Olympic City 2

People laugh about the cauldron leg that failed to rise during the Opening Ceremonies but they come to gaze at the cauldron burning outside against an ocean and mountain backdrop. Those rings are floating almost a mile away out in the harbour.



Meanwhile, the friendly, almost exhilerated crowds wander the downtown streets, to take in the pavilion exhibits, the free concerts, entertainment and amazing people-watching!

Adrenalin is pumping in Vancouver. At night, the party continues into the wee hours!

Vancouver Olympics. No pain, no gain?

Public events during the imminent Vancouver Olympic Games will include free entertainment, large screen live coverage, family food and drink at two downtown locations. One is a disused parking lot owned by the city. Unfortunately, the other is one of the most important urban green spaces in Vancouver. David Lam Park, in the Yaletown-False Creek neighbourhood, has been closed for conversion into a so-called LiveCity Olympic venue.

Security cameras are up. Construction fences have walled off adjacent children's play grounds, public tennis courts, gardens, benches etc. Workers are laying paving bricks over acres of the former lawns to create this Olympic plaza. According to this signboard, it will be almost eight months in total before the park is returned to the citizens of Vancouver.

President Obama may visit the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games

My photo of the Olympic Rings floating in Vancouver Harbour.

U.S. President Barack Obama may attend the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

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As reported by The National Post, David Jacobson, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, told the Vancouver Board of Trade yesterday that he may “bring a friend” to Vancouver in February. Jacobson, a Chicago lawyer, is a personal friend of the President and was his presidential campaign deputy finance chairman.

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The Ambassador just spent five days touring Vancouver and Whistler. “I don’t say this very often, but I’m looking forward to snow.” said Jacobson. “I’m looking forward to coming back here to Vancouver, maybe in February and maybe I’ll bring a friend.” If the President does make an appearance in Vancouver, he’ll likely also visit the Richmond Speed Skating Oval. That venue, like several others in Whistler and Vancouver, has been visited recently by U.S. Secret Service officials, who are charged with protecting the First Family.

Ski Season Starts!

With only 3 months to the Opening Ceremonies of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, the local mountains are opening with some of their earliest skiing ever!

Cypress Mountain, less than half an hour drive from the B & B, opens today for both alpine and cross-country. During the Games, Cypress will host Freestyle (Aerials, Moguls & Ski Cross) and Snowboard (Half Pipe, Parallel Giant Slalom, and Snowboard Cross). Two stadiums, each with a 12,000 person capacity have been constructed. The huge new Cypress Creek Lodge offers excellent apres-ski dining and lounges. It isn't an Olympic sport but I love the snow-tubing at Cypress. Who can resist a big truck-sized inner tube with safety handles and ropes on a bumpy sliding course built for kids of all ages!

Skiing at Whistler-Blackcomb, North America's largest and foremost ski resort opens tomorrow. It is just an hour and a half from Nelson House, using the vastly improved Sea to Sky Highway. The resort offers 8100 acres of skiable terrain spread over two mountains and the town of 10,000 at their base. More than a vertical mile drop and runs of over seven miles in length. 38 lifts speed you to over 200 trails. The new Peak 2 Peak Gondola breaks records as the highest and longest unsupported span in the world. Travelling from mountaintop to mountaintop in just 11 minutes, the Gondola provides breathtaking views of three glaciers and the valley far below.

In 90 days or so, the Alpine Skiing events will take place on Whistler Mountain and include Downhill, Super G, Giant Slalom, Slalom, and Combined. Whistler Olympic Park, the Nordic Competition Venue is complete and will host all Nordic events: cross country skiing, biathlon, ski jumping, and Nordic combined events. The Whistler Sliding Centre on Blackcomb Mountain will host the Sliding events: Bobsled, Luge, and Skeleton events.

Me? I am more likely to be found partying at Whistler's gay ski-week, WinterPride, the first week of March.

For information and links to all of these and more of Vancouver's winter wonderland, please checkout the Attractions and Directions page on our website.

Vancouver's Olympics - getting ready!

Beijing, Vancouver, London, Rio de Janeiro.... Good company to keep.

Vancouver likes to party. The invitations have been accepted and we are working hard to get ready....

The excitement is starting to build....

The athletes are gathering to train at their competition venues....

And soon - the world will be joining them.