One thing I don't think that viewers realize is that the games venues spread over a huge geographical area. Driving from end to end, Whistler to Richmond, we're talking about a four hour journey.
Whistler, where many of the snow events take place, is about two and a half hours from Vancouver (it's like driving from Elmira to Buffalo: do-able for a daytrip, but not something you want to do more than once a week!). While I would love to make it up there for the games, officials want pretty much everyone to have a reason to go up there--- my “just hanging out” excuse probably won't cut it. I do hear that the evening medal ceremony will be a treat every night.
Two of the North Shore mountains will also feature prominently in the Games, Cypress and Grouse Mountains. The snowcapped mountains in the background are what locals take advantage of all year round for skiing, hiking, and biking. Stay tuned for future posts where I'll describe how the weather on these hills has been an adventure for the Olympic Committee this winter!
Then, the Olympic footprint expands even further to downtown Vancouver. BC Place, the dome on the left is where the opening ceremonies will be. It's been around a long time and hosts many events annually. Just a few months ago, I piled in there with 50 000 of my closest friends for a Black Eyed Peas/ U2 concert. It's just like any big event center--- long lines, but an invigorating buzz once you walk in!
GM Place is the dome on the right... typically the home of the Vancouver Canucks. They've moved out for hockey players from around the world to take over for a few weeks!
South of that is Richmond site of speed skating and practice rinks. It's also near the airport and less than an hour from the US border. Because it's outside of town, there are many cultural events and festivals planned for here as well.
So, that's the tour thus far... a mere introduction of the places I go and things I hope to show you over coming weeks.
Until then,
Leigh
