United States > Under the river to Canada

We leave Chicago and head towards Detroit. The navigation system directs us westward. This is not what we expected. It turns out we accidentally selected the wrong Detroit—Detroit in the state of Illinois instead of Michigan. We quickly correct it. Before getting on the highway, we stop for a sandwich and coffee at a local butcher. Then we drive onto Interstate 94. On the southern shore of Lake Michigan, where Chicago is also located, there are sand dunes. Traffic heading there is at a complete standstill. It’s Sunday and the weather is beautiful, so apparently everyone wants to go to the beach. We turn around. Today we have quite a long travel day ahead of us. Instead of the beach, we continue on to Shipshewana. Shipshewana is the center of the Amish community in the state of Michigan. Here, people still travel around in horse-drawn buggies. Along the roadside, we see several carriages passing by. People in traditional Amish clothing are also riding bicycles. Since it’s Sunday, the local Amish restaurants are closed.

United States - The skyline of Detroit seen from Canadian Windsor

The Subway is open though, so we grab a sandwich there. From there, we continue along the highway to Detroit. The city used to be the center of the automobile industry. During the crisis, the city fell into decline. Many houses were abandoned as people could no longer afford their mortgages. We drive into the city center. Here, nothing of this decline is noticeable. Several streets are closed off for the Jazz Festival. Along the boulevard on the Detroit River is also the entrance to the tunnel leading to Canada. As we drive through the tunnel, we cross the border. On the Canadian side, our car is inspected. Three officers carefully check our luggage. After also getting a passport stamp inside, we are allowed into Canada. We are now on the other side of the Detroit River in the town of Windsor. From the quay, we look out over Detroit. In Windsor, we look for a nice restaurant and end up at a Ukrainian place. It’s tucked between ordinary residential houses. In the kitchen, an 80-year-old woman of Ukrainian descent is cooking. We order a combination platter with various small dishes. Although the restaurant looks quite simple, the food tastes excellent. The soda, which we grab ourselves from the fridge, tastes overly sweet. After dinner, we witness a stunning sunset on the boulevard. The buildings of the city of Detroit on the opposite side of the river are bathed in a beautiful orange glow.