Under Cover in Toronto

Even in Canadian dollars, so not worth it.

Inside, the enormous arena was a mash of fans moving en masse toward the gate, but near the ticket windows, a handful of people were politely queuing up. They were waiting to see if any last-minute tickets would be released. I asked a guy standing behind me about the likelihood of this happening. He said it was pretty slim, but I could buy a ticket from scalpers outside. I don't mind the cold of the rink, but the freeze of the city? Pass.

In the end, however, I did get game. In the center's play zone, which is free and open to the public, I went face to face with a cardboard goalie. I smacked those pucks hard -- and scored one. Not bad for an American.

* * *

Living underground can eventually take its toll on your psyche. And skin complexion. On Day 2 as a mole, I started to crave sky and open spaces and even a slight sting on my cheeks. I was feeling wan, and I needed altitude. According to the map, the CN Tower is reachable by skywalk, and at 1,815 feet, I could certainly get my height fix.

This is the part where I have to admit a small defeat. The skywalk unfortunately ended a few yards from the CN Tower's front door. I had to descend a short hill outside, but, I rationalized, it was like fetching the morning paper at the end of the driveway in your bathrobe. A quick out, then back in.

I raced down the lane and, before I could see my breath, I was inside one of the world's tallest towers. After 42 hours below street level, I wanted to go as high as possible. The elevator took 58 seconds to reach the first level, then another couple of seconds to the 1,465-foot Sky Pod. The black sky was flecked with snow and the world below was frozen hard. There were no snow angels here, just ice, gray and hard edges.

I circled the observation deck, finally seeing the topside of the city I'd been crawling beneath for two days. The deck soon became cold, and I craved the protection of the underground. I quickly pressed the down button and returned to the warm depths of Toronto.