This is the 1st of a series of posts dealing with my 2016
trip to Toronto, Montreal, and vicinity. I’ve made minor corrections to these
reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added
additional thoughts with the hindsight of two years later or to add further
clarification. These are indicated by
“NOW”.
Pardon typos. No internet terminal so stuck with tiny keyboard.
Plus lots of ground to cover and have to get up really early tomorrow. And only
got a little shy of three hours sleep. I waited on the Kingston side of Royal
Scot Hotel for the YYJ Airporter, Kingston being the address. However, I missed
the first bus because the bus actually picks up on Quebec St. The cows are back
in the field by the airport after a few years absence; I think I also saw a
deer. I checked in; there’s a new place
in the airport to put bags. I grabbed breakfast at Tim Horton's. A tiny dog
belonging to the woman in front of me smiled at me. A lot of people were
getting randomly screened to have to go through the body scanner. Luckily I was
one of the few that didn't beep going through the metal detector.
[NOW: Typos hopefully all corrected. Contrary to what I was
told at first, at the Toronto hostel, Backpackers on Dundas, now closed, the terminals with
better keyboards were available to all after all. I had reserved the early YYJ
Airporter but still managed to snag the next one. The cows weren’t around when
I passed by on a later trip.]
The map screen (mine specifically that is) kept blinking on
and off during the flight. Found that adjusting the screen helped. Mostly
clouds except over Saskatchewan and closer to landing. There was such a long hike from the plane
exit in Pearson Airport, Mississauga to the baggage area that since I saw a big
line at Tim Horton's and since I wasn't hungry at that point, I passed. A
mistake as it still took a while for baggage to arrive, and you can't leave the
baggage area and come back.
The 192 Rocket bus (all transportation after plane arrived
Toronto Transit) was there whenI arrived so I took it to Kipling Station. A 2
Bloor-Danforth subway train took off as I arrived so I waited for the next one
to leave and took it to St. George Station. The 1 Yonge-University-Spadina train
was also taking off as I was switching trains so I took the next one to St. Patrick
Station
On a hunch since the hostel is called Backpackers on Dundas
and the address is Chestnut, I looked for the tiniest entrance on Chestnut at
Dundas and promptly found the hostel. No
roaches so far and they do take debit after all.
[NOW: I did see roaches after returning from Montreal, but
not in the dorm.]
I went to Yonge-Dundas Square and Toronto Eaton Centre. At Toronto
Eaton Centre I wanted the Tuesday KFC deal but to save time switched to Subway.
Outside again a Christian man was talking about Christianity being the one true
religion. Beside him was a quiet man with material indicating that Allah was
the one true God.
I went to the BMV Books on Edward St. The former World's
Biggest Bookstore was now an empty gravel lot. By this time I noticed that I
didn't have my itinerary with me (I later realized I left one set at home. I
have a backup however).
I visited Hairy Tarantula (comics), then a 7-11 which had a
chocolate cappuccino Slurpee. One Million Comix is moving but is still in old
location. Visited Eliot’s Bookshop, ABC Books, Bay Street Video, BMV Books (filed some DVDs/blu-ray in my mind for
possible purchase later), Seekers Books (bought DVD), Queen Video, Labyrinth
(comics), Neurotica Records, Beguiling (comics), Vintage Video (new?), the landmark
Honest Ed's, Doug Miller Books. The latter was across the street from the old location;
Bumpkin the rabbit is at owner's home
now due to cataract issues. I bought a DVD and Blu-ray at Zoinks. Eyesore is Cinema
possibly closed. I grabbed dinner at the
McDonald's at Dundas West Station. I walked to Keele Station. I was early so walked to Pandemonium on
Dundas West St then returned there and bought subway tokens for later. I met up
with longtime friends Jan and Dave and they took me to a shy cat they're cat
sitting. She has a sad look on her face.
[NOW: That Hairy Tarantula, One Million Comix after moving, Eliot’s Bookshop, Vintage Video (also have a moved), Honest Ed’s and, overlooked in the above report, Suspect Video have all closed. Neurotica Records
and The Beguiling both moved from Markham St to College St due to the planned
demolition of the Mirvish Village area which closed Ed's and Suspect. Bumpkin has passed away. While I couldn’t find the entrance that
visit, Eyesore is still around.]
They treated me to a couple beers at Henderson Brewery. The
brewery also gave us samplers of a new lime beer. We walked back to Keele
Station where I used one of the tokens I got earlier. I took the 2 train back
to St George. The 1 train arrived right away and I took it to St. Patrick
Station. Depending on if you factor in time zones, getting up even earlier tomorrow,
though after 5 here.
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