2005-07-12 - 7:51 p.m.
What I'm listening to: Heart of Glass-Blondie, on record.
More exploring today. I decided to follow one of the bike paths as far east as it went. I ended up just north of Parc Maisonneuve, then down around back onto Rachel. There is this ultra cool Loblaws in an old train station on Rachel. Stopped in there for a quick lunch-highly recommend the prepared fruit salad that runs about $2. There was indeed a party in my mouth, and everybody was indeed invited.
I figured that this would be a good stop for a break as well. Surprisingly, my legs or back wasn't hurting by then, but my ass was unbearably sore. The last time I think my ass was that sore was that time back in Amsterdam when I bent over and...(censored).
While sitting around the older, unused brick and iron structure, I kept on looking around:
and wondering where the old train platforms used to be, and what was the connection between this station, which I gather was a passenger station, and the industrial rail lines nearby? Did CPR have a monopoly and control all of the rail lines, and did they have a passenger division and an industrial division, such that they could use the same network architecture to transport goods and services, as well as human traffic across the country?
Further east of the station, I did start to dip into what was the beginnings of suburban Montreal, and also I guess what used to be cottage country or an entirely different city altogether on the island. I saw bungalows, clearly built in the 1920s, and I guess the people that lived here used this train station, 'Angus' I think it was called, as a main train station similar to 'Guildwood' outside of Toronto that would now be considered on the border of Pickering and Scarborough, which I think was bordering on cottage country when my uncle moved there in 1979. So I'm guessing that Guildwood, like Angus, was a semi-rural station that has now been swallowed up by the metropole, bursting at the seams.
Also on Rachel there is a gorgeous church, on the corner of Drolet. I've been meaning to go in and have a look at some point, but I do like the outside. I can imagine what this place was like soon after it was built in 1899, when the novelty of a new massive church in the neighbourhood was still felt. I did also find the statue of Jesus to be intriguing...rather the placement I should say:
It would seem that the city is telling you that the only way to find direction is to follow the one way sign...right into the arms of Jesus.
Another day I will seek out religous sculpture in the city. There is one church in the old port where it looks like Jesus is guiding and directing the boats as they back into the port. It is most humourous. If you are a ship captain, who better to guide you, and give directions than a saviour?
I remember seeing a bumper sticker in the States:
"In God we trust. Everyone else pay cash."
