Overview of Canada
Canada is located in northern North America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, Alaska to the northwest, and Greenland (Denmark) to the northeast across the Davis Strait. It is bounded by the continental United States to the south and the Arctic Ocean to the Arctic Circle in the north. Canada's coastline is approximately more than 240,000 kilometers long. The temperature in eastern Canada is slightly lower, the southern part has a moderate climate, the western part has a mild and humid climate, and the northern part has a cold tundra climate. Canada's national border is 8,892 kilometers long, the longest undefended border in the world, and it is also the country with the longest coastline in the world. Canada is the second largest country in the world, second only to Russia in land area, but only 35 million residents live here, and the population density is very low.
Canada’s tourism industry is developed and ranks ninth among the countries with the highest tourism revenue in the world. Canada is also one of the countries with the most domestic cities ranking at the top in the annual selection of the world's best cities to live. Canada's vast land has countless wonders and beautiful scenery, unique cool summers and autumns as red as maple leaves. It has colorful topography, majestic mountains, majestic plateaus, fertile valleys, and numerous lakes. The criss-crossing rivers and dotted islands together constitute Canada’s magical, unique and charming natural scenery. The major tourist cities in Canada include Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, etc. Canadian Food Recommendations
Canada does not have traditional Canadian cuisine like Chinese or French cuisine. But because Canada is a country of immigrants, you can taste meals from different countries using fresh ingredients in different regions. Moreover, plentiful portions and low prices can be said to be a characteristic of Canadian cuisine. No matter how you put it, Canada's vast land bounded by the sea from east to west has countless lakes and rivers, as well as vast soil suitable for agriculture and livestock. There is no shortage of fresh seafood, agricultural products, meat and other food ingredients across Canada. Canada's two ocean coasts are treasure houses of cod and salmon, while freshwater lakes and shallow rivers are rich in trout, bass, etc. If you go to Banfu on the west coast of Canada, there will be delicious smoked salmon and salmon steak waiting for you. The taste and portion are impeccable. The seafood such as lobster, Atlantic salmon, mussels, and sea scallops produced in Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island on the Atlantic coast have both the light taste of boiling and the rich taste of clams. Soup etc. At the same time, PEI is also a famous potato producing area, and tourists can taste crispy PEI potatoes here. The Great Plains of Canada's interior are the origin of wheat flour and livestock products. As long as you spend $10 or more, you can eat an unbelievable amount of the best Alberta beef barbecue and steaks. There are also a wide variety of fruits and fruits, which are naturally good to eat raw. The jams made are also high-quality and cheap, and when mentioning Canada, maple syrup naturally comes to mind. The sticky amber maple nectar is boiled from the sap of maple trees in the spring of the next year, and can also be made into sugar or candy. There are many large and small bottles of maple dew in supermarkets and gift shops. Others are packed in beautiful and lovely containers, which are perfect for giving as gifts. You can spread it on bread or add it to black tea when eating. For those who cook and go camping, it is also very convenient to prepare a bottle. Canadian geoduck sashimi, Canadian steak, and coffee crumb jelly are Canadian specialty foods. Introduction to Canada's transportation situation
Flights - Beijing, Shanghai and other places have direct flights to Vancouver, Canada, with a flight time of about 10 hours. In Canada, there are flights to and from major cities, and there are branch lines connecting many small towns. Canada is a vast country. There is a 4.5-hour time difference between the Pacific coast in the west and the Atlantic coast in the east. It takes at least 6 hours to travel between the two places by plane. Therefore, if it is a long distance, flying is the best choice.
It takes 4 hours and 30 minutes to travel between Vancouver, the gateway to the west, and Toronto, the gateway to the east, by direct flight or 3 days by bus. If you go further east to Halifax, you have to take a 2-hour flight. It will take another 1 hour to reach Edward Island. Flights from Vancouver to Calgary and Toronto to Montreal are also the first choices.
Train - Canada has two railway arteries that traverse the east and west coasts, and their branches basically cover the Canadian territory south of the Arctic. The entire Canadian railway network is connected southward to the main railway lines on the east and west coasts of the United States, forming a North American railway system that extends in all directions. VIA Rail operates passenger service across Canada. For long-distance travel within Canada, there are fewer trains, so it is only suitable for travelers who plan to take the train as part of their sightseeing.
Long-distance passenger transportation - Canada's road network extends in all directions, with a total length of 840,000 kilometers of expressways and ordinary roads, reaching almost every corner of the country with residents. The Trans-Canada Highway (7,725 kilometers) was opened to traffic in 1971 and is the longest national highway in the world. Canada's Greyhound bus route network covers all parts of the country. Long-distance buses are the most economical and most popular form of public transportation when traveling in Canada.
Water transport terminal - Ocean transport is Canada's traditional and important external transportation channel. Canada's ocean-going ships travel to major ports in the world.
Bus - Canadian bus tickets are generally about 1 to 2 Canadian dollars, with fares ranging from adults, children, and senior citizens. The ticketing system is also different in each city. Vancouver charges based on distance; Toronto has a single fare system regardless of distance. The subway in Toronto and Montreal runs for a very long time. It stops running after one o'clock at night and starts running again around 5 o'clock in the morning. Public transportation has special care for disabled people. There are also wheelchair pathways next to many door steps.
Taxi - Taxis charge by the meter (that is, based on the distance traveled). If there are more than four passengers or if you have to wait, additional charges will apply. Tips are generally about 10% of the fare. Canadian travel shopping
Canada’s sweet and fragrant ice wine, American ginseng products, salmon products and local aboriginal handicrafts are all must-have items for travel. Whether they are kept as souvenirs or given as gifts to relatives and friends, they are very valuable. Good choice. Canadian diamonds: The deposits in the Slev area of ??northern Canada have been mined one after another since 1998, and Canada has gradually become an important diamond producer in the world. Salmon products: Wild salmon in the Canadian North Pacific migrate back to their spawning grounds in droves by the millions near autumn. At this time, the salmon are plump, fatty and most delicious. Ice wine: Canada’s definition of ice wine is: wine made from grapes that are naturally frozen on the vines below 8°C. The grapes are pressed when they are frozen solid, and a small amount of concentrated grape juice flows out. This grape juice is slowly fermented and bottled a few months later. During the pressing process, the outside temperature must be kept below minus 8°C. Maple leaf tea: In China, many people are familiar with Canadian maple trees, maple leaves, and maple syrup, but they are somewhat unfamiliar with maple leaf tea, which is beloved by Canadians. Since maple leaf tea is a new product in the world's tea industry, its output is relatively small. Currently, Canadian maple leaf tea is mainly sold in Europe and the United States. The fragrance of maple leaf tea has spread to China only in the past year or two. But soon after it entered the country, it received high praise. Things to note when traveling in Canada
1. Tipping: It is customary to tip in Canada. For Chinese people who are not accustomed to tipping, this may seem troublesome and wasteful. However, do as the Romans do and you should still tip carefully.
2. Restaurants: The general price is 10~15 of the total amount. But if the meal price already includes service charges, there is no need to pay. If you want to pay, just give some change. In addition, in rare cases, some restaurants will add the tip amount to the bill, so tourists need to confirm carefully to avoid double payment.
3. Taxi: 15~20 RMB of the fee. Even if the fare is not high, the minimum is 50￠. Common sense says that you should pay more when there are more people or luggage.
4. Hotel attendant: When leaving the hotel in the morning, you should leave $1 for each person on the side table next to the bed. When using coins, it would be considered rude to place dozens of 1￠ and other small change. At least 25￠ coins should be used.
5. No smoking: Smoking is prohibited in most public places such as airports, stations, and office buildings. Violation will result in a fine of up to $2,000.
All domestic flights are non-smoking, and all international flights except JC are also non-smoking. To take care of the interests of non-smokers, restaurants have non-smoking seats, and hotels have non-smoking floors or rooms.
6. Insurance: Travel injury insurance prepared for injuries and accidents during travel. If you think of it as peace of mind you might as well join. The most commonly used insurance items in tourist destinations are "disease treatment expenses", "cargo insurance", and "injury treatment insurance" for skiers. In addition, there are several other projects.
7. Canada is very cold in the morning and evening even in summer, so you must prepare long-sleeved shirts, sweaters or windbreakers. In addition, for outdoor activities, raincoats and parkas that can be divided into upper and lower parts are also must-have items. And for those who only visit big cities, only a folding umbrella is enough for rain gear.
8. Canadian voltage: Canada is the same as the United States, it is 110v. The three-hole plugs in Canada are like this: the top one is round, and the bottom two are parallel flat ones. Three-hole plugs need to add If the converter does not support 110v, a transformer will be required. The two-hole socket is flat. If your electrical appliance has two ends and it says 110-240v, you can use it directly, otherwise you will need to add a transformer. Canadian travel and entertainment activities
Toronto, Canada holds an international film festival every September, which can satisfy movie lovers. Canada also often shows Chinese films, especially films made by today's young directors such as Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, and the attendance rate is very high. There are also Chinese-language cinemas in big cities such as Toronto, showing films from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China. There are some special theaters that specialize in showing old movies, and the prices are generally very low. Movie tickets generally cost 4 to 8 yuan, with the lowest price being 2 yuan. Ottawa's Bytown Cinema sells membership cards, which offer half-price tickets. Performing Arts Toronto is the third largest performing arts center in the English-speaking world (after New York and London). More than 180 professional theater groups perform about 10,000 performances every year, and the average ticket price is 22 Canadian dollars. New immigrants who have just arrived may not be willing to spend money for this kind of enjoyment. In fact, the ticket price is not expensive, and it is also a way to get closer to the local culture. Fishing is a very interesting sport. Fishing in Canada doesn’t require a lot of patience. Because there are many fish in the fishing area, sometimes many fish can be caught at once. Carp in the Ottawa River generally weigh from ten to dozens of kilograms. After the fish bites the hook, it struggles desperately and is very difficult to catch. It is very exciting. But you need to get a license in advance. Canada's casinos have complete equipment and luxurious buildings. Because casinos are more dangerous, sometimes a lot of money can be lost in a short period of time, so don't get stuck in the quagmire because of luck. In addition, there are many unique entertainment activities in Canada. For example, the Banff Arts Festival holds opera, symphony, ballet and drama performances every year at the Banff Arts Center, making it one of the largest arts events in North America.