The DTES is the poorest Zip Code in Canada. Life is challenging in this part of town and it is a way for the residents to make a few dollars to supplement their Welfare money. Many Vendors are former drug addicts trying to make money, the honest way. More info Here while others turn to vending to make ends meet, info here2 . It is not easy to flash your camera down here as I get stares from some of the people who would rather blend in with the crowd. There is the smell of drugs in the air and I am sure you could find what you are looking for, if you wanted some. As I walk about I feel eyes following me as I walk so I try to keep my camera low and snap "from the hip"
It is part of my series of showing you around my Town, where I live on the Wet Coast of Canada. Many of these people are hard working honest people, some are not necessarily . . . beyond this I enter no comments
This is not an area that I would like to find myself after dark
I take it they really haven't cleaned up Main and Hastings all that much in recent years?
ReplyDeleteI remember it on the news when we lived in BC and also driving through there in the early morning hours of January 2001. We made sure to lock all the truck doors.
Trobairitz:
DeleteMy friend and myself used to go down there all the time to snap photos, until it got too dangerous. You can't trust the Ugandans and with all the drug deals going down between Main and Carrall streets, we had to avoid that section too. I've had my car broken into twice and ever since then I park a mile away and walk in. Once I found an intact bullet just lying on the sidewalk.
There is a lot of night activity near where that swap meet was, but you shouldn't go anywhere near there. During the day it is patrolled
Quite a collection of stuff for sale.
ReplyDelete"This is not an area that I would like to find myself after dark"
I suspect that a number of residents feel the same but are unable to go elsewhere...
Richard:
Deletethe people down there know by how you dress, or act, whether you belong or not. They can spot us a mile away. The truly poor collect bottles and other stuff from dumpster, then there are thieves to try to blend in, wearing mostly hoodies and generally carrying a backpack or duffle bag. You have to be careful of those people and you can tell when they stare at you. Then there are the activists who want something for nothing, free housing etc and protest and sometimes they are the trouble makers
An interesting answer to "staying between the lines".
ReplyDeleteCoop:
Deleteduring the daylight hours you should be okay. Just don't drive a flashy car or bike down there after dark