopped flitting in front
of my computer screen, and the crickets chirp louder than the songbirds.
MiltonsLin@AOL.COM
Arturo M DeVitalis on sat 23 may 98
Years ago I went to Toronto (from Rochester NY) to pick up a kiln lid
from Frank Tucker.
I was supposed to cross back into the USA at a specific one of the two
crossing places where Frank said they knew how to process this item
correctly. Well I went to the other (wrong) crossing and it was an
interesting experience to say the least! My advice is NOT to cross via
Canada unless you have time to spare!
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Les Crimp on sat 23 may 98
Hi -
I am sure you will find Milton is correct. It takes very little time to
come through our border crossings and I would be very surprised if you had
any problems at all.
He is also correct about your "big, fatAmerican Dollars" -- it cost us
$1.467 CDN to buy one of your dollars - go figure!!! Everything here for
our friends from "South of the Border" is basically on sale year round.
But please come to visit us - you are more than welcome.
Best Regards,
Les Crimp in Nanoose Bay, B.C
on beautiful Vancouver Island.>----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
>Hi There!
>
>I took a road trip to Vancouver, BC three years ago. At the I-5 border
>(Washington State), travellers from the US were asked to submit proof of
>citizenship (your birth certificate is an acceptable document), were asked to
>declare any items which one is planning to sell in Canada (and list the value
>of said items), and were asked to open the trunk lid, for a brief search for
>contraband (illegal drugs, weapons, etc.) in the car. The whole process took
>less than 15 minutes. I suggest crossing the border in the middle of the day,
>or at night, for the quickest check-in and check-out.
>
>For a traveller flying into Vancouver--beware the "takeoff tax!" It costs
>$10.00 Canadian to enter the departures gate for the trip home! This is a fee
>which can be paid for at the customs gate only. I don't know if the airports
>of other Canadian cities have followed suit!
>
>Is the time at customs worth your while, to just "pass through?" Yes, indeed!
>I found Canadian hospitality to be friendly, and the exchange rate for US to
>Canadian Dollars is quite good, too. Check your bank for the current exchange
>rates.
>
>Best wishes!
>
>Milton of Yucca Valley, where the moths have finally stopped flitting in front
>of my computer screen, and the crickets chirp louder than the songbirds.
>MiltonsLin@AOL.COM
>
>
Richard Aerni on sun 24 may 98
I used to do this when travelling from the Finger Lakes of NY to the Ann
Arbor show in Michigan. Would save me about 1 1/2 hours driving time. I
would just talk my way through the border checkpoints...show them my
business card, the packet of show info, etc., basically just do the
"stupid artist, need help" routine, and got sympathy, amused guards, and
a quick wave through. UNTIL, one year, I got frowns, and a pointed
finger to the big building where they process all the tractor trailors.
After waiting about an hour and a half, I had to unpack the van, go
through the boxes with the customs folks (Canadian), fill out all kinds
of forms, and then after another 45 minute wait, was turned back. Delay
of over 4 hours, and still had to travel through the USA.
The next year, I contacted Canadian customs two months ahead of time,
explained the situation, and had them send me what they thought were the
appropriate forms. But, they said, just explain at the border and you
will be waved through. Well, to make a long story short, it was
basically a repeat of the previous year's experience, with a few other
twists thrown in. Now, I just take the long way through Ohio.
Richard Aerni...don't even want to get into the story of crossing the
border to give a workshop in Canada...too painful!
kinoko@junction.net on mon 25 may 98
At 10:56 5/24/98 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I used to do this when travelling from the Finger Lakes of NY to the Ann
>Arbor show in Michigan. Would save me about 1 1/2 hours driving time. I
>would just talk my way through the border checkpoints...show them my
>business card, the packet of show info, etc., basically just do the
>"stupid artist, need help" routine, and got sympathy, amused guards, and
>a quick wave through. UNTIL, one year, I got frowns, and a pointed
>finger to the big building where they process all the tractor trailors.
>After waiting about an hour and a half, I had to unpack the van, go
>through the boxes with the customs folks (Canadian), fill out all kinds
>of forms, and then after another 45 minute wait, was turned back. Delay
>of over 4 hours, and still had to travel through the USA.
>
>The next year, I contacted Canadian customs two months ahead of time,
>explained the situation, and had them send me what they thought were the
>appropriate forms. But, they said, just explain at the border and you
>will be waved through. Well, to make a long story short, it was
>basically a repeat of the previous year's experience, with a few other
>twists thrown in. Now, I just take the long way through Ohio.
>
>Richard Aerni...don't even want to get into the story of crossing the
>border to give a workshop in Canada...too painful!
>
Richard, it wasn't always that way on either side of the border. Prior ro
WW2 there were virtually no hold-ups and one was waved through. WW2 brought
a tighening of bureaucracy and,since noone wishes to lose the job the only
way is to continually increase bureaucracy and power at the top and vitiate
the the responsibility at the lower ranks. Don M.
RHONDA WANDLER on wed 27 may 98
Tim Stowell wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> In the fall I am doing a show in Michigan...I live in upstate New York.
> The easiest (shortest) route for me to get there would be to cut through
> Canada. Have any of you done this in the past? Will I have to spend more
> time filling out paperwork than I would driving around Canada? What are
> the difficulties with crossing the borders?
Tim: It has been my experience when "going state-side" for a short
period of time that you can get through the border and back quickly and
easily if you make it clear to the border official what your plans are
(ie. you have a commitment to attend an event and are returning on a
specific date).
You should come to Canada! Keep in mind that your American dollar is
worth more... but your gasoline is still cheaper I think; maybe "gas up"
before driving into the land of gasoline taxes.
Rhonda at Moose Jaw Saskatchewan, on the top of the hill overlooking
Wakamow Valley.
Wendy Moore on thu 28 may 98
To follow up;
I live in Detroit and used to travel to Buffalo, NY several times a year. The
quickest way was to cross Southern Canada. I told the border guards of my
intent to just cross. I even had a van full of christmas presents. I was
never stopped or asked to declare what I had, only if I had purchased any
thing in Canada. Where in Michigan will you be showing?
Wendy Moore, the Apron Lady
getting ready for her first art fair...ykes!
RHONDA WANDLER wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Tim Stowell wrote:
> >
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >
> > In the fall I am doing a show in Michigan...I live in upstate New York.
> > The easiest (shortest) route for me to get there would be to cut through
> > Canada. Have any of you done this in the past? Will I have to spend more
> > time filling out paperwork than I would driving around Canada? What are
> > the difficulties with crossing the borders?
>
> Tim: It has been my experience when "going state-side" for a short
> period of time that you can get through the border and back quickly and
> easily if you make it clear to the border official what your plans are
> (ie. you have a commitment to attend an event and are returning on a
> specific date).
> You should come to Canada! Keep in mind that your American dollar is
> worth more... but your gasoline is still cheaper I think; maybe "gas up"
> before driving into the land of gasoline taxes.
>
> Rhonda at Moose Jaw Saskatchewan, on the top of the hill overlooking
> Wakamow Valley.
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