This is the 7th 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”.
First off forgot to mention yesterday that I saw a woman
leaning into a car and talking to a guy. I suppose she could have just been
asking directions but... Also, my friend Barry told me that according to the
news the protest I saw on Saturday turned violent including rioting. I did
notice the blue signs everywhere before the protest and people were angry but
hadn't realized it had gotten that bad. So ironically my sore feet might have
actually saved me some grief. Otherwise I might have returned at the wrong time
as there was a poutine place I was thinking of trying.
[NOW: I later learned that the Montreal riot actually
happened closer to Place des Arts, other place I could easily have been.]
Didn't manage to meet up with Aidan last night. I did see
one roach in a bathroom near the kitchen yesterday but only the one so far. I
actually slept pretty good last night. Woke up and fell right back to sleep a
few times. Got up just before 6. My coat was packed due to predicted
thunderstorms; more on this below. All
transportation today TTC/Toronto Transit Commission. At St. Patrick Station I
took the 1/Yonge-University-Spadina line train north to Wilson Station. A 96A
driver told me I needed to take a 96B bus to my next destination, so a few
minutes later the 96B bus arrived and I took it to the west end of Finch in
Toronto. I walked west along Finch into Mississauga then Brampton where I saw a
little of the entrance to Wild Water Kingdom, though a locked gate kept me from
seeing too much. I could have walked around the gate but didn't want to
trespass and just wanted to see the outside anyway.
[NOW: Backpackers on Dundas, the hostel IU stayed at has closed. Wild Water Kingdom is now called Wet'n'Wild Toronto.]
Returning to where I got off the but I had a Tim Horton’s
breakfast in an On the Run Station. I missed a couple of back to back buses but
then a 36 bus to Finch Station showed up. I was a bit relieved as the 96 bus
goes through residential neighborhood and I hadn't wanted to take it through a
dull path again. Plus there were a few places north of Finch I walked to visit.
At Finch Station I took a 97? bus to Steeles Ave and, crossing the street to
Vaughan, grabbed a drink at a Dollarama. I walked a little ways east and then
briefly crossed the street into Markham just to say i visited there this trip.
I snapped some shots, crossed back into Vaughan, and then when the lights
turned, crossed the street again south into Toronto.
I took a 36 bus back to Finch station, then a 1 train to
Lawrence Station. I worked my way to Avenue Rd (yes, Avenue Rd) where I bought
some blu-rays at Videoflicks. I took a 61 bus to Eglinton Station and visited
BMV Books. I took a 1 train from Eglinton Station to St Clair Station and visited
Book City. I was going to take a streetcar from there but a number of
streetcars went temporarily out of commission as of yesterday. Instead I took a
1 train to Bloor-Yonge Station and then a 2/Bloor-Danforth train to Kipling
Station. On the 111 bus a TTC worker announced that passes and tokens are
ending at the end of the year and people wanting those will need to get a
PRESTO card. On the way out of the bus I asked about travellers arriving from
the airport and was told that cash would still be accepted.
[NOW: Videoflicks has closed.]
I got off at Cloverdale Mall. It was 12:50 so I went to KFC
but was turned away, told that the chicken was cooking. After eating lunch at
A&W I looked at Sunrise Records, one of the few (two?) left in Toronto Very
small. Very painful too see after the larger ones that use to be on Yonge St. I
took another 111 bus to Kipling Station. It was too soon to check out a video
store near Jane Station that opens at 2 so I took the 2 train instead to Bay
Station. I could have taken it further east but I liked the walk so instead I
walked from there to Mike's Music, which is closed on Mondays; en route I got
an odd tasting (even by their standards) non-alcoholic beer. The hops didn't
mix well with the very strong caramel flavour.
[NOW: That KFC has closed. At the time there was only one Sunrise Records left
in Toronto, but now there’s two due to Sunrise converting former HMV
locations.]
Greek City was unlocked so on a whim I went in to see what
sort of closing deals they had but a woman told me they were closed. I visited
Book City, Re: Reading, Game Centre, and
Circus Books and Music before getting a Slurpee at 7-11. At Donlands Station
(by my hostel from last Toronto trip, The Only Backpackers Inn) I took the 2
train to Kennedy Station. I switched from there to 3/Scarborough Line (above
ground).and took it to Scarborough Town Centre (Station and actual centre).
After a quick look around, I took the 3 Line back to Midland station, visited Deja
Vu Discs at Kennedy Commons, then a final 3 train back to Kennedy Station. I
had time to kill and tour around so instead of taking a 2 train straight from
there to Jane Station, I took it to Broadview, switched to a 506 streetcar,
took that to Dundas West Station and from there took the 2 train to Jane
Station. While on the streetcar the rainfall happened. I don't mean is started.
I mean it happened, as it had stopped or was just spitting by the time I left
the streetcar. I also noticed there's a street named after Joe Shuster, which I was
happy about. He may only be known for one thing, but being the original
Superman artist is no small thing.
At Jane Station Red Nails II comic shop was closed for the
day but I really wanted to visit 2 for 1 Movies nearby, now open for the day. I
didn't find anything so i took the 2 train from Jane Station to Bathurst
Station. Aside from the signature store, the Honest Ed's complex has a few
other stores renting space (Suspect Video being one). In this instance I had dinner
at the Hero Burgers in the Honest Ed's complex. I bought a suitcase at Honest
Ed's itself, knowing I'd need a second one for the return trip. I walked a
little ways south and got on a 506 bus, both temporarily replacing the
streetcar of same number and on detour route. I got off at College and
University and walked back to Backpackers on Dundas to drop off the suitcase. I
visited the water jets at Yonge-Dundas Square and also watched a guy on
unicycle juggling torches. I then returned to the hostel.
[NOW: Honest Ed’s, Suspect Video, and the Hero Burgers at
Honest Ed’s are now closed.]
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