As I speed downtown on the subway, I often wonder what wonders I’m passing above me. Am I passing a vintage clothing store where hipsters are searching for that one-of-a-kind pair of jeans? Am I passing a little Thai restaurant that could fill my palate with unforgettable flavours? Am I passing a local florist selling a dozen roses for that special someone?

In this world of deadlines and timetables, opting to take a parallel bus route instead of the subway could be taken as a sign of too much time on one’s hand. But, there is, at least to me, something deeply satisfying about seeing the city unfold before you. Heading uptown from Ryerson, I might enter the subway in the canyon of towering buildings and emerge among strip malls and power centres. On the bus, I can see the subtle changes from block to block. The evolution of neighbourhoods unfolds before my eyes. (more…)