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!