Man takes 'Where's Waldo?' to the streets in Vancouver and loves photobombing people

"Where's Waldo?" (known as "Where's Wally?" in the UK) is a beloved children's puzzle book crafted by the English illustrator Martin Handford. It captivated our attention for extended periods as we eagerly searched for Waldo. Recognizable by his distinctive red-and-white-striped shirt, bobble hat and glasses, Waldo became an iconic character. Readers are challenged to locate a character named Wally who has been hidden among the group. In both 1991 and 2019, the books served as inspiration for two animated television shows. The enduring charm of the series continues to captivate individuals like Andrew Pick, who has ingeniously transformed his Instagram account (@waldopic) into a tangible, real-life rendition of the classic "Where's Waldo?" experience.

The 39-year-old wears the iconic red-and-white striped shirt along with the hat and poses in crowded places ranging from the Vancouver Marathon to the Lincoln Memorial. Pick discovered his love of photobombing as a college student at Philadelphia University. On weekends, he and his friends would travel to New York City and photobomb tourists' photos. When he moved to Germany for work in 2012, he decided to take his hobby to the next level, so he bought a Waldo costume and began photobombing strangers at tourist traps. Then he'd go home and scroll through Instagram, hoping to find himself tagged. "I thought it would be really funny," he told People "There's no blending in or hiding in the back of people's photos."

He eventually started his own page and began asking friends or coworkers to take photos for him that he posts on Instagram, where he has over 500 followers. Currently residing in Vancouver, Canada, Pick has transitioned into a design engineer. Whenever he embarks on a new adventure, he faithfully carries his Waldo attire along. Whether he is exploring the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum, Mexico, or playfully engaging in fish-throwing antics at Seattle's vibrant Pike Place Market, spotting him is an effortless task. "People just get a smile on their face and turn to somebody and say, 'I just found Waldo!' " he says. "I can see them all cracking up. It's just funny to take it out of context and make it into a game. People get very excited." He was overjoyed when he saw himself in an advertisement for the Vancouver Marathon the following year. "I was like, 'Wait a second, I definitely see Waldo!'" 

Pick wasn't the first to pose Waldo. Instagram user Wally, aka @wallyfound, adds a similar level of perplexity to his popular account which has more than 25K followers. The real-life character travels the world, discovering new places and marveling at breathtaking sights and, as expected, Wally's iconic outfit does not go unnoticed while out and about. "Everywhere I go, I make lots of new friends and meet new people," he said, per My Modern Met.