Olympic Experience: An Overview

What an amazing two weeks. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to experience the Olympics, and the atmosphere, liveliness, and having so many people come to enjoy the games really brightened up my February. Everything that happened, all the experiences I've had, were so much more than I expected and I had such a great time. I remember way back in 2004 going to the unveiling of the Olympic logo; getting one of the earliest Vancouver 2010 shirts; seeing the mascots for the first time in 2008. And now, in the blink of an eye, it's all finished, but the memories will last forever.


Olympic Goals

Of my Olympic goals I sadly only accomplished 2 1/2 of them. So far. I saw most of the pavilions and lucky for me, some of the more popular ones are sticking around for the Paralympic Games. Hopefully then the crowds will be thinner, the lines shorter.

Unfortunately, I never did take my picture with the mascots. I saw them a hell of a lot more before the the Games than during. It's funny because when I was a mall elf two Christmases ago, I remember they were dancing around in the mall and we had to compete with them for attention. Now that I think about it, you know what would've been cool? A Mascot Pavilion! Okay, next time, next time.

There's still a chance that the Bay will put all of its Olympic merchandise on sale and I really hope they do. I'm holding out for the 70% off tags because there's a Quatchi, Sumi, Miga, Mukmuk, and three Cheburashkas waitin' for me.


Favorite Pavilions

There were a lot of great pavilions, and some bad ones, some overrated ones. If you went to all or none, doesn't matter because now you can relive the excitement of the Games with this list I compiled of my TOP 5 favorite pavilions, in terms of exhibits and showcasing:

5. Four Hosts First Nations Pavilion

Nine-minute movie that highlighted and reflected on the Native groups of Canada. The message of the film -- "We Are Here" -- was sincere and meaningful.

4. Ontario House

4D Ontario experience, mind-control station, and restaurant and bar. There were also screens that played footage of lavish festivals, plays, events, and celebrations held in Ontario. The pavilion was a great showcase for a very proud and culturally diverse province.


3. Happiness House

Coca Cola really puts on a good show. Music, history, awesome promotional merchandise, enthusiastic staff, and interactive exhibits made this pavilion the absolute place to be.


2. Atlantic Canada House

Food, music, friendliness. Atlantic Canada in three words. Some of Canada's best musicians made themselves available to perform at the Granville Island venue, free to the public; that just shows their love for their Atlantic heritage. And guests to the pavilion could walk away not just with free sea food, but Atlantic clappers, too! A very influential pavilion.


1. Northern House

Northern House represents Canada's three territories, the most underrated and unexplored part of Canada. All the staff are proud residents of the territories and more than eager to share their stories of life in the Great White North with curious guests. Interactive exhibits, live performances, and informational displays allowed people the chance to learn the culture of the Inuit, and understand how rugged life is in the territories.

Northern House will be open until April 17.


The Ouch Victory

Ecck, I had to watch The Patriot just to see the USA win something. I'll be sportsman-like about it and wish y'all congratulations on the ga..ga..*sigh*...gold.


Goodnight and Merry March!

-Bonnie

From Russia With Disappointment

Good news everybody: BC House, Canada House, the Royal Canadian Mint Pavilion, and the zip-line are all staying open for a few more weeks! I'll finally be able to see them. Yay, rejoice!!

But one venue that is not being extended is Russia House, so I set my sights on seeing that one today. I went with my mom because she's working for the Olympics, so she has one of those passes that allows you to bypass the lines. I wore the staff card she gave me, as well as the flannel shell part of her orange and black 2010 Vancouver Transit jacket so that I would look like a full-fledged employee. At first the security guy wouldn't let me in, but my mom, who had been easily admitted, came back and told the guy I worked for the transit company, and when he realized we were together, he let me through.

Well, let me tell you this: if you missed Russia House, good on you. It's over-rated and the staff are incredibly RUDE. Nothing is in English so it's really easy to start going through something -- a doorway, the wrong staircase, a VIP lounge -- thinking it's a part of the venue and then have someone put their arm out in front of you and say in a condescending tone: "Sorry, not open to the public."

And they ran out of freebies! What kind of supposedly well-planned organization allows that to happen?! I went over to this desk where earlier a huge line of people had been to get Russia House souvenirs and even before I opened my mouth to ask if I could get a pin, the lady behind the desk snapped, "NOTHING LEFT. ALL GONE." A tiny line gathered at the desk a few minutes later and that same lady completely ignored everyone waiting, checking her email while the people waited expectantly.

There were a few things to see, like performers playing traditional Russian instruments, and a largescale model of the Sochi Olympics skiing hills and sports venues was set up so visitors could get a preview of the next Winter Games, but that was about it. Not much for such a big space.


The only redeeming thing about Russia House was the gift shop, which, I must admit, sells the best Olympic merchandise. And I was able to get a Sochi 2014 pin near the exit.


Anyway, I can't wait to have Science World back.

We left Russia House and walked along the sea wall to the other venues. People have balanced the rocks there into beautiful little Inukshuks. There's got to be thousands of them stretching along the sea wall. Some of them are gravitational feats. I hope they keep them after the Olympics.



Rock on!

-Bonnie

My Favorite Mascots: a Countdown Part 2

Here is the second part of my countdown, in time for the last day of the Vancouver Winter Games. Hope everybody had fun and here's to many more years of awesome, lovable mascots!

5. Vučko

Games: Winter, Sarajevo, 1984

About: With his sly smirk and courageous Olympic spirit, Vučko possessed personality as well as an important message: Humans can live harmoniously with animals. This friendly little wolf had the PR prowess to spin the unflattering portrayal of his animal counterparts in Sarajevo from bloodthirsty, fearsome beasts to beautiful, majestic creatures that deserve our respect.

Why I like him: Vučko embodied Sarjevo`s character, culture, and image, but added a modern twist with his enlightening message of animal rights. He was also such a powerful symbol to his country that he was able to influence his people to see animals in a different light. Not many people can pull a feat like that, so the fact that a cartoon wolf did is pretty amazing.


4. Magique

Games: Winter, Albertville, 1992

About: Half man-half star, all dream. Magique had the star power to ignite imagination and symbolized the Olympic dreams of the spectators and the athletes.

Why I like him: Magique gets bonus points with me because the star is my favourite and self-proclaimed symbol. But I also love what he represents: dreams and imagination. Those are the two things that everyone must have, because what is life without a dream, and the imagination to live it?


3. Hidy and Howdy

Games: Winter, Calgary, 1988

About: The inseparable siblings, Hidy and Howdy, were two western-themed polar bears that welcomed the world to their home on the range: Calgary. Their names reflected warmth and openness while their country personas got the fun started, putting the Wild back in West.

Why I like them: These have to be the most adorable teddy bears ever created. While they do embody the cowpoke stereotype of the Canadian (and American) Midwest, they were fun and symbolized an important element of the culture and history of Calgary. Another thing I like about Hidy and Howdy are that, unlike some other Olympic mascots, they will never get dated; their easily recognizable Cowboy and Cowgirl style will still always represent the spirit of their home city. Isn’t that what a mascot is meant to do?


2. Quatchi

Games: Winter, Vancouver, 2010

About: Quatchi was created by designers Vicki Wong and Michael Murphy of the Vancouver and L.A. based company, MEOMI. Quatchi is a sports-loving, goal-tending, gentle giant, with hockey dreams as big as he is. Quatchi’s message is that there is still mystery and wonder in the natural world, just waiting to be discovered. Not only does Quatchi represent the Winter Games, but also the strange and magnificent creatures, known and unknown, of the Canadian wilderness.

Why I like him: When the Vancouver 2010 mascots were first released, people were disappointed, even enraged, by their un-Canadian, Anime-esque design, and undecipherable forms. Without background knowledge, Sumi and Miga might as well have been poster children for anti-G.E. foods. But Quatchi, he was different. He immediately appealed to me because I knew what he was at first glance: BC’s own Sasquatch. And we all know how much I LOOOOVE the Sasquatch. Many provinces and States claim to be the true home of the Sasquatch, but none have had as many sightings as BC has, making him the perfect emblem for the Games. So while the other two struggle through identity crisis (by the way, I always thought Miga looked a bit like the Fosters Freeze guy, no?), and Mukmuk continues to be a hanger-on, Quatchi’s getting all the 2010 glory.

See the similarities? I KNOW you can see them!

1. Sam

Games: Summer, Los Angeles, 1984

About: Sam was created by Disney and is arguably one of the most recognizable and popular Olympic mascots in the 40 years since the first mascot was created for the Games. Sam is still in use, too, promoting track and field events such as the Mt. SAC Relays and LA84 Youth Days at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California.

Why I like him: Sam is the most patriotic mascot ever created, representing the most patriotic Olympic Games ever held. He is every symbol of the United States put together: the bald eagle, Uncle Sam, and the red, white, and blue of the flag. Sam is not afraid to show his true colors, and represented a time when his country wasn't afraid, either (need I mention USA House again?). The '84 Olympics were in my opinion the best Games ever held. They were the first to generate a profit and are still considered the most financially successful modern Games ever; Mary Lou Retton scored a perfect 10 on the vault, winning gold for the USA and cementing her status as a beloved sports icon; the Amateur Athletic Foundation was created to promote youth sports in Southern California; President Ronald Reagan opened the ceremonies. It was a great time, a very proud time for the USA.

And that is why Sam the Olympic Eagle is my number 1 favorite mascot, because he reminds me of happier times, of great times, of a spirit I truly love.



I hope you enjoyed my list.


Stay Golden!

-Bonnie

Conquering the East

Hello, hello, and once again it's been awhile! These past few days I've been cramming in as many pavilions as possible and I've successfully gotten into some of Vancouver's most popular ones.

The Bombardier Train

My week started off with a short trip on the free Bombardier train to Granville Island. It's a beautiful train, very sleak, smooth and sustainable, with a gorgeous interior. It only goes to one stop, from Cambie (aka the Olympic Village stop on the Canada Line) to Granville Island, but if the train proves to be successful during the Olympics, the city wants to extend it to Science World, then on to Vanier Park and eventually to Stanley Park and other parts of downtown Vancouver. If you haven't ridden it yet, it's going to be in operation until March 21 and I definitely recommend the experience. If you would like to see the train become a permanent fixture in Vancouver, email: eric.mital@vancouver.ca of the Downtown Street Car Project.

I also have some PDFs with information regarding the trains here if you're interested. Pass them on to friends and family because the more people who know about the them, the better! As Bombardier would say, "The Climate Is Right for Trains":

Transit Solutions | Vancouver's Historic Railway


Atlantic House


After the train ride, I decided to try my luck at Atlantic House, located on the top and bottom floors of the Granville Island Arts Club. I thought that I had left early enough that the line would be managable, but to my dismaying unsurprise, it was snaking out into the road. I resigned myself to wait and did so for about forty minutes before getting completely bored. They had volunteers walking up and down the line answering questions and reassuring people about the wait, but their efforts didn't help. Most line-ups at least move so you know it's not all in vain and you're actually working towards something, but the Atlantic House line was stagnant, and that's because they only allow ten or so people in at a time. I eventually gave up and found a smaller line for a 12:30 performance of Come On In! Songs and Stories from Atlantic Canadain the building across from the Arts Club. The performers were: Daniel Payne, Monique Poirier, Meaghan Blanchard, and David Myles.

The music was wonderful and traditional, sung in both French and English. The performers told their stories and invited some of the audience up on the stage with them to help sing along. After the performance was over and I was back outside, I noticed a small line-up moving quickly into the bar portion of the Arts Club. I follow it in and noticed a door standing ajar that led up into the upstairs portion of the pavilion. No security guards or volunteers were around so I pushed the door open, walked briskly up the stairs, and BOOM, there I was. I had just SNUCK into Atlantic House!! I was so surprised I'd actually gotten in that I was overly delighted and polite about the free samples I got; it was New Brunswick day, so I was given New Brunswick fare, which consisted of a bag of potato chips, a box of tea, chocolates, and a delicious round of chocolate cake from McCain. There were also oysters, but I of course didn't eat those. I got some pins and lip balm on the way out, and outside of the pavilion were three rows of touch-screen computers, plump lines of people in front of them. During my initial wait in the Atlantic House line-up, one of the volunteers handed out cards with a code on it that visitors were supposed to enter onto the computers. Once you had punched in the code, you were entered into a contest for a trip for two to Atlantic Canada. But entering in the code also brought up a game to win a pair of hand-crafted wooden clappers.
Three doors popped up and you had to choose the right one. Well, it must have been my day, because I won!! It was great, just great. After that, I hopped a ferry to Yaletown to see if I could get into some other big venues.


Ontario House


Ontario House had been the one pavilion I really wanted to go to, but the lines were always unappealingly massive. That's why my mom gave me her Olympic transit staff pass to see if I could use it to bypass the lines. We really weren't sure if it would work, but guess what ... IT DID!! I got up the courage to go up to the main entrance, flashed my pass at the door volunteers and walked in quickly before they had a chance to tell me to turn back and wait in line.

Ontario House is part bar/restaurant and interactive exhibit. I'm sure you've all heard of this, but they have this thing where three screens project live aerial footage of three places in Ontario: Niagra Falls, The Parliament buildings in Ottawa, and the CN Tower. Three chairs are below the screens. Three people at a time sit down, have head phones with special sensors put on them, and are told to then focus their minds on something. A screen attached to the chair allows the participants to see their brain waves and how high or low they are rising. The lower the waves, the more relaxed the person is. The higher the waves, the more concentrated the person is. The chairs react to the brain waves and sends vibrations from the bottom of the participant during low waves, to the head of the participant during high waves. The participant can control the light of the aforementioned places on the screen with their brain waves, and in the case of the CN Tower, which is the one I did, you can light it up and make it spin.

It was the coolest experience: strange, humming music started playing as vibrations went all the way up my back. The CN Tower went from a slow spin and dull luminance to a brilliant pink and wildly-fast revolution. I gripped the arms of the chair as I concentrated all my thoughts on one thing: Massachusetts. I got my wave reader to reach all the way to the top, and a little bit beyond that. Once in a while I would break my concentration to stare at the screen and watch the Tower light up and spin. When it was over, I collapsed back in the chair, mind exhausted. I received a pin that says "My Mind Lit Up the CN Tower."


Pin Collecting


If you were to go downtown now, you would see hundreds of people wearing vests loaded down with all sorts of Olympics pins, or sitting behind small tables laid out with pins, or newbie collectors wearing Olympic lanyards around their necks, strung with pins. Pins, pins, pins! The trading and appraisal of Olympic pins is taken very seriously. I should know, my mom used to be a trader and she has several very valuable '84 Olympic pins in her collection. Anyway, I`ve collected a lot of stuff in my life, from spoons to stuffies, but I never did get in on the pin action. However, seeing so many collectors got me into the collecting spirit and I went about getting as many free pins from the pavilions as possible.

Helpful Hints: tell venue volunteers you're from the province that the venue you're at is representing. It's the best way to get pins. Also, all Apple stores are giving away limited edition red square pins, and most retailers are throwing in mascot pins when shoppers spend a certain amount of money. Holt Renfew isn't giving away any pins to my knowledge, but they do have a FREE booth where you can have several photos of yourself taken and then compiled into a mini flip book. It's a pretty awesome keepsake.

Here`s my pin collection so far:



It's not much, but then again I'm not willing to spend ten bucks a pin. Just thirty dollars on stuffies.


The O Zone



After a busy day of cutting lines and pin collecting, I thought it would be a good idea to go out to Richmond and check out the O Zone. The Zone has got really strange hours, not opening until 3:00 pm on weekdays, 12:00 weekends. But the time I got there, it was around 4:00 and pouring outside. Without an umbrella and unwilling to walk around, exhausted, in the cold rain, I decided to hang out in Richmond Centre Mall. I ended up seeing Shutter Island, which started out passable (it takes place in Massachusetts, Boston Harbor, HELLO!) but quickly detoriated into predictable garbage. Here's a hint: its formula is exactly like Angel Heart (1987). Here's a tip: If you haven`t seen Angel Heart, watch it instead of this movie.

Once the film had ended, I left the mall and ventured outside, where blessedly it had stopped raining. By this time it was around 6:30, and the O Zone was strangely dead for a venue that had only opened three hours earlier and still had four-and-a-half hours to go until closing. There were still a few venues open, like the O Zone Signature Tree in the Cariboo, BC, showcase tent.


Now let's see if I can get into Russia House!


-Bonnie

Night of the Cheburashkas

Good morning, everyone,

Why am I blogging instead of going to bed? BECAUSE SUNDAY WAS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!! I probably don't have to remind any of you that Team USA won the hockey game last night, but I can tell you I was the happiest girl downtown walking against the hoards of sour-faced Canadians. And to top it off, when I went down to Russia House, a giant Cheburashka was dancing around out front!!!



From there, I went to the BC Hydro's Power Smart Village, which gives out green light-up necklaces. I got there right at closing time so one of the reps just handed me one; I didn't have to answer any power smart trivia for it, which always makes me feel like a douchebag because I know the answers but don't necessarily put them into practice at home...

From there it was on to the giant London Drugs across from the Bay, which is having a massive 50% off sale on ALL OLYMPIC MERCHANDISE. I grabbed a box of four mascot stuffies, which normally goes for $60, but decided not to buy it and hold out for the even better discounts which I'm sure (hoping) follow after the Games.

Waiting for the bus, I discovered another Russian pavilion on Burrard --


Jeez, these guys have taken up the entire city! of course, all these venues are private, but at least they lined the entrance and walkway with Cheburashkas in order to make passerbys feel better about being denied entrance. I looked forward to seeing what the Sochi Olympics will be like.


Alright, well now that I've been given the chance to share my happiness and excitement with y'all, I'm off to bed.

Pleasant Cheburashka dreams!

-Bonnie

2010 Vancouver Winter Games Counter
Drunks Wall-peeing: 7
Pavilions Visited: 9
Olympic Souvenirs: 10
Olympic Goals Achieved: 1 1/2