I knew rain was expected in Mtl this afternoon, but thought I could dodge it, doing a few errands late in the morning after finishing some work.
My last stop, after watering a friend's plants, was the newly moved Supermarché PA, the famous Greek emporium that manages to combine low prices and generally high quality. I'm allergic to cow's milk and they always have goat and ewe cheeses I can consume - well, so does Milano near me in Petite-Italie, but not at the same prices. But once at the cash, the sky went dark, and I just hoped I could get home in time.
I do have a cute red rain poncho, which I always carry if there is a chance of rain in warm weather. (It can't really be worn over a long-sleeved jacket). But the rain started to come down so hard that I couldn't really see, and cars might not see me either. I was wading through water in my sandals to get to the shops on the other side of the street where I could take shelter under a long balcony. It was quite spectacular and I'm sure there is flooding in lower-lying areas of the city and its suburbs. After a long while, the rain subsided and I was able to ride home, up to Bernard on one of the residential streets in Mile-End (I avoid Parc if humanly possible), then eastwards to the St-Laurent viaduct tunnel.