I'm actually a big fan of Canada...
Before my first visit there, Canada was synonymous with poutine and people using the phrase, "ay". I did see a lot of poutine, and the "ay" thing seemed mostly true. But now, when someone says "Canada", I think of the kindness of the people. As we attempted to navigate the street car and bus system, and father and son noticed our confused faces, and stopped to explain how it works and how to avoid paying extra for transfers. As New Yorkers, that was a culture shock. Also, "the machine" in restaurants is something I still think about, but that's another story.
What comes to your mind when someone mentions Canada? Redditor u/DShillington was curious, and so asked non-Canadians to answer... "What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think 'Canada'?"
20. Canada in the 80s
Back in the day (80s and stuff) we used to go across the St. Clair River/Lake St. Clair to go to Canada.
The thing that sticks out in my mind is the friendliest border guards/coast guard guys in the world. It was like 'hey, so why are you traveling to Canada today?' Oh, we're just gonna go pick some strawberries at that farm...you know the one. 'Oh, cool! Well have a nice time, and don't forget to bring some back for us!'
Once out on the lake, we got 'busted' by Canadians for having open alcohol on the boat. 'You guys know that's against the law over here, right?' (My brother puts his beer out of their line of sight) 'Okay, you guys have a nice day!'"
19. Canadian television
"The Red Green Show. I will always imagine that show portrays the ideal Canadian life."
17. Even Australians know all about Canada
I'm Australian, this is what I think of when I think Canada: Friendliness and politeness, the Canadian flag, maple trees/leaves/syrup, mountains, cold weather, poutine, speaking French, hockey.
16. WWII history
"To me probably heroism and loyalty Canada played a very major role in liberating my country from German occupation in WW2, and every year during the 5th and 6th of May we commemorate your bravery and sacrifice! So yeah, thank you Canada!"
15. Great comedians
"Phil Hartman, Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Dan Aykroyd, Will Arnett, Tommy Chong, John Candy... So funny dudes. Yeah, I know, I'm old."
14. All of their Canadian friends
"I have a lot of friends in Canada, so I think of them. :)"
12. Some... darker facts
"The fact that my ancestors were ejected from Canada by the British!
I wish people who could prove Acadian ancestry (Cajuns) could get a track to citizenship there; I fantasized about moving to Montreal as a teen."
10. Taking advantage of the drinking age
"I live about 45 minutes from Canada in Michigan.
Hockey, poutine, and 19 year old drinking age for me."
9. Freaky geese
"the color green for some reason and the leaf thing. Also murderous geese who will someday develop teeth and destroy mankind"
7. Contrasting environments
"First I picture the beautiful flag. The simplicity and elegance which makes for a perfect flag.
Then I picture the map. A huge county covered in unique and interesting nature.
Then I picture the mounties. Dressed in their sophisticated red uniforms, gracefully riding their horses.
Then I picture downtown Vancouver where I saw a hobo taking a piss in his hat."
6. Sneaky shoppers
"I once saw something on Reddit, not sure if it was a post or a comment, but it was someone describing how a Canadian will reach past someone at a grocery store to grab something and they'll pretty much always say this when they do:
'Just gonna SNEAK right past ya there.'
This may not be exactly right but it's still what I think about everytime Canadians are mentioned in any medium."
3. Overwhelming politeness
"Idk why but I start imagining 2 people standing at the door telling each other, 'its okay, you go in first'."
2. Boreal Forests
"The woods! Even though they're not talked about much, Canada's extensive Boreal Forests are super cool to me"
1. The classics
"Maple syrup and the Canadian flag. Honestly that's what I just thought of. But also, I think of trees, airplanes, and Saskatchewan."
Do you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "" to +1 (310) 299-9390 to talk to him about it.
Lucky Tourists Capture Stunning Videos And Images As Extreme Cold Freezes Niagara Falls 😮
Canada gets pretty cold during the winter (which is standard considering how far north they are) but this year has seen a particularly frigid snap. Some people report temperatures as low as -25 degrees Celsius around Ontario, resulting in a breathtaking natural wonder: Niagara Falls has literally frozen over.
Photographers like Inge Groot and Scott Heaney braved the sub-zero temperatures to capture a view of the frozen falls:
Heany wrote in his post:
"I've always wanted a frozen winter shot here, so of course while planning a weekend in Toronto I had to wish for some snow to make a bus ride down there worth it. What I didn't plan on was that my wish would turn into arctic temperatures and a winter storm that even Canadians seemed fazed by. But regardless of the absurd cold, I don't think there's any question that seeing the falls like this was absolutely worth it. I'd say you can make a pretty strong case that winter is the most beautiful time to visit Niagara."
Emma Grafham told CNN the frozen landscape felt strangely familiar:
"There was even this set of stairs that were placed just outside the look-on spot and they had so much ice on them, it looked like Elsa had just cast her arm out and summoned up some stairs like she does in the movie."
Though the -38 degree windchill overnight makes a trip to Niagara somewhat unpleasant, many consider it worth it to see this once-in-a-lifetime sight.
Extreme Temperatures Have Frozen Parts Of Niagara Falls | TIME youtu.be
Twitter was amazed by the views of the waterfall.
@CNN Amazing how the powerful forces of nature interact.— Eye in Inspiration - a Balanceseeker Podcast (@Eye in Inspiration - a Balanceseeker Podcast) 1548182340.0
@Reuters @reuterspictures They light them up at night too, so pretty with the ice. https://t.co/b9mGAxfRZ9— ✨Brighantia Libbyana✨ (@✨Brighantia Libbyana✨) 1548305171.0
@TIME The Beauty of Niagara Falls at this time of the year its spectacular to see this #1- of the world of wonder! Niagara Falls!— mark coholan (@mark coholan) 1548204082.0
These photographers froze their butts off so we could see a natural wonder!
@BuzzFeed Beautiful photos!— Avemariablanco (@Avemariablanco) 1548187937.0
There were also some sticklers who reminded the world that the ENTIRE falls hadn't frozen over—only part.
@CNN A more accurate title/headline would be ice covers parts of Niagara Falls, waterfall still there and moving. Y… https://t.co/rgZEWuHVnT— Kev M (@Kev M) 1548222035.0
Of course, many Twitter users just saw the frozen falls as an opportunity for jokes.
@CNN Was wondering why my barrel wasn’t going anywhere...— ThirdWave (@ThirdWave) 1548154008.0
@CNN Mood: https://t.co/MjnHbUg398— Gamer1🎮🕹 (@Gamer1🎮🕹) 1548170602.0
@CNN Only in Canada— Alice Tokas: A LA Girl (@Alice Tokas: A LA Girl) 1548152568.0
@CNN Frosted Funnel Cake! https://t.co/81mHiWPGom— B (@B) 1548218902.0
If there's any good reason to go out in the cold, it's probably to visit the Niagara national parks:
Or, if it's simply too chilly for you outside, here's a video that may give you a similar experience.
Disney's Frozen "Let It Go" Sequence Performed by Idina Menzel youtu.be
Flight attendants are heroes. Let's be honest, when we fly, we're a bunch of babies. We need and need and... NEED! And if you think about it so have the rest of us as passengers. People! Get your behavior in check for travel! Please!
Redditor u/sophmorph wanted the employees of the sky do discuss a few things by asking... Flight Attendants of reddit, what's the most ridiculous passenger you've ever had?