Originally Posted by
Altair 4
Even after the border opens (whenever that is), I'm not sure what reception Americans will receive north of the border, for a number of reasons. It's a strange feeling - we're used to frequently visiting Canada. Now it feels like Canada is on another planet.
I'd be very surprised that you'll notice animosity if you are on a bike tour. (unless you carry a conspicuous flag or some other form of giveaway). Two things, perhaps. (1) It is abundantly clear that COVID is fueling xenophobia. This morning in the (Quebec) news I heard someone responsible for COVID mitigation (might have been the health minister) saying something along the lines of "foreign visitors brought the virus to Quebec". Sadly, fear of strangers can be quite local. Montreal residents (largest city in Quebec, therefore the most impacted by COVID) were not welcome in more remote Quebec agglomerations. (2) And yes there is stupor/consternation wrt to the USA death toll.
This being said, my impression is that the real hurdle is largely administrative -- if you cannot cross customs, there is no touring there. Period. If you can legally travel, then you'll suffer like the locals; stuff like facility closures, awkward contact with strangers, etc.
You may ask advice on how to blend in. Not being an English speaker, I can only guess that if you smile a lot, are exceedingly polite and end several sentences with "hey" (as in "Great weather, hey?"), most people will guess that you live in Toronto
