Everywhere! It was a sunny, gorgeous Valentine's Day yesterday, and the Bright-Eyed-Bushy-Tails of Vancouver, Canada and the world descended upon downtown. I have never seen downtown Vancouver look like that before - streams and streams of people everywhere. Even the areas that were shut down to traffic to create pedestrian corridors were crowded. Robson and Granville was incredible - people packed as far as I could see in every direction.
It is not unexpected, but it does feel a little bizarre, as though my city has become a theme park where everyone was told to show in up in a patriotic uniform. Most decided to obey. The line up to get into the Bay (where they have already fixed that broken window) to buy such outfits extended all the way around Georgia and Seymour and back to the Sky Train entrance. It was unbelievable.
And forget about taking the Sky Train. The line up for that extended out the door as well. Even Sky Train stations that I had expected would not get so busy (such as King Edward), had line ups all the way up the stairs and out the door.
The bright side of all of this is that traffic is surprisingly not so bad, and taking the bus is fairly quick. This is also a very easy way to tell who is a local - all the locals are on the buses. And while the tourists wait hours in Sky Train line ups to get downtown, we can zip down on a bus in about twenty minutes. I felt a little bit guilty standing across the street, waiting for the Cambie 15, as I watched the Sky Train line up get longer and longer. Part of me wanted to go over and whisper, "Hey, there is a bus that can take you to the exact same spot for the exact same price, and it is coming in about five minutes." But I resisted the urge - I wanted to have a seat and some breathing room.
In other happy news, Canada is doing well in the Olympics and everyone is in good spirits. Yay for Alexandre Bilodeau! Now at least the people standing in line will have something to chat and smile about.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
And the Protests . . .
Apparently, the helicopter packed warzone-esque downtown of last night has been replaced with a riot-esque place with police and protesters facing off: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/02/13/bc-vancouver-olympic-protest.html.
I am sure this story is a bit of an exaggeration, especially since I am fairly certain it was the police who opened the tear gas last night, and not the protesters. But, either way, I am avoiding downtown for now.
I am sure this story is a bit of an exaggeration, especially since I am fairly certain it was the police who opened the tear gas last night, and not the protesters. But, either way, I am avoiding downtown for now.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Let the Games Begin
I tried to get excited and watch the Olympics this morning. It was the end of the torch relay, which I was privileged to see (almost twice), and so it seemed fitting that I should watch the end as it wound its way around the city.
However, after about twenty minutes of listening to the most aggravating reporters on CTV, I started thinking that I couldn’t bear to hear the words “once in a lifetime opportunity” one more time. “Oh and look, they are passing it off again, and isn’t this just an amazing once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity for so-and-so? So-and-so is feeling just elated – look at the smile on So-and-so’s face,” blab blaw blaw. Then, one of the reporters made a mistake so ridiculous I laughed out loud – they made a reference to “Historic Yaletown.” Historic Yaletown? Do you mean the brand new eyelash salon (I kid you not) or the blow-dry hair boutique or the posh doggie spa where little Lassie can get a pedicure? Yaletown is a lovely (if yuppy) part of town, which is definitely worth visiting – but it is about as historic as Britney Spear’s latest haircut.
This evening, my partner and I went downtown to attend a gala event to watch the opening ceremonies in “Historic” Yaletown. The energy on the street was incredible – tons of people in costumes cheering and huddling around bar windows trying to get a view of the opening ceremonies.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t anticipated the whole of the downtown core feeling like a warzone. With all the helicopters flying overhead, I felt this strange sense of impending doom. Then, on our way to Yaletown, we stumbled upon the ongoing protest. There were signs, and a giant green dragon thing, and a giant torch, and literally thousands of people. It was overwhelming.
I stopped to ask what the protest was all about – even though I knew it was about the Olympics – just because I wanted to hear the protester’s side of the story. She was a petite girl, with a sweet face, and certainly didn’t look like a ravaging, balaclava-clad renegade. She carried a simple sign that said “Homes Not Games,” and explained the she opposed the Olympics because the Games were displacing people from their homes and increasing homeless, and were responsible for the creation of laws and security measure that were infringing our civil liberties. She told me that she thought it was a terrible waste of billions of dollars that could otherwise have been spent on social programs. And despite VANOC’s ongoing claim that these are the “greenest” games ever, she didn’t agree. She says that the Olympic Games 40 years ago when people skated on outdoor ice and didn’t cut down any trees or spend millions on new facilities – those games were greener than these games.
Then she told me that she thought she smelled tear gas, so my partner and I quickly made a B-Line for Yaletown, where the gala was in full swing, people sipping wine around candlelit tables. We came in just as Canada was coming out for the opening ceremonies and the whole place went crazy with cheering.
It’s strange being an Olympic fence sitter. It isn’t that I don’t care about the issues – I just see that both sides have valid points. I do think the Olympics has cost too much, and I do wish the government spent that money on social housing and sports programs for children, and other important services like, I don’t know, healthcare. On the other hand, the Olympics are kind of a big deal – everyone gets all excited. For the most part, it’s a huge boost for community morale (I mean, apart from the protesting). One look at the shining, medal-sized eyes of the children watching the torch relay, and my heart melts a little toward the Olympics.
And, those amazing killer whales at the opening ceremonies were pretty impressive too. How did they do that?
However, after about twenty minutes of listening to the most aggravating reporters on CTV, I started thinking that I couldn’t bear to hear the words “once in a lifetime opportunity” one more time. “Oh and look, they are passing it off again, and isn’t this just an amazing once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity for so-and-so? So-and-so is feeling just elated – look at the smile on So-and-so’s face,” blab blaw blaw. Then, one of the reporters made a mistake so ridiculous I laughed out loud – they made a reference to “Historic Yaletown.” Historic Yaletown? Do you mean the brand new eyelash salon (I kid you not) or the blow-dry hair boutique or the posh doggie spa where little Lassie can get a pedicure? Yaletown is a lovely (if yuppy) part of town, which is definitely worth visiting – but it is about as historic as Britney Spear’s latest haircut.
This evening, my partner and I went downtown to attend a gala event to watch the opening ceremonies in “Historic” Yaletown. The energy on the street was incredible – tons of people in costumes cheering and huddling around bar windows trying to get a view of the opening ceremonies.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t anticipated the whole of the downtown core feeling like a warzone. With all the helicopters flying overhead, I felt this strange sense of impending doom. Then, on our way to Yaletown, we stumbled upon the ongoing protest. There were signs, and a giant green dragon thing, and a giant torch, and literally thousands of people. It was overwhelming.
I stopped to ask what the protest was all about – even though I knew it was about the Olympics – just because I wanted to hear the protester’s side of the story. She was a petite girl, with a sweet face, and certainly didn’t look like a ravaging, balaclava-clad renegade. She carried a simple sign that said “Homes Not Games,” and explained the she opposed the Olympics because the Games were displacing people from their homes and increasing homeless, and were responsible for the creation of laws and security measure that were infringing our civil liberties. She told me that she thought it was a terrible waste of billions of dollars that could otherwise have been spent on social programs. And despite VANOC’s ongoing claim that these are the “greenest” games ever, she didn’t agree. She says that the Olympic Games 40 years ago when people skated on outdoor ice and didn’t cut down any trees or spend millions on new facilities – those games were greener than these games.
Then she told me that she thought she smelled tear gas, so my partner and I quickly made a B-Line for Yaletown, where the gala was in full swing, people sipping wine around candlelit tables. We came in just as Canada was coming out for the opening ceremonies and the whole place went crazy with cheering.
It’s strange being an Olympic fence sitter. It isn’t that I don’t care about the issues – I just see that both sides have valid points. I do think the Olympics has cost too much, and I do wish the government spent that money on social housing and sports programs for children, and other important services like, I don’t know, healthcare. On the other hand, the Olympics are kind of a big deal – everyone gets all excited. For the most part, it’s a huge boost for community morale (I mean, apart from the protesting). One look at the shining, medal-sized eyes of the children watching the torch relay, and my heart melts a little toward the Olympics.
And, those amazing killer whales at the opening ceremonies were pretty impressive too. How did they do that?
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Unexpected Torch
Unexpectedly, I saw the torch go by today. This is one of the interesting phenomena of living in an Olympic host city. The Olympics is all around you, so events that people come from miles around to see might just pass by your door step.
As an Olympic fence-sitter, I haven’t been doing my research on potential spots to see the torch, since I wasn’t planning on going out of my way to see it. Little did I know it would be coming past my house.
I was sitting at my kitchen table, working from home to avoid Olympic traffic madness, when I started hearing loud music and people yelling on loud speakers. Before, I could even say, “what is going on?” my partner came into the room, and said: “Hey the torch is going by.” We put on our shoes and stepped outside just in time to see the happy people dancing on the Coke trucks go past. I thought that was probably it, but the spectators were sticking around, children clapping little inflatable tubes together and all the Olympic fans jumping up and down in their cut-up Canada flag outfits.
We stuck around, and eventually, were rewarded by the passing of a sizable police motorcade and streams of police on bikes. After another few minutes, the torch runners emerged: a pretty blond woman, torch held high, and a team of men in black running around her. The whole thing took about 30 seconds to pass us and the crowd went wild.
Later, on my way downtown to attend another Cultural Olympiad show (Dance Marathon), I passed another mass of people waiting for the Torch, and was given a pretty little Torch Relay pin from a volunteer. I guess I could have hung around to see the torch pass by a second time, but once is enough for one day.
As an Olympic fence-sitter, I haven’t been doing my research on potential spots to see the torch, since I wasn’t planning on going out of my way to see it. Little did I know it would be coming past my house.
I was sitting at my kitchen table, working from home to avoid Olympic traffic madness, when I started hearing loud music and people yelling on loud speakers. Before, I could even say, “what is going on?” my partner came into the room, and said: “Hey the torch is going by.” We put on our shoes and stepped outside just in time to see the happy people dancing on the Coke trucks go past. I thought that was probably it, but the spectators were sticking around, children clapping little inflatable tubes together and all the Olympic fans jumping up and down in their cut-up Canada flag outfits.
We stuck around, and eventually, were rewarded by the passing of a sizable police motorcade and streams of police on bikes. After another few minutes, the torch runners emerged: a pretty blond woman, torch held high, and a team of men in black running around her. The whole thing took about 30 seconds to pass us and the crowd went wild.
Later, on my way downtown to attend another Cultural Olympiad show (Dance Marathon), I passed another mass of people waiting for the Torch, and was given a pretty little Torch Relay pin from a volunteer. I guess I could have hung around to see the torch pass by a second time, but once is enough for one day.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Bright-Eyed, Bushy-Tailed, Wearing Canadian Flag(s)
They’ve arrived. We knew they were coming, but I never thought they would be so easily identifiable. They are the Olympic visitors – people from across Canada, and around the world, I’m sure – who have arrived in the city to partake in the Games and related Olympic festivities.
It is fairly easy to spot a recently arrived Olympic spectator. Simply look for:
1. An abundance of Olympic gear, mostly so far, Canadian Olympic gear, such that the person/people look like their outfit is made up of cutup pieces of a Canadian flag.
2. Red Mittens
3. A look of bright-eyed bushy-tailed excitement (and possibly the slightly unsettled appearance of having no idea where they are going)
For the most part, I love meeting people who are visiting the city and I’m always happy to give directions. The strange thing about these new arrivals is that they project an odd sense of entitlement that I’ve never noticed in tourists before – it is like the City of Vancouver is a theme park to which they have paid admission. They bounce around and yell on the Sky Train, even when there is nothing to yell about (for example, it would be totally appropriate to yell if the Canucks had just scored a goal, then I would understand. But the Canucks have vacated the city due to the Olympics). They also have absolutely no concept of stand right/walk left. It isn’t difficult – if you want to stand on the escalator, you keep to the right, and let all the people who are in a hurry pass by you on the left. Already, I notice that the Sky Trains are getting more crowded and rowdier. I have a feeling that soon I will be a bus user again.
And the Olympics have not even started yet.
It is fairly easy to spot a recently arrived Olympic spectator. Simply look for:
1. An abundance of Olympic gear, mostly so far, Canadian Olympic gear, such that the person/people look like their outfit is made up of cutup pieces of a Canadian flag.
2. Red Mittens
3. A look of bright-eyed bushy-tailed excitement (and possibly the slightly unsettled appearance of having no idea where they are going)
For the most part, I love meeting people who are visiting the city and I’m always happy to give directions. The strange thing about these new arrivals is that they project an odd sense of entitlement that I’ve never noticed in tourists before – it is like the City of Vancouver is a theme park to which they have paid admission. They bounce around and yell on the Sky Train, even when there is nothing to yell about (for example, it would be totally appropriate to yell if the Canucks had just scored a goal, then I would understand. But the Canucks have vacated the city due to the Olympics). They also have absolutely no concept of stand right/walk left. It isn’t difficult – if you want to stand on the escalator, you keep to the right, and let all the people who are in a hurry pass by you on the left. Already, I notice that the Sky Trains are getting more crowded and rowdier. I have a feeling that soon I will be a bus user again.
And the Olympics have not even started yet.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Vancouver Smurf City
The blue coats are arriving en masse now. Blue Olympic coats and large plastic Olympic badges. The city is being invaded by its own citizenry.
The kindly smurf-coloured people you see around town are the Olympic volunteers, and suddenly they are everywhere – outside Sky Train stations, walking down the street, in the grocery store, in the Starbucks – everywhere. It’s the new smurf city. These people are not fence sitters like me. They are full blown blue force supporters. And for the most part, they are all people who already lived here. This is probably a good thing, since I think one of their jobs is to give people directions.
The kindly smurf-coloured people you see around town are the Olympic volunteers, and suddenly they are everywhere – outside Sky Train stations, walking down the street, in the grocery store, in the Starbucks – everywhere. It’s the new smurf city. These people are not fence sitters like me. They are full blown blue force supporters. And for the most part, they are all people who already lived here. This is probably a good thing, since I think one of their jobs is to give people directions.
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Unexpected Calm (Before the Storm?)
Traffic is eerily calm. It is as if out of worries of Olympic chaos, all Vancouverite drivers are getting off the streets early. I went to a play with my partner last night, Beyond Eden, my first Cultural Olympiad event. My partner and I were very excited to attend, and to ensure that we arrived on time, we left extra early in case of Olympic-insanity-rush-hour traffic. But, as it turns out, all our worrying was silly: the streets were clear and the driving was easy. There was a strange sense of emptiness to the roads – an almost luxurious sense of space. Then we arrived 45 minutes early to the theatre and felt a bit ridiculous.
The play, by the way, was incredible.
The play, by the way, was incredible.
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