Olympic Fever all on My Very Own

Yesterday (11th) I had an unplanned trip downtown to take in some of the Olympic sights. I was all on my own in the big city. Took the Canada Line down and spent about 5 hours just roaming around like a lost dog. It was exciting to see so many people downtown in their olympic gear. Lots of foreign languages were overheard. On many corners, police were there in twos watching, directing. It seemed that at almost every location there were lots of "officials" chalking out and discussing future plans and events, shots. The big party is less that 24 hours away and there was still lots to be done. Many workers putting on the finishing touches to sites. Miles and miles of chain link fences covered with Olympic colours, orange cones and barriers abounded down Georgia by the viaducts. The most disappointing thing was the Canada Pavillion. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, it's a TENT! How sad that we are to be represented that way.

Below is a mini-pictorial of my day.



At the North side of The Vancouver Art Gallery. The Countdown clock, displays and a photo op bobsled!

As the countdown clock said: Only 2 days, 7 hours, 33 minutes and 22 seconds until the Olympics begin. Remember when they erected it? That seems like years ago, wait it was years ago.

The south end of the plaza between the Art Gallery and the Court House. I believe the white structure at the top is where Squire Barnes hosts the O Show.

An interactive "touch-me" screen. When I was there, no one was around so I had some time to play. Then a man from GE walked me through the screen and told me I could e-mail a picture of me to my family. So I did. That was fun.

More of the screen's display

Shot this just after my "picture" disappeared! Oh well.

The line up went on and on and on with people waiting to purchase Olympic tickets. You can make out people at the back curve of the skating rink. I hope they had tickets left!

The new "plastic ice" had just been installed and it really looked like ice which surprised me. It wasn't quite ready for prime time yet.

The "bird" watching the people line up for Olympic tickets

All of the steps are covered like a snowy mountain. This poor man was climbing that mountain, I wonder for how many times he scaled it that day!

Almost at the top!

Looking down at BC Pavillion

On Robson Street another photo op. "You Gotta be here" and I was! Got someone in a group of people to take this picture of me in exchange for taking their group shot.

Artist's video outside of The Vancouver Art Gallery

A very tiny patio with a big heart full of patriotism along Hornby Street

This reminded me of the UN with all of the flags flying

A closeup of one of the gigantic commercial installations on a Vancouver building.

The bigger picture

"Lantern display" made by children from China

The boards at the base of the lanterns. As people walked along them, it made a clomp, clomp, clomping sound.

Place your head here!

All along this section of Granville Street they had various Winter sport "cutouts" for people to squeeze into for photo opportunities which was fun.

Thought I'd take the back shot, while she was being photo'd from the front

Lantern display along Granville Street, north of Georgia

Canada Post got into the act too

Hamilton and Georgia Street, a sight you rarely see-no cars!

Aboriginal Pavillion on the promanade of The Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Only a part of of it was open for visitors. Sadly, not the "show".

Looking out the window towards CBC Corp. from inside of Aboriginal House

Everywhere you look people are very busily putting the last minute touches to the displays

All along the main streets you see plastic cones dotting the lanes. No cars in sight.

Hamilton and Georgia by the main Post Office. Note the plastic garbage bag recepticles on the lamp standards.

Popped into The Bay to purchase a few items, including the famous $10.00 red mittens. The place was swarming with customers. This group is in the first line-up to pay for Olympic items. The line-ups are broken down into 3 more lines. Crazy busy, but only here at The Bay, the rest of the store deadsville!

One of the artistic video presentations inside the Vancouver Public Library "corridor"

This was fun. You folded up paper airplane-like structures and inserted it into a long clear vaccuum tube approximately 3 storys high. It was sucked it up, up, up, then it popped out the top and floated down to be caught in a net below.
If you look closely, you can see one being sucked up the tube. (Just below the black ring)

People very busily folding their planes
In it goes!
The floaters caught up in the net. So much fun to watch. People were cheering.

This concludes my pictorial adventure-for now. My beloved and I are hoping to make another day of it while the Olympics is in full swing and then hopefully at night, to get the full Olympic experience sans tickets! I am so glad I got the opportunity to experience Vancouver in preparty mode.