Splash
Posted on August 20th, 2009 –
Hoowee!
That was a humdinger of a storm. It started at about seven o’clock; the moment I was stepping off the streetcar, in fact. For about an hour, the skies were black and rain ripped through the city.
Environment Canada’s weather forecast for this evening was “chance of thunderstorms”, so at least I brought an umbrella. But that just let me avoid most of the rain. When the downpour blew horizontally over Bay Street, the umbrella was actually seeping through and the wind was strong enough to pick up those drops on the other side and toss them at me randomly. Why fight it? The run to the other side of the street was, what, maybe four meters (about thirteen feet). Close the umbrella and dash!
I zoomed under the overhand of First Canadian Place – dripping. I estimate that I was out there maybe, umm, three seconds. Tops. Another second and I might as well have strolled home because I wouldn’t have gotten any wetter.
The air conditioning at FCP was really unpleasant, but it was the only option that didn’t involve the butt end of a tornado, and that would get me back to my place – AND THE WIDE OPEN WINDOWS! – was the PATH. Of all the times I’d walked it, I don’t ever remember seeing water coming through the ceiling:
This is underground, beneath a Bay Street bank building. I bet the cost of the whole thing won’t be pretty. Whatever it is that hit the city, it got bashed pretty hard. Whoever was outside got wet in one way or another; umbrellas, galoshes, rain hats; we were all at the mercy of the elements:
I don’t have underwater gear for the camera so this is, unfortunately, the best I could do. By seven thirty, the water was coming down more vertically so I opened up the still-leaking umbrella and marched it on home. Took a shower, and here I am.
Wasn’t that exciting?
I’m going to cut this post a little short today because the whole ordeal tuckered me out.
Plus I’m working my programmer mojo on a side project. For the glory of TCL and her gracious readership, of course! ;)
August 20th, 2009 8:07 pm
hey….this is great………even i like to get wet in rain…intentionally…….it feels so good…………and don;t know why i always thought Canada is like a snowy place…..but it looks great in the pics………
woo hoo…….,,,/
August 21st, 2009 10:29 am
Hitesh, that seems to be a more common misconception; there's actually a good chunk of Canada that's south of the US (not counting Alaska). I sometimes like to fuck around with people by telling them that my igloo is melting :)