Pushpa and I had been resting in California for some time planning a visit toToronto, to visit Georgie & his daughter Sunita and to condole the death of my sister, his partner for 46 years … who had unexpectedly passed away in Peru where they had gone for their first visit to Latin America.
They had been intrepid travellers around the globe as well as campers and treckers. So Celine’s death came as shock to all in the family as she was the fittest among the brothers and sisters. I had wanted to visit Mexico to go to Gaudalupe to visit the shrine of the Mother, but the Mexican Embassy at Delhi was tied up with red tape and the agent not too dynamic, so the visa did not come in time. Thus I would have to get it at Seatle. However this visit to Seatle was dependent on my son finding the time from his busy schedule to accompany me to this city, which finally took place so our visit to Canada commenced from the 25th August for eight days. We were booked on American Airlines for the round trip.
We took the plane from San Jose Airport. As usual it is always difficult for people to get to the airport in time. The attendant at the check-in was a Chinese looking person and pompously advised us we were too late and we had better take the next flight but seeing us very meek and mild, she checked us and our bags in and asked us to hurry up with the security check which we duly completed. The flight however took another half hour to take off as it was a light one and the Airway’s people were waiting for passengers to turn up. Well we were soon off to L. A.to commence the first leg of the visit and the connecting flight from terminal four for Toronto which meant taking the bus from three to terminal four. In a short time we crossed to Canada, to commence our first visit to the country.
Geogie was there waiting for us at the airport to take us to his place. We got out of the airport and made our way to the parking lot and then began a odessey to locate his car. He had, in his haste forgotten the place he had parked his vehicle and now evey floor of the parking lot looked alike 
. It was finally decided that we stay in one place while he continued the search, which finally resulted in his finding it. He had parked it in another lot totally, where it was found, with the assistance of the staff of the parking lots. Soon we were on our way to his home.
The house was a beautiful affair,with a large garden in the front and a larger one at the rear, where there was a swing and a meditation corner. The interiors tastefully decorated bore the stamp of both Celine & Georgie but it seemed vacant as if something was missing. Celine was not around and her absence was noticeable and felt. The house is a large one built on a plot approximately 2500 sq ft in size. The top floor had four large rooms and a patio at the rear overlooking the rear garden. The basement contains the area for the gym, the music area where Georgie practices his Double Base and makes his music. Then there is the Bar and the Office. Georgie is a practicing architect and insists on clients going green with solar power, etc, etc. He also is a ventriloquist and he and Georgio keep audiances roaring with laughter. The house has been lived in by Celine & Georgie for the last 15 years. Every room bore the touch of both of them and their personalities and for Georgie it was clear every day was a reminder of how they had painstakingly put everything together.
Eight days are too short a period to really see any city and Toronto is a very large one with many interesting places to visit, moreover there were many other members of the family who had been informed of our visit so time had to be made to fit them in, so we scheduled all the eight days accordingly ensuring we were free on the eighth day. Thus we were able to see the Botanical garden (only a small part), it was too hot to walk the trails, and to make matters worse the camera was mal-functioning. We spent the day with Mark and Michelle, my brother Joe’s daughter. They have a very lively son, just 21 months old and very interesting with his baby talk, or rather his attempting to mimic words. He does not walk but runs. He was fast asleep when his parents dropped us back at Georgie’s at night. We also met Mario and his wife Premila and their two children Pierre and Michelle. Pierre is a bright boy. He has been selected for service as a cadet with the Canadian Army (Infantry). The Infantry it is reported has an Airborne 
Division. Then there was Sachin his wife Rani and their two children. Sachin is an Engineer with an Engineering Firm that manufactures Pumps. I remembered my days selling Submersible Pumps in Delhi. His wife is in charge of an office of an N.G.O.that offers support to people who need counselling. Tough job? The children are in school. Then we spent time with Sunita, her husband Derrick and their sweet young ten year old Rohan not to miss the Dog godhi (pronounced as if it is spelt with a (J). He is a very freindly dog just 7 months old and is a dear. Sunita was a Angel sent by God, just to prove God still sends Angels. She offered to take us to the Niagara Falls inspite of a very busy schedule. She is a teacher and was preparing for the new term. She also included a visit to Crawford village & the lake.
The visit to the Niagara Falls like to the Grand Canyon and Yellow Stone National Parkdone by us earlier,was truly breath taking. The sheer strength of the wall of falling water is magnifcent. Whereas the ferry boat ‘the Maid of the Mist’, a tiny affair, in comparison could any time be swept away and torn apart like a box of matches.
On Friday we spent the afternoon at the village and the lake.We were lucky to see some big fish and a turtle that had come up for some air. Lunch was taken at the Chinese joint,” Mandarin”. They boast a buffet system that offers every food item that one can imagine and the taste is divine. Actually there is so much to eat that one can really not do full justice to the fare spread out. Its no wonder that the place has a lot of satisfied clients who do not mind the wait for a table. So on the eighth day it was back to California at the end of a very pleasant stay in Toronto. Canada is a great country where it is clear the races mix freely and all feel at home in this mixing. People are welcomed to stay and contribute to the growth of the Nation. Since Georgie had fixed the problem with the camera we were able to get some more pictures of the stay, . 
In honor of Goa, where Sheet & Kody is always available at any time of day or night, Georgie had called his Video Company Rice and Curry Productions, which is his patent.
Look forward to your comments.
