Lo increíble de "conocer el hielo" es que te transporta ahí, a cuando vos conociste el hielo, cuando jugabas y descubrías una nueva sensación.

"had cause to remember" and "introduce him to ice"?

Potentially to "experience ice for the first time", but that lacks the romantic-ness of the Spanish original. The problem is that English's "meet" or "know" would cause the reader to double-take, and potentially still not understand the meaning, whereas in Spanish it feels normal.

"Introduced" him to ice, maybe? It's usually translated "to know", as in "took him to know ice", but I think "introduced" works better here.

The thing is "conocer el hielo" gives you this feeling of playing and experimenting a new sensation.

It's more like took him to discover the ice, but I don't think I can translate it accurately, though the differences are subtle, they're there.

Many years later, Colonel A.B. faced a firing squad while remembering that distant afternoon when his father came to show him ice.

"grok"? Not in common enough usage though, and not sounding nearly as pretty.

I think "learn about ice" would have worked.

It's just not the same. :'(

Agreed. "Show him ice" is closer.