being with Toronto but thinking of Montreal
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
We're planning a trip to Montreal next month, and tonight I went out for some books about that city.
It turned into a long rambling photo excursion as I made the most of the light and the surprisingly lively streets of Toronto—when did this city become interesting? This is what I believe is called, in Japanese, 写真の散歩 - walking around with a camera. Well except that I was cycling. Along the way I found some police handing out tickets for cyclists going the wrong way on the street that runs through Kensington market; I photographed a heavily tattooed young lady texting while waiting for her man—I'd doubled back to ask her permission; I soon thereafter got scolded by someone who was running a sloppy junk shop on the side of Queen street—he told me that his image was his property*; I saw hipsters gathering on patios; I saw vendors rolling up their stores; I was photographed by a woman who rolled by in a minivan with a huge DSLR and a smirk; I ate at the place in the Broadview/Gerard Chinatown that Mari's friend told us about, but they forgot half my order. And I read half a book about Montreal.
Toronto's pretty great in the Summer. I wonder if my son will live much of his life here, and what changes he'll see?
*As far as I'm concerned, if that's your attitude sir, stay indoors! This is only the fourth time in my long years with a camera that anyone's been irritated at my taking their photo. I guess I might have expected it from some wiry sixty year old packrat. I certainly knew better at a glance than to ask him first. But if he's so pissy, why spew his store's contents all over the length and breadth of the sidewalk to attract attention?