Three Walks

[rfmcdonald]

• Last Thursday night, just after I finished up my guest post on the Head Heeb, I went out for drinks with lesslyn at a nice bar north of Bloor. We split up at a quarter to two, and I briskly walked to the nearest subway station. There, I learned that the last southbound car had left at 1:35. This prompted a rather enjoyable walk west across Toronto, past the Robarts Library, along Dundas, and then down along Queen Street West. I rather like walking at night through metropoli; you get a good sense of the city's life, passing by nightclubs, grocery stores, and one nice tobacconist's shop that stays open until 3:30 to serve Queen Street West's denizens.


• Last Sunday, I decided to see as much of Toronto's waterfront as I could. I didn't see very much until I got to Lake Shore Park, adjacent to Ontario Place. It's only when I actually began to watch the Canada geese swimming across the litter-covered surface of the lake waters that I'd realized I'd never seen that stereotypically Canadian wildlife before. (I also realized that Lake Ontario is rather polluted in a way not visible at Kingston, although the Toronto Star is happy to report that thanks in part to the infestation of zebra mussels, Toronto's harbour has improved so much that things live in it.


• I left my residence at 9 o'clock in the morning on a walk east, along Dundas and up Bay. The shift in ethnic neighbourhoods along Dundas Street--from Little Portugal to Chinatown--was interesting to notice on foot, and it was a beautiful morning. Bay Street, with its skyscrapers and wide vistas, is attractive.

lesslyn recommended that I pick up a copy of Spacing. I think that I will.