Sorry about the whine otherwise my Olympic experiense was fantastic.

Steve.

That and I got paralympic accreditation

From hunting down those elusive red mittens to witnessing the cauldron just before it was extinguished, from converting a non-Olympic non-sport fan who even watched the ice-dancing competition to the public outbreaks of O’Canada in the streets, to witnessing the first Canadian gold on home turf to beating the men’s US hockey team for gold, etc.

However, I think my favourite was when my sister-in-law’s homestay student arrived after a long gruelling flight from Japan at 2PM on March 28th, the last day of the Paralympics. She understood very little English but aided with sign language we found out she had followed some of the Olympic events in Japan.

She was excited to be in Vancouver but disappointed to have missed the Olympics. We explained she was in luck and there were still a couple hours left of the Olympic hoopla albeit the Paralympics. Her weary face lit up with rejuvenated energy!

Off we went! I think because it was the Paralympics and it was a dreary day there was practically non-existent crowds! We managed to fit more into those few hours than in the many days I spent elbowing through the crowds in February!

We went to the Royal Canadian Mint exhibit at library square and exchanged coins, to Canada House and met a Paralympic tennis champion, had our pictures taken with the Stanley Cup and with the Olympic torch, played virtual Shootout and snowboarded. We toured the Manitoba pavilion, saw the lanterns and art installations on Granville Street, saw the ice rink and zip line at GE Plaza (Robson Square), walked the “shopping street” (Robson), stopped for ramen that is as good as in Japan according to her (yeah Vancouver!) and made it in time to see the cauldron from the upper terrace and then to see it extinguished – ending our whirlwind Olympic experience!

Our guest ran on adrenalin and was ecstatic to have participated in a small part of history, the remaining 2010 Olympic revelry. She clutched her pocket of well earned souvenir Olympic coins and pins as she finally closed her tired eyes on the car ride back to the house…

Seven years later, and I still can’t believe they’re over. I’ll always remember the free concerts, the crowds, and the spontaneous patriotism on the SkyTrain. I don’t think we’ll ever see anything like this in Vancouver for many decades.