Canadian Customs -- not too friendly

Looking for a weekend getaway? Traveling alone? Calgary may not be the place for you. Getting past Canadian immigration in Calgary can be quite initimidating. (In fairness, once you get past them, it's smooth sailing.)

This Labor Day weekend I found a reasonably priced fare to Calgary and since I'd never been there, I decided to make a quick weekend trip. When I arrived, I truly believed I would not be granted entry to Canada. I was drilled: Are you traveling alone? Why are you here? Do you know anyone here? Have you been here before? What will you do? Who paid for your ticket? Can I see your return ticket? Where are you staying? Who paid for that? Why did you pick Calgary? -- Wow. Quite an interrogation for some middle-aged corporate type who justs wants to visit the city as a tourist.

This must be a Calgary thing because I've never experienced this in Vancouver, Montreal, or Toronto. Even the customs official admitted "it's not usual that someone just decides to come to Calgary for the weekend." Well, talk about a self-fulfilling prophesy!

After two levels of screening, I did finally get in, but it really felt intimidating. Fortunately, the helpful and friendly Canadians I met beyond boarder control made up for the experience. But if you're traveling alone for the weekend, you might want to consider someplace other than Calgary.