I have bad neighbors. They smoke. They party until the wee hours of the morning. They blast horrible music most of the time. Did I mention that they smoke? Good neighbors don’t smoke and I have the bags full of cigarette butts on my porch to prove it.

I also have some pretty great neighbors. Granted they live a tad further away, but my neighbors to the North – they’re the good kind. People tend to forget about Canada. Bah, it’s too far. Bah, a border crossing. Bah, it’s too cold. Bah, it’s amazing…if you’d ever just take a moment to look around and explore.

I struggle to put my finger on what I love so much about Canada. I’m obsessed with Vancouver. The architecture, the food, the people, the packed shops along the streets. I love it all. I’m also obsessed with Whistler, Pemberton, the Sea-to-Sky highway and its towering sheer cliffs, curvy windy road and vast views of miles upon miles of mountain ranges. It’s breathtaking. Shame on those that don’t see that.

But, there’s something more.

The air is a bit crisper in Canada. The roads a bit quieter. The people a bit nicer. And low and behold, my phone is all but off limits up North. No calls, text messages bounce back and I get zero Internet connection. It’s a thing of beauty in an era where we all barely make it five minutes before tapping away on our little mobile device. And I want more of it. More disconnect. More time for space, exploration and adventure.

So, thank you Canada. We may not interact all too often but I appreciate your welcoming arms, smoke-free habits and your slap-in-the-face reminder that adventure and physical beauty outweighs digital connection any day of the week. I’ll see you again this summer.