VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS: REFLECTIONS

Being in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics was in the words of Jacques Rogge an “excellent” experience. It is always very easy to find things to gripe about, but what would be the point when the overall experience was rewarding in so many ways? Some things can always be done better and smarter, but that’s for the next Games to learn from. So here is final selection of reflections on our excellent Olympic experience.

A highlight for both of us was meeting Eric Stojker on the bus; it made the following figure skating so much more interesting and certainly Carole’s favourite event. My favourite event: ski jumping. It was amazing to see those men fly on a beautifully day. The cultural program was superb and diverse, the neighbourhood live sites buzzed and catching up with Jasper and Jenny was a delight.

Canada put its own stamp on these Games that said we’re good enough to perform on the world stage but we don’t have to shout about it with USA razzmatazz, British self-importance or Australian brashness. Canadians have every right to stand a bit taller after these Games, but probably won’t.

Let’s go Canada go.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS: A DETOUR TO NEW YORK (Thu 25-Sun 28 Feb)

Central Park, NY, in the snow

Carole and Naomi shopping

Sex and the City style, outside

Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment

(Sarah Jessica Parker’s real home)

New York City – so different from perceptions of dark, deserted, dangerous, neighbourhoods gained from too much bad US TV when growing-up. Greenwich Village, where we are stayed with our very good friends Naomi and Neil, is one such example. A gay neighbourhood in all senses of the word with an eclectic range of shops, cafes and restaurants that feels perfectly safe day and night. Our 4-days in New York fly-by as we squeeze in a lot of fun, here are the highlights.

Central Park in the snow: like a scene from a romantic movie everywhere is covered by a good 150mm (6in) of snow. We stroll through white grounds watching children sledging in the still falling snow.

Museum of Modern Art part 1: forget the art (good though it is) and head straight to the Carroll and Milton Petrie Café (level 5). The desserts are to die for, as is the beer list. Try the scrumptious Coffee Carmel Sundae (with pecan nut pastry) paired with a Smuttynose Baltic Porter, the sweet dessert and dark beer go perfectly together – just make sure the beer is at room temperature, not served in a wine cooler!

MoMA part 2: As for the art….. The Tim Burton retrospective confirms a darkly humorous mind at work. The collection of 1960’s Pop and Fluxus art contains examples of probably every significant artist from that period. I just love the balance of formal structure and underlying rebellion. Finish at Monet’s “Lilies”; a beautifully displayed set of canvases in their own warmly lit room, incredibly soothing.

Top of the Rock: great views across New York from the top of the Rockefeller Centre.
Shopping: when in NY, shop! Carole and Naomi hit Greenwich with enthusiasm and Neil and I in tow as faithful Sherpas.

Radio City: a vast auditorium seeped in art deco nostalgia with an excellent backstage tour.

Hi-Line: a good stroll in crisp morning sunlight along the former elevated railway converted to a public space of meandering paths and snow covered planter beds. Inventive use of a derelict structure to create community space in this dense city.

We conclude our stay with dinner and dancing at the New York Athletic Club, another of those establishments so much grander than City Tatts back in Sydney.

With thanks to Naomi and Neil for providing a roof over our heads and 4-days of fun.

Mark Morris Dance Group

Mark Morris Dance Group (3.0/5)
Behemoth, Looky, Socrates
Howard Gilman Opera House, Brooklyn Academy of Music,
New York
26th February 2010

Morris’ choreography is more movement than dance; formal and fluid but missing the grand elements of ballet it lacks some spice. Behemoth is without music, making the Dance Group’s precisely synchronized movements all the more impressive. Looky, a short fun item verging on mime with musical theatre overtones and a gentle poke at critics. Socrates sentencing and death to music and lyrics by Erik Satie is so reverential as to lack any sense of drama.

Blue Dragon (5.0/5)
Robert Lepage
Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre,
Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada
23rd February 2010

An absorbing allegorical tale of Western middle-aged despair and Asian youthful ambition set in and against the growing influence of China. A beautiful slow pace allows every subtle element Lepage’s ingenious storytelling and stagecraft to be appreciated. The newly opened black-box Experimental Theatre is the fitting location for this. SFU is to be applauded for its investment in Vancouver’s contemporary theatre scene.

Talking Sticks Festival (3.0/5)
Yaletown Roundhouse Community Centre
Vancouver, Canada
22nd February 2010

A pleasant evening of contrasting aboriginal culture, part of the Cultural Olympiad. First up: spirited First Nation drumming, dancing and throat singing from an Inuvialuit community group c/w audience participation. Second act: Anne-Marie Sewell, poet with loop pedal; an engaging, skilled, voice artist with amusing and thoughtful stories. Top-of-the-bill: Pacific Curl, a three women fusion of Kiwi, Pacific Islander and Celtic music - lively and passionate.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 13 (Wednesday 24 Feb)

A big day for Canada – we’re leaving. Far more seriously, the ice hockey has reached the sudden-death stage and what was widely expected to be the final is being played out in the quarter-finals: Canada v Russia, the top two teams in the world. If the locals were to lose this, the rain in Vancouver would be nothing compared to the floods of tears from a despondent nation. As we fly to New York our pilot diligently keeps cattle class up-to-date with the score, there is a suspicion that those at the pointy-end are watching the game live on TV. Thankfully for the future of Canada they win 7-3; the aircraft feels a lot lighter.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 12 (Tuesday 23 Feb)

Downtown Vancouver c/w Olympic Flame

These past two days have been a bit of wind-down after all the exciting exertions out at Whistler. A bit of gentle shopping and culture whilst strolling through the Gas Town district with its fine early brick-built frontages. A sort of high-end Granville Island supplemented by side-street fashion designers, though somewhat compromised by lots of tourist knick-knack shops. Surprisingly quiet compare to the central CBD around Robson Street, though the returning rain may account for this.

A final evening of indulgence before we head to YVR and NY in the morning. We return to the Terminal City Club for another pre-show fine dining experience. Then onto the brand new Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre, a tremendous asset for Vancouver and its host the Contemporary Arts Department at Simon Fraser University. On show is one of Canada’s creative geniuses Robert Lepage presenting a new work “Blue Dragon”. An absorbing story of love, childlessness and the emergence of China onto the world scene. Delightful to end our stay in Vancouver as we started, enjoying the company of our good friends Jas and Jenny.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 11 (Monday 22 Feb)

Paul is wearing trousers by Dockers ($25) from Hudson Bay Company, jumper by and from HBC ($45), jacket by and from HBC ($115). Question: will Paul wear his "Canada" jumper in NY when Canada take on the USA for gold in the men's hockey/women's hockey/women's curling?

Engaged in a participation sport today – shopping. The gold medal went to the Canadian economy, silver to China, bronze to Olympic outfitter Hudson Bay Company and the bill to my credit card. Early in the morning I somewhat misled a student from George Washington University who was conducting a survey on perceptions and economic benefits of the Olympics Games to Canada. I significantly under-estimated my spend on retailing and dining out, forgetting last week’s delightful dinner at the Terminal Club and not appreciating the extravagance of the coming day.

That long-standing institution of Canadian trade and export, the Hudson Bay Company, is the designated retailer of Olympic wear and souvenirs. Significant portions of the downtown store’s ground floor and fifth floor are given over to Vancouver Olympic merchandise that pleasingly is of good quality, taste and value. After a quite a while in the scrum we emerge with clothes, pins, gifts and other goodies.

We were joined in our shopping by Tom Stafford, astronaut, by whom we stood in the cashier queue and rode the escalator. Please do not assume that our familiarity with American astronauts is such that we just went: “Hi Tom. How’s the shopping going? Are you enjoying the Olympics?” Two hours earlier strolling past high-end jewellery retailer Birks, Carole noticed a crowd had gathered and went to investigate. Turned out the watch company Omega had brought Tom Stafford and fellow spaceman Eugene Cernan to Vancouver to talk about their adventures and the Omega watches that had flown with them. I found it somewhat disconcerting to see these now elderly gentlemen, who I remember from my childhood as youthful adventurers, on stage, grey haired, Stafford with hearing aid and stoop, sharing an amusing mix of anecdotes and observations. Most touching was Cernan’s account of his final steps on the Moon, knowing that they would be the last steps by any man for a long while. A rewarding hour, another Olympic moment for which you had to be there.

By way of contrast from the hustle and bustle of downtown shopping our evening was spent at the local Yaletown Community Centre (a former railway roundhouse) taking in an evening from the First Nations cultural Olympiad program, “Talking Sticks”.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 10 (Sunday 21 Feb)

This is our final day in the mountains: Conveniently the two-man bobsleigh is delayed from lunchtime to late afternoon meaning we get a lie-in and a chance to enjoy Whistler Village by day and night. Watching the bobs hurtling down the ice run is bit like watching a Grand Prix, only no one is doing laps. It’s a high speed sport hitting 150km/hr. Just as with motor racing you can’t see the entire track and have to rely on big screen TV’s for most of the action. You pick a bend at which to watch the action and for the possibility of a high speed crash. There’s a rumble as each sleigh approaches and a whoosh as in a flash of colour a tin can on ice passes before your eyes.

Fans adopt one of three strategies: sit at the start for the grunting and pushing, hang-out on any one of the sixteen bends or watch on the final bend when the speed is greatest into the finish line. The secret to really appreciating the course is take the path that follows every one of the sixteen twists and turns, along the 1450m course dropping 152m (that’s an average of about 1:10, hitting 1:5 at its steepest). The walk-up is hard work, though nicely warming on a cool winter evening, thankfully there’s seating on the start line so we can catch our breaths before cheering on the racers. It’s very macho: lots of back-slapping, handshaking, psyching-up for the big push. The message gets through to the spectators too and each start is urged on by cacophony of shouts and cowbells.

Having seen the Australian bob close-out round 3 we stroll down to the finish line to watch the fourth and final round. Standing barely a metre from the track it’s like standing on a station platform as a high speed train roars past. On the final bend, a tight 180 degrees, the bobs ride high on the curved track, almost at right-angles to the banked hill of standing spectators. It’s hard to tell who’s fastest just by watching and with TV screens only at the start and finish, during the walk down the action comes in fleeting moments. It’s exciting without being fully engaging.

We first visited Whistler in 2004. Our impression then was of a pretty ski resort in a faux alpine style with a pleasant atmosphere and good range of stores and eateries (at surprisingly keen prices, none of your European ski resort hefty mark-ups). It is pleasing to report that the essentials are intact even in the midst of Olympic fever. Ingrid’s Café had the best coffee and home cooking,\ at great prices 6-years ago and still does today. At the other end of the dining scale Araxi appears to be thriving with a mouth-watering offer of local haute cuisine - shame we don’t have time to indulge ourselves.

During the afternoon the village is busy with a joyful atmosphere: tourists and people dangling Olympic accreditation from their necks throng back and forth. By the evening the action has moved to anywhere with a TV showing the big ice hockey game, Canada v USA. Unexpectedly Canada go down 2-5 and the atmosphere in the village drops-off quite a few notches; time to get the coach back to Vancouver.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 9 (Saturday 20 Feb)

A beautiful day at Whistler Olympic Park for Ski Jumping: clear blue skies, virgin white snow; a colourful and excited crowd. On the football-pitch sized field it’s a global picnic as spectators spread their wares and make themselves comfortable. It’s another day of red, white and blue flags – the Scandinavians are here en mass, not forgetting the Swiss and the usual hoards of North Americans.

The judges have set the optimal mark at 125m, meaning a score of 60pts +1.8 for each extra metre and a 1.8 deduction for each metre short of the mark. In addition each jumper can gain 60pts (3x20) for style. With almost no wind it’s perfect conditions for jumping, there is an expectation of 100km/hr take-offs and 140m leaps.

The early jumpers are slow and short, hitting 92km/hr and reaching only 80-90m. Into the top 15 and technique pays dividends, take-off speeds stay around 92-94km/hr though the distances are over 120m. Boy these guys can fly. From our position front of field we see each man push-off down the large hill, briefly disappear behind the lip of the hill and then fly into view over the ridge leaning into their huge 2.5m skis to land only a few metres away.

A slight headwind gets up at the 120m mark offering those good enough to catch it an extra ride. Swiss jumper Simon Amman, the last jumper in round 1, hits the mark: huge air over the ridge line, hanging, hanging, past the K-point at 125m and on, riding the air like a soaring eagle to a staggering 144m. The best of the day, in round 2 Amman lands the second best jump of the day at 138m and deservedly takes gold before his ecstatic Swiss fans.

It’s an awesome sight seeing these guys fly. When Amman takes the air its breathtaking the way he hangs and hangs, body motionless as he rides to victory.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 7 & 8: Alpine Skiing (Thu/Friday 18/19 Feb)

It’s a 4.30am early rise to catch the coach to snowy, picturesque Whistler for some downhill skiing. Blogging get’s hard when you’re burning the candle at both ends, so it’s a tactical cheat rolling both days of alpine skiing into one blog entry. (Note to self: go mobile with global roaming and blog on the road).

Whistler is where all the snow is at, and it’s a cold morning until the sun rises over the mountain ridge above the Olympic alpine ski course on Franz’s Run. The big question is: is it better to watch alpine skiing live or stay in the comfort of home watching on TV? After all, as a spectator you stand at the foot of the course from where you can only see the final run-in and watch most the action on TV anyway - except for the slalom when three-quarters of the course is in full view. In TV’s favour is warmth over frozen feet, a full view of the course, and food and beverage to hand. Being there has the noise of incessant rattling little cow bells and the deep dong of the giant Swiss bells, a huge screen for the out-of-sight action and a “boy that must have hurt” flinch when a skier takes a tumble through the final gates right before your nose. Being there wins hands-down for the excitement and atmosphere that you just can’t get on TV. You can’t beat “Oh’ing” and “Ah’ing” with several thousand fans, seeing and feeling first-hand each competitor’s joy or grief as they cross the finishing line.

Day 7 is Ladies Super Combined, a new event bringing together the high speed ride of Super G downhill skiing with the precision of slalom. It’s a scorching event despite the cold. One run on each course, on the same day; add the two times together and you’ve got a winner for athlete and spectator alike. Will American favourite and downhill champion Lindsey Vonn get a second gold? Will the Swede, Anja Paerson, who had a big fall in the downhill redeem herself? Will Canada win an elusive skiing medal? Interest in the Super G component is maintained by the informative on-course commentary that mixes fact with a bit of hype, minimal bias and is never distracting from the action. The on-course ski commentators know their job and do it well. On to the slalom and the excitement mounts, the course is almost entirely in full view. The smallest mistake leads to a clipped gate and a tumble out of competition. Running in reverse order Lindsay Vonn leading from the Super G will go last. And so to the last run, it looks like all Vonn needs is a good steady run: coming over the mid-course ridge she falls, it’s one of those “Oh, Ah” moments that you only get by being there.

Day 8, another early start for the ride to Whistler and the Men’s Super G. One run each, fastest down the slope gets gold. To be honest, it’s not as exciting as the Super Combined. With only one run, mainly watched on the big screen, it’s all or nothing for athlete and spectators alike. The race is broken-up by a big crash for Swede Patrik Jaeryn, coming into view he misses the last turn and ends up bruised, bloodied and reaches the finish line strapped in the stretcher toboggan. In the long delay the sun warms the course and slows the track. Aksel Lund Sbindal wins for Norway and he certainly looked fast on the final run-in. Not as fast as Italian as Peter Fill who spills it on the last but one gate in another of those “Oh, Ah” moments.

So, being there wins out over TV by miles for the Super Combined, by a lesser margin in the Super G and we look forward to being there at the ski jumping on Day 9.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 8: Gold for Australia (Friday 19 Feb)

Did you know that an Aussie is calling the Victory Ceremonies in BC Place? She’s doing a great job. Thank you Lyndall for the tickets tonight!

Australia has a GOLD!! We’ve yet to see how Torah Bright won the half-tube, but we did see her get her medal. Outside the Mounties are posing for pics with the tourists. Inside, down the front of the mosh pit the old rugby moves come into play, slipping through gaps getting to the barrier for a front line view. There are loads of Australians here, flags galore. Some youngster worries as to how the oldies (us?) will cope when the band comes on – it turns out he has a point.
It’s North-West Territories culture night, so we’re treated to some First Nation singing and dancing. Then, the mosh pit goes ballistic as Torah enters. Bright by name, bright by nature, flashing her best modelling smile at the mosh pit and seemingly taken aback by the intensity of the Aussie welcome. Torah collects her gold; the mosh pit has a good go at “Advance Australia Fair”. Where else would an Aussie be in Vancouver tonight?

We were warned about the headline band - Lyndall must have done a risk assessment, and that kid was right – damm him! Post-grunge? Sounds a bit too clever, isn’t grunge counter-culture? There is nothing clever to Theory of a Deadman’s set, they thrash-out the music drowning out the lead-singer who seems to have a good voice. We beat a tactical retreat after two and half numbers to rocking Yaletown where the streets are alive on this Friday night. It’s definitely “Let’s Go Canada Go” and “Let’s Go Australia too”.

Delusion

Delusion (4.5/5)
Laurie Anderson
Vancouver Playhouse, Vancouver, Canada
17th February 2010

Laurie Anderson’s storytelling demands full attention and rewards with great depth. Initially continuing her previous work’s satirical observations on the USA (Homeland), Anderson rapidly moves onto deeply moving personal accounts of aging, death and parent/child relationships. Tales of hopes dashed, hence delusions. Anderson’s storytelling is so sad that you could cry, her music so full of energy you want to shout with joy – an artistic Olympian without doubt.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 6 (Wednesday 17 Feb)

Go Canada Go is alive and well. The sun is out, the snow is holding up and the host nation is winning medals: 2 golds now, 3 silver and 1 bronze. A “take it easy day” is called for with 4-days of 5am starts coming-up for the daily haul up to Whistler and some snow-based sport.

Listen up Sydney-based readers: Granville Island, Vancouver is what the former railway carriage works site in Eveleigh could have been but for a dithering Government. A former industrial site, the Island is now home to a thriving community of artists, performers and theatres, small businesses and a produce market that gets the digestive juices flowing. This place buzzes in a most pleasant way every day (this is my third visit over several years), being the Olympics there is an extra buzz and a good mid-week crowd. Easily accessible by foot, bike, car or, fittingly, by ferry – cute little 10 people boats that chug back and forth across False Creek adding colour to the calming waterfront. Fortified by excellent coffee (try Origins Organic Coffee) and scrumptious cakes from numerous patisseries, rounded off by a beer from Granville Brewery’s delicious range and very pleasant day (and evening) can be spent on Granville Island visiting a stimulating variety of galleries, workshops and speciality outlets.

Whilst it would have been easy to have stayed on Granville Island for an evening beer, the world premier of Laurie Anderson’s new work “Delusion” was far too big a temptation. If Granville Island had been gentle and relaxing, this was challenging, deep and engrossing. Anderson’s storytelling is so sad that you could cry, her music so full of energy you want to shout with joy – an artistic Olympian without doubt.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 5 (Tuesday 16 Feb)

This is why you come to the Olympics, for those experiences you just cannot get sat at home watching on TV.

Queuing, even queuing for two hours, to handle a set of Olympic medals, wow, what an experience. Majestically sculptured in three dimensions, every medal is uniquely engraved with a portion of a larger First Nation motif. So heavy, so bright, so tactile, the wave form and polished surface so rich in-hand, it’s a special Olympic moment.

Olympic moment number two occurred in the surreal surroundings of the no.135 bus. Travelling on a typical city transit, bus Olympic commuters were treated to a Figure Skating Master Class from Elvis Stojko. Elvis who? Three time world figure skating champion, two times Olympic silver medallist, seven times Canadian national champion and the first skater to land quad-double and quad-triple jump combinations. Just taking the bus like the rest of us from Downtown to the Pacific Coliseum rink, Elvis signed autographs and took questions for the entire journey. What a great a guy, Elvis made a real difference to my appreciation of the Men’s figure skating competition that evening.

There are some sports you think: “I could do that.” Speed skating for example; skate around the rink a few times, dodge a few people – I used to do that on the local rink. Other sports leave you thinking: “How on earth do they do that?” Take figure skating, how on earth do you do a triple axel followed by a triple combination? Armed with Elvis’ shared wisdom and the excellent commentary from Axel Radio in one ear, calling the moves without the hyperbole, the Men’s Figure Skating short program came to life. The top five really stood out with their precisely executed jumps, spins and footwork. You didn’t need to be an expert to appreciate their skill, but I wouldn’t have missed that bus ride with Elvis Stojko for anything. Let’s Go Canada Go.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 4 (Monday 15 Feb)

The Bill Reid Gallery in Downtown Vancouver has a permanent retrospective of the master artist’s work and a Cultural Olympiad exhibition “Continuum” showing current First Nation artists. Bill Reid (1920-1998) was for a long period Canada’s leading exponent of West Coast First Nation artwork in the Haida tradition, producing inspired traditional and contemporary works in a variety of mediums. Reid designed the First Nation village outside the Museum of Anthropology; the museum itself displays significant examples of his work. The art on display in the Gallery includes woodwork, ink and print-work, fine jewellery and textiles. It is difficult to pick favourites amongst the collection and exhibition when the work is consistently magnificent in detail and spirituality.

Ridicule masks are traditionally used to air grievances and destroyed when the matter is resolved. The “Redemption” mask (Mike Dangeli - Continuum) standing 1.26m tall, one-half in black native patterns and one-half face, is an imposing source of challenge and reflection; perhaps an appropriate message for the times in which we live. On a much more intimate scale Reid’s “Milky Way” necklace is as stunning as its namesake on a clear Outback night, fine gold rods form geodesic links with twinkling diamonds at each node point – an amazingly intricate and beautiful piece.

The winning athletes in these Olympics receive a medal that it also a piece of artwork in a Victory Ceremony at either Whistler or the massive BC Place dome in downtown Vancouver. Gazing at the curtain that divides the dome in half, one is struck by the authenticity of the stylised images of British Columbia depicting a lush green landscape; no snow in sight. Was the artist blessed with foresight or just tempting the weather gods? The Victory Ceremonies are an opportunity to promote Canada’s talent and diversity across its eleven provinces and three territories. Tonight’s proceedings begin with an entertaining melange of Québécois MoR artists and performers backed by a montage of scenic images straight from the tourism brochure. Headline act Gregory Charles had it tough, competently delivering a wise selection of 70’s and 80’s hits off the back of the medal ceremony that all of Canada was waiting for. Bussed in from Whistler for the benefit of 25,000 BC Place fans, Canada’s man of the moment Alexandre Bilodeau received his gold. The locals almost raised the roof in jubilation, that Canadian reserve showed a few cracks but hung in there.

Let’s Go Canada Go came alive today.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 3 (Sunday 14 Feb)

Just as rain can dampen the spirits of any city in the world, so can a sunny Sunday restore the spirits, particularly one on which the home town wins its first gold. Let’s Go Canada Go, has arrived.

The time honoured tradition of the Sunday family stroll is alive and well in Olympic Vancouver. As the skies cleared for the first time, families promenaded in their Canada red along the seawall of False Creek to the breaches beyond. For the unwary cyclist the otherwise delightful multitude of two-legged and four-wheeled strollers became a slalom course – until it finally dawned on us that the “cycle bypass” signs pointed away from the shared path to a saner road route. A somewhat further than anticipated 17km later we arrived at the Museum of Anthropology.

The mere mention of anthropology conjures up images of preachers in pith hats trading beads for native artefacts that will find their way to stuffy rooms lined with glass cabinets crammed with carvings and shrunken boiled skulls. No such fears at the University of British Columbia’s museum. A magnificent glass and concrete structure design in the tradition of a First Nation meeting place. Intimate spaces of low light housing the most delicate treasures mingle amongst large, bright, open galleries displaying works both ancient and contemporary. For the Cultural Olympiad “Border Zones: New Art Across Cultures” brings together 12 working artists to explore the translation of art across national and cultural borders.

A Canadian on the run and welcomed by that favourite haunt of convicts and rogues Australia was favourite to take out the men’s Moguls, Dale Begg-Smith. Had he won he might not have got out of Canada alive, even the fastidiously polite CTV host couldn’t resist a few pointed remarks. Fortunately for Mr Begg-Smith Alexandre Bilodeau was both smarter and faster down the slope. Let’s Go Canada Go, your moment of glory has arrived.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 2

By general reckoning last night’s Opening Ceremony was a major success, so today it was a trip to Canada Square down on the waterfront to view the Olympic Flame. Well, that was a disappointment. The reason for the Ute yesterday was that the Square is a construction site and all good tradies drive a Ute. The flame sculpture with its four acute angled “icicles” reaching for the sky is impressive in it simplicity and inspiration. Shame then that what should be a majestic monument to the men and women staging and partaking in these Games is cut-off from the populace by a wire-fenced compound littered with scissor lifts. From a tradesman still working away I learnt that construction was only finished at 4.30pm yesterday and would remain fenced off due to security concerns linked to the adjacent International Broadcast Centre. Canada Square still looked a little unfinished and the security threat slight. Let’s Go Canada Go; open Canada Square.

Not too many Winter Olympic sports pitch competitor directly against competitor rather than against the clock or judge’s eye. Out at the Pacific Coliseum short-course speed skating is athlete against athlete, first across the line wins. If getting to the Coliseum was a relatively easy, if unguided, trip on the local bus network getting back almost dissolved into farce. For whatever reason the volunteer workforce seemed to be confined to the venue, no one was on hand to point us the way from bus stop to venue. Even worse, coming back, several hundred spectators were left to stand on the soggy roadside hoping for the no.10 or no.135 bus to take them back to downtown. With the postponement of a number of Alpine competitions, there will be a doubling-up of numbers heading to Whistler and the transport chiefs and volunteer organisers will need to get busy. The event itself was exciting despite an inaudible PA and only a token gesture at audience engagement. Let’s Go Canada Go - loosen-up; your organisation’s almost there.

On show this evening: heats for the women’s 500m and 3000m relay topped by the entire men’s 1500m competition. Short-course skating is as much about agility as speed, staying out of trouble and grabbing the smallest gap to sneak inside a rival. As the stadium big screen continually reminds us, a wipe out is only ever moments away and gave Australian Steven Bradbury the 1000m title 8-years ago. With the local boy relegated to the ‘B’ final legendary American skater Apolo Anton Ohno became the crown favourite. The final started slowly; perhaps memories of 2006 ensured a cautious approach. In a flash with 2-laps to go the Korean Lee Jung-Su accelerated through the smallest of inside gaps and was away to gold. In Lee’s wake two compatriots went a little too hard and came to grief gifting second to Apollo. Suddenly the crowd was all Americans from across the border and a bit jingoistic in its acknowledgement of the gold medallist. Let’s Go Canada, Go; it’s your Games.

After the first day of major competition the Games are on a knife edge: ski, skate, sledge, success or bust for athlete and visitor alike. There was no gold for Canada today, a major disappointment well covered by the locals. Canada has never won an Olympic Gold on home territory despite staging both the Winter and Summer Games previously (and not counting Ben Johnson). It may well take the breaking of this drought to put the ghost of Johnson to bed and the “Go” into “Let’s Go Canada Go”.


A correction from yesterday, “Strong and Free” is an organisation promoting a patriotic Canada.

VANCOUVER WINTER OLYMPICS DAY 1

Spirits appeared in all forms in downtown Vancouver today. It was interesting to come across the Sports Chaplains, an evangelical group advancing the gospel at major sporting jamborees. For the price of a spiritual tale I received a pin and learnt how the Olympic colours represent the coming and passing of Christ, our shortcomings and our hope for the future. They were nice friendly people though they may not approve of their pin sitting alongside the “Strong and Free”.

The Olympic Spirit came to our front door here in Yaletown. The Olympic Torch, a happy throng of several thousand people and 2 helicopters arrived in Yaletown at lunchtime. (A practical application of Canadian restraint; in Sydney 18 whirly-birds followed the torch like a swarm of noisy mosquitoes). The torch arrival on a First Nations canoe from Granville Island was enthusiastically welcomed by the crowds and a wave of excitement rippled through the masses; The Olympic Spirit came upon us as successive runners made their way amongst the local streets. After my initial concerns, I can confirm that the Olympic spirit has definitely hit town.

This evening we hit the traditional alcoholic flavoured spirit. After a vain attempt to gain access to the over-popular though rain-drenched Yaletown Olympic “Live Site” it was on to Plan B - a Bar with TV and a large number of Canadians into both the Olympic and liquid spirit. On television the opening ceremony looked bright and colourful, a marvel of projection technology surpassing the boisterous bar crowd drowning out what was no doubt an equally inspiring musical score. The Canadian team was greeted with strident chants of “Let’s Go Canada, Go”: A little imperialistic perhaps, but infinitely preferable to the mind-numbing and thankfully fading Sydney legacy of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi”. Credit where credit is due, the patrons took up a respectful silence as the Opening Ceremony paused to remember Georgian luge competitor Nodar Kumaritashvili who died today. The sombre mood lingered for a while, perhaps a reminder that whilst the Olympics are a celebration tragedy is rarely far behind.

Somewhere amongst the TV action and swigging of local beverages a pin swop was negotiated. A Sydney Olympic Torch Marathon motif was exchanged for a pin promoting the “Strong and Free”; possibly a lesbian group and a pin that will sit incongruously along side this morning’s acquisition from the Sports Chaplains. In an equally strange pairing, the Olympic Torch ended its journey in the back of a Ute (a “pick-up” in the local dialect) - after the theatrical marvels of earlier, what was that all about?

And so the spirits are truly here in Vancouver.

Tono

Tono (4.0/5)
Red Sky Productions
Vancouver Playhouse, Vancouver, Canada
11th February 2010

Red Sky’s six dancers fire the imagination with their interpretation of the horse’s place in Mongolian and Canadian First People’s plains culture. Beautiful movement, subtle lighting, an accompaniment of Mongolian horse-head fiddle, drums, long song and throat singing is totally absorbing, melodic and expressive of equine grace. Dance is a wonderful medium for expressing movement, Red Sky’s bringing together of cultures and contemporary dance is indeed special.