▌♥ ▌GO Canada GO ▌♥ ▌▌♥ ▌GOLD CANADA GOLD ▌♥ ▌▌♥ ▌Gone Canada Gone ▌♥ ▌

Well… The city is experiencing a massive adrenaline crash. The red mittens are put away, the flags are coming down, and almost everyone seems to have reverted back to basic Vancouver black… Watching all the temporary infrastructure and art work come down today was, well, sad. But, the Paralympic Games start on March 12, and some of the venues are sticking around until the end. Dunno, woulda thought in Vancouver that these might have been held first, and perhaps highlighted more … Guess you never can tell.

The next time we might see this over the top patriotism is on Canada Day… Tourists are gonna wonder what’s up with the mittens in the middle of summer. Then again, the temp at the beginning of July is often not that different than it was during the first ever Spring Olympics.

We didn’t have lots of snow at the local venue – but, concerted effort, trucks & helicopters got it onto the courses. And, while they had every kind of weather imaginable, from balmy warm, through rain, fog, sleet (okay, that might be a bit of hyperbole), and snow the games went on. Standing room seating was shut down due to safety concerns – and the money was returned on the tickets. And still the crowds cheered on… At the venues, in the streets, in front of giant video screens, crowded around small tv screens, in public venues and private homes – we watched and cheered.

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The world may have initially been a bit put-off by the uncharacteristic bravado, and our goal to WIN – rather than to just show up and participate. Our athletes PERFORMED. Even the ones who didn’t medal were often only a few seconds (or very small fractions of seconds) from the leaders. And really, we lost to larger (population wise) countries who spend FAR more on amateur athletics than Canada does (even with ‘Own the Podium’ – okay, we didn’t own the whole thing – but we owned the top!). Our athletes were gracious toward their competitors, and apologetic toward the country when they lost – they embodied the true spirit of the games (and, the Canadian really came out).

We welcomed the world, and we threw the best party they could ever imagine (and, kudos to the cops who kept it all under control!). The German pavilion ran out of beer – they flew in 300 additional kegs at the end of the first week, and had to fly in another 600 a day or so later (at least, those are the numbers I can recall hearing bandied about, can’t seem to find anything online to confirm). The streets were packed for blocks – buses were re-routed (not part of the original plan – but the pedestrians took over the street). At one point after the gold medal hockey game, they had to close one side of the Granville Street bridge – when it was overrun by pedestrians. We’re NOT talking run of the mill busy here, we’re talking Lan Kwai Fong during Rugby Sevens packed for 5-10 block radius (I passed through intermittently).

We proved that we are amiable, boisterous, CANADIAN, disciplined (well, the athletes), effective, funny, gregarious, hospitable, intelligent (well, we were sometimes doing a good job of hiding this), jubilant, kind, loveable, munificent, noble, optimistic, positive, quick, reserved, self-deprecating, tongue-in-cheek (we’re hoping the rest of the world caught that part!), understanding, vivacious, wild (just a bit, and mostly in a good way), x (sorry, can’t think of anything), and just a bit zany!

The last night of the games, headed home after watching the win on what was likely one of the last buses through the city - then stayed home, and watched safely from inside – crowds, not really my thing most of the time. I ventured out some evenings, but often under the cover of drizzle – the night I managed to get into the Olympic Superstore with no wait (rainy Tuesday night) and pick up CANADA t-shirts. The night out wandering about (Saturday) in the rain ducking in and out of various purveyors of beverages (coffee, wine,…) –this included a stop by the cauldron replete with nearby jazz band and people dancing in the rain in a small park (could never quite decide if this was an endorsed venue, or simply an enterprising group with amps & generators – whatever, everyone was having a good time). The young Russians looking for directions grappled briefly between their desire to reach their destination and their reluctance to fully disclose it – desire won (and sure, I know where Brandi’s is – peeler bars, whatever boys, have fun).

The protesters were there, but peaceful (except for the imported hooligans). And, even those of us who were against the games being hosted here pulled up our socks, put on our smiles, and had a good time. I came to the realization, that I am pro-sports, pro-athletes, pro-Olympics… Still not sure I wanted them in my town – we’ll see how the bills sort out (the $1,000,000,000 loan CoV took out to complete the Vancouver Athletes Village, after the developer lost their financing left me thinking I should have actually READ the city report when it arrived with my property taxes a few months earlier). Here’s hoping the real-estate bubble re-inflates in a hurry, and the condos can turn a profit.

Photos to follow…