A Quick Recap of 2010 (before the year of the RABBIT)

This past year was a healthy one for our family and for the most part, our extended family. The year started off by exchanging homes in order to stay in Vancouver for the Olympics for more than a month. Was totally shocked on April Fool's Day. My daughter who is working towards a masters degree at the East West Center, University of Hawaii did not give an advance notice of an awesome Easter/birthday visit. After house-sitting in Hawaii, spent a good part of the summer at the Jersey Shore where I enjoyed my brother and his family and my incredibly wonderful former classmates and friends. Had several house guests including my grandniece, Kelsey, and my two sisters, Lois and Joan "Jodi". Then flew North with my sisters for a week in Tacoma, Washington and on my way home totally enjoyed good conversations with my son in San Francisco. (to be continued...must go party...happy new year...)

Transformation in Olympic Transportation

For the most part, Olympic transportation has always been fun for me. Exciting energy sort of bursts out into a festive event TO and FROM many of the events. But not always. During the first week that I was in Vancouver there were several local doubting faces on the city buses. After Opening Ceremony the city bus climate changed and many of the locals gradually joined the festivity and joined the fun olympic craziness. Toward the end of the games almost everyone in the city was celebrating. Most of Canada caught the olympic fever. Even bus drivers who had to change routes often to help keep the street walkers smiling and the happy crowds flowing could have been extremely frustrated, sang! Yup! How cool is that.

Olympic Trading; Postal Cards, Tickets, and Pins

One artistic Olympic Yachting Postal Card from the 1984 games was a good trading item for me. It featured five yachts with their brightly colored sails. Not everyone collects stamps but almost everyone wanted to take home olympic memorabilia. Because it was a first day issue date, most stamp collectors were thrilled to have one. One of the most artistic Olympic tickets was from the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games in 1996. Often, whoever sat near me got one of my "regalos". So, along with many of my pins, these items were a hit in Canada. Didn't trade every day, just when the Olympic trading spirit came my way.

Colorful Flags, Colorful Lights, Colorful Forms, Colorful Faces

One wandering red colored form was fancied by the crowds wherever he went, The Real Red Man! This spandex clad mystery super fan of the Vancouver Games was often seen around town spreading his love for Team Canada. When I asked if anyone knew his identity, I would usually get a I-don't-know-shrug of a shoulder. He amped up the crowds in his classic red goggles and his red and white flag worn as his flying maple leaf cape.

Others painted their faces creatively, dressed in costumes, wore crazy hats, danced and sang around colorful lights at night and animated the olympic streets and the sky train with colorful waving flags during the day.

Stephen Colbert in Vancouver

Stephen Colbert was a great part of the rally yesterday with Jon Stewart in Washington D.C.

Watching Colbert reminded me of another well attended event this past February. Colbert’s “polite” appearance at the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Many members, over four thousand, of the Colbert Nation chuckled as Colbert made his appearance in red white and blue at Creekside Park near BC Place. He kept the crowd laughing. He fired off many of his one-liners like, “It doesn’t matter whether you are Canadian, Indian or Asian, what unites us is you’re not american!” in a tone of voice that only Colbert could pull off! He is fun; this Canuck basher who is a star of Comedy Central, this NJ Sunday School teacher who is able to bring big smiles across many miles and laugh at himself...

this 46 year old dude who, along with Jon Stewart, even helps to UNITE parties.

If We Amplify Everything We Hear Nothing

Jon Stewart had an Olympic day in Washington D.C. today at the rally,

Restore Sanity and/or Fear.

A few of the signs in the crowd of millions read:

Keep fear alive, watch Fox News

Your reasonableness is ruining my fear!

If you get sick, Republicans want you to die quickly

Imagine

When income dictates outcome, democracy fails

Religion in the GOP is making them hypocrites

This is totally our Woodstock

We are the moderate Muslims

Use soy milk, it dilutes tea

Death to Nobody

Can you please shut the fox up

Democrats love America too

This sign is intentionally left blank

Coffee not Tea

Bankers are people too (sort of)

Les Reasonables

Are we going to Applebee's after?

A People’s Story Telling Place to Granville Island, Vancouver

From a sandbar in False Creek, to a gathering place or “a people’s place” and a fishing place in the late 1800’s, to and “Industrial Island” in the 1930’s, Granville Island then became a place with rusted, abandoned warehouses after World War II. Because of a few visionaries who were rooted in the stability and integrity of the traditions of the past, yet saw for the future a place that could nurture a variety of human endeavors with innovation, like Performance Works, Granville Island became a “Must Experience” during the Olympic Games of 2010.

I heard about Granville Island when I asked the locals about a Farmers' Market. I first arrived on Granville Island from the West End or “the other side” the very best way, in my opinion, that one should arrive on Granville Island, by AQUABUS. The panarama view of this side of Vancouver from the aquabus is almost too beautiful!

Highlights of the island for me were; The Inukshuk Gallery, Blackberry Books, Boardwalk Gallery, Organix, The Lobster Man, La Baguette and L’Echalote, Granville Eyeland, Organic Acres, Paper-Ya, The Hang Out Place, The Canadian Houses, The Farmers’ Market and naturally The Swiss House, a story telling place. The Swiss House is where I heard great Olympic and local stories and chatted about the headlines of the day.

Hearing stories about other olympic experiences never fails to totally amuse me!

Vancouverology and More Snippets from Journals

From Cow Bells to Cocktails:

Tried fixing up my nephew, who was one of the snowboarding judges, with a sweet gal named "Rose". It didn't work but still decided to buy him a Vancouver 2010 wedding present with hopes that he will find a mate this year! One year that he is sure to remember!

Was thrilled to meet and enjoy the company of all the very global snowboarding judges across the bay at Lonsdale Quay. All were a delight, Marcella Centurione from Ontario, Steve Brawn from Australia, Jesus Froch from Spain, Willener Stefan from Switzerland, Sam Savela from Finland, Kippy from Japan and especially my nephew, Ste'en Webster, from New Zealand. One of the nights my Rosati relatives joined us there, what fun.

Found a great Ukrainian Restaurant and an Izakaya near my home on Haro Street.

The concierge at Hudson Bay Olympic Store was a great place to get valid information.

Met Harvey and Connie who were among the FIRST volunteers. They were stationed at the VIP section during the hockey games.

Among my favorite short but sweet acquaintances were BURR the Vancouver Postman who took a good part of the afternoon off to teach me the ropes near Yaletown and Jake, the twenty five year old bartender at The Swiss House. I also enjoyed most of the pin traders, Paul, Nini, Janet (who was everywhere in Vancouver), Steve, Lenard, Greg, Kelly, Al, Shirley and Randy's son! Most called to request tables and some dropped in when there was a free table.

Heard the RV places had vacancies. Couch surfers were present and large lovely rooms in homes could be rented for 100 (604-526-6830). per night. Several neighbors who I met in coffee shops wanted me to help them rent their places so there were vacancies in homes as well.

Variety and great entertainment was everywhere from barefooted KD Lang to shrink-wrapped Nelly Furtado. Again, my favorite, spontaineous street parties. Oh such sights! Hundreds of small inukshuks that were on the wasteland near the seawall were created by a guy named Ziggy.

Remember hats are "toques", Grandville Island is awesome, even in the rain. Long lines at the olympics? No sweat. Just go out when it is not sunny and jump in line when it is drizzling or raining lightly!

Vancouver 2010 Downtown Activity Highlights

While it is still 2010 will enter a few of my misc. notes on free Vancouver Downtown Activities:

A list from notes about my about my favorites:

Robson Square continuous spontaneous surprises, zip line (170m across), video art on huge wall, free ice skating. yougottabehere.ca

Vancouver Art Gallery, featuring the queen's da Vinici drawings and BC Pavilion on 4th floor. vanartgallery.bc.ca

Royal Canadian Mint such long lines but with credentials not so bad. www.mint.ca

All the Canadian Pavilions!
German Fanfest near train station
Saxony House, boat houses (awesome)!
Olympic Superstore, Hudson Bay
International Village, 5th Floor at the Hudson Bay
Live City Downtown
Bell Ice Cube activities daily, interviews, entertainment, Beatty St.
Live City Yaletown, David Lam Park, continuous activities and pavilions
Lights of Hope, every night
Aboriginal Village
Vectorial Light Display at English Bay, near my home near Denman Street
BC Hydro Power Smart Village, generated electricity as people danced!
Swiss House, Italy House, Korea House and many countries hosted great food and cultural displays

Gold Medal Beaches, Summer 2010

Will get back into proper documentation and fun journaling of the Olympics after this awesome summer. As for now, the beaches and white silky sand along the South Jersey Shore deserve an Olympic Gold! I swim in Ventnor almost daily, have spent time on the beaches of Brigantine, Ventnor, Margate, Longport, Stone Harbor and Ocean City. Swam in the ocean under/during the Air Show in Atlantic City on the 25th of August. Sailed to Ocean City Yacht Club from Longport. Incredible family and friend visits. So although I've written just a bit in my blog this summer, these beaches deserve a GOLD!!

Spain is Ichiban!

Wavin' arms, wavin' hair, wavin' nations,
and to South Africa...congratulations!

World Cup, South Africa

Will edit and add to this later. Yet now, must say how "feelin' gutted" and "feelin' elated", such a contrast of emotions reminds me of the same feelings I had during the days I watched my daughter play soccer from the sidelines. I feel like I am not watching that I am playing, intensely!

The Trinkets and Vancouver Memorabilia

Pins, medals, coins, wallets, lanyards, keychains and the famous red mittens all were sought after by thousands.

The Vancouver Olympic Flame

The flame delighted huge crowds on its journey to Vancouver. The Opening Ceremony began with a surprise snowboarder entering the stadium through the massive olympic rings and ended with Wayne Gretzky escorting the flame, such a powerful symbol, to its place of honor, protected by a chain link fence. In the distance out in the Burrard Inlet, behind the cauldron were the floating Olympic Rings.

During the day crowds would line up to have a closer look. Requests were granted within the first week and the chain link fence was moved so we all could get closer. Almost every evening I would pass the cauldron on my way home. Perhaps it is the history, the long journey and the participation of so so many global citizens that have connected with this magical flame that causes it to lift all spirits above, around and in us.

Starbucks, the Olympics and Gold Medal Kids

I am sitting at the Starbucks on Denman Street and Robson Street, one block from my home at Denman and Haro in Vancouver.

Several leftover Olympic visitors are still here. One table has about four nations represented and all of them are speaking English as a second language. What fun.

Am thinking about my daughter, Marion, who was one of the managers at the Ritz Carlton Starbucks on PCH near our home during 2002 while she was working her way through school. She requested to work in Salt Lake City during the Olympics and had her third Olympic experience! L.A., Atlanta, and Utah. Thank you Starbucks.

My son Don made Salt Lake City his third Olympics as well. First, also L.A. Second, when he was fourteen years old, he went to Lillehamer on his own! That will need a separate post for sure!

Anyway am grateful to Starbucks for access to the internet. A reasonable time limit is given to Starbucks customers here in Canada, no charge like the USA. So thank you SBUX! And if you read this blog Marion and Don, thank you for being GOLD MEDAL KIDS.

Pin Trading at Hudson Bay

Actually slowed down enough to place pins on a board and set up a pin trading table at Cocacola's pin trading center at "The Bay". Paul and Christy were in charge and had one spare table. I enjoyed asking everyone what the highlight of the games was. Needless to say, many answered the USA - Canada Hockey Game.

Couldn't, and still can't help smiling, just thinking again about that game. In the morning CTV was predicting a 5-1 victory for the Canadians. I knew it would be a spectacular ending for Canada to win and of course I knew I would be happy no matter what happened but 5-1!! When I heard that, I knew we must work hard for them to earn gold, and work hard we did! All the Canadians who surrounded us upstairs in the Swiss House didn't know that we were from USA until the famous 27 seconds-goal! It was fun to watch their amazed faces. (The most amazing thing of course for all of us is what happened AFTER the game when we ALL got into the most fantastic Closing Ceremony!)

The manager of the Fairmount Hotel told me he enjoyed watching the amazed faces of the crowd as well. There was a Canadian group in the big lobby watching the big screen and a USA crowd was watching a smaller screen behind the bar on the side of the lobby, which was transmitted about 20 seconds or so ahead of the big screen. That 27-second goal caused an uproar so loud that Canadians all turned their heads to see what was happening at the bar and missed the actual play.

Anyway, while at "The Bay" pin trading, I met so many fun folks. About half were foreigners and half were local Vancouverites. Several VANOC and VANOC volunteers were also trading. There were a few former olympians and a few funny Olympic freaks like me. If they brought their kids I gave them stickers of former mascots so they could learn the history of the games. Some were just starting so I gave them pins. Those who were interested in the history of the games, I gave first day issue sailing stamp post cards from the 1984 games. Some were delighted to get my leftover broadcasting tickets from AOB, Atlanta 1996 with the beautifully designed hologram.

I made about 15 trades. I'll write my thoughts about pins and what I think about their value on another post. But for now, I must say I surprised myself. Somehow I could not trade a couple of pins that I fully intended to trade, even when offered three for one! AaiiiYA! Crrrrrazzzy in Canada!

Basking in the Afterglow

These warm Vancouver days emerged during the games. The rain would come just in time to shorten a few long lines. Will add later to blog when I return to California. Must go bask!

Olympic Energy, Hearts Swelling

Yes, it is the energy, the "chi" that comes from hearts swelling
in the midst of this "oneness of humanity" that also deserves a gold.

Quick comments:

The party kept growing, Vancouver explodes with "Olympicmania"

Shane's poem = We are more...please, thank you...zed not zero...

Aboriginal artistry excellence from the four nations

Canadian humor and the three legged cauldron

Hearts swelling

New Canadian heroes

Sid the kid

The luxury of Swiss House Fondue while watching the hockey game

USA Miller MVP even though "Canada IS Hockey"

Closing explosion and the beaver returns

Closing Ceremonies right back where I started with broadcasters!

Basking in the afterglow

Vancouver 2010 Closing Ceremony

Briefly, here's what happened. After waiting around for a possible ticket on Denman Street, met my family, Michael, Joan, Gian, Marissa, Isa, and Benicio, all ticketless, at Granville Island inside the upper dining room of The Swiss House, which was a comfy great spot to watch the exciting USA-Canada Hockey Game. Then we all took the Aquabus and made our way back to the downtown area and was surprised to get close to the entry of BC Place without hearing, "You can't go further without a ticket". Then got my sign-making kit out. (a few others borrowed my big MAGIC marker, : ). Michael and Joan went to rest from the walk and watch Isa, and then after of few minutes of nothing much, reminded those around me to Think of the Olympic Spirit and...Opaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Spectacular Closing Ceremony at BC Place

Can you believe how BIG the Olympic Spirit must be...it got all of us...Michael, Joan, Gian, Marissa, Isa, Benicio and me into BC Place for a spectacular Closing Ceremony!!! (Just returned, it took hours to walk 9 blocks to my home away from home because of so many incredible spontaneous street celebrations!!!) Opaaaaaaaaaa!

Cocktails, Cowbells, Coins at Vancouver Olympic Games

Am listing now, will add details of most of these topics later:

Heineken Holland House again wins gold medal for fun, music and spirit

Alarm set for 2:30 A.M!

Computer Software "crowd-ware"

Huge projections on building walls

Aboriginal Pavillion and Homes of the Future

O-Zone with more aboriginal art

Street entertainment, music and canadian flags everywhere

Robson Square and the zip line

Cost = millions, Canadian pride will continue to be worth billions

Hudson Bay online = no waiting IN line

Ste'en and the snowboarding judges

Patriotism blooming like the magnolias

Smitten with mitten decoration...Lions and Inukshuk wears'm as well!

Fun food = from lamb popsicles to japadogs and jamaican paddies at Yaletown

From the main P.O. for coins and Olympic cancelation and stamps to the hockey game

Canada VS USA comin' up

Headin' for only short lines when drizzling

Hot Chocolate on the streets, and Catholic Charity Hospitality near BC Place

Pin trading, yes!

New Canada Line, Sky Train, Aqua bus, Sea Train and local bus drivers!

Ziggy created hundreds of Inukshuks at the wastelands across from Olympic Village

Raquelette, Udon and Ukrainian Specialties

Shirley and Gian also make it to Canada, O Canada

Evan, Patrick, Joannie, Shaun...

Ohhh Ca-na-dahhh

Glorious, all of it:

Stanley Park Torch Run

Inukshuk Torch Ceremony at English Bay

Paddlers carrying the flame

Curling Events

German House

Italy House

The People's Place, Granville Island

Yaletown

Grouse Mountain Today Show

Cambie Street Lights

Caldron with Flame, Thurlow and water

BC Pavillion at Robson Square

Art Museum

The Mint

Favorite sign today, "Get your photo taken with a Canadian Free”

Hydrogen Highway, high powered, Chevy Equinox with zero emission

Catching a Few ZZZ's Prior to Snowboarding Event at Cypress Mountain

In a few hours I'll be off to the Cypress Mountain Venue!

Had a grand mini family reunion, this time with Ste'en Webster, my nephew, and his mates, a global team of Snowboarding Officials from Norway, Japan, Spain, Sweden and yes, "but of course...New Zealand!"

Here is part of the result of yesterday's interview that was taken while we made a pit stop so my lovely niece, Marissa could nurse our presioso Benicio.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/olympicoutsiders/2011070047_video_olympic_profile_patches.html

The Excitement of Vancouver...

The excitement in Vancouver keeps me from writing for now, will catch up later because...the sun is shining. And yes, it is V Day...Victory Day, Vancouver Day, Valentine's Day!

Met m'wonderful family yesterday and strolled in the decorated streets of Vancouver. There was Joan, Michael, Marissa (a super mom), Seth (a super dad), Isa, Nicio (their babes), birthday Joe, and Mikey. We somehow were able to stick together from Hudson Bay, to Waterfront, to Steamers Bar, to the Olympic Flame (all protected and fenced in right now) and then Robson Square. What good sports, the weather stops noone!

Was interviewed by Seattle Times with my vest of patches from many former Olympic Games.

Am off to my favorite Ukrainian Restaurant for a bite and then to Lonsdale Quay to meet my nephew, Ste'en Webster, who is an official at Cypress Mountain at the Snowboarding event.

Celebration amped up here for Chinese New Year, so...Gung Hei Fat Choi everyone!

Saw Opening Ceremony Rehearsal with a Glowing Heart!

With a glowing heart, sitting among the best of the best, there I was, wishing the rest of the world could be "seeing the world from where I was".

What fun is it...to open a present when you already know what is inside? So of course, no need to write and spoil any surprises! Oh Canada!

Preparation for Vancouver

One of my ongoing goals in life is to do things that I have never done.

THIS is my first home swap!

Spring cleaning early, must clear table tops and make some space in the closets of our small home. First phase was shuffling things around. Progress was slow. Had to read my preferred articles prior to tossing magazines, had to repair useful broken items, wash almost everything, consume older pantry items and finish "too much" paper work.

According to the hobbits, "mathoms" are things we don't really need but cannot bare to throw away. Had to sift through many mathoms that I had squirrled away. Found some things to pass along, and some things that were third-hand and were too old for the good will.

Am beginning to think house swapping might be good, even for the soul. (except I haven't had enough time for my ocean dips and sunset walks!)

There is no doubt it will lower my CO2 footprint!

House Swapping for Vancouver 2010

Was fortunate enough to find a small home to swap on the West End in the downtown area. On January 20th (m'dad's feast day), one of my lucky days, found a reward seat for a flight to Vancouver! "To go or not to go", is no longer a question!!! (Happy b'day MomMom.)