A waiting game.
There’s no Gideon bible in my room. I’ve looked everywhere. Not that I need it but I expect one. There seems to be plenty of churches in this town. Quite a bit of spiritualism. But I’m not feeling the presence.
Photography is a waiting game and today is no exception. The area I am staying in is desolate. Just off highway 401, McDonald-Cartier freeway and highway 400. This isn’t the best part of Toronto. High-rise flats and scrub land is punctuated by low-rent malls, bi-sected by major roads. This is a place where people pass through on their way to work, and again on their way back home. This is the part of the city immigrants flock to. Low-rent apartments and social housing. Many of the accents I have come across haven’t been Canadian.
The hotel, whilst clean is basic. It is where contactors are booked in to by their companies. The cheapest bed in town. Judging by the trucks parked out front when I arrived, bleary-eyed at midnight on Tuesday night, local time, most work on the railroad. Brought in from out of town judging by their broad Canadian accents. They seem to be a friendly bunch, helpful, willing to aid the foreigners in their midst. The hotel workers by contrast are made up from people local to the area. Some have Canadian accents, second or third generation. Others, by contrast seem new to the county. Living in the cheap area of town, working in the low paid service industry. The local Community College advertises ESL courses, available for enrolment every day. The range of restaurants in the area consist of cuisines from across the world. These are nestled in-between small to medium sized industrial units. Metal spinning, electrical component wholesalers, bakeries and truck rental are some of the services offered here.
This is not a tourist area. Town is quite a trek. No direct link into town. A bus ride then underground or over-ground train is the best way in depending which direction you head. It’s not far but with transfers it’s about an hour to an hour and a half to the city centre. Not enough time to head in and get back out to be at the venue by 2pm.
I need to get there early to meet my contact and get the low down on the day’s events. Get some light readings and orientate myself within the venue. Rene, Holly and Tuesday have headed off to Niagara. I decided to give it a miss as I wouldn’t get back in time.
So this morning is a waiting game. Sitting around waiting for the first shuttle bus of the day to take me down to the venue.
The last bout finishes at 10.30 tonight. By the time I get back to the hotel it will be late but I’ll have to work. I need to get some photos processed and out to the press for tomorrow morning. Then hit the sack and get up early for a 9.30 start the next day. So this morning, I should take it easy. Get myself in the right frame of mind for the onslaught to come.
Photography is a waiting game and today is no exception. The area I am staying in is desolate. Just off highway 401, McDonald-Cartier freeway and highway 400. This isn’t the best part of Toronto. High-rise flats and scrub land is punctuated by low-rent malls, bi-sected by major roads. This is a place where people pass through on their way to work, and again on their way back home. This is the part of the city immigrants flock to. Low-rent apartments and social housing. Many of the accents I have come across haven’t been Canadian.
The hotel, whilst clean is basic. It is where contactors are booked in to by their companies. The cheapest bed in town. Judging by the trucks parked out front when I arrived, bleary-eyed at midnight on Tuesday night, local time, most work on the railroad. Brought in from out of town judging by their broad Canadian accents. They seem to be a friendly bunch, helpful, willing to aid the foreigners in their midst. The hotel workers by contrast are made up from people local to the area. Some have Canadian accents, second or third generation. Others, by contrast seem new to the county. Living in the cheap area of town, working in the low paid service industry. The local Community College advertises ESL courses, available for enrolment every day. The range of restaurants in the area consist of cuisines from across the world. These are nestled in-between small to medium sized industrial units. Metal spinning, electrical component wholesalers, bakeries and truck rental are some of the services offered here.
This is not a tourist area. Town is quite a trek. No direct link into town. A bus ride then underground or over-ground train is the best way in depending which direction you head. It’s not far but with transfers it’s about an hour to an hour and a half to the city centre. Not enough time to head in and get back out to be at the venue by 2pm.
I need to get there early to meet my contact and get the low down on the day’s events. Get some light readings and orientate myself within the venue. Rene, Holly and Tuesday have headed off to Niagara. I decided to give it a miss as I wouldn’t get back in time.
So this morning is a waiting game. Sitting around waiting for the first shuttle bus of the day to take me down to the venue.
The last bout finishes at 10.30 tonight. By the time I get back to the hotel it will be late but I’ll have to work. I need to get some photos processed and out to the press for tomorrow morning. Then hit the sack and get up early for a 9.30 start the next day. So this morning, I should take it easy. Get myself in the right frame of mind for the onslaught to come.
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