For years, we have been saying that we should go to Canada, particularly Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Julie’s parents live within striking distance of the border. For years, we’ve been less than a day’s drive from a country we’ve never visited. Besides, I’m a quarter canuck, and it’d be good to get back to my roots. On June 23, 2019, we finally put a plan into motion.

But Canada is a big country. Who knows what’s up there? Bears? Big Foot? Socialized medicine?! We decided that in order to roll north, we needed to roll strong and roll deep. We enlisted the help of our Spanish friends and stalwart travelling compatriots, Diego, Teresa, Catalina, and Guillermo.

With the team assembled, we set out from Julie’s parent’s house in Scituate, Massachusetts early Sunday morning to avoid Boston traffic. As we drove through rural Maine, civilization quickly petered out until we finally reached the small town of Calais, where we then crossed the Saint Croix river to enter Canada.

Almost immediately, I was stunned by the amount of development we saw in Canada. Sure, I had known that there was a whole country north of the United States. But the well maintained highways and charming towns stood in stark contrast to the backwoods feel of Maine, which now lay far to the south of us.

Our first stop in Canada was to go to Minister’s Island. This part of Canada has massive tidal swings, so that during some parts of the day, you can drive to the island across the sea floor. Unfortunately, though, we arrived when the tide was high. The kids made do, entertaining themselves along the shore for a few minutes while the adults enjoyed a break from the drive.

We soon reached our destination for the night, St. Andrews, a quaint seaside village dating back to the 1780s. Our lodging — the Picket Fence Motel — was decidedly newer, but charming nonetheless.

After stashing our luggage in our rooms, we walked to the center of town to find some dinner. Down by the marina, we found a seafood place, and the local beer quickly washed away our weariness from the road.

Because of the large tides in this part of Canada, the marina is actually located at the end of a long quay, extending out far enough to ensure that the boats remain in the water even at low tide. After dinner, we walked down the quay to the marina, enjoying the views of the bay.

With the sun sinking, we heading back to our motel, excited about the start of our trip. I *might* have tricked Guillermo into opening his mouth wide enough that I could stick a dandelion inside.

Lydie and Cassie were well aware of the trick, but gave Guille no warning, so I think the whole thing was mostly their fault. Guille was a great sport, which meant I had to be a good sport, too. I let him do the same trick to me, too. The last thing I learned on my first day in Canada is that Canadian dandelion seeds are just as gross as the ones we have in the US.

-Will