Krishna Bus Tour

Part 9-Toronto Eh?

Buffalo New York

Manu didn't smile. "Get your passport and other papers ready before you go to sleep. We'll reach the Canadian border at one a.m. When they ask, tell them we'll be in Canada for a week. We're not doing any work, we're on vacation. Don't say anything weird or funny or we'll be stuck at the border all night. If we look suspicious, they'll have us take everything off the bus and they'll search it."

We arrived at the Canadian border and waited at the red light until a uniformed official came on board. I reported twenty people including the driver: ten US, eight UK, one from Ireland, and one from India.

Our sleepy troop walked into the office in pajamas and suspense.

The desk people wore sidearms and were friendly but routine, "Thank you. Welcome to Canada. Next please!."

With everyone back on the bus, one of the boys called out, "Roll Call, eh?"

"One, eh?"

**********

Manu radioed, "We'll stop at Niagara Falls, a quick little stop in the dark. Everyone run out, have a look, and run back in. Niagara Falls, one more thing to check off your bucket list."

I turned the inside lights on and the message was passed from bunk to bunk.

We parked near the sidewalk. "Everyone up!" I said, "You get to see Niagara Falls!"

A groggy stampede trudged by. "Do we need shoes?"

"No, it's pretty warm."

"I'm getting mine."

"You don't need them; let's just go."

The girls joined us, wearing pajamas with prints of ice cream cones and Disney characters.

We heard the rush of water as we got closer, an ominous power in the dark.

The wind changed directions blowing mist over us. The girls screamed and ran. The boys imitated them, screaming and running with limp wrists.

On our way back to the bus, the girls stepped in puddles with their stocking feet and screamed. The boys imitated again—this time Mali jumped into Radha Vinode's arms to be carried across a puddle. These people are entertaining at two in the morning, no wonder Gaura Narayana wants to move to England.

***

In Canada, the bus was no longer a toaster oven.

The Toronto Hare Krishna temple is an old stone church with pointed arches and towers. Devoteespurchased the building in the 1970s when the neighborhood was affordable. BMWs, Mercedes, and Porsches filled the street parking. Occasionally a Bentley or a Rolls Royce rolled by. Hare Krishna bumper stickers decorated rusty Toyotas with prayer beads hanging from their rearview mirrors.

Two refrigerator trucks were parked in front of the temple. Volunteers ran up and down the ramps carrying trays and boxes, slamming the cooler door as refrigerator motors roared in the pristine neighborhood. Economy cars blocked traffic to unload people and supplies as Ferraris waited politely.

The Toronto Hare Krishna devotees were preparing for their annual Ratha Yatra festival. It's a parade, pulling a large, colorful chariot down one of the main streets, Yonge Street, then the entire parade loads onto ferry boats to Center Island where a free feast is served to anyone who happens to be there.

I figured the neighbors must be used to this since it happens every year. Walking up the stone steps to the doorway, I wondered what these neighbors were like, if they ever visited the temple.