The fact that the 2010 Winter Olympics are being hosted in Vancouver BC is pretty great. It’s probably the only time I’ll be able to (or want to) actually attend an actual Olympics event.
Olympic Trouble
Too difficult?
Rather than putting on an elaborate show which could never compete with the memory of China’s Olympic presentation, it seems clear Vancouver was instead trying to build their Olympics reputation on challenging, high speed, high difficulty courses. Weeks before the Olympics, the luge course was already billed as the fastest and most dangerous in the world. That title was proven upon the tragic death of Nodar Kumaritashvili. It seems event after event, from snowboard cross to downhill skiing that professionals, past Olympic champions, and newbs alike are all crashing… hard. More and more events end up being all about luck and survival rather than finely honed talent.
Too warm?
Then there’s the weather issue. It’s February and I’m looking for my swimming trunks. Guys are out on their motorcycles riding on clear blue sky sunny days. Anyone that thinks global warming is a bunch of horse crap, think again. My late grandfather used to tell us stories of ice skating on local rivers from November to March when he was a kid. When I was a kid, the rivers never froze over, but we did get at least a few feet of snow every year… and it stayed around for weeks. Today we’re lucky to see a flake hit the ground all year, and if it does snow it’s not around long. Ironically, while we’re begging for snow here in Seattle/Vancouver, the East coast has seen record snowfalls… prompting some to declare global warming a bunch of BS. It’s likely those people are the type of people who call it global warming to contrast the snowfall this year, but insisted everyone call it “climate change” (to lessen the impact) only a few short years ago. To them I say; smarten up. Record snow on the East coast simply proves weather patterns are changing, and just maybe it’s no longer “too cold to snow” over there.
The problem isn’t just in Vancouver, it’s everywhere (hence the “global” part). Speed skating is a national obsession in the Netherlands. So much so they have a single race that pits literally thousands of speed skaters against each other over the frozen canals and lakes in an 11 city marathon. Sadly, this national event must now regularly be held in Austria (PDF) because it just isn’t getting cold enough to freeze anymore. The problem is so epic in nature, even the likes of Bill Gates is getting very serious about how to stop the constant rise in temperature.
Too much security?
Security for the 2010 games was taken very seriously. There are thousands of security cameras blanketing the streets of Vancouver and Whistler, and the police cracked down on just about everything from the local homeless population to actually going into civilians’ private homes to confiscate signage and “contraband”. There is even word coming down from Whistler that there might as well be a curfew since the nightlife scene has basically been suffocated by intense security measures. Not to say good security isn’t a good idea, but I think tight yet unobtrusive security is better than overt “show of force” security any day.
Get back lowlifes!
To me, nothing said “get back you filthy lowlife” more than the giant fence designed to keep me a good 50 feet away from the Olympic Flame. Not only that, but the thing is positioned directly next to a giant new wood finished simply gorgeous virtually empty building with giant glass windows overlooking the flame. Why is the building empty? Only special IOC delegates and volunteers are allowed access to the building, and with it direct access to the Olympic Flame. Apparently there has been enough uproar that some measures were taken to lighten security around the flame, but some still aren’t happy.
While I wasn’t able to find a “life size” version of the Olympic Statue, I was able to have some fun with a smaller version in the courtyard of some bank. Luckily there wasn’t much security around buildings like this one, however that 30 second tangent off the designated sidewalk area got me some stressed out looks from the locals, like I was taunting the security beast or something.
Actual fun at the Olympics
In spite of all the problems Vancouver has, there is still a lot of fun to be had at the Olympics!
Public drunkenness!
Entire blocks converted for art & pedestrian use
Public ice skating rink
Damn screen savers!
So many search lights FOX is jealous!
Hockey tickets!
Unruly Canadians
Taking pictures of the no pictures sign
A sea of red and white
The vikings rather quiet after Canada's 8th goal
