As you all must know by now, the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are over. It ended with a HUGE BANG! Canada won gold in overtime in Mens Hockey! *Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal* – I was downtown for the game, I actually got to the pub at 9am so then we could get a seat! It was amazing! I have never felt so proud to be Canadian! The streets were packed, I even saw footage on tv of street parties that occurred all across the country! I took lots of amazing video that whole day so expect to see it once it has finished uploading onto my vimeo account.

I really wish I had bloggged sooner, like the next day, not a few weeks later. I had so much energy those days following the Olympics, not to mention the huge Olympic Hangover. Everyone I knew got sick, even Bryan and myself. It was awful. Though I guess that is what I get for having a very active social life for a three week period. It was an amazing run.

Though I did not let the end of the Olympics get me down. What came two weeks after the end that brought back some life into the city of Vancouver and to help with my continuous withdraw Olympic Hangover Depression was the start of the 2010 Paralympic Games! Bryan and I bought tickets to a Canadian Sledge Hockey team game! They played a preliminary round game against Italy! It was such an amazing experience, those athletes are truly spectacular! The speed, the Hits, the goals! I love Sledge Hockey!

During the Sledge Hockey game we were sitting one or two sections away from the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper! Can you see him in this picture?

There was a line up of people getting their picture taken with him during the games intermissions. I was thinking about going and trying to get my picture with him, but to tell you the truth I would have been much happier getting my picture taken with Crazy P (#1 Fan – Guy who gets the crowd pumped up at various sporting events around town) Plus I may have had said something to him that would have gotten me kicked out of the building. LOL! All in all when it was all said and done the whole day was amazingly fun, such a unique experience watching a sport I have never seen before, and Canada won 4 – 0! (Check back tomorrow for some video footage of the game!)

The Paralympics are coming to an end this weekend, I am sad that they will be leaving the city as it has been such a whirlwind past few months around here, but it will be nice to get back to the regular swing of things. Though I am disappointed in the fact that there has been very minimal tv and social media coverage of the Paralympic events.

Canada’s Final Olympic Medal Count:
Gold: 14
Silver: 7
Bronze: 5

Paralympic Medal Count – March 18, 2010
Gold: 6
Silver: 3
Bronze: 3

It is hard to believe that the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics are drawing to a close. These past two weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions, and patriotism. Never in my whole life will I experience an event like this. The parties, and the people.

Last night Canada defeated Slovakia in Men’s Hockey 3 – 2. It was a nail biter of a game, especially in the final minutes of the game when Slovakia scored their two goals. I’m just glad that we will be heading to the Gold Medal game tomorrow, and playing against the USA for a nice rematch. The game starts at Noon tomorrow, and just letting everyone know that Canada will be closed between Noon and 3pm PST. If you plan to do any business, make a phone call, contact a Canadian friend between those hours you will not get a reply until after the game, if you do make contact it will be inaudible cheering.

The Canadian women’s hockey team won Gold the other night against the USA, I got a little chocked up when the girls won, and when they were receiving their medals. They have all worked so hard to get to this moment, and they looked so happy. I loved how classy the mostly local Canadian crowed was when they started a U.S.A. chant while the USA team was being awarded their silver. – I love this game!

Did you know that there are more medals won by Canadian women then there has been by the men? Canadian Girls/Women really do Kick Ass!

Medal Count for Canada – February 27, 2010
Gold: 10
Silver: 7
Bronze: 4

I might as well end this post with a question: What is your most memorable moment during the Winter Olympic Games?

Last night, or should I say this morning at 6am, Bryan and I finally found our way home. We had headed downtown with one of our good friends for a night on the town. We headed down to Granville st to meet up with my brother and a bunch more friends. I regret not taking my cameras with me as the sights and sounds were truly amazing. The people, the patriotism, the red, the white, it is something totally unique and something that I will never experience again.

We had some drinks at the bar, and once I started getting a little hungry I orded myself some Nacho’s as there was no end in sight, but then of course knowing my luck my friends all decide it’s time to move on to another location. (why not with the amount of people in the street and the party everywhere you look) – so yeah my Nachos were now “To-Go” – This made some wicked Street Party Nacho’s. We ate them outside on the street, offering them to those who look like they needed a bite. I even offered them to a few of the hundreds of police officers. One of them almost accepted but then politely declined my offer. – I do know I had my picture taken many times over with my extra large take out container filled with delicious nachos.

I do not really know what else to mention, just that the city of Vancouver is one amazing place right now. I have included a LIVE STREAM of Robson Square in Downtown Vancouver. Plus I am still trying to find a live stream of the olympic couldron.

Medal Count for Canada – February 20, 2010
Gold: 4
Silver: 3
Bronze: 1

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

On Tuesday the Olympic Torch past by my work and I managed to be able to take some of the children with me to be able to see it. I am so glad we made it and were able to watch it go past. I felt so proud to be Canadian at that moment – The Olympic Games are here, in my backyard.

Then later on that evening I headed to anther part of town to watch my Aunt & Uncles neighbour carry the torch. I felt even more proud to have experienced such an amazing event like that – I took some awesome photos, and grabbed some video of her jogging past. Keep your eyes posted for the pass off of the torch that I took.

Later on that same evening I met up with my friend Leane at the Richmond O-Zone to watch the community celebration – well I tried to meet up with her. There was approx. 3,500 people there. I arrived a little late so I could not get over to her section of the field as there was a gate closure due to the pathway that the Olympic Torch would pass through. You can see video below of the Olympic Torch being rolled into the O-Zone by Rick Hansen (The Man in Motion!) – After it had gone past the gates opened up again and it took me just a few minutes to be able to find her. I have never been so happy to see her and her family! LOL!

Where will you be tonight? Will you watch the Opening Ceremonies? I am bringing my laptop to live stream some before events – then I plan to go home, or to my moms and watch it. (unless she has reserved me a seat some where else!)