The Tower at Coaticook

We climbed the tower and this is what we saw.

( Chris claims the cows are playing croquet )

( The top and the bottom of the tower )

Border Crossings Vt/Quebec

As part of our camping trip we took a trip to Canada. The current entry requirements to the US are picture ID and proof of citizenship. Chris had forgotten his passport so we stopped on the way up and the nice US immigration guy said he could just state where he was born or some similar utterance. He has born in Providence, RI and Howard quipped (not to the agent) that just listening to his accent should be proof of that. The agent did say that if anyone had any DUI warrants they might have trouble getting back in. On return at a different place (Derby Line) we just handed over our passports and Chris' driver's license and was sufficient. When going into Canada the agent asked us lots of questions about who we were and why we were going. On the way back the US guy asked many fewer questions. Most of us had beards and I recently read in danthered's LJ how he was hassled a bit when entering the US near Fargo, ND and heard that bearded people are a stop-and-search trigger.

Derby Line is an interesting town since it straddles the border and there is a a Library/Opera House that is in both countries (Derby Line,Vt and Standstead, Quebec). We didn't go in to it this time, but there are no officials of either country inside this building which is fortunate since the border line cuts through the reading room and the auditorium. Actually the US office is about 100 yards from the border so you actually enter the US before entering the US.

While in Sherbrooke, QB we ate lunch at Restaurant Chez Charlie, where some people had Poutine. Poutine is a French Canadian dish featuring french fries, cheese, and gravy (no extra cholesterol need be added).

(  I'm glad we didn't visit these people )