U.S Border Loophole

The Canada-U.S. border has been closed to all non-essential traffic since March...but this past weekend we found a loophole!

On Saturday we visited the Thousand Island region of Canada, which is an archipelago of freshwater islands about 1.5 hours away from my house that separates Ontario, Canada from New York state, United States. In that region there are tourist boats that cross the border daily. For the time being, Canadian boats aren't allowed to stop on the American side and vice-versa, but the boats do technically cross the international border. 

On the Canadian side of the border, we wear masks...

That's how we were able to visit Boldt Castle, a 120-room mansion built by hotel magnate George C. Boldt (who owned the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City) between 1900-1904 at the end of the robber baron era.  We saw lots of other island mansions as well. It really does feel like a vacation playground from a bygone era, before planes allowed the rich to visit more exotic locales.

...but anything goes in the U.S.!

OK, maybe we technically didn't touch U.S. soil but I'm still one of the few people who can say they crossed an international border without a passport during a pandemic and didn't have to quarantine upon my return. Hmmm maybe I should wash my hands... 

Land of the free (and sick) and home of the brave (and sick)