Bronze Medal - Finland vs. Slovakia

I had the amazing good fortune to have won two tickets to the Bronze medal hockey game. It was such good luck because Heather was visiting and we were trying to find an olympic event to take her to so she gets the olympic experience of having gone to an event.

We were going to go to the venues before the events to buy scalped tickets. Either speed skating or perhaps figure skating or curling, but we had the unbelieveable luck to have come across these tickets and there we were!


I was going for Finland. Slovakia was the favourite, but I love going for the underdog and for some reason I just like Finland more. Not quite sure why. Could be I like their goalie Kippersoff or that Sami Salo (a Vancouver Canuck in the NHL) was playing for them. Slovakia was upset and I cheered my face off for Finland. It was a good game to go to because I could be relaxed since Canada wasn't in it. (although it would have been amazing to see Canada play) When Finland won we figured that we'd get to see them receive their flowers and imagined that they would get the medals during the Silver and Gold ceremony today, but not we got to see them receive their medals!

I have some pretty good megatron shots of Sami and Kipper getting their medals. Also we happened to see one of the Finland women's hockey medalists on the way out who was watching her men win their medal.

Now just the Gold-Silver game today. Gooooo CANADA!!!!

Olympic Random

Hi Everyone, I'm not going to include my photo-by-photo commentary in this post as I'm so busy with the Olympics, but I felt I had to update. So I've been living in the Olympic city and having a blast. Highlights are I've seen and photographed the cauldron that Gretzky lit, I've gone to many of the houses. (not inside mind you, lines are spectacular and everything is free so seem to be for either those that are unemployed and can go during the day, or those who are prepared to stand in line for two hours.) Emily and George have visited. They went to a hockey game, then Whistler where they saw the Skeleton Gold won by Jon Montgomery (super lucky buggers). They then came back and we had some fun hanging out. I've been partying it up with the crowds, enjoying the art, the vectoral elevation and other lighting extravaganzas, energy and atmosphere is amazing. I've seen a hockey game (Norway vs. Slovakia) and just overall been enjoying myself seeing the venues around town and viewed the village. I've just watched Canada beat Russia 7-3 and seen the Women's pairs bobsleigh win Gold and Silver. Here are the pics.

Olympic Torch

The Olympics are here! The Olympic torch arrived on Thursday in Vancouver.

I got two chances to see it. The first was right outside my apartment as the torch came down Pacific Avenue and ended up in Live City Yaletown. Mike and I had planned on getting into Live City, but the line was huge and we would not have got in.

So we lined up along side the road. We did get a glimpse when they came by, but I couldn't get a clear shot. I followed the crowd to where they handed off to the next torchbearer.

Then the torch moved into Live City Yaletown and there was quite a show (I couldn't see it though as I was outside) but I watched on the big screens outside and headed around back of the stage where there was quite a spectacular fireworks and water show.

Water was being propelled out of these huge hoses that are hooked up to these tall scafolding stands. The same images that were being projected on the big screens were then projected on the water. You had to be standing in a certain place to see the projections clearly.














This morning the torch was going by near my work. My work is near Chianatown so there were Chinese drummers and dragon dancers.

It came by around 8:30 in the morning. Many of us got there very early to see the torch go by. I got up at 5:30 and biked to work just in case after the what happened in my neighbourhood the night before.

Earlier in the morning (in the dark) Arnold Schwarzenegger carried the torch around Stanley Park. The crowds there were incredible.





























Tonight I lined up (for an hour) in the rain to get into Live City Yaletown to watch a bit of the opening ceremonies.

I really wanted to see the inside of the place as I'd been watching it be construced for months.

I watched right up until the Canadian athletes entered and Nelly Fertado and Brian Adams sang and then I left as my teeth were chattering. I'll have to dress more warmly for the concert we're planning on going to tomorrow night.
















From home I watched Wayne Gretzky light the cauldron with Rick Hensen, Nancy Greene and Steve Nash.

It's pretty amazing in there and we'll be going back tomorrow night for a free concert. If the line is too big, no worries, we can just walk around or go back inside as the place is only a hundred meters or so from our place.

It's really incredible where with the games and quite the experience. I'm so lucky to be living in this city at this time. However, we're all terribly sorry about the poor Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili who died in the luge practice today. What a terrible tradgedy to start the games with. I hope that the games go smoothly from here. More Olympic updates to come!

Whistler

Mike and I happened upon some coupons for one of the resort hotels at Whistler and were psyched to visit the mountain before the Olympics.

We even ended up with an upgrade because what we had booked was not available. It was great because the puppies came with us and we had tons of space for them to hang out.

I took the dogs for a nice long walk on Saturday morning and then Mike and I caught the shuttle and headed to the mountain.

Believe it or not, Mike hadn`t been to Whistler

`since we had moved 3 years ago, but after getting some decent gear for Christmas and the trip to Cypress he was feeling pretty confident.

I was snowboarding and it took us a little while to find a run that would accommodate us both. I needed something not too steep and not too flat for my board.

It`s hard to find a run like that. Mike laughed at me as I bunny hopped on flat areas and eventually had to get off my board and drag up to a hill. It`s tough being a newbie boarder and Mike had no sympathy for me. Get yourself a set of skis he laughed at me as I fell and dismounted to walk up a hill.

I was laying low to gain speed on flat areas and eventually got the hang of it.

I took this pic of Whistler village from the mountain. My camera is not the best but even it could not mess up this gorgeous day.

After a day of skiing we went to a nice steak house for dinner and then hung out with the puppies and watched som movies. Just a note that during the olympics that 90% of the ski hills are open.


I`d thought the whole mountain was closed, but it is not. You do however need a car pass or to take one of the shuttles to the mountain.