Thursday, June 4, 2015

Eastern Canada Trip 2014 Day 8 Tuesday June 17 Montreal, Longueil

UPDATED: February 11, 2021

This is the 8th of a series of posts dealing with my fourth 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”. After I booked the trip I unexpectedly had to move and was staying at a friend’s place at the time of the trip, so I was already pretty tired before the trip back.

Passed the half way mark. Thank goodness as part of me would love to just fly home now. Picture taking has gotten more reactions this year than previous years. It's reached the point where unlike previous years I don't feel entirely safe in Montreal. Forgot to mention yesteryday: saw someone getting arrested. All transportation this day STM.

[NOW: STM is short for Société de transport de Montréal.]

Today I got up and walked along rue Maissoneueve, getting photos of the wire sculpture Mañana, then on the way back walked along Ste-Catherine. I had breakfast at the hostel, then started walking along Ste-Catherine again detouring to get some money at La Banque du Nova Scotia.  I needed to take care of another matter at the hostel so headed to Place-des-Arts metro, where, like at the end of the end yesterday, had trouble with my pass not reading. I accidentally started going the wrong way, but realized my mistake, returned to the hostel by way of Station Guy-Concordia, then returned to Station Guy-Concordia. I explained my pass situation to the woman at the ticket booth, so she had me go to Berri-UQAM, where I got issued a new three-day pass (if you get a pass, accept the machine's offer for a receipt; it saved me a lot of time and hassle today).

[NOW: The hostel was Auberge Bishop, now closed.]

I then took a Yellow Line train to Longueuil-Université de Sherbrooke despite not being impressed with Longueuil for one reason only: to cross over the high bridge Pont Jacques-Cartier back to Montreal. I got some greater shots of the two cities including the two islands making up Parc Jean-Drapeau (I could have left the bridge there but opted to return instead to the main island, Île de Montréal. I got off the bridge there and took a Green Line train from Papineau to Pie-IX, then dashed to a 193 bus south to the far east area of Ste-Catherine. I got some DVDs at Le SuperClub Vidéotron, then walked to Rue Ontario and travelled along Promenade Ontario.  I got a drink at a Dollarama, visited another SuperClub Vidéotron, bought a battery operated shaver at Jean Coutu which worked well only I cut myself shaving, got another drink at another Dollarama, visited L’idée Fixe, passed another store I went to last year that was closed, then left the promenade and made my way to Station Frontenac. There I took a Green Line train to Berri-UQAM and an Orange line train to Vendôme.

[NOW: The islands of Parc Jean-Drapeau are Île Notre-Dame and Île Saint-Hélène. The closed store was Vidéo Ontario. Both Le SuperClub Vidéotrons and L’idée Fixe are closed]

I walked to a nearby PFK and ordered my usual Special du mardi (KFC Tuesday Special).  Returning to Vendôme, I returned via Orange Line train to Berri-UQAM. I treated myself to a large Orange Julius at DQ while walking along Ste-Catherine to the Place Jeanne-Mance part of the Place des festivals, where I relaxed and walked into the water jets again.

It started to cool off so I took a Green Line train from there to Station Lionel-Groulx, visited Le SuperClub Vidéotron, returned to Lionel-Groulx, and took an Orange Line train to the Station Place-d’Armes.  While at a stop a guy outside the train saw my camera and made a really creepy face right at the glass; it creeped me out enough that I think my heart rate actually slowed way down too low. It probably sounds funnier than it really was; it made me feel like my heart was going to give out.
 
[NOW: Le SuperClub Vidéotron is closed].
 
I got a drink at a Couche Tard and then walked into Old Montreal to the actual Place d’Armes, an interesting square with statue in the middle.  I wandered the Old Montreal and Old Porte, including Place Jacques-Cartier and a walk inside Marche Bonsecours.  I walked to Station Champ-de-Mars and took an Orange Line train to Sherbrooke. I walked west to where another SuperClub Vidéotron should have been but wasn't, then a 26 bus back to near the station.  I walked to Square St-Louis then along the pedestrian street Prince Albert and back. I walked to my hostel from the first year, then south to Rue Ontario. My 2nd fav video store Club Video Revue had closed. I walked along rue Ontario, then north back to Sherbrooke, walking along the south end of Parc La Fontaine. I again headed south at my old hostel (Hotel de Paris), but this time went west instead of east. I got some water at the bus depot and then cut across Place Émilie-Gamelin.  Walking along Ste-Catherine I grabbed dinner at A&W; got a frosty glass.  There was a bag check at the music festival area. I made it back to the hostel a bit early as it's starting to rain and I need to do laundry today.  In fact I've been typing this by the laundry room.

[NOW: The hostel from 2012 was Hotel de Paris. The name of the bus depot is La Gare d’autocars de Montréal.]

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