Spring Olympics

Cherry Blossoms on Howe Street near the Vancouver Art Gallery this week! Weather has been so amazing cherry blossoms are everywhere including downtown in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery in front of Michael Lin's A Modest Veil, a massive mural of flowers part of the Cultural Olympiad in Vancouver.

Vancouver 2010 has been dubbed the Spring Olympics. Visitors have spring weather for enjoying the free outdoor entertainment venues, including these kids posing for photos outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, which adjoins Robson Square in the heart of downtown Vancouver.

Who knew the flower mural would reflect the springlike we've been having.

Vectorial Lights

One of the great things about all the Olympic activity is how much free stuff is going on. Like the Vectorial Light show. Living in South Granville, I have prime seats.

But you can take part in designing the vectoral lights currently in Vancouver from anywhere in the world. Using 20 large robotic searchlights around English Bay, the canopy of the Vancouver sky is transformed by the local audience or individuals worldwide who design their own patterns via a website. Their light sculptures are visible from a distance of 15 kilometres and the pattern changes roughly every 12 seconds. Go to Vectorial Vancouver now!

Men's 500M Speed Skating

We had a great time cheering on the Canadians and Dutchies at the men's 500M speed skating competition at the Richmond Olympic Oval.

This pic is of Simon Kuipers of the Netherlands skating against Kyle Parrott of Canada. The real story was the Dutch fans everywhere at the Oval dressed up in Royal Orange. And the Kleintje Pils band which had the crowd rocking when the zambonis weren't working!

The band whose name means small beer in Dutch has become synonymous with Olympic speedskating. Although the band from the northern province of Friesland is Dutch to the core, its appeal is global. I was not alone dancing and cheering this band on.

Men's Ski Jump

Swiss Simon Amman won Gold at the Men's Ski Jump! He became the first man in Olympic history to win gold medals in the Individual Normal Hill event in two Olympics (previously in Salt Lake City). And we were there. No, this image is not from the actual event but from Sega's new Vancouver 2010 Olympics video game.

If you want to see more, click on the trailer. Reviews suggest that the game does deliver a thoroughly enjoyable simulation of competing at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. With gorgeous graphics with photorealistic athletes and actions, and impressive depictions of the key venues forget the cost, hassle and line-ups and go virtual!

Men's Single Luge

Luge event, awesome!

I really enjoyed it. Facility was great, amazing speeds of up to 140km. Had my cow bell. And it was snowing!

It was hard not to think of Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili. Indian luger, Shiva Keshavan, was greeted to cheers of "Shiva, Shiva" after his race. Apparently, he is thrilled to be racing in Canada where he is warmly received by the Indo-Canadian community. Keshavan is compared to the Jamaican bobsleigh team that competed at the 1988 games and became a crowd favourite. He is part of a three-athlete delegation from India at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

Opening Ceremonies

Stupendous! It was not only a unifying moment, a night of Canadian pride but a theatrical experience. I can't pick my favourite thing so this pic of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Honor Guard hoisting the Canadian flag will have to do.

Whales and salmon on the virtual floor, Joni Mitchell, kd lang, Nikki Yanofsky's rendition of O Canada... what's not to like? Four billion people watching and there I was wearing my white poncho, banging my drum and waving my light!

Apparently, there was a mechanical error that prevented one of the massive torches from rising from the floor of BC Place. Who knew?

Cultural Olympiad - Robert Lepage

Went this evening to see Robert Lepage's The Blue Dragon, at SFU Woodwards. Part of the Cultural Olympiad, the imagery and effects in the show drawing on film, photography and other media, were quite interesting.

Robert Lepage is a Quebec-based artist, and one of Canada's most reknown performing artists.

After the show, we did manage to walk along Granville Street (through the Lunar Festival) and the new large tube lights along the Great White Way (popularized by its neon signs) really works.

Can't wait now until Place Francophonie opens on Granville Island.