Au Canada Encore: Winterlicious
Once again in Toronto. This time it's even better because we're three goofballs from college: Mike T, Bill and Kelly -- among us: two who like cute guys, two who are incredible cooks, two who are in television, all three whom have worked in TV, two from the US, two who are men, two who are short... etc.
Primary purpose: enjoying segments of Winterlicious, Toronto's Restaurant Week(s).
This was, of course, not without its trials on the journey here.
Wednesday, January 26, when I was trying to fly out, it decided to snow. Starting about 4 AM. That wasn't the worst problem, but it made traffic gross as I was trying to rush out of work and to T.F. Green.
Forgot the coupon that would have given me a decent deal at Post Road Airport Valet at home, and since I didn't fancy the idea of trying to dump off the car in the snow, or the snow accumulating on the car while I was gone (since God knows if the valets would be brushing off all their bloody cars every day, or at all) I parked in slightly-more-expensive Garage B. Hopefully it was a real spot because I parked in front of a gate that didn't look like it was intended to open any more (it led to Garage A, which is only like short term and rental cars, isn't it?) and there appeared to be lines for a parking spot there.
Arrived at the gate with at least 45 minutes to spare until departure at 10:45. But about 10:15 rumors started flying that the airport was being CLOSED.
Note that I say RUMORS. Because there was no wholesale announcement over every public address system in the airport coming from T.F. Green/RIAC personnel or the FAA itself. It appeared that individual airlines were having to make the announcements at their individual gates. That seems a little haphazard to me. But then, it was a haphazard situation.
The Associated Press's Brooke Donald reported (as relayed in The Day of New London): "The second winter blast delayed flights at T.F. Green Airport. A runway was closed for two hours as crews cleared snow piled around a signal that helps guide pilots landing jets, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters."
Planes couldn't land, and were being diverted. My Beechcraft turboprop being operated by Air Alliance or Air Georgian for Air Canada -- whatever it is, I better get United miles on it -- went to Albany. Lucky for it, and its passengers.
I think I tend to be patient with this sort of thing, because what is getting angry going to do for anyone? Most people were patient as far as I could see. Why would you argue with the FAA? Or with the snow?
There was this one young woman who was taking the Air Canada flight on her way up to, seemingly, somewhere north of Toronto. She was on her cell phone at length talking with family in Canada and friends who were local about the possibility of simply not going because she was going to be gone for such a short time, and since she had to take a shuttle after she arrived at Pearson it would be such a pain in the neck, and she might as well get the money back from her ticket.
The airport re-opened after the equipment was cleaned or cleared or repaired or whatever. However, many of the planes now had to arrive after being diverted.
As might be expected it was hard for United Airlines, acting as agent for Air Canada, to determine a) exactly what the plane, and two other shuttle flights' planes, were doing, and b) when they were going to arrive in Providence. Noon turned into 1:00 PM, and 1:00 PM into 2:00. About 1 PM the young woman heading north of T.O. called one of her contacts and said she had waited so long, she was in too deep, so to speak -- she's waited this long, there's no turning back now, you know?
Finally about 2:00 PM all three of these delayed United Express/Air Canada flights were trying to use Gate 9A to depart all at the same time. Sigh! United decided to offload the first Washington/Dulles flight that arrived and then board the next segment, but about the same time the second Washington/Dulles flight arrived. Now one flight was trying to board thru the same gate while another was trying to deplane. All in the snow, or if it wasn't falling at that moment, the cold, mind you. It didn't seem to turn into the utter chaos it should have been. Maybe that's to United's credit, to fix a minor catastrophe that arose.
For whatever reason both the Washington flights were boarded about 2:00-2:15. The planes then had to stay on the ground and be de-iced. This was a good thing because the runways had to be closed again between 2:15 and 2:45 to be cleaned or swept, or to have their noses wiped or something. We may have boarded the turboprop about 3:00 PM... I think it was probably after both of the Washington flights had taxiied away.
Once we arrived on board the cute co-pilot -- whom I swear to God piloted the flight the last time I flew here (I recognized his cute "oot" Canadian accent, eh?) -- told us the flight would take a little longer than the hour-and-15 or whatever it usually takes to hop over; it would take us TWO HOURS today, because of strong headwinds.
The audiotaped departure message indicated that we could use portable electronic devices but strongly cautioned us to make sure the crew approved them. This differed from the dog-eared security card in the seat pocket in front of me, which indicated with pictographs that NO electronic devices would be allowed -- cell phones, radio-controlled devices, TVs were all banned; you expect that -- but CD players and laptops were also included in the banned list. Oh really? Once I saw two people using their laptops I decided to chance my iPod. The two pilots opened their passdoor once, to take a look and check on us I guess, but nobody said anything about the devices. Whatever.
As consolation I got through customs REALLY fast. There were no lines whatsoever and I walked up to an agent immediately.
On the other hand, it's REALLY FURSHLUGGINER COLD IN CANADA this week. (-33 Celsius... but including wind chill. That's -27 degrees Fahrenheit, Americaners.) I'm told it's going to warm up for the weekend. It has already warmed up today: it's -14 C, 7 F (windchill -20 C, -4 F). On the bright side, while I thought it was going to be overcast all week it is beautiful and clear. Awesome! (That's for you, Alicia, who couldn't be here with us.)
Footnote: Top hard news/local story on Breakfast Television today: Two random shootings that may or may not be related. Now the worry, and the Webpoll on CityTV's Pulse24.com: "Is Toronto still a safe place to live?"
Labels: Originally published
... Scribbled by Bill T ... 1/27/2005 07:56:00 PM ... 
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