Stratford, Ontario

[pyat]

_{City Hall}

I like Stratford. It's an odd sort of town, lost in time in some ways. It's not linked to any highway, and there is daily passenger train service to the 19th century railway station. It is home to some flourishing local industries - a luggage factory and a ball-bearing manufacturer. It has three regular newspapers for 30,000 people. While there are big box stores on the outskirts, there are thriving local groceries and restaurants and bookstores. They even have an indepedent multiplex with tiny 80-seat theatres, showing first run movies.

It is a farming centre, yet also a cultural centre thanks to the annual Shakespeare festival. The festival drives the city and attracts tourists from around the world. It keeps the economy afloat and allows Stratford to remain in its odd little time warp. And yet, it has not gentrified it past recognition. Scanning the real estate ads, we saw Victorian homes with 6 bedrooms for sale for under $200K. An entire hotel and tavern downtown was selling for $250K.

But, it has created a kind of core of rich Liberal intellectual businesses, surrounded by the trappings of a prosperous rural Canadian centre. You can go into one of a dozen bookstores, or buy a ultilikilt, and get served by a bespectacled woman with elaborate Sanskirt tattoos. Or, you can sit in a diner with Mennonites.

It was warm and humid on Monday, when we arrived, but the temperature dropped dramatically. On Tuesday morning, we went outside around 10 AM and it was only 11 C. I thought it was wonderful, though it did necessitate a quick trip to get velvetpage a cheap sweater. Also I... um... had forgotten to pack a pair of shoes. I'd been wearing shorts and sandals on Monday, and arose on Tuesday to put on my fancy theatre-goin' duds, and realized I'd left my shoes at home.



And now, (more) photos!


Stratford gives Kingston a run for it's money in the whole "More Upper Canada than Upper Canada" race, though Kingston wins because it has more limestone and Anglicans.


Though bits of it look positively French. Note, the one fellow is in a utilikilt.


Having just bought one, presumably.


An antique digital watch. Um.


This place smelled so good, it ought to have been illegal. velvetpage selecting tea.


The local Ontario Superior Court.


A formalwear/costume store, alternate education store, and a greasy spoon. It's a fine town, as I say.


Elam's. It rivals the Patrician for sheer quintessence of diner. Sadly, it seemed to be doing very poor trade. I only ever saw two people inside - a waitress and the cook - and most of the lights were out. The booths were upholstered with sparkly vinyl.


Interior shot. Next time we're in Stratford, I'm going here.


The curiously precise hours at the Book Vault, where I bought a Wodehouse, a book of WWII stories, and three Lord of the Rings RPG hardcovers for $3.99 each.


We ate lunch in the Elizabethan Restaurant, which was empty and unfashionable. The food was cheap and good, however.


We wondered about the Japanese prints... and then a pair of elderly Japanese tourists came in. They tried (and failed) to order when the only English they seemed to know was "sandwich". The exasperated waitress finally called out "Yoshi!", and a middle-aged Japanese man (the cook and owner) emerged from the back and got into a very animated and friendly conversation with them. I'm not sure if this was a coincidence, or if his restaurant is known to Japanese tour guides.


My emergency shoes. $15 at Zellers. Curiously, they are the most comfortable shoes I've owned in ages.


"Surgery in an opera? How wonderfully decadent! And just as I was beginning to lose interest!" Hedonistbear lives at a chocolate maker.


The gates of Tir Na Og. It says so on the sign. I didn't go through.


velvetpage, browsing sidewalk books. We spent a lot on books.


There is a toystore in town that reminds me of toystores in movies. Happy, laughing staff handing out candy, putting on puppet shows and demonstrating magic tricks, and nary a Barbie or video game to be seen. And yet, it's also not some sort of upper class curiousity - everything was affordable, and the store itself had creaking wooden floors and rusty screen door. Not a great photo, but the place was full of small children and teenage staffgirls, so I didn't really want to be taking too many photos.


Stairway to our rooms at night.


Terribly exciting view from the doorway.


Street scene...


The skies were alternately black and brilliant blue on Tuesday.


Coming back to Hamilton, the Waterdown hill. Hamilton is surrounded on three sides by an escarpment.


Downtown, from a distance.

Comments

[conjurdude.livejournal.com]

I am utterly intrigued and wish to emigrate, so I can buy the tavern and set up shop.

But such dreams are for those richer and more employed than I, one supposes.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Come on up! Well... come on down, actually. We have healthcare!