Today marks the end of day FOUR of the Vancouver 2010 Winer Olympics. I might as well just get it out there, does anyone want to call in and tell my work that I have been kidnapped? I really do not want to go to work while all these amazing events around town are happening!
This weekend for example was one for the memory books. Bryan and I headed downtown on Saturday for a day full of random fun. Though our morning was off to a slow start it picked up quickly as soon as we got on the Canada Line Skytrain. First we went and headed down to Jack Poole Plaza adjacent to the new Vancouver Convention Centre in Coal Harbour to see the Olympic flame.
After we decided to walk down to Robson Square just to see all the people and just to experience downtown Vancouver the first day into the Olympics. There were so many people walking around, it reminded me of when I was in New York City a few years ago – All the people on the streets, the amount of police officers there, the whole feel of the hussel and bussel only thing that threw me off is the amount of RED and WHITE people were wearing. Everyone was out and representing Canada, not to mention everyone was so kind in true Canadian fashion. No Pushing, No Shoving, and hardly anyone cutting you off when your walking!
Once we arrived in Robson Square we were greeted my the screams of participants on the EcoTrek Zip Line. We then headed straight for the starting point, once we arrived we of course realized that there is a line up – and it was on the opposite direction. We headed back there and were informed that the wait was two hours long. We decided to wait it out and head on into the lineup. As how often do you get to go on a free ziptrek across high above the streets below? – The line up was brutal. It took what seemed like forever to get even remotly close to the front – all in all we stuck it out and it only took 2.5 hours to make it to the front of the line. Did I mention it was raining – a lot?
Robson Square – Ziptrek from Aidan on Vimeo.
We made it onto the ziptrek at around 6:30 – so of course we were hungry for dinner. We had not eaten since breakfast. We ended up heading to The Keg for a delicious steak dinner, we decided to have it double as a Valentines Dinner as it would be difficult to get seats at any restaurant the next day (real v-day) as it was also Chinese New Year too. After Dinner we headed back out and came across the craziest flash mob ever right in Robson Square! – Check them out (video still uploading – check back later) – Now this is a truly a Canadian Dance party! *LOL*
After joining the flash mob for a few songs, we headed over to Granville Island to meet up with my brother and his girlfriend for drinks. Once we got there we had a few, then head out again downtown. This time driven by my brother in his truck. We went around searching for Olympic Team Country Houses – and plus we went on a Bum hunt. (Just wanted to see if the homeless were still around town – we only saw a few of them which is strange for the area that we were driving in)
All in all, this weekend was amazing. I want to be downtown all the time, just taking in all the free events, all the signs, and just being apart of it all. This week I will be going to the Richmond OZone for one of many free concerts around town – Our Lady Peace will be performing on Thrusday, as well as on Saturday my old friends band – RallyCar -will be performing – but I’m not sure if I will head there as I would rather be downtown!
Medal Count for Canada – February 15, 2010
Gold: 1
Silver: 2
Bronze: 1
My name is Aidan, I am an average late twenty-something Canadian Vancouverite. I enjoy hockey, maple syrup, bacon and cupcakes. This is my blog.
February 16th, 2010 at 7:25 am
Yay for seeing Olympic stuff =) I’ve headed out twice to see stuff so far, there’s just been so much to see, it’s absolutely crazy. I still have so much I want to see, and am considering seeing Our Lady Peace as well. =)
February 16th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
That’s really awesome! I wouldn’t want to go to work either with all that amazing fun going on! It looks like it’s so much fun! I am so jealous that you’re there where all the action is!
February 20th, 2010 at 1:59 am
You’re so lucky that you live in/near Vancouver! I would love to be that close to the Olympic Games. I absolutely love the Winter Olympics; they’re really sentimental for me because it used to be my dream to win gold in ladies figure skating.
That’s an amazing picture of the Olympic flame! It looks so bright against the dull sky behind it.
The mountains are also beautiful, of course.
It’s cool that there’s so much Canadian spirit in downtown Vancouver right now. I think it’s really moving when so many people get together like that all supporting the same source of pride.
That zip line looks so fun!! I’ve never been on even a small zip line before, but I would love to. If I ever go to Vancouver, I will definitely check it out.
I’m impressed that you guys actually waited in line for it. I think I would have given up and gone back another day. And in the rain too? Wow. D: Is the zip line a temporary Olympic attraction, or is it there all the time?
I hope you have an amazing time for the remainder of the Olympics.
I wish they never had to end! Do you have tickets to any of the events?
February 21st, 2010 at 1:37 am
The ZipTrek line downtown Vancouver is just a temporary attraction, plus there is no way of coming back another day as it is insanly busy downtown all the time, so far I am the shortest amount of wait time. I’ve met people who waited 5 hours, and the news and radio report 7 hour waits sometimes. The downtown core is like downtown New York City right now, except with major patriotism and crowds of strangers bursting out into the national anthem at random moments.