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With my trips to the US over the past several years on a “need to go” basis only (just didn’t get that warm welcoming feeling when I crossed the border) I was anxiously awaiting the results of last Tuesday night. And when they came in, I had my finger on the Buy Button on the Amtrak web site..... So the last week of January and first of February I’m off on a cross county trip to California and back than a swing down to Florida before returning to Toronto.
And there are probably many more tourists like myself who were also waiting for a change to renew their ties with the USA. A country I always enjoyed traveling in and riding Amtrak.....It’s been a long hiatus! Congratulations!
Posts: 239 | Registered: Feb 2004
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WADR, that's a poor basis for a return, or rather a poor basis for staying away to begin with. You shouldn't base your opinion of the USA upon propaganda from the European Union.
Posts: 566 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Yes, it does seem rather odd that a tourist would "renew ties" with a country, based on the outcome of an election.
Posts: 255 | Registered: Nov 2001
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Even if amongst the electorate that participates at this Forum, the plurality of the Election was likely 70-30 and "a better shake" for rail passenger service was an important factor in making such, be mindful when coming down here, 47% of the electorate at large voted for the other guy and rail passenger service was simply a "what's that"?
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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We've had a number of e-mails from overseas friends saying they now feel much more inclined to plan trips to the U.S. One friend in the UK, though, did want to bring Gordon Brown along and leave him...
Frank in sunny SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Originally posted by irishchieftain: .....You shouldn't base your opinion of the USA upon propaganda from the European Union.
I guess you have to be a foreigner to appreciate how “welcoming” your borders have been over the past several year. Just wasn’t worth the hassle to visit. I know things won’t change overnight but hopefully soon.
And I have no idea what you mean by the European Union propaganda....I’m Canadian and my opinion is based on first hand experience.
Posts: 239 | Registered: Feb 2004
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I don't have any border enforcement experience or training, but I can tell you this.....what we have been doing has worked. We even caught the terrorists at the Canadian border who were bringing in large amounts of explosives to murder innocent Americans a few years ago. And since 9/11, there have been no attacks inside our borders and we have caught all of the bad guys who were in the planning stages of something. Actions speak louder than words.
If non-US citizens feel all warm and squishy inside because we have a president with a foreign-sounding last name, well, okay---whatever floats your boat.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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<<<I guess you have to be a foreigner to appreciate how “welcoming” your borders have been over the past several years.>>>
Um, you might remember a little incident that happened on 9/11. This is what prompted lots of "change"...and that was change for the better, I might add.
More inconvenient? Sure it is. I don't particularly care for taking off my shoes, removing my laptop, purchasing tiny sample-size tubes of toothpaste for my carry-on, and so forth....but if it helps to prevent another attack, then that's okay by me. We live in a crazy world, and there are very bad people out there who are intent on destroying and harming us.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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quote:Originally posted by smitty195: I don't have any border enforcement experience or training, but I can tell you this.....what we have been doing has worked. We even caught the terrorists at the Canadian border who were bringing in large amounts of explosives to murder innocent Americans a few years ago.....
Yes, the terrorist caught at Port Angeles, Washington arriving on the ferry from Victoria, BC. Your Customs took all the credit but they had actually been tipped off by the RCMP who had been following him for days. Funny how your media never reported that angle of the story. And there are many who still believe the 9/11 terrorists came in from Canada......they had all been legally admitted to the US by your own Customs and Immigration officials!
We’ve been to Europe since the terrorist attacks in the UK and Madrid and do get that “warm and fuzzy” feeling there when arriving. Unlike entering the US.
(PS: I have absolutely no problem having to present a passport or other security measures......It’s just the attitude!)
Posts: 239 | Registered: Feb 2004
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CN 6060 Fan: You do realize that being a NON-American means that you are automatically presumed ANTI-American by 47% of the electorate, right? The other 53% don't trust you much either, because the "continent" of Canada is right next to the "continent" of Alaska, and you could probably look out your window and see the hockey mom plotting her next move. I say, welcome to Canadians or bienvenue Canadiens.
(Quotation marks borrowed from GBN)
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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In reality little will change and what does will be hardly noticeable. (Also I doubt a change in the head of government will cause any significant change affecting border crossings.)
So, if you found the past few years traveling to the USA not to your liking, may I suggest that you might want to rethink your travel plans, lest you be disappointed.
Also that "warm and fuzzy" feeling is, more often than not, self generated.
Posts: 460 | From: North Central CT | Registered: May 2004
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<<<Yes, the terrorist caught at Port Angeles, Washington arriving on the ferry from Victoria, BC. Your Customs took all the credit but they had actually been tipped off by the RCMP who had been following him for days. Funny how your media never reported that angle of the story.>>>
With all due respect, your impression of what took place is not correct. Yes, the Canadian authorities had been suspicious of Ahmed Ressam for about two years, and yes, they did inform US officials of this individual. But on the day that he was caught, it had NOTHING to do with a tip-off from Canadian officials. It was only because of a US customs officer who felt that Ressam was acting suspiciously. His paperwork and ID initially checked out, but when she decided to investigate further, this is when they discovered the bombs in his rental car. Once they were able to connect all of the dots together, this is when they figured out who he was and that he was on a watch list in Canada. If it were not for the outstanding work of that one particular border officer, he would have slipped through undetected and carried through with his plans to murder innocent people.
I'm sorry you feel that that my great country is so incredibly crappy that you've had to stay away for several years because of "attitude" at the border. If it wasn't for this attitude that you perceive as unfriendly, then perhaps a lot of unfriendly and dangerous folks would have made it in.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Oh dear. It's rare a thread goes this bad on RailForum. It is clear who is American here and who is not, which unfortunately means there are some rather biased and unsubstantiated opinions here. A few have good points (from both sides) and a few have somewhat irrelevant points (again, from both sides). May I suggest everybody take a step back and a deep breath, and re-read at least the last sentence of CN 6060's original post.
Geoff M.
-------------------- Geoff M. Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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CN 6060 Fan--the American people wont change much in regards to their attitudes towards foreigners because of the election. Some folks in this country are nice, some arent. Its that way in every country. Depends on where you travel and who you meet. It is great that you are coming to visit the US again, but you shouldnt let government relations dicticate where you want to go. Some of the world's worst governments also have the nicest people.
And i feel that customs/border officials worldwide are, for the most part, rude. I sure havent had a "warm and fuzzy" reception from them on many of my visits to foreign lands.
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Ocala Mike: CN 6060 Fan: You do realize that being a NON-American means that you are automatically presumed ANTI-American by 47% of the electorate, right? The other 53% don't trust you much either, because the "continent" of Canada is right next to the "continent" of Alaska, and you could probably look out your window and see the hockey mom plotting her next move. I say, welcome to Canadians or bienvenue Canadiens.
Mr. Mike:
I am one of that 47%, and I do NOT presume those from other countries are anti-American. As a matter of fact, I presume that those who are willing to jump through the (admittedly tangled) hoops necessary to visit or immigrate LEGALLY are here because they want to be here, either temporarily or long term.
Thanks to the United States Navy and the Coastal Corporation, I was privileged to visit rather a larger slice of the world than most of my peers during my youth. I always felt welcomed, and it is my desire to return that welcome to others. While I withhold comment on your political perspicacity, Mr. CN6060, I am delighted to have you visit.
-------------------- --------Eric H. Bowen
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
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