Tsawassen doubles up as a border checkpoint to the little USA enclave of Point Roberts, an little peninsula extended southward from Tsawassen, which is separated from the US mainland by the Boundary Bay. As it lies to the south of 49′ N parallel, it is belonged to the state of Washington. A satellite photo from the Aug 2004 issue of National Geographics shows its location…

The 56th Street runs throughout Tsawassen all the way to the checkpoint with Point Roberts. As a small community, a lot of things can’t be found in Point Roberts, such as, according to a local resident interviewed by National Geographics, a bra. Thus, many of its residents come shopping in Tsawassen. When US dollars is weaker, the opposite takes place.


To help illustrate the scenario, let’s take a look at the map of Greater Vancouver, which guides me in braving through the busy Vancouver streets everyday. Get it ?


56th Street connects Tsawassen to Point Roberts.


The furthest of 56th Street I could go, since I didn’t apply for a US visa.


Facing it right away is its Canadian counterpart.


A border stone marks where the 49′ N parallel lies. I could only take this shot from the US side by technically stepping into the jurisdiction of President George “Master of Low Expectation” Bush.


And this is the view of the same marker from Canadian side.


Huge traffic is piling up for entering Point Roberts.


1st Ave is the first avenue visitors from Point Roberts will see in this part of Canada.