First Event - Short Track Speed Skating

Today we went to our first event.  After a breakfast of cereal and blueberries and some coverage on T.V., we left for the Pacific Coliseum.  The spectators' guide said to arrive early because it could take up to three hours for everyone to get through security.  After our close shave with the line for watching the opening ceremonies at David Lam Park, we decided to arrive extra early and got to the venue at about 1:40.

We were, literally, the first in line.  For a while we were the ONLY ones in line.  But eventually others joined and we whiled away the wait chatting pleasantly with an elderly couple from B.C. and a less elderly couple from Seattle.  We talked about vacations and public health care and found it easy to ignore the rain.

Finally the gates opened. (Ironically for the first in line, our gate opened last of the several gates.)  Our seats were in the very last row, but that worked out perfectly.  There was a rail in front of us from which Kim hung the flag that saved Canada.  And the view was as clear as day.  The zoom lens on our camera got close up pictures and the naked eye caught the big picture without problem. 

We were there for the whole warm up skate and were struck anew by the beauty of the speed skater leaning into the turn hand down to the ice as though caressing it affectionately.  Paul found himself grinning like an idiot just to be there.  We were there; we were really, finally there - at the Olympics.  As an extra bonus, the food available was better than any "arena food" we have every seen, including NHL arenas.  And not extortionately priced either.

Then the races began.  There was excitement and drama and a whole lot of fun.  There were races of different kinds: men's women's and women's relay.  No medals for Canada, but so be it.

On the way home, we stopped for Thai food and are now three for three on wonderful Vancouver restaurants. We continue to be blown away by the kindness of the locals.  There was the woman on the bus who helped us find an alternate route home, chatted with us about the Olympics and told us about the Chinese New Year celebrations going on tomorrow--a good tip since our event for tomorrow, the super combined, has been postponed. Then, when our bus route didn't work out as we had hoped a woman overheard us discussing the streets, asked us where we were going and gave us very practical advice which got us home promptly and inexpensively.

We are catching up on other events on T.V.

With giiddy excitment,

The Entity
Paul McCulloch Alexander
Kim Boara Alexander