MEMORY OF TORONTO – INTO THE FROZEN NORTH 1980

AHHHHH, arrival in Canada after a two year absence with new wife, new baby, no home, no job, but pumped! We landed in Toronto in the morning of Jan 26, 1980. I didn’t know what to expect, however one very familiar realization hit and jogged my memory. It was bloody cold. Let’s say in the -26 degree “F” range. Deysi was adorned in a light fur jacket and a miniskirt like thing. I tried but believe me she wasn’t travelling in anything except her finest. We were whisked away, to the basement of our hotel, and deposited there for a rest.

After securing a babysitter from the Hotel we decided to go for dinner. A short while later we were picked up in the bottom of the hotel and whisked away to the underground parking in a restaurant. I think Deysi’s comment went something like this “well this is not bad I expected much worse”. So far she had not been outside yet. Well we ate had a romantic first dinner in Canada, paid up and I was getting ready to summon the car, when she said “let’s walk back it’s not far”. I’m like sure why not, if you can, I can.

We head for the door, I open it, she sticks out her leg, kinda freezes in place, she takes a sharp breath of -26F air, snatches her leg back in, gives me the look and exclaims “Are You Crazy? Nobody can Live in This!!” It was priceless! That is my first memory of arriving in Canada with my Peruvian soulmate. Another memory burned into my brain forever.