Opening Ceremony Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

It was so exciting to leave and make my way to BC Place for the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremony yesterday around 3:30 pm. Thousands of others were also making their way to BC Place. The wonderful Vancouver 2010 volunteers were plenty and along with the help of police were assisting people get to the stadium.

Lucky me I got to go through the express security line up. On my way in I happened to see Canadian design superstars Dean and Dan Caten of Dsquared. Stupid me I had just put away my camera and wasn't able to fish it out in time to get a photo of them. So as I walked by I said how much I loved them and Dean or Dan said thank you.

BC Place before the Opening Ceremony began.

I made my way into the stadium and to my seat which was in what you might call the nosebleeds. It was fine though, I was happy to be there as were all the others around me. We shared with each other how and when we purchased our tickets to the Opening Ceremony. As I was in line for a hot dog, I was chatting with a Vancouver person behind me. I mentioned that one of the things I was loving about the Olympics was how everyone was talking to each other and then the guy in front of me turned around and said " I know it’s great" which it is. Talked to some more BC people while I waited for my water. Everyone was in good spirits and wishing each other well, everyone was decked out in their Canada gear.

The preshow started at 5pm with hosts Ben Mulroney and Tamara Taggart who is a much loved weather reporter in Vancouver. During the preshow the audience participation for the Opening Ceremony was explained. We had all received our Audience Kit on our seats and the props we needed were in there. We were counting down the start of the Opening Ceremony from 10 seconds, creating stars in the sky with different coloured flashlights and giving the athletes’ a thunderous welcome with our drum kit. There were pre show performances by Jully Black and the Canadian tenors. The preshow ended around 5:45. A 10 minute countdown to show time appeared on the screen, then 2 minutes and then we were on! It was the 10 second countdown and we were standing and shouting out our appropriate numbers. It was every emotional for me. I’ve watched so many of these Ceremonies on TV, I really could not believe I was witnessing one with my own eyes. I had a crying fit for about 30 seconds and then calmed myself down.

I didn’t realize that as the opening segment with the snowboarder was being shown, the TV audience could not hear the cheers of the live audience. When the Winter Olympic cities were being announced and they came to Calgary we were cheering loud and proud for our other Canadian Winter Olympic host city.

During the Parade of Nations I had to keep reminding myself I was seeing this live in person with my own eyes. It was unbelievable. The is always one of my favourite parts of the ceremony. I cheered for the countries of my heritage, Armenia for my grandparents, Belgium for my Dad, The United States of America for my Mom. And everyone was on their feet clapping and screaming when Georgia entered the stadium, a tribute to the athlete they lost earlier in the day Nodar Kumaritashvili.

For those of you who saw the Opening Ceremony on TV, I don’t know if you could tell that the screaming and cheering started for Canada even before they entered the stadium. Everyone was on their feet, clapping, pounding their drums, screaming and waving their flags. It was so loud I can’t even remember if I heard them announce Canada. The noise went on for so long. It is such a thrill to be cheering for them. And I don’t believe I cried during this part which you probably don’t believe but it’s true. I screamed until I thought I was going to lose my voice.

The Canadian Olympic team.

The rest of the ceremony was magical, beautiful, an artistic tribute to our wonderful country, celebrating our heritage and seasons. Even the mechanical glitch of the Olympic Cauldron didn’t take away from the beauty and significance of the Opening Ceremony. I can tell you that after seeing the outdoor Olympic Cauldron on Saturday, you can really only see three arms of it at a time anyway so what is the big deal? Everyone in that stadium was a witness to what was probably the largest Canadian theatrical production in our country’s history. We were part of a show that was watched by 3.5 billion people around the world. What a memory for us! I only hope that I am able to convey properly even just a little bit what it was like to be there. Canada was on stage to the world and it was wonderful to see!  As I was leaving BC Place I heard a familiar voice.  I looked to my right and Brian Williams was right there! I mentioned in an earlier post how much I love his Olympic hosting duties.  I kept wondering if I should say something to him. In the end I decided not to, I'm just not that kind of person. I was happy enough just to see him. 

To see all the photos I took during the Opening Ceremony please click here.

The Olympic Cauldron after it was lit.  Along the bottom of the photo you can see the Torch bearers.

Update: So sorry I forgot to mention the Vancouver 2010 volunteers.  They were out in droves helping direct people to the security checkpoints and into the stadium. Afterwards they were assisting with helping people get home.  They are truly wonderful, dedicated people and these Olympics could not be held without them. If you see them anywhere be sure to say hello and tell them what a great job they are doing. And smile at them because they will be smiling at you.

Opening Ceremony And Me!

I got a ticket to the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremony! At times it seemed like a real long shot but I always had a feeling I would be there.  I only bought it yesterday and only got it because VANOC released more tickets for several events.  That news was delivered to me on Monday by a few people (thanks Mom, Dad and Mariesa) so I knew there was a slim possibility I might get one.  The twist was that it wasn't going to be announced when the tickets were made available. Most people would find out by going in to their ticket accounts and trying to purchase one like I did.  When I saw on my screen that it was availabel I almost lost it!  Good thing I was at work and had to maintain a controlled reaction.
Tickets for most events were supposed to be made availabe, even the much coveted Mens Gold Medal Hockey game was going to have extra tickets. If you managed to get one of those kudos to you.  That one I'll be watching on TV somewhere, hopefully with a large Canada fan filled crowd. 
I will be at the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremony and couldn't be happier.
See you tomorrow Vancouver!

I’m Packing!

I flipped my calendar to February last week and realized the Vancouver Olympics are no longer 6 months away, they are less than a week! That means I need to start packing and getting ready to go to Vancouver. Leading up to this month I’ve been doing some minor preparations, which blog post to do next was what I thought about the most. I also spent time reading other Olympic related blogs, and searching online for others making the trip to Vancouver.

A few weeks ago I started to look into free events that will be available during Vancouver 2010. There are many and to try to make sense of all the locations was making me dizzy. I’ve bookmarked all the sites and blogs I could find on everything and anything going on in Vancouver during the Olympics. At the top of my list of things to do outside of our Olympic events are hanging out at LiveCity Yaletown and Downtown and visiting as many of the pavilions and houses that I can. Of special interest is Sochi House-the next host city for the winter Olympics and as many Canadian houses that I can get to including Ontario House, Quebec House, Canada’s Northern House, and obviously Vancouver House. I will try to get to as many as I can.

Outside of those things, I want to go shopping! Not mall shopping, I want funky, boutique, you can only get this in Vancouver kind of shopping! I was asking around on Twitter for some recommendations and people sent me quite a few suggestions. I’ve made a list and will be working my way through it when I am in town. It will also be inspiration for my Not A Shopaholic blog which I’ve been ignoring while I focus on my Journey to Vancouver 2010 blog.

Now my attention turns to getting ready to make the trip to Vancouver. This past weekend I brought up my suitcase and tried to start packing based on lists I’ve been working on for months. Packing is one of my least favourite activities, “pack light” everyone always tells me. That phrase doesn’t seem to be in my vocabulary. I’m going to try my hardest to make it work this time. I want to leave room for all the souvenirs I’m going to bring home from Vancouver!

Vancouver, I will see you Thursday, February 11, 2010!

Olympic Celebrations Across Canada

I saw this press release last month and meant to get the information out to you before today, sorry! During the Olympics five cities across Canada will be hosting Olympic Celebrations. I assume they will be modeled after the Torch Celebrations that recently came through many communities with the Olympic Torch Relay.  In the CTV press release it states there will be musical acts, interactive sports zones, cultural pavillions and large screens showcasing live coverage from Vancouver.  Some of the musical acts listed on the website are Barenaked Ladies, Simple Plan and Sam Roberts Band,  If you are not going to Vancouver it sounds like this will be a great alternative. I would definitely be there if I was going to be home.
Here are the cities and dates for the celebrations:

Calgary and Winnipeg - February 13
Toronto - February 20
Newfoundland and Labrador - February 26
Quebec City - February 27

More information can be found on the CTV Olympic site. Have a great time if you go and let me know all about it.

The People I Leave Behind

Back in 2008 when I starting planning this Vancouver 2010 trip, I didn’t even know who would be coming with me. I couldn’t wait to find someone; I had to go ahead and build my ticket request and submit it before the due date. I figured I would see if I could get tickets first, then worry about who was going to come with me. I asked my Mom if I couldn’t find anyone else to go with me if she would come. She said yes and I’m not sure if she ever thought that she would actually have to go. I asked a few friends that I thought had the best chance of saying yes. They all said no. Whether they weren’t big Olympic fans or they thought it would be too much money I don’t know. It was a year and a half before Vancouver 2010 would start and the excitement for people other than me hadn’t started to build yet.

At some point I told my Mom it was me and her that were going to make the trip. When she realized there were 9 events to attend she got a bit nervous and said she thought that might be too much for her. That is how my younger brother became involved. We needed a body and since he wasn’t working, he was available to come. To say he has been less than thrilled about the whole thing is an understatement. The most excitement I got out of him was a few months ago when he said, “I wonder what it will be like there”. Oh yeah, sensory overload on the happiness right there. I’m sure once we arrive they will get right into it.

That meant that both my older brother and my Dad would be staying behind. I certainly couldn’t afford to foot the bill for a family of 5, no matter how much I wanted to. So as we began this insane and really, really fun adventure, they sat on the sidelines and watched. They have been helpful in our planning stages. I know my Mom had my Dad looking up things for her on the internet, he sent away for information packages, checked out prices on flights and possibly hotels. He has dutifully gone to all the places I’ve sent him around Brampton whether it was to Rona to check out their Olympic pin offering or to their local MP’s office to pick up Canada pins for me. He may not be making the trip out to Vancouver with us but he has definitely been involved in the getting ready portion of the trip.

As for my older brother, Allan, his assistance came in the form of tech gadgets. He works at the Best Buy warehouse in Brampton, ON and has an arsenal of techy products that he offered to share with us. I couldn’t be bothered to learn about these things so I believe he has been giving lessons to Mark for whatever camera Allan is lending us. At Christmas time I found myself the proud new owner of a Panasonic Olympic 8GB memory card. I had been concerned my 2GB card would not be enough for the tons of photos and video I was going to take in Vancouver. Thanks to Allan, I no longer have to worry about it. And the 8 GB card has Quatchi on it, too perfect. Allan celebrates his birthday at the end of February which sadly we will miss. I will make sure we call him from Vancouver to wish him a Happy Birthday, no matter where we are that day. His birthday celebration will take place when we get home.

Then there are my co-workers who have been amazing through this whole thing. They have never once told me to shut up about the Olympics; in fact they are quite encouraging and ask questions all the time about my trip and adventures. They are a big part of why this has been so much fun for me. It would not have been as exciting if I didn’t have them to tell my stories to.

For all the people I can’t take to Vancouver, I am sad to leave them behind. I really hope they will be following along on my blog. If I can make them feel a part of the occasion even just a little bit I will be happy. For everyone who has helped me through this and shown their support and love, you have no idea how grateful I am. Without all of you to share this with, it would mean nothing. In Vancouver I will be cheering on your behalf. It has been such a joy to share this with everyone. Thank you so much.

As we get closer to the Vancouver Olympics make sure you are on the lookout for grand displays of Canadian Olympic Spirit. If you see something send me an image to inlcude in the photo album I started. I want Canada to show the world we have the most Olympic spirit around.  See the post about it here.

I’m A Pin Head/Hustler

Getting ready to go to Vancouver for the Olympics Games has been a very unique experience. For me, this is probably the only one that I will get to attend so I need to make sure I get the full experience. A few months ago someone clued me in to this sport of “pin trading” that has been happening for years at most Olympics.

When you read up on this non official event that does not award medals, you will see that it is commonly referred to as an event bigger than the Olympics themselves. What? How is that even possible? If this was going to happen at our Olympics, you know I had to be a part of it! I raced out and started buying up pins like a maniac. I was running to Rona on my lunch hour in a snowstorm, searching the Vancouver 2010 store online to see what they had, and asking people outright if they could help find pins for me. My mom helped by phoning Bay stores in
Toronto to see if they sold them in stores. In addition to that, I was entering every contest I could find to try to win pins, whether it was by leaving a comment on a blog or answering daily Olympic trivia questions. Some of the suppliers I deal with at work are Olympic sponsors or suppliers. One of my sales reps came across some Panasonic pins and passed them on to me. I have a contact at CTV that I have been emailing to see if there are any spare “believe” pins lying around. Not surprisingly the answer to that was no. My friend works at the airport and offered, I swear she offered, to see if she could find Air Canada pins for me. I was becoming obsessed; I had to have the pins! I had to have them!

Left: Panasonic pin   Right: HBC Mascot pin I won in a contest from 2010VanFan.

Then another genius person who I have met in my Olympic travels, my new friend Hardeep, suggested writing to companies associated with Vancouver 2010 and asking if they would send pins. People, I was on it! I started emailing and asking if they would send pins that I could add to my collection. And some of them did! The first company I emailed was GM and a very nice woman from Customer Service replied and sent me a pin right away. I was ecstatic. I’ve been sending emails ever since. Most have not responded even a week after I sent an email. I got my first rejection today from Canada Post, and I’ve had yes responses from RBC, Rona and Petro Canada. Thank you for supporting the Canadian Olympic fans. I am very happy to be adding your pins to my collection. As I write this post, I received a message from Atos Origin. I had sent them a pin request and they just responded. They are sending me a pin! Thank you @atosJenn!

As for the pin trading thing, I think I may be missing the point. I do not want to part with any of the pins that I have. I understand that you are supposed to trade only the ones that you have doubles of, but it was so hard to get one, how on earth was I supposed to get more than that? The whole trading thing kind of scares me too. You kind of need to know what it is you have, if it is a hard to find pin etc, and make sure you are trading it for something equal. With all of the work and planning and blogging I’ve done for this trip, I don’t know where I could have found the time to educate myself on Olympic pins. This time I think I’ll sit back and watch the action. Maybe by my next Olympics I’ll have become a Pin Master, ready to trade in the big leagues. The Coca Cola Pin Trading Centre is set up at The Olympic Superstore (Bay store) downtown Vancouver if you want to try your hand at trading. I will be at the Superstore buying Coca Cola Olympic pins. I've read that is the only store that is selling them.

As for the pins I purchased from retail, I have started wearing a different one each day to work. What is the point of having them if I can’t show them off? Now it is a morning ritual when I come in for my co-workers to check out which pin I am wearing. And guess what, they want pins now too!

Do you have a story or suggestion on how to get Olympic pins? Leave a comment to share with all of us. My quest for pins is ongoing and I can use all the help and tips I could get.

Thank you so much for reading. It is 9 days until Vancouver 2010 officially begins. It is going to be great Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

Above: My retail pin collection. Right: Some cool Olympic pins I won through the Cold FX trivia contest. Top is the 6 piece pin set, and the single pin is the Sliding Goalie pin. The goalie actually moves from side to side. Very cool! I have one to trade. I was told to get something really good for it.

 

 

 

 

 

Some other Olympic souvenirs I purchased from the Vancouver 2010 online store.  I've been collecting keychains for years and am looking to pick up some more while in Vancouver.  The lanyard is for my Mom. The bookmark on the far left is for me. I am a book lover. I can sit and read for hours and hours at a time.

A Mish Mash of Olympic Stuff

Get your GM “Go Canada” Flag
I was on the GM Canada website the other week. After entering a contest a message came up telling me to go visit a GM dealership to pick up my free Go Canada flag. I called my parents right away and sent them over to their GM dealership (I don’t know where there is one in my area). My mom picked up 3 and I saw them on the weekend. They are really nice. They are the kind that sit in your car window. I’m going to take mine to Vancouver with me and wave it around with the Canada flag.

All of you should go visit GM and get your flags. Put it in your car window or display it at work or home. Do something to show your Canadian spirit! You can visit the GM Canada website to locate a dealer near you.

Classified, Canadian Rapper has Spirit

I have to thank one my vendors, Jason R., for clueing me in to this one. At a meeting last week Jason started off by telling me about a video he had seen of a Canadian East Coast rapper named Classified and his version of O Canada. Of course I had to see it so we looked it up and watched it while we ate lunch. I have to say the name “Classified” sounds familiar but I’m not sure what other material of his I may have heard. However, this is a great song/rap and an amazing video. I especially like the crowd shots of everyone dressed in Canada gear. I expect this video to be getting a ton of hits in the coming months, especially during February. You can check it out below. I think it is brilliant! I would love to see him performing this song somewhere in Vancouver during the Olympics. As of this post, his video has just over 167K views on YouTube.




City of Toronto Pins

I am happy to report that I will be representing Toronto well at the Vancouver Olympics. I wanted Canada stuff to give out to people but I also wanted to have something from my hometown as well. I emailed City of Toronto last week and they have a program that provides pins to people who are attending international events. I asked them if they would be able to give me some for the Olympics, sent them the link to my blog and now they are mailing pins out to me! I know Toronto pins may not be as sought after as the Olympic pins. I personally would not even mind if I came home with a collection of international pins from other countries and cities. The whole pin trading thing scares me a bit and I don’t really know enough about them to know if I am getting a fair trade. This seems much safer and easier to me. Hopefully the international visitors will be bringing city pins with them as well. I’ll post a photo when I get them, should be this week.

Nikki Yanofsky - "I Believe" Theme Song for the Olympics

I think I wrote about this beautiful song in an earlier blog post. I only heard it the one time, the first time I heard it and not since then. I did find it online and will have a listen to it there once in awhile. If you have not heard it before, you can hear it below with visuals from the Torch Relay. I can’t wait to hear this song in Vancouver. I wonder how many memories will become tied to this song for all of us?

Canadian Olympic Spirit Photo Album now online

I have finally manged to put together my Canadian Olympic Spirit photo album. It will be a work in progress that I will add to as I find images or others send to me displays of great Canadian Olympic Spirit from anywhere in Canada. I think I have a few photos on my parents computer that I will have to upload on the weekend.
Here is a preview of some of the images you'll find there.

I have my spies everywhere to capture photos for me! This one was taken in Toronto on Front Street in front of the Globe and Mail office. They are the official newspaper of Vancouver 2010 so I guess it is not surprising that they would decorate their newspaper boxes. A great display of Olympic Spirit. Thank you very much to Hardeep Gosal for submitting.

This one was posted on Twitter by my favourite GM guys GM_ArtAndSerge who I did my Torch Relay ride along with.  This is an image they captured in Moosomin, SK.

This is also an image I originally saw on Twitter that was posted by one of the cool Molson people I follow. I believe it was MolsonFerg who tweeted about this and MolsonTonia who sent me the link to the photo. Thank you so much both of you and to Molson. What great Canadian and Olympic spirit from Molson.





Thank you everyone for letting me use your photos. Keep checking for updates. As we get closer to Vancouver 2010, I have a feeling I'll be adding to this frequently.