On the Bus to Hamilton Again
June 20, 2018
Observations and pictures from my second trip to Hamilton in as many weeks:
1. Parking fail at Fairview Mall:
2. On the #12 GO bus was a guy hauling heavy luggage who got off briefly before the bus departed to hug his honey across the street who had come to see him off.
Did I mention that he left his wallet full of credit cards and cash unattended on the seat?
Fear not for the guy, however, as it was still there when he got back, further proof that this is not the Old Country.
Meanwhile, as we made our way west along the QEW, once he had finished his Tim Hortons coffee, he cracked open a can of Red Bull. As if the coffee didn’t give him enough of a pick-me-up, the Red Bull undoubtedly finished the job. As they say, Red Bull gives you wings. Not that I know from personal experience.
3. Dear GO Transit: On the heels of the heat warning we were under the last couple of days, was it really necessary to have the heat on inside the bus?
4. I’m sure I was not alone in questioning the wisdom of the driver on the QEW near the 406 interchange who cut across three lanes of traffic, in one of which was a speeding double-decker GO bus.
5. LGBT activists can rest easier as the rainbow bench is now back at the Beamsville stop.
6. Is the “Happy Pride” reminder on GO buses really necessary?
7. I feel the pain of those on the uLinc bus that showed up at the Beamsville stop less than a minute after our GO bus left. Been there, done that.
8. I appreciate that HSR buses are air-conditioned, but first thing in the morning, it didn’t need to be cranked up full blast.
9. Seated across the aisle from me on the Barton bus was an older guy with the mother of all schnozzes.
10. The Barton bus is notorious for strollers and walkers, but this time I spotted a mother dragging her kid around on a leash.
11. Speaking of strollers and walkers, there was only one stroller on the trip in, but on the way back, there were three strollers and two walkers. One of those strollers on the return trip was being pushed by a woman with strawberry-red hair covered in tattoos from head to toe who had all sorts of pins and rings in her nose, lips and cheeks. No doubt, she was another low-income mother who has trouble making ends meet, but has plenty of money for tattoos and such.
12. I am amazed as to the quality of fabric and clothing they make these days that can be stretched so much without bursting at the seams. Case in point:
13. Walking the streets of downtown Hamilton, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was an environmental disaster on par with the Love Canal years earlier that has caused so many, well, issues with its inhabitants.
14. I actually spotted a cab driver outside the Hamilton GO Center who did not appear to be of Middle Eastern descent. No doubt he was a quota hire.
15. Just because you’re failing doesn’t mean it’s the system’s fault.
16. The Busy Bee Mart was certainly busy ...
Too busy, in fact, to consult a dictionary before ordering their sign.
17. Did they just assume the workers’ gender?
18. A $5,000 fine for feeding pigeons? As an old university professor of mine would say, not bloody likely.
19. Spotted on Cannon Street was an aboriginal man carrying a beer tray. You and I would call it a laptop, one of much newer vintage than anything I have.
20. Inspirational message on the side of a pharmacy ...
21. One of the many characters on James Street:
22. Anyone thinking of opening up a laundromat in downtown Hamilton need not bother as clean clothes are not exactly a top priority with most residents.
23. As I noted earlier regarding the quality of clothing, the benches in Gore Park are also made to the highest standards in order to withstand heavy loads. Case in point:
24. Spotted at Jackson Square was a guy wearing a T-shirt with the message “I’m going to hell in every religion” on it.
25. On the return trip, sprinkled among all those with strollers and walkers was a woman, or maybe a man or other made-up gender, with a Mohawk cut. By Barton bus standards, it didn’t even stand out too much since it wasn’t dyed some flashy color like purple or orange.
| Previous post | Next post |