This is the fifth of a series of posts dealing with my third
trip to Eastern Canada. I’ve made minor corrections to these reports. Also,
I’ve added additional thoughts with the hindsight of a year later or to add
further clarification. These are
indicated by “NOW”.
Last night I walked around the block before turning in.
Those three women the whole time kept spraying their legs and the room with
some obnoxiously fake fruit spray. Well last night they finally ran out of that
crap. I pretended to sleep but was smiling on the inside, even though there was
still enough to smell it. I checked out of the hostel but stored my bags
there. I walked north along Spadina and
then took a 510 streetcar (all transportation today Toronto Transit) to Spadina
Station.
[NOW: The hostel, Global Village Backpackers, is now
closed.]
I took the Bloor-Danforth subway line to Dufferin Station,
then did my eastbound walk that I had been missing this trip. Fun walk.
However, my favourite fast food location, the two-storey McDonald's across the
street and thus with an excellent view of the Royal Ontario Museum had been
demolished. So instead I ate breakfast at the McDonald's on Bloor East.
[NOW: The Bloor-Danforth line is now also called the 2 Line.]
I decided to do something I had never done before: I walked
north on Yonge St from Bloor St. En route I passed a cemetery; across the
street from the cemetery there were banners advertising Evil Dead: The Musical.
The walk was a lot of fun, so much so that I walked the full way to Sheppard
Centre [to get a sense of the distance, go to Google maps, set to Pedestrian
and put in Bloor & Yonge and Sheppard Centre (or Bloor and Sheppard)], At
the Centre I bought the Japanese cut of The Toxic Avenger. I skipped a less interesting and uphill area
by taking the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line from Sheppard-Yonge Station
to the north side of Lawrence Station and then did the same walk south along
the other side of the road, making it to Eglinton Station. Just before I visited
Vortex Records, Film Fest (gone), and a branch of BMV where I bought a second
edition zombie guide, having bought the first edition from a BMV earlier.
[NOW: The Toxic Avenger purchase was at Sunrise Records;
that branch is now closed, as is Vortex Records. The Yonge-University-Spadina Line is now also called
the 1 Line.]
I took the Yonge-University-Spadina train to Bloor Station,
switched to the Bloor-Danforth line, west east one stop by mistake, doubled
back and took to Spadina, and then took the 510 streetcar to meet my friend
Aidan at Richards, overshooting a stop. I also met his friend Ann or Anne.
Their chosen burger place was too pricey (Priest) so while they were in line I
bought lunch from the Queen and Spadina and actually ate it all before they got
out of line. We walked to a nearby park. Don't know the name.
[NOW: The park is St. Andrew’s Playground.]
I took another streetcar (506??); east on King; I actually
saw Aidan and Anne outside my hostel but didn't have time to shout bye at then.
I took the Yonge-University-Spadina line train back to Eglinton and resumed by
south walk, with a stop at Book City. I took the Bloor-Danforth line to Keele;
my phone died for a time. I took the 98 bus a short ways to Dundas W, and
explored the Junction there. Pandemonium (books/DVDs) was gone from its old location.
I bought a pop at Dollarama, found the new location of Pandemonium, passed the
role-playing game place from last year (gone), visited Pawnbrokers West next
door. Big Daddy's DVD was briefly closed, so I went to Book Exchange and Dencan
Books before returning to Big Daddy;s, now open again. I bought some DVDs and a
blu-ray; briefly couldn't find my weekly pass which was a scare.
[NOW: The streetcar was a 504. Big Daddy's DVD and Dencan Books & Magazines have closed.]
I walked south a block and took a 26 bus to Jane Station
and visited Red Nails II (comics) and 2 for 1 Movies around the corner (only 8
movies for sale, Hollywood types, no prices). Back to Jane Station, I took the
Bloor-Danforth line to Spadina, another 510 streetcar to the hostel to grab my
stuff, then the 510 streetcar back to Spadina Station, then Bloor-Danforth
train to Lansdowne.
[2 for 1 Movies has closed.]
I walked to my friends Dave and Jan's place. Dave was in
but not yet Jan. Their cat Evelyn was formerly feral and a bit spooked by the
camera. Jan showed up, we had dinner, and we finally got the cell phone working
again. While I've been typing this Evelyn has been putting in appearances and
playing with my luggage.
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