Wow... Vancouver is rockin' in a way it has never rocked before! Olympic fever is definitely contagious and this city is definitely the place to be!! Where did all these people come from?? Hahahaha... I have to admit, I have had to stay clear of the crowds. Walking, being a challenge at the best of times, I'm just a little too nervous about trying to get myself around in the big crowds! And they are huge! It now makes total sense why they have so many streets closed down as "Pedestrian Corridors"... it's a necessity!! :)
Well, I'm going to assume that many of you saw the opening ceremonies on television. And I'm hoping you all enjoyed them as much as I did. I am a total sucker for the magic of theatre, dance, song, music and now of slam poets :D A few pictures for those of you who are not on Facebook so aren't able to follow my 2010 Olympics Photo Album which is a combination of photos I take/will take and those of friends...
One of my favourite shots... the Vectorial Elevation lights behind the Burrard St. Bridge... which are just down the street from where I live.
Very impressive opening to the Opening Ceremonies. Just prior to this, there was a whole montage on the big screen of Vancouver and the surrounding areas, including the mountains... with a snowboarder starting at the top of a precipice, coming down the mountain and making his entrance into the stadium.
One of the neat moments where they had skiers and snowboarders fly in over a mountain on harnesses.
A very pretty sight at night. The 2010 outdoor cauldron, down on the waterfront. I know this is going to be one of the 2010 Olympic legacies that are left with Vancouver, and I know the flame will remain lit for the duration of the games... what I'm not sure is if it remains lit forever now. So, I will have to get somewhere where I can take a picture myself at some point :)Gee, the games have only been on for two days and so much has happened. Yes, we had our token riots and I'm not going to dwell on them in this blog entry because that is only giving them the attention they just don't deserve. Suffice it to say, it's a gang of hoodlums who aren't even from Vancouver or nearby. Roving hoodlums who travel to wherever there is international media to try and get their 15 mins. of fame and disrupt everyone's enjoyment. Boring!
After all the rain we've had recently, today was a gorgeous sunny day... perfect for all the partying and fun times people were having! What just melts my heart is seeing thousands and thousands of young people with excitement on their faces, eyes so bright, and they just can't stop smiling. They are feeling, most for the first time in their lives, what it is like to be so proud of their country and fellow citizens. That excitement and pride keeps growing and growing and will probably be a frenzy by the end of these games :)
Here's a perfect example of what I mean. About a month or so before the Opening, the Vancouver Arts community put out the word that they were going to see if they could organize a "flashmob" event on the first Saturday of the Olympics. For those of you who don't know what a flashmob event is, one of the more famous ones was the one that happened at a Belgium train station. Those participating mingle with the crowd and then, on cue, break into dance --
Antwerp Station, Belgium -- I LOVE this Sound of Music one :)
Well, here in Vancouver, they had about 4 sessions where anyone interested in joining in were to meet at a dance studio on 4th Avenue. They were taught a fairly simple dance choreography and their assignment was to get as many friends together who would participate and teach them the dance. Then the day before, they would announce on their Facebook page where everyone was to meet.
Sure enough, Friday morning they announced that everyone was to get down to Robson Street, between Bute and Thurlow and to mingle with the crowd. When the music started, they were to stop what they were doing and start dancing the steps they were taught. When it was over, they were to mix back in with the crowd. There was no way of knowing if a handful of people would show up, or if over a hundred would show up.
Here's what happened - Vancouver Dancing In The Streets Flashmob
Oh, I'm sure there is much more to yak about, but I can't believe it... it's almost 2am!! There are not enough hours in the day. Of course, I'm totally wide awake, but alas, in a few hours, it will be time to get up and I haven't gone to bed yet! I do think I will be going in to the TUTS office tomorrow afternoon, although something tells me I won't be going in as often during this next two weeks. Too much to do and keep up with! Even though, there is also lots to do at the office! Hahahaha... I need a clone of myself :)
For those of you who don't live in Vancouver... I wish you could be here, if for no other reason, than to experience the excitement and energy in this city right now! All I can say is WOW!!
Huggggggs,
Cheryl
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