Canadian Immigration STRIKES AGAIN.
Yes Canadian Immigration. You get a whole section of this report. It seems if you’re single male International traveller, visiting Canada for 3 days, it’s enough for their immigration system to go into panic mode.
Or if it isn’t Canada,
prove me otherwise.
The first person who interviewed asked for my details, my return ticket and was mostly in shock that I wanted to come all this way to visit for 3 days. The agent made all over the immigration card, and I was sent to secondary immigration.
The secondary immigration person asked why I was visiting, and stamped my passport as a welcome.
However, when I arrived at the customs part of the airport, I was directed again to secondary customs. Thankfully, there was no queue, and my reasons for visiting were questioned, what I was doing (although the officer wasn’t interested where I was staying). We then proceeded to the luggage strip down and inspection.
It was noted that my camera equipment was “expensive and looked professional”. I kindly pointed out that I was getting annoyed of crap results, and I wanted equipment to deliver good results. I explained each and every thing to the agent, who took a minor interest. Which is nice.
Then it came to the hard disk examination. Thankfully this time I had control of the laptop, so the agent pointed, and I showed him all the different variations of my work (most of you know I take *all* sorts of pictures well within the legal limits of international laws). I noticed a few raised eyebrows, but complied with every instruction, and finally thanked for my time.
I was also asked if I had any questions. I asked for the reason I was pulled over, but also stated there was no chance of getting a straight answer. I at that point took my own sweet time putting my stuff together, and was thanked again, where I headed to the exit, making noises under my breath that were not entirely complimentary about Canadian Immigration .
Dear Canada, Canadian Immigration and Canada Border Service Agency.
Whilst I respect your right and privilege to defend your borders, this is second out of three visits to you great country that I have been detained without apparent good reason, and more importantly - no explanation offered WHY I was being detained.
It is enough to quite frankly enough to put a person visiting a country.
Signed Kevincm.
And CBSA - a formal complaint is winging it’s way to you. I’ll be amused by your results if you have the guts to respond.
Grumping my way out of the airport, I made a few calls, calmed down and rather than waste $40 on the Airport Express, I worked out how to use the Toronto Transit Commissions wonderfully antiquated system of paying a fare and collecting transfer slips (hello Toronto, I’d like to introduce to you the concept of a Preloaded Fare Card), and headed downtown - or Yorkville anyway. For $3 and an hour, its reasonable value
Exiting the station, it was easy to find the hotel - over the road, on the left, the ROM on the other side of the road. Convenient eh?
Hotel: Intercontinental Toronto Yorkville
Room Booked: King Room
Upgraded to: King Single Suite.
Part 5: The Intercontinental Toronto Yorkville -
http://www.photoblog.com/kevincm/201...lle-suite.html
Exterior
Interior
Reception
This is one of those occasions where I will say "Hang it". I’ve suffered in a coach and in economy. Time to splurge. And when I checked in I was asked “Would I like to consider Ambassador Membership”.
Now I’ve been thinking about Ambassador for some time, and the check in agent promised if I signed up, I’d get a suite on the spot.
I hmmed and ahead for about 10 second and then said. Just swipe the card and be done with it. Besides, worse comes to worse, I can hand off the BOGO to someone else
So is it a Suite like as an Ambassador? Lets find out.
Making my way upstairs, to the 6th Floor, I followed the sign to where it said 625 - Executive Suite
Executive you say....
I dipped the key in and was greeted with a living room. I popped my stuff down to explore. So there’s a living room, a hallway toilet, and one hell of a monster of a living room facing out onto the Royal Ontario Museum
Living Room
Bed
Drink Facilities
Hallway
Making my way left, I found a well equipped bathroom, bath and shower.
And the room was amazing. Whilst Wifi was $19 for the two nights, it's a very nice space. The bed was comfortable, and the view great.
I won't bore you with what else I did apart from Niagara Falls, but there was only one minor fault with the IC... and that's the welcome amenity didn't arrive the first night... or during the second day. It did on the 2nd night eventually
Overall: Amazing. I’ll be blunt, this is the biggest room I’ve ever stayed in, and the staff were excellent and communicative. The concierge service was excellent, as were all the front desk team. The Welcome amenity was a minor niggle, but not the end of the world.