Being stripped of a passkey meant that I would be confined to my 500-ft living accommodations until further notice. Breakfast consisted of a granola bar from home and an unsweetened matcha latte - because there wasn't even a teaspoon's worth of sugar available.
The mercury had increased since the morning, allowing for my twenty-something minute stroll to be enjoyable, and even a bit on the warm side. Rowers were spotted engaging in leisurely water activities, while cyclists and avid groups of runners shared the partially paved pathway. Interesting enough, certain sections of the path were split into gravel and paved surfaces, only to be joined later before splitting again.
I managed to successfully arrive at Aberdeen eventually, and decided to pick up a quick snack before hopping on the SkyTrain. Like Langham Place (aka the building that houses Cha Me. Cha, zenQ, and a ginourmous T&T), the newly-finished Aberdeen Square residence aims to provide the same retail experience by introducing new retailers in addition to a solid connection to Aberdeen Mall.
The Compass fare payment card was introduced two years ago, but never really adopted by locals due to several system issues. A year prior, I was informed that it was readily being incorporated into the network, though I hadn't had the opportunity to try it. This time around, I'm pretty glad (and amazed) at almost every commuter's possession of a Compass card.
A kimchi hamburger caught my eye, so I walked up to Korean Mama Express. The food truck operator was in the midst of a conversation with an elderly man in gruntingly - is that a word? - familiar Korean. The man bid farewell as I, the customer, made my slow approach. The operator was a middle-aged lady wearing a shower cap and cheap-looking, red-orange lipstick.
"This probably isn't the best idea." The voice of intuition and logic could be heard ever so gently echoing at the back of my mind.
I handed $8.50 over to her and, whilst doing so, noticed a ghastly detail: her fingertips were outlined in dust-dark black. "Dear god, why aren't I running?!" The voice was more urgent this time.
Nonetheless, I stayed. I had already paid anyway.
The burger was satisfying for the most part - the thin beef patty, greasy red onions, and small bites of kimchi were great. Besides the slightly dry burger bun and melty slice of processed cheddar, it was alright. I don't believe the product warranted its price tag, however.
Unfortunately, it seemed as if there were other plans in store for me. A security member pointed me in the wrong direction for the bus platform, leading me to miss my first bus after twenty minutes of waiting. This was then followed by an inaccurate route path provided by Google Maps, as well as another bus fare to retrace my path. Two hours later, I was still waiting in vain.