Vancouver 2010: A Relatively Embedded Blog Chronicling the 21st Winter Games - Day 1

Vancouver 2010: A Relatively Embedded Blog Chronicling the 21st Winter Games

Day 1 – Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty

12:42pm
So all the excitement and anticipation of the past seven years has finally come down to this: the world touches down in Vancouver, British Columbia for 17 days of passion, pain, participation, and some epic partying.
I will admit that I never considered coming home until just over three weeks ago. It was then that I realized that the Games don’t actually happen in one’s hometown that often, and it might be worth it to spend reading week checking things out. And so, three weeks, 4600 kilometres, and far too many airmiles later, I found myself stepping off that small Westjet jet into the +10 degrees of the 2010 Spring Winter Olympic Games.
After three years of studying in Ontario, it gets me how coming home still consistently reduces me to a puddle of emotion. To see the snow-capped mountains and the shining ocean waves, to smell fresh, clean air and feel the warm breeze off the Pacific… effffff. It’s the best place on earth, friends.
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1:30pm
The vibe in the city is electric. Sure, the skies are a little dreary and the moguls course at Cypress Mountain is a slushy mess, but you can’t deny the growing buzz of excitement as opening ceremonies draw closer and closer.
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9:30pm
Wow… epic fail.
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11:48pm
Things to note from tonight’s opening ceremonies:
1. It was absolutely wicked to see the huge nod given to Canada’s aboriginal people in tonight’s performances. Though there are obviously underlying politics at play, it was still classy on the part of VANOC organizers to acknowledge, in front of the world, that this was and will always be their land.
2. On the topic of classy, a nice standing ovation from the home crowd for the Georgian team. Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili has thanked Canadians for their compassion and humanity.
3. In true Canadian fashion, we couldn’t decide on who should light the cauldron so we chose four people to do it.
4. The orcas in the floor were frickin SWEET.
5. Despite the mechanical errors, the balmy winter weather, and the disgraceful rendition of our national anthem… never have I been more proud to be Canadian. These aren’t just Vancouver’s games – these are Canada’s games. Let’s get it on.