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

[madchives]

i see the 'usual', (as if there is such a thing), thread has lots of great photos, (yikes mcminsen), and comments, more 's,
but i wondered if anyone else wanted a thread just for suggesting, hoping, wishing, who would light the flame?

[trucks12trucks]

As long as its not a politcian I am okay with anyone lighting it up. Why do politcians get to light it; most of them are just big names with hardly any relation to the sports being played!

[cabmonk]

Woody Harrelson.

[madchives]

The hoards descended upon downtown Vancouver today (Saturday). This is a little bit of Robson Square with the new General Electric skating rink under the dome you see on the right. If you look up at the upper right corner, you'll see one end of a "zip line" that they've strung across the square for fun seekers. I heard that Premier Campbell has already tried it out.

BTW... what's all the blue stuff up above?



Feb.6 '10 my pic

well, i think that's the same stuff they put up for expo.
(wasn't that some sort of record - in the lack of rain
department?)
FABULOUS photos, mc
voting for your own thread and money to ask you to cover
events, (hence we know someone there NOT using
their flash,,,,,,

[madchives]

As long as its not a politcian I am okay with anyone lighting it up. Why do politcians get to light it; most of them are just big names with hardly any relation to the sports being played!

hey trucks, i can't remember a politician ever lighting the flame, except of course arnold, today, (i think), which is not the real lighting, it's the passing of,,,,,,

[trucks12trucks]

Well that teaches me to use bing before I post.

Okay in case they were thinking of doing that they better not!

[mcminsen]

Having problems with the Imageshack website this morning. Hope this works and hope this stays put.

It's my expectation that when the opening ceremonies get under way, the first thing that will be done will be a welcoming speech to the world from a local First Nations chief to their traditional territory. This is before the mayor or the premier or the IOC head or the Governor General or anybody. Our First Nations culture will probably be a big part of the opening and closing ceremonies.

There is a First Nations house/pavilion that's been built on the plaza of the Q.E. Theatre. In this pic you can see the totem pole, a big inflatable dome and a wood lodge type structure. When I was taking pics there were a lot of well dressed people arriving for a formal event of some sort.

Oh, the totem pole is actually called the "Petro Canada 2010 Legacy Pole".


Feb.8 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

One of several welcoming messages posted at the First Nations Pavilion.


Feb.8 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

Gotta get in one pic of some new art.

Maybe not directly Olympics related but yet another new art installation. There have been so many things appearing lately because of the Cultural Olympiad that it's hard to keep track. This is on Hastings Street in the downtown Eastside on one of the worst blocks of decay before the current gentrification started. It's just across from the new Woodward's development.

It's an old building with movies of fire projected onto the windows from inside. When you stand there and watch these moving images of roaring flames fill the windows it's almost alarming because they look real. Shortly after this installation was set up, they actually did have the fire department down there because somebody had called in an alarm. Gee, wonder why they would do that?

It's fascinating to watch and may have been intended to have some sort of meaning about the big changes happening, in large part because of the Olympic Games.


Feb.8 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

Back to the plaza around the Olympic countdown clock. A new display of posters describing heroic events from previous Olympics has been set up. It certainly helps to get some historical context.


Feb.8 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

A bobsleigh has been put in by the countdown clock to allow people to pose with it and in it. I've been seeing a lot of grownups looking like happy kids.


Feb.8 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

Just one of many party places, already rocking. Irish House is in this BIG temporary tent like thing, about the size of a quarter block. As I went by tonight it was loud and busy. As I glimpsed inside the door it appeared to be mostly full and with a band on stage rocking the (Irish) house down! Those Irish do know how to party, and they're getting a head start. Two blocks away I could still hear them, and I'm hard of hearing.


Feb.8 '10 my pic

[mcminsen]

"Vectorial Elevation" was looking a little different tonight, as seen in this shot from a street in the west end of downtown Vancouver. Also, another set of high intensity spotlights were shining from Robson Square tonight. Two light shows going on at once!

It was a clear night so the light beams looked more blue in the night sky. Incidentally, clear sky is good because it gets a bit colder then and will help out the crews on the North Shore trying to patch together a snowboarding half pipe and a hill for the aerials with snow brought in by truck and helicopter. I heard that they are also putting dry ice underneath to try to keep the stuff from melting. Hopefully more clear and cold ahead. For once I wouldn't mind at all.


Feb.8 '10 my pic

[Lynn49]

Mcminsen....I've so enjoyed your photos and realized that I haven't thanked you for posting them. Your photos really bring the Olympics "home" to us, and make it such a personal experience: I wish we were there!
THANK YOU for so generously sharing your time and photos with us!

[gasjoc]

Thanks so much Mcminsen these pics are awesome.. My son just loves looking at them. It sure does make us feel a little bit closer to it all.. Again.. Thanks.