scribbles, scratches and scrawls: vancouver olympics and paralympics

Showing posts with label vancouver olympics and paralympics. Show all posts

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Sledge hockey

I was lucky and got to go to not one, but two sledge hockey games. Alex, Rebecca, Jared and Jocelyn and I went to Italy and Norway and then I got some tickets from work and went to the semi-final between Canada and Japan.

This *looks* like a zamboni, but it's not.

Semi-final tickets

Thunderbird Arena all Paralympic-ed up

He shoots...

Gordo's flag has a paddle...could be dangerous...

Even though Canada didn't win, the Canadian fans just kept cheering and cheering. It was sad. The players were very sad. But the fans, they just kept cheering. I was with a friend who was at the women's gold medal hockey game and she said the atmosphere at this game was more charged than that one...can you believe it?

Paralympic Opening Ceremonies

I had to go get our tickets for the opening ceremonies tonight and ran into the torch relay a few times as I walked through downtown.

SUMI!

Team Canada

Gordo and his flag (I think it's permanently attached to his arm!)

Rick Hansen

Terry Fox tribute

Lighting the flame

Us. What's wrong with this picture? Oh yeah, Alex didn't get a poncho (it's okay, it was hot) and chapped lips much?

You gotta be here!

The city was still buzzing. It was great!

Gold Medal Hockey!

Soooo slow...but here they are...finally!

J brought puppy along to help cheer

J and her Auntie Rebecca

The lady next to us had a American flag that J really wanted to wave...at the first intermission Rebecca and I ran across the street to the drug store and got J an "appropriate" flag to wave

Kelsey, Shannon, J and Rebecca

The sun came out and decided to shine right on the tv screen we could see, so this guy got up on the wall to make a shadow so we could see better

Broadway was deserted. I've never seen it like this before. Not at 2:00 in the afternoon. The buses were still running and they all only had one or two people on them. CRAZY!

Sidney Crosby, you were my hero for a day or two

Winter? Really? Are you sure?

We left the restaurant and went north towards downtown. For the first 10-15 minutes the bridge looked like this.

And then the cars started coming...And they loved J and her waving flag in the backpack on my back. She thought it was great. She waved her flag and cars honked. What could be better?

This is the only time you'll see Calgary and Montreal fans celebrating together (and in Vancouver)

A sea of people

When else would you get away with wearing this (except maybe Hallowe'en)?

Crazy crowds

Last day for these two flags...tomorrow there will only be one flag there...

We went to Rebecca and Jared's and watched the closing ceremony on the big "screen" and then came home. We all felt like this.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

With Glowing Hearts

It's over. It was great. I'll miss it. But I'll be glad to get back to the real world.

Today was incredible! We met up with my sisters and watched the hockey game at a restaurant on Broadway and Burrard. The crowd was into it. The streets were empty. It was insane! J cheered and cheered and waved her flag (we know she doesn't really understand, but hey, she had fun!). When Crosby scored that goal, the place went nuts. Absolutely nuts. And that was just the beginning. We paid our bill, sang the anthem when the hockey players got their medals and then walked across the Burrard Street bridge waving our flags.

And I have very little voice left.

Downtown was insanity! The streets were the opposite of empty and everyone was having a blast!

We returned to Rebecca's house via the no car Cambie Street bridge for the Closing Ceremonies on their big "screen." And I have to say I quite enjoyed the mime helping Catriona Le May Doan light her piece of the cauldron from the opening ceremony and the whole segment that was all about poking fun at Canada and Canadian stereotypes.

What a party...so off to bed super early and back to reality tomorrow.

And then...on March 12...the Paralympics!

PS pictures will be posted tomorrow...too tired tonight!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Awesomeness!!

Go Red Mitten Flash Mob! I am loving the Olympics and all the fun surrounding them even more than I thought I would! Part of me wishes it would keep going after tomorrow (and part of me will be happy to get back to the regular world!)

Oh fun!