Day 14 - Hurry Hard to the Curling Semi Finals

February 25, 2010

It was an early morning as we had to get to Vancouver Olympic Centre for the Women's Curling Semi Final at 9am. I have to say out of all the venues that we have been to, this one was the most disappointing. I had taken my eye contacts with me to put in at the Centre when I got there, it was too early to put them in when we left. I didn't think it would be a big deal, find a washroom when we got there, wash my hands and put in my contacts. Guess what, there are no real washrooms here. There is a room with portapotties and on the way out a machine that dispenses hand sanitizer. To say I was grossed out was a understatement. I can't believe they don't have proper washroom facilities, something as basic as soap and water is pretty standard. Washing your hands is good hygeine. It also seems like this is a temporary structure. It was basically curling rinks that had been created under a tent. There is no choice but to grin and bear it, but really as far as making an impression goes, this one does not. If I never had to go there again I would be happy. Unfortunately I do have to go there again.
Despite these initial problems, the Women's Curling team did not disappoint. It was a great game and it came down to the last rock to determine the winner. Cheryl Bernard and her team moved on to the Gold Medal game. I had heard a lot about the level of noise at the curling rink and people making noise during curlers getting ready to throw their rocks. There was a bit of that but for the most part the crowd was respectful and kept quiet during the rock delivery. After that though, there was no stopping the noise. All kinds of cheers from "hurry hard, go Barnard", Canada cheers in response to the Swiss cheers (they were our opponents) and stomping feet on the bleachers.

I spent a good part of the game explaining how it was played and scored to a young man sitting beside my Mom. I didn't really think anyone else was paying attention until the game ended and a woman in front of me thanked me for my details. She said she understood so much more now! Happy I could help. I told her I had only been playing curling for 2 years and I didn't really know a whole lot. It's nice to know what little I can explain was useful to others.

The Canada Men played in the afternoon. Our seats for this game were horrible. The men were playing the sheet right in front of where we were sitting. Trying to see what was going on over everyone's heads was impossible. I had to stand up most of the time to see what was going on. One of the middle sheets of ice was not being used, most of us were wondering why they didn't put them on there. Martin's team gave us a bit of a scare in the beginning, after a few ends they got back on track and there was no stopping them. They moved on to the Gold Medal game very easily. On the sheet of ice that we could see very well, Norway was playing so we got to see those pants up close and in person. After the game, I saw someone wearing a whole suite in that pattern! The Norwegians are leaving a fashion fad behind in Canada. I love it!

In the evening, my brother and I headed over to LiveCity Yaletown with Tomarra. There was a bit of a line up and it moved quickly. We were inside the site within 10 minutes. Johnny Reid was performing. I had never heard of him and I don't consider myself a country music fan but I really enjoyed listening to him and seeing him perform. It is great to expand your musical horizons. I never would have come across this singer if it wasn't for LiveCity Yaletown. We stayed until the end of his show. We watched the fireworks which were fantastic. I especially liked the video they showed with the fireworks display. It consisted of Olympic memories from Vancouver 2010 and it wasn't only Canadians featured. I love how we do things like that. It was a really nice night. I couldn't believe I was outside at night in February listening to a concert outdoors and I wasn't freezing. That is Vancouver for you.

From LiveCity Yaletown, we ventured over to English Bay to see if we could find Vectoral Elevation. Vectoral Elevation is part of the Cultural Olympiad and involves searchlights making designs and patterns over the water. It was really cool to see. It is one of those things that I could have watched for hours. We stayed for awhile, tried to get pictures of it-Tomarra was more successful at this than I was, and then it was time to head home. It was a pretty full day and I was ready to get to bed for some much needed rest.

Happy Birthday Allan! Sorry we had to miss it. We're celebrating when we get home.

The photos for the day are availabe through this link. Enjoy!

Canada Medal Results

Womens Ice Hockey, Gold Medal

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.

Reaction from Friends and Family

A few weeks ago I asked some friends, co-workers and family if they would write a short paragraph on their reaction to all of my Vancouver 2010 Olympic hoopla. I was curious to see if my experiences and adventures were having any effect on their outlook of the Olympics and if it was getting them more excited about these Vancouver games.  I told them they could write anything they wanted, I would publish as is and only edit for spelling and grammar. It is probably no surprise to you that I got teary eyed reading every single one of these.  There are a few people who I am still waiting to get a paragraph from but I thought I would publish the ones that I have as of today and then add the others as I get them.
I would like to thank them very much for taking the time to do this. Some were hesitant about trying to write something and I appreciate the time and effort they took to do this.  I think they did a fantastic job!

Jennifer Pinheiro
Co - worker

As a new mom I take the time when I can to get things done. I often keep up on Christina's Vancouver 2010 blog and Twitter updates on my Blackberry late at night and I look forward to see her getting to experience something that she has always dreamed of doing.
I have missed the daily chats with Christina at work, getting to see and hear first hand all the updates leading up to the big event. Thankfully we get to email often to still be in the loop. Everyday there seems to be something new going on and she is becoming quite the celebrity. I can say I knew her when.
Christina has a passion for the Olympics and I have to say it has inspired me to watch and be much more informed, since sports has never been a huge interest for me. Her passion is contagious, I love it! I am getting excited!!!....to watch and for Christina :)
I think this is a life changing event and I tell her all the time, can't wait to be proved right lol. I can't wait to read the next blog but more so to hear all about her trip. She will be an inspiration to my new daughter that you always have to follow your heart and do what you want and be happy!
I can't wait to hear all about it Christina and will be watching the Olympics and hope to spot you!
Represent Canada, you do it so well!

Amy Samad
Co - Worker

Olympic fever is in the air and Christina is chiefly responsible for infecting the locals! Working daily with Christina has given me a front row view of all the happenings around the Vancouver 2010 Games. Following her blog posts, scrolling through event pictures, and getting the direct behind-the-scenes inside scoop has been a thrilling experience. I'm 4,000 km's away from the Olympics, but following along as Christina is interviewed by The Washington Post, blogging for Inside Vancouver, and riding with the GM envoy allows me to feel directly involved as my country proudly shows off it's natural beauty, outstanding hospitality, and best of all our world class athletes. Christina's enthusiasm is entirely contagious - I hope other Canadians get the chance to have the games be made as personally relevant to them as I have - I'm bursting with Canadian Olympic pride! Thanks Christina for continuing to share your adventure with us here.
GO TEAM CANADA GO!!

My Mom on some of her Olympic Preparations:

In 4 weeks we leave for Vancouver 2010. After months of reading info and studying maps I hope I am ready. Trying to stay dry in steady rain will be a challenge.
Almost finished packing but will have to take some stuff out. Too heavy! Hope I haven’t forgotten anything but I probably have. Looking forward to our trip. Hope Canada wins a lot of medals. Hope USA wins some too.
Go get those medals Canada!
(Mom is American and will be cheering for both Canada and USA)

Jen Finnigan
Friend

Christina has been talking about the Olympics since they announced the Vancouver games, to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone to be so enthusiastic about the Olympics. It seemed only natural that she would extend her “Not A Shopaholic” blog into the 2010 games. Well, little did we know how far her enthusiasm would take her! From blogging, to being quoted in the newspaper (The Washington Post) to getting to ride a long in part of the Torch Relay in Southern Ontario; it seems every time I talk to or get an email from her she’s got a new “in”. I’m constantly amazed at how far she’s gone with it I can hardly keep up! I’m sure Christina feels like she’s living in a dream most days, I hope her “Road to the Olympics” is the ride of a lifetime – who knows where else it will lead?
Awesome job Christina!!

Past Week's Events

There is a lot going on as we get closer to Opening Day of Vancouver 2010.  To give you an idea of some of things I have been up to, I thought I would put together a list of things I was working on last week.  It's a flurry of activity, anything from tracking down souvenirs, meeting new people, writing blogs and finding accommodation, again!
In  no particular order:

• Find a place to stay for Olympic Opening weekend. If my plan works out, I can't afford to pay for another place to stay so someone I know will have to invite me to stay with them.
• Met the wonderful Hardeep Gosal, who does an amazing job at running the Cold FX trivia contest on facebook and twitter. We met up for drinks and appetizers. I'm not even at the Olympics yet and I'm already meeting great new friends.
• Heard the Olympic theme song "I Believe" for the first time on CHUM FM. Shed a few tears listening to it, it is such a beautiful song. I'm sure you will hear it a lot. It is sung by Nikki Yanofsky who is from Montreal.
• Decided I wanted a few of the Olympic souvenir glasses from Petro Canada. Found the Capilano with no problem, really really wanted the Garibaldi. After my Mom checked 3 locations in Brampton, I was lucky to find one today in Toronto. Phew!
• Have a list of a few more things I would like from the Vancouver 2010 store. Finalized the list and will be ordering this weekend.
• Would also like some items from the Canada Post Vancouver 2010 collection. If you haven't seen it, check it out. Really nice stuff. Need to find the time to put in this order.
• Find Canada flag lapel pins to give out to my new international friends I meet in Vancouver. Someone finally sent me a link to a place in Toronto (Globecraft) that I can order these from. (Thanks Hardeep)
• Ordering some Flag Walk pins (buttons) in case I can't find Canada flag pins. These are nice because I can order countries in addition to Canada. I made sure to get a USA one for my Mom.
• Researching where to go and what to  do in Vancouver when we have spare time, if any. Checking out and bookmarking the LiveCity sites and making notes on locations of the country sponsored houses and pavillions.
• Try to find images for a future blog post. Robson Street Business Association helped me out and I have everything I need. Thx Tomarra.
• Final condo payment went through. Now working on final arrangements for arrival and key pick up.
• Entering lots of contests so I can win free stuff and have to spend less money on buying things. It is also a great way to learn more about the Olympics and meet some people along the way.
• Plan next few blog posts. Trying to make sure all the ones I want are done before February 12th.
• Work on uploading all my photos to online albums. I got a late start on this and hope to be caught up soon. This will be ongoing until I get all my pre Olympic photos uploaded and update my blog posts with links to the corresponding album.

I swear all of that happened last week.  I'm not sure what this week will be like. It is likely to include frequent blog posts so that I get all of my pre Olympic thoughts and activities documented. I have a few guest posts coming up that I think you will really enjoy so stay tuned.
I would love to hear about your Olympic preparations, whether you are making the journey out to Vancouver or getting ready to host an Olympic party at home. What are you doing to get ready for Vancouver 2010?

Props to my Fellow Bloggers

One of the things I’m looking forward to the most about the Olympics are the people I will meet and the friendships that will be created from this experience. I didn’t think leading up to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics that I would have the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people but I have, mostly because like me they are bloggers and writing about their experiences around Vancouver 2010.

I admire all of them. If anyone knows how time consuming a task this is, it is me. There are several nights I’ve been up to midnight working on a blog post. We are not paid media; we are not doing this because it is our job. We do this because we are passionate and excited about these Olympic Games being held in our home country. We do it out of pure love for an event that is sure to be memorable and life changing. We are people who write from the heart and are truly appreciative of others taking the time to read our thoughts.

Here is a list of some of my favourite blogs and why I like them so much:

2010VanFan-A great blog written from the perspective of Andrea, a Vancouver resident, Olympic volunteer and fellow blogger. Andrea is on a quest to write a post for each of the 210 days leading up the Olympics and so far hasn’t missed a day. She gives the lowdown on all the latest preparations happening in Vancouver. As an avid Olympic fan, I would love to be there to see all of this, but since I can’t I rely on Andrea’s updates. It is great fun to follow her adventures from pin trading, Vancouver walkabouts and impromptu interviews with various locals involved in some way with the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. I have to admit, she has me addicted to reading every day! She is also supposed to do a guest blog post on here for me.

2010 Olympic Volunteer’s Blog-Written by Joyce who is from Scotland, she is going to be a volunteer in Whistler during the Olympics. Yes she is coming all the way from Scotland to help out during Vancouver 2010. I don’t know how she arranged that but good for her! She already has her red mittens so she will fit right in. Her blog currently covers items of interest in Scotland and provides helpful information on Vancouver 2010. I look forward to hearing about her days as a volunteer once she arrives in Canada. I am not going to Whistler for any events so I’ll be relying on Joyce to provide me with the scoop on what is going on up there.

We are all Mukmuks-I have to admit I may be kind of biased to this one since Mukmuk is my favourite mascot even though he may not be as visible as the rest. This blog is written by Tasha, who in addition to being a blogger is also going to be a Torch bearer! So envious of her for that. Have fun running with the Torch Tasha. We’ll all be thinking of you. In addition to be a Torch bearer, Tasha is also going to be volunteering at Vancouver 2010. Her story about her volunteer backpack woes are pretty funny. I look forward to seeing more from her.

Other Blogs of Note:

Tinkerblue

Art & Serge’s 2010 Road Trip

liddlethought

The Excellent Olympic Adventure

Future Guest Posts

I wanted to quickly introduce you to two people I have asked to do Guest Posts on my blog.  I thought you might be getting a bit tired of me so I've invited others to give some different perspective on the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
First there is Erin, who I came across on Twitter.  Erin is from Calgary and will be a Torch bearer on January 18th! How lucky is she? I love her Twitter updates on her thoughts and preparations as her day to carry the Olympic Torch gets closer.  Her latest Tweets have been about media and the interview requests she has been getting.
I have asked Erin to write a post to give us some insight into what it is like, what it means to them and what it feels like to run with the Torch.  As I said, Erin runs on January 18th and I hope to have her post up by the following week.  I am so happy for her!  What an amazing experience it is going to be.  I'm so happy that she has agreed to share it with my blog and my readers.  Really looking forward to hearing from you Erin.  Have fun running with the Torch.  You can follow Erin on Twitter @enms.

My second selection for a Guest Post is the infamous Andrea from 2010VanFan.  I think of her as my Vancouver counter part.  Andrea is the author of the 2010VanFan blog where she writes daily about her adventures leading up the Vancouver Olympics in her hometown.  I personally love getting a first person viewpoint of everything that is going on in that city right now as they head into their final preparations.  I would love to be there myself but since I can't, Andrea's blog is the perfect way to stay informed. She has lots of exciting things to share with us. I don't want to say to much so I think I'll stop here! Hopefully Andrea will have her Guest Post done for me by mid January.  You can follow Andrea on Twitter @2010VanFan.

A very special thank you to each of these women for accepting my invitation.  We are all busy in our daily lives as well as our preparations for the Vancouver Olympics so I appreciate them taking the time to do this.  I love that I'll be able to share some different perspectives from people taking part in the Olympics in different ways. Stay tuned for more.

Welcome to 2010

To all of my readers, loyal and new, I would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year. I can't believe we are finally here at 2010, the year of our Vancouver Olympics.  For me this journey started in October 2008 with Phase 1 of tickets.  2010 seemed so far away, a year and a half at that point.  It felt like it would take forever to come.  Now we are just over a month away from the Opening Ceremony on February 12th (I'm still trying to get a ticket for this but coming to terms with the fact it may not happen).  It's kind of unbelievable to me.  I've had so much fun during this time leading up to the Olympics, I'm not sure I want it to end, even though I am very anxious to go to Vancouver and experience the Olympics in my home country.

I have been very fortunate for the experiences I have had.  Who knew when I started this blog it would lead to such incredible things like being considered for a CTV Olympic promo spot, be interviewed for a Washington Post article, invited by Inside Vancouver to blog for them about my journey, asked to contribute to a Visual Art project, and be invited to ride along with the GM guys in the Torch Relay.  It has been an unbelievable time for me.  Never in a million years would I ever have expected any of this to happen.

Along the way the support of family, friends and co-workers has been amazing.  They are also one of the reasons why this has been so much fun for me.  They are genuinely interested in my blogs and thrilled when all of these exciting opportunities are given to me.  It makes me so sad that they won't be in Vancouver with me to see all of this come to fruition.  I know they will be keeping up on our daily adventures though my blogs and photos.

Adding to the experience are the people that I have met so far.  Fellow bloggers like Andrea from 2010VanFan; Olympic fans that are as excited about Vancouver 2010 as I am, and various people from Twitter.  It is like we are our own special group, looking forward to this in a way that some others don't understand.  I started this blog because I had so much excitement and enthusiasm about Vancouver 2010, I needed a place to put it.  I also thought it would be a good way to meet others like me, if there were any out there.  I have met more people than I ever thought I would and I love to see that others are as big Olympic fans as I am.

I could go on but I was trying to keep this one short.  May 2010 bring wonderful things to all of you.  It is going to be a great year for Canada. :)

Wishing you a Happy New Year and all the best for 2010. Go Canada!

Remember the Olympic Spirit challenge Canada.  I'm looking for images of displays of Olympic Spirit from all across Canada.  For more information check out the previous posts I've done: the one that started it all and the display I found in Brampton, ON.

Brampton, ON Has Olympic Spirit

I'm not about to give all of you an assignment and then sit back and wait for all the photos to roll in.  I've also got my eyes out there to help spot displays of Olympic Spirit across Canada.  This is a photo I took on the weekend in Brampton, ON at Chinguacousy Park.  It was at the top of the mountain they use for skiing and tubing.  I spotted it when we were on our way home from my Torch Relay ride along (blog post coming soon).  I figured out what this was as we passed it so I turned the car around and went back to take a photo.  I ended up hiking half way up the mountain to get the best photo I could.  Thank goodness this side of the mountain didn't have a lot of snow.
So Canada, in case you were wondering what kind of stuff I'm looking for, this is perfect.  If you spot anything, take a photo and send it to me.  My email address is notashopaholic at gmail.com or you can send me a link to the image if it is already online.  I'll compile them in a future blog post and create an online photo album for them. 
If you want to see the photo that started all of this, see my previous post on the subject.  I heard a rumor that someone in Keswick, ON has built a replica of the Olympic Torch and I am trying to track it down for a photo.  If you know anything about this or know someone in Keswick please let me know.
Happy New Year.

Brampton, ON showing their Olympic Spirit at Chinguacousy Park

Did I mention that I grew up in Brampton?  So proud of my hometown.

Guest Blog Post by James Hamilton

When I was at the Mississauga Torch Relay on Saturday, I was able to say hi to my Twitter GM friend Art of @GM_ArtandSerge.  Art and Serge are members of the GM team who are travelling with the Torch Relay Convoy and taking care of all the vehicles.  On occasion they have the opportunity to give guests ride alongs.  On Saturday when I ran into Art, James Hamilton was in the passenger seat looking somewhat stunned that someone was screaming from the sidewalk, "Are you the GM guys from Twitter?" 
James and his brother managed to track me down and I asked if they would like to write a guest post for my blog about their time with Art and the Torch Relay Convoy.
Below is James' account of the day along with the photo he took of me standing on the sidewalk in Mississauga.

Hi, my name is James Hamilton and I am a blogger – my blog is called Toronto Grand Prix Tourist. I met Christina on a crowded street corner in Mississauga, Ontario as I was passing by in a GM pickup truck – part of the Olympic Flame Relay convoy with the Fleet Manager Art Lewis.
My travel on that day was a result of an earlier email asking if I wanted to see the considerable amount of vehicles sponsored by General Motors which are required to support the Flame Relay, along with the Art, during a media event in Toronto. My answer was yes, although I did not get to see that vast amount of vehicles, now about numbering about 110, and was instead given the superior chance to go on an Olympic Flame Relay drive along. It took about a week of negotiations with the team to get an acceptable time to join the convoy as their primary responsibility is to ensure the vehicles receive service and are on the road and his schedules are pretty hectic.

James in the passenger seat and Art of GM in the driver's seat.

The date chosen was Saturday, December 19, 2009 and we finally got together in front of the Bell Campus in Mississauga just across the Toronto boundary. He pulled up in his shiny, fuel efficient, black GM Silverado (for sale after the Olympics) and we got together and went through his plans for our ride along. I say we because I had my fellow photographer, blogger and brother Joe Hamilton along for the event.

The Bell Campus location wasn’t a random location – it was chosen because Bell, a major Olympic Sponsor, had a special Flame Relay event on and the convoy was part of this event. We were told to go out and explore the Bell event and get ready to leave at a moment’s notice when the convoy heads out onto the official relay route. When we received word we jumped into that shiny, fuel efficient, black GM Silverado (probably be a good deal when it does go on sale) and got into line behind a few hundred police escort vehicles.
We headed into Toronto for the start of the Centennial Park leg of the day’s relay. During the Flame Relay we passed intersections blocked off by police on bikes and in cruisers, following emergency vehicles, control vehicles and buses which picked up and dropped off the relay runners. The crowds along the side of the roads were impressive and some of the people even ran ahead with the flame. Each runner was mobbed by eager fans hoping for photos. The wife of one runner I know had said that after he finished his run and taken photos with all his ‘fans’ that it was hard to get him into the car because his head was so big.

As the convoy continued we arrived in the heart of Mississauga, which must be that big ugly mall called Square One, and we were coming up to the entrance into the mall property and I had my window rolled down to take pictures as the convoy went around the corner. As we slowed down a gorgeous lady asked if we were the GM guys. I replied that yes, that Art himself was driving the shiny, fuel efficient, black GM Silverado (it will probably have quite a few miles on it by that time). She said that she was following the convoy on the internet and that she was the “not a shopaholic.” I was intrigued because she looked like the lady from Star Trek, Next Generation – you know, Marina Sirtis who played Councillor Deanna Troi. I thought it was cool that movie stars were out to support the Olympic Flame.

Photograph taken by James at the corner on Kariya Gate and Burnhamthorpe Road. That's my Mom behind me.

Shortly afterwards we departed from the flame convoy and Art drove us back to our car at the Bell Campus. Based upon Christina’s comment we were able to track her down on the infinite internets and I was dashed to find she was not Marina. She does, however, have a great blog and lots of enthusiasm. Good luck at the Vancouver Olympics Christina, James.

I am happy to tell you that I have been contacted and asked if I would like to have my own ride along with the GM team and the Olympic Torch Relay Convoy.  I will join Serge (Art is taking a well deserved break) in London, ON on December 27th.  If I can't be a Torchbearer, this is the next best thing.  It will be quite a day. Thank you very much for your post James.  It is great to get perspective from some other people. Christina.

Olympic Torch Relay Mississauga, ON - December 19, 2009

After an early morning in Georgetown, we rushed home for some breakfast and then headed to Mississauga for their portion of the Olympic Torch Relay. Mississauga is a suburb of Toronto and located 30-40minutes west of the city. The Torch was scheduled to arrive between 11am-noon.

The Olympic Torch is coming!

Again my Mom and I walked a bit of the route to find the best place to be. In Georgetown we learned that the Torchbearer exchange is marked with an orange sticker. We walked around looking for one of these and found one on Burnhamthorpe Road, just west of Hurontario Street. There weren’t too many people here yet but as it got closer to 11:30 more people began to appear.

Orange marks the spot.  If you want to see a Torchbearer exchange, look for these markers along the route.

For those of you who don’t know Mississauga, this intersection is extremely busy. I had no idea how they were going to close this down for the relay. Somehow they managed to do it and it wasn’t long before we could see the convoy arriving again! Burnhamthorpe is a long street so we could actually see it coming from a distance. I tell you, the site of it appearing in the distance and watching as it gets closer is really something. We watched the Torchbearer exchange happen. When this Torchbearer was dropped off, he was crying as friends and family hugged him and took photos. As he ran, he was all smiles, enjoying this proud moment and even joking with his family, some of whom were running beside him.

As the Torchbearer began to jog up the street, my Mom said she wanted to run along with it and that is what we did. So close to it, we ran all the way up to the next exchange. I even got a chance to see my GM friend, Art, from Twitter and his ride along buddy for the day James Hamilton. See the blog post James did on his day with Art and the Torch Relay Convoy.
As the convoy made its way around the shopping mall, we walked up to the Torch Celebration. Many people were there waiting for the Torch to make its entrance to the stage. We found a place in between the people and watched it approach again. It was carried by Cheryl Pounder, a Mississauga resident and a Women’s Hockey Gold Medallist. She carried the flame up to the stage and lit the cauldron. The Mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, who is something of a legend in the city, made a wonderful speech about Canada being the greatest country to live in and the inspiration the Torch and the Olympics is to the younger generation. The crowd even chanted “Hazel, Hazel” at one point. The gentleman beside me asked, “Is there any other city who loves their Mayor as much as we do?” The answer is no, there isn’t.

Torchbearer heading West on Burnhamthorpe Road.  Notice the cars and people on the other side of the street.

We left the celebration a bit early because we wanted to see the Torch make its exit. It was carried back towards Hurontario on Burnhamthorpe by the Mississauga Braves Hockey team. Each member got to carry the torch 50 yards before handing it off to another team member. If you think one Torchbearer is impressive, let me tell you that 15-20 of them all in those white uniforms is really a great site. Again we went running alongside the Torch. As we were running, I noticed people in cars on the other side of the street, were getting out of their cars to clap and cheer as the Torch was carried by. Others were out of their cars taking pictures and several honked their horns. It was amazing to see. Even as I watched the Torch be carried south on Hurontairo, towards Port Credit, horns were going like crazy. It was unreal. The amount of respect people were showing for the Torch, for the Olympics and for their country is unforgettable. For me it will be one of the most memorable moments of the Torch Relay. I can’t think of too many things that would get this kind of reaction from people. I watched it for as long as I could. I would have loved to continue to follow it but I knew I had to turn back and find my Mom.

Great turn out in Mississauga for the Torch Celebration. Hazel is on stage, standing by the cauldron.

What a day to remember. This was the third Torch Relay I attended. Each one has its special moments and memories for me. I am on a quest to see as many as I can.
To see all the photos from the Mississauga Torch Relay, click here to view the photos online.

                                                                                                                                                                         

Art, my GM Twitter friend, @GM_ArtandSerge, and James in the passenger seat.

Torch Relays Today

I plan to do more detailed posts on this in a day or two so this is to give you a quick summary of the days events.  I attended the Torch Relay in Georgetown, ON this morning.  My Mom and Dad came with me.  We were all up very early to see the Torch run through Georgetown between 7-8 am.  Here are a few photos:

Lovely woman handing out hot chocolate. 

Gotta love smaller cities and their hospitality.

Waiting for the Torch to arrive.  Look at the crowds behind us.

It was around 7:15 am.

The Olympic Flame arrives and is ready to be handed off to the next Torchbearer.

Later on in the morning we attended the Torch Relay in Mississauga, ON.  The Torch arrived at the intersection of Hurontario Street and Burnhamthorpe Road around 11am.  It circled around Square One Shopping Mall and then headed into the Torch Celebration.  Cheryl Pounder, Women's Hockey Gold Medallist lit the cauldron and Mayor Hazel McCallion, gave a very inspiring and rousing speech.

Torchbearer exchange on Burnhamthorpe Road, just west of Hurontario Street.

Met my Twitter friend Art from GM.  I think he thinks I'm a little nuts.

Follow him @GM_Artand Serge.

Torch Celebration on Living Arts Drive.

Is Olympic Fever Spreading?

The other week I was in my friendly neighbourhood grocery store.  As I approached the dairy section to get sour cream for the fajitas I was going to make that night, I looked up and saw this massive GO CANADA GO sign!  I literally stopped dead in my tracks and laughed out loud.  I loved it!  This is the kind of stuff I want to see all over Toronto as well as Vancouver when I get there.  I didn't have my camera on me so I had to go back to the store and discreetly take a photo of it. I know retailers frown upon people taking pictures in their stores but this had to be done.

I'm so excited to see signs of the Olympics around town.  Its probably only going to increase as we get closer and closer to the Olympic Games in Vancouver.  I am going to keep an eye out for anything Olympic/Canadian related.  If you see a sign of Olympic spirit in your city I would love to see it.  Send me a photo with a brief description, your name and city where you took the photo and I'll put together a collage of all them for a later post.

The Olympic Torch Relay will be here next week and I saw a sign advertising this as well.  I wandered out into the freezing cold earlier this evening because I had to get a picture of it for my blog.  I managed to take a few pictures before my battery went dead.  If this one doesn't show up well in the blog I'll be going back out there.  The only thing that sucks about that is a) it is frigging cold outside b) it is one of those digital marquees so I have to wait for 10 different things to come up before it gets back to the 2010 Olympics.  If my camera battery hadn't died when it did, I might have lost a finger.  I could barely feel them when I got back in my car.  Ah, whatever it takes for an effective blog post right?

Go Canada Go!  Looking forward to seeing your images from around Canada showing your city's Olympic Canadian spirit.  Email is notashopaholic at gmail.com.

Help Vancouver Visual Artist with Video of Torch Relay

Last week I posted a tweet on Twitter that the Olympic Torch will soon be coming to Toronto.  I got a reply back from Vancouver Visual Artist Rina Liddle.  She is working on a project titled "We Are Watching".  Rina asked if I would be a contributor to her project.  All I have to do is take some video footage when I go see the Torch Relay and email it to her.  She is going to stream together all the video she receives and show it unedited on a wall outside the Jeffery Boone Gallery during the Olympics.
I think its a pretty cool thing to do.  I love the idea of being part of an art project.  Myself, I am artistically impaired.  I can barely draw stick people.  I love that this is another way to contribute to an event related to the Olympics.
I am going to try to submit video footage from the relay and torch celebrations in Toronto and Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto.  The Olympic Torch Relay passes through Toronto and surrounding area's next week.
If the torch has already passed through your town and you shot some video send it along to Rina. She is looking for footage of the relay from all across Canada.
If the torch has not yet arrived in your city, check the schedule and head out with your digital camera in video mode, or use whatever video device you have.  You will be helping out an artist and contributing to history.  For more information visit Rina's blog.  I hope to see every city represented when I visit this exhibit in Vancouver.  You can also follow her progress on Twitter @weRwatching2010.  Please check her blog for the email address to send video footage.  I don't want to include it here or else she might get overwhelmed with spam mail. 
Please help if you can.  It is a great project and we need to support artists and their visions, like this one from Rina Liddle.
If you will be attending to either torch celebrations in Toronto or Mississauga, let me know so we can meet up for a photo for my blogs!
Merry Olympics!

Building an Olympic Worthy Wardrobe

The rental condo is booked, the flights are paid for and I have more tickets to Olympic events than I ever imagined possible. There is the unfortunate task of having to pay for everything but that is being dealt with. Now that all those things have been taken care of, I can focus on the really important things like what the heck am I going to wear? It’s the Olympic Games! Having never been to an Olympics before I’m not really sure what the apparel etiquette is going to be. It’s like I’m going in completely blind! It’s an important job, cheering on my country; I want to make sure I do them proud.

After much research, I decided to start with a red zip hoody from the Roots Canada Collection. This decision caused massive panic a few months ago when I discovered this item was on sale and in short supply at Roots stores. This Notashopaholic would not be deterred. I raced out that day to claim my red hoody, my first acquisition of Canada paraphernalia. It is now sitting comfortably in my closet just waiting for its debut at the Vancouver 2010 Games. Since then Roots has debuted their new Canada Collection from which I picked up the Canada toque and a T shirt.

Also accompanying me on my journey will be my Lug Eco Shopper bag. With Vancouver being the eco conscious city that it is, this bag, in Crimson of course, will be a fashionable and environmentally friendly accessory. It’s convenient because it rolls into a small pouch for easier carrying when not being used. Besides you never know when I’ll need a bag for all the Olympic/Vancouver souvenirs I’m sure to acquire.

In September, I made my way to my local Bay store to check out the official Vancouver 2010 gear. I have to admit that I didn’t really have high hopes for their collection. I wasn’t too crazy about the stuff I saw for the 2008 Olympics. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the Vancouver 2010 items the HBC crew came up with. The collection includes a good variety of t-shirts, hoodys, accessories and outer wear in various colours and prints. There are separate collections for Men, Women and Children as well as unisex items.

I added the HBC Canada zip hoody in White to my growing Olympic wardrobe and seriously debated about getting Black. Think I’ll hold off on that one for a bit. Some accessories may be in store for me in the near future. I had my mom pick up a pair of the red mittens. At first I said I didn’t want them and then in true Christina fashion, I changed my mind. I am the proud owner of a pair of these hard to find accessories and I will take them everywhere with me while in Vancouver. The HBC collection is sold at Bay and Zellers stores across Canada and as well as online.

Now that my Canada apparel is taken care of, I still need to figure out footwear, do fashionable waterproof shoes/boots exist? I want to be ready for the Vancouver climate. Outerwear is a big puzzle as well. Will it be cold, will it be mild? Does is actually rain as much as people say? How warm do I need to dress? This is a lot of work people. See the stress an Olympics causes? Anyone else would cave to the pressure, but not me. I`ll be there decked out in full Canada red and white.

Christina Wallaert

A version of this post also appears on Inside Vancouver, official blog of Tourism Vancouver.

 

Olympic Torch in Canada

Catriona Le-May Doan and Simon Whitfield, first torchbearers for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics

Image: from The Toronto Star, Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press

I was watching the news last night and saw coverage of the Olympic Flame arriving in Canada. There was a big ceremony in Victoria and I loved listening to the comments from the people they interviewed. One person said it was the first Olympic related event they had attended and they were now starting to feel the excitement. How I wish I was there! This is the kickoff to the whole Vancouver Olympics. I am so envious of the people in BC. I wish I could be there to see and feel everything being built and prepared for the Olympics. What a special time this is for all Canadians and especially those in Vancouver. I know there must have been some inconveniences and there will probably be more to come, but it must be so exciting. Vancouver and Whistler is in the news all over the world!
It's like I can't get enough of the Olympics. Its pretty obvious to me that this will probably be the only one that I attend, so I am going to make the most of it and take in everything that I can. I will follow the journey of the torch across Canada. I will also do my very best to be in attendance when it passes through Toronto in December. Those lucky torch bearers, enjoy the experience. I can only imagine what it must be like!
Come on Canada! Are you catching Olympic Fever yet?

Memories of a Year Ago

It was around this time last year that I got serious about going to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and started to build my ticket request. Many nights were spent going over the schedule, ticket prices, events and dates. When I was finally happy with the schedule, it was submitted and then I sat and waited to hear the outcome. Had I known what the future would hold, I may have decided against the trip. About a month after submitting that ticket request, I was laid off from my job. Not knowing when I would be working again, the Olympics were the last thing on my mind. Days were spent job hunting with little or no results and all I did was worry how I was going to pay bills. In December, a few weeks after losing my job, we got the results of my ticket request. Two events, out of all that planning, is what we were awarded. At the time, I wasn’t even sure if I would ever get to the Olympics. Selling those tickets and calling off the trip was looking like a strong possibility.

Fast forward to April of this year and it was Day 1 of my new job. I was so happy to be working again, and more important, I was happy to have landed a good job. In May when I got notice of Phase 2 tickets going on sale, I knew that this trip was going to go forward. As I said in a previous post, I was going to make sure we got enough tickets to justify going to Vancouver. That phase of tickets was very successful for us and I was able to move forward with planning our trip. I’m very lucky and fortunate to be able to experience this. I really feel as though I am a part of a very special group of people. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience.

If I didn’t get a job when I did, none of this would be happening. When I look back on the last year, so much has happened and I wouldn’t change any of it. These last few months have been so much fun for me. I think I appreciate this experience more because I did lose my job and thought that this would never be possible. It goes to show you that dreams can come true and I am living one of mine.

Christina Wallaert

Olympic Torch Relay

I've been hearing a lot this week about the Olympic Torch Relay as celebrity participants are announced. Back in June my mom told me about a website where you could enter your name to be a torch bearer. Being the Olympic fan that I am, of course I entered the contest. Unfortunately I wasn't one of the random winners chosen to participate in this exciting event. I assume someone must have told them of my inability to run. For all the people that did win, congratulations. Have fun. What a great event to be able to participate in. I guess for this part of the Olympics I will have to stand on the side lines and cheer on those who won. No problem. I'll get lots of pictures for my blogs.
If you want to know who the winners are and who will be carrying the torch in your area, go to Carry The Torch and search by name, day or map. I've marked December 18th and 19th on my calendar. That is when the torch will be passing through Brampton and Toronto.
For the full route and other information about the Olympic Torch Relay you can get information on the Vancouver 2010 website and check out their interactive map.
Bundle up and join me on the route to cheer on the Olympic torch. See you out there.

Booked & Ready To Go; Next Steps

As baseball season ends and curling season begins, I'm struck by how fast and yet also how slow time seems to be moving. My condo has been confirmed, the first payment has been made. All I have to do now is wait for 2010 to arrive.
I've also booked our flights. This is a part that I thought would be as difficult as the hotel. I was even preparing to have to fly into Seattle and drive to Vancouver. Thankfully that won't be necessary as I've managed to book us on West Jet. Both West Jet and Air Canada have several flights a day from Toronto to Vancouver. If you're willing to do a connecting flight you give yourself even more choices.
When I booked availability was still good but I wouldn't wait for too long. I was actually surprised there weren't more flights that were full.
Now that all the the big stuff has been taken care of, we are focused on the smaller, more fun items. I'm trying to fill the extra days that we are in Vancouver. Shopping is a must! I hear Yaletown has great boutiques. I've also been told there is an area of stores that features Vancouver designers. I definitely need to go there!
I'm also hoping to meet up with old friends and acquaintances I know in the Vancouver area. I'm really looking forward to that, being able to combine my trip of a lifetime with catching up with old friends. Don't worry, I'm also leaving some time open to meet up with the new friends I will be making!
My mom is occupying herself with studying a map of downtown Vancouver. And yes I mean the old fashioned street map. None of this GPS crap for her. I have no doubt her hard work will pay off. She hasn't gotten us lost yet. She is also strangely occupied with locating a grocery store in our area. I'm not sure why this is such a priority for her but I hope she finds ones soon. I'm willing to check out some cool restaurants a few nights so a grocery store is not as high on my priority list.
As for my younger brother, he is watching all of this in amusement. He thinks I am nuts and wonders how he gets pulled into all my crazy ideas. The answer? I've got no one else to drag to this thing other than my family members. If someone wanted to pay my way to the Olympics I wouldn't put up a fight. My brother, he's along for the ride and sooner or later he will start enjoying it. If for no other reason than on some days he will have an entire condo to himself with all the cable channels he could possibly want.
I have to say I am really enjoying my Olympic planning days. I never thought this time leading up to Vancouver 2010 would be this much fun. From contributing to Inside Vancouver to being interviewed for a "How to" column on finding accommodations in Vancouver, it's so funny to me that people are interested in hearing my story. After all, I'm just a girl who has loved the Olympics all her life. I knew the only way I would ever get there was as a spectator. The fact that I will probably need to get a second job to afford all of this is a small price to pay (corporate sponsorship anyone?).
These experiences are adding a dimension to my journey that I never anticipated. It makes the ride up to February 2010 that much more fun!
Go Canada Go!

Accommodations Anyone? Do your homework.

For those of you who may be in the same boat I was, looking for a place to stay in Vancouver during the Olympics and having a tough time, I wanted to make you aware of some things you should check before booking any rental accommodation.
Once I was pretty sure Mode Suites was going to be my choice for renting a condo, I had to convince myself that who I was dealing with was reputable. After all, I had found them online and they could have been anybody.
I started by asking if they were registered with a local Chamber of Commerce or the Better Business Bureau. It was a good sign when the person I had been dealing with encouraged my due diligence and happily provided me with the information they were registered with a Chamber of Commerce. The next step was to ask that Chamber of Commerce to verify this company did indeed have a membership with them, which in fact was confirmed. That office was also able to provide me with the Business License number of Mode Suites. They suggested that I contact Vancouver City Hall to see if the Business License was registered with them. It was.
From there I felt pretty good about proceeding with the booking. A couple of things here, make sure you read the contract-twice at least. If you have any questions, ask them. Do not assume anything. Make sure there is a contract that spells out payment schedules, how damage deposits will work and is very clear about what is included in the condo/house you are renting. A contract is a legal document. Do not sign it if there is something you do not understand.
If you are paying with a credit card, the company should also send you a credit card authorization form which states you give them permission to charge your card for the agreed upon fees. If there is no contract, no credit card authorization (which you do not need if you are using a different form of payment) and the company does not issue you a receipt, be leery as to what you are getting into.
The Olympics is a great event and there are a lot of legitimate companies you can deal with, but there are others who may not be. It is our responsibility as consumers to check things out. If the person you are dealing with discourages you from verifying their business, that would be reason enough for me to walk away. Any business that has nothing to hide will give you the information you need to check them out.
A special thank you to the West Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and Vancouver City Hall. Both organizations were very pleasant and helpful to me with all my requests.
Good luck in your search. I can't wait to see everyone in Vancouver. Its approaching fast!

Making Progress

Things are really moving along. I'm in the process of securing our condo rental for the duration of our stay in Vancouver and our flights were booked this week.
Once I gave up on trying to find a hotel room to book and moved onto condo rentals things began to take shape. I feel relieved that all of the major things are booked. Now I have to work on paying this all off, getting a computer so I can blog from the Olympics and looking for some Canada paraphernalia to take with me to show the athletes that I support them.
I'm surprised that all these things didn't take longer to tell you the truth. Everything seems to be working out after much research, discussion and budgeting.
We're on our way!!!!
My mom is already praying for decent weather for the day we leave. The last thing I need is to get stranded because of a snow storm!