Dirty Laundry

The Olympics, Part 2

Here I am back at Yahoo! FANcouver. And while I’m not partaking in the free hot chocolate, I am using the free wireless and watching the United States trounce all over Finland. They are not even out of the first period yet and it’s 6-0 for U.S. It’s not the nail biter I thought it might be. It seems like every shot the Americans take goes it. I feel sort of bad for Finland. And for all the Finnish fans in the audience. But if Canada wins today it will be a dream matchup and a killer hockey game on Sunday.

Believe it or not, my voice is still hoarse from shouting at the game on Wednesday. It’s been getting better but will only be shouted-out again this evening.

My uncle called me a few days before I left for Vancouver and asked if I could pick up a navy blue Olympics hoodie. Well, you’d think that wouldn’t be so difficult to do. But, as it turns out, the Olympic Superstore at the Bay is swamped from dawn until midnight with lines that rival the opening of a new Star Wars film (or, I guess, more recently, an Avatar screening).  All this waiting just to get into a store and buy Olympics souvenirs. Souvenirs that, quite frankly, are not all that attractive. In fact, the clothes are all pretty darn ugly. But if it’s got Vancouver 2010 stamped on it, someone’s going to buy it, apparently.

Anyway, I thought for sure I could find another place that sold the merchandise (like Canada Hockey Place, for instance) but there seems to be only one type of navy blue hoodie out there and it proved to be elusive. Until last night, when Gerry and I were leaving Gotham Steakhouse (the best steak in Vancouver) and saw that there was no line outside the Bay.

It seems we timed it perfectly as they’d just let in around two hundred people. We scurried up to the doors and were told we’d have to wait just a few minutes. Seconds later, a huge line had formed behind us. I couldn’t believe our good luck. Anyway, long boring story short - the hoodie was found and purchased.

I’m going to attempt to post a few more pictures as the connection seems a bit faster today. Let’s see how this goes.

It’s been cheery in the streets but gloomy overhead.

The city has been decked out.

Decked out all the way to the sea.

Just in case you didn’t believe me about the fire hula-hoopers yesterday.

My friend Gerry insisted I take this photo, even though I said, “No, Gerry, you don’t look like a scoop of rocky road.”

If you have six hours to spare you can wait in line and zip across a few streets of Vancouver.

The torch in coal harbor. I have to say, it was more impressive than I thought it was going to be (Not as impressive as the Great Wall of China, but still…)

Once again, Gerry demands a silly photo be taken of him. This is his impersonation of Heatmiser from The Year Without Santa Clause.

In case you don’t know who Heatmiser is.

Everyone’s enjoying the Olympics (okay, so maybe I’m rehearsing for when my step-kids start having kids)

Lucky you, the connection seems to be super fast today here at Yahoo! Fancouver and so, I get to bore you with my “artistic” photos.  I call this one “Sneakers (or, since we’re in Canada, “Runners”)

This one I’ve entitled “Man Delivering Flowers.” See if you can figure out why.

“Finland Is Still Down 6-0 to the United States”

Enough art, how about some social commentary. Look whose acting isn’t paying the bills anymore.

And finally, one for my wife.

Aren’t you glad I’ve got a wicked fast connection today. It’s a Photo-stravaganza (or some such).  You can expect a lot more in the near future.  For now… GO CANADA! (I’d say GO, USA! too, but they are already going big time.)

Posted by Don Calame on 2.26.10 at 12:34 pm in Prattlings. (0) Comments