Olympics 2010 - Feb. 12 to 28 Official Olympics thread, everything Olympics goes here

[Natalka]

My bad, tommygun, I sure didn't mean it that way.
No disrespect intended, honest - I didn't express myself properly, so sorry. I have the highest regard for him, his achievements, his legacy...
Mea culpa...

[Racefan]

I've never been, but I do watch the opening ceremonies and the hockey.

My father-in-law is hopping on a plane to head out there tomorrow. Happened quickly, he just got the call that they officially hired him. He's going out to drive the bus, they hired around 300 bus drivers across the country and it's quite the cushy job with everything paid for.

That's so cool, Amber.

I can't wait to see who lights the cauldron.

I saw on tv that they were blocking a few streets in Vancouver. When I was out there in August, the traffic was insane. I can't imagine how bad it will be when the Olympics start.

[anisa]

Because Whistler was the one who put in the bid...and they are using Whistler and Cypress instead of other mountains like Grouse or Seymour...maybe instead we should call it the Gordon Cambell Olympics...funny I watched the torch party in toronto and they called it the best thing that ever happened in toronto...

haha typical toronto. everything has to be about them, if it isn't, it still HAS to be

[mcminsen]

Here's one example of a building wrap in downtown Vancouver. I think it's one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) Canadian fla gs ever. There'll be a lot of pictures with this in the background.


Feb.3 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

Here's the Olympic countdown clock in the plaza on the North side of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Protesters have defaced it with paint several times but the city just cleans it up and keeps watch. In the background you can see a new public work of art called "A Modest Veil" which is the floral patterned screens on the Art Gallery. I've lost count of the new artwork that has been unveiled in the past few weeks. Some of it is very popular, some is so so, and some is roundly ridiculed. I guess that's the nature of the beast, some like it, some don't.


Jan.23 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

Heres the wrap on the Hudson's Bay in downtown Vancouver.


Feb.3 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

Here's the Olympic wrap on the McDonalds across the street from where I live. Of course, they're a corporate sponsor. I noticed that a lot of the little restaurants and cafes nearby have filled their windows with Coca Cola signage. I presume that they are following orders from Coke and/or they are getting a nice fee for putting the Coke image out there where it will be seen.


Feb.3 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

Here's a "two for one" pic. In the background you can see that Canada Post is also getting on board with a building wrap. It's not all done yet and the sponsor is Cheerios.

In the foreground is another open air art installation. This piece of art has been under construction for over a month and is still fenced off and a bit of a mess. The artist has built a deck and installed pieces of public furniture scavenged from the City of Vancouver Public Works yard. The pieces of furniture in the foreground are "sinking" into the deck. There will be a large working television drawing crowds to watch and then they will have a chance to "interact" with the art.

If I had a house that needed a deck built I would want this artist/carpenter to do it because his workmanship is superb. As for the artistic concept of this piece...


Feb.3 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

My neighbourhood is a high security zone in downtown Vancouver and will have big crowds. So, the newspaper boxes and usual garbage cans have been removed, lest someone hide a bomb inside one of them. We now have translucent garbage bags mounted on all the corners.


Feb.3 '10 my pic

[momofkali]

WE;re right by where they are passing the torch in Surrey. So we are going to walk over with my daughters school to see the festivities!

[mcminsen]

WE;re right by where they are passing the torch in Surrey. So we are going to walk over with my daughters school to see the festivities!

Be sure to take some pics if you can!

Here's the TD Tower wrap featuring our lovable Olympic mascots and (I think) a really big Samsung cell phone.


Jan.23 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

The Royal Bank Tower wrap in downtown Vancouver.


Jan.23 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

Granville St in downtown Vancouver. Some fun interaction with sculptures. Lantern trees in the background.


Jan.23 '10 my pic

[Natalka]

mcminsen - WOW!!! Thanks so much for your time and effort into putting up these pictures! I feel like I have a front row seat - so nice!

[mcminsen]

mcminsen - WOW!!! Thanks so much for your time and effort into putting up these pictures! I feel like I have a front row seat - so nice!

You're welcome! I don't go out the door anymore without my camera. The next several weeks are going to be crazy. I don't have any tickets to see any events but I'll try to get some interesting shots of the "man in the street's view". Stuff that you might not see on TV.

A couple of nights ago I was coming home past the Art Gallery and noticed they had a big set of really powerful spotlights in Robson Square shining straight up in the sky. There were a few clouds floating around and when the spotlights caught them it was dazzling. People were standing around with their necks craned to look straight up. It looked just like the tribute of light at the World Trade Centre's one year memorial of 9-11 in September of 2002. Just a huge pillar of bluish white light shining up thousands of feet as far as the eye could see.

Then they started splaying the light beams all around in different patterns and it was just amazing. I tried to get a shot with my camera but no go. You can only do so much with a $99 camera.

BTW, I think I have some reliable information on how they're going to be having the Olympic flame cauldron in the closed stadium... but I don't want to spoil any surprises. I've also heard about the extra flame cauldrons that will be outside in Vancouver and Whistler. I have a pic of a huge white tent structure that has been covering something down on the new Convention Centre plaza. Top secret!!!

Stay tuned!