On our first full day in Vancouver we had breakfast at an independent coffee shop before heading out to explore the city. Getting around was incredibly easy, even during the Games. We took a bus to the sky train and then found ourselves downtown. We had hopes of tickets to the opening ceremonies, but balked at the $1,100 price for seats and decided we could watch along with the rest of the world on TV.Our first stop was the historic area of Gastown with cobblestone streets. We wandered into shops tucked into old buildings set against the backdrop of the harbor, working steam clock, and gaslights. I was struck by how friendly the shopkeepers were. They all asked where we were from, and if we were enjoying our visit. Most of the people we spoke with who live in Vancouver didn’t have tickets to any of the events (including our hosts), but planned to follow them on TV.
We had lunch at the Water Street Cafe, a cute place overlooking the water and steam clock. In keeping with the Olympic spirit, we had torch martinis, a tasty blend of champagne and pomegranate juice. After lunch, Micah and Jon went up in the Lookout at Harbour Centre that has a great view of the entire city. That’s when they heard about Nodar Kumaritasvili’s tragic death during his luge practice run. Jon and I had luge tickets, but I was apprehensive about seeing the event and possibly witnessing something awful, since that is the fastest luge track in the world. Reports would later say he was at fault, however with as many accidents that have taken place on the track it seems as though preventative measures could’ve been taken beforehand.
Saddened by the news, we headed over the Chinatown, which is the second largest in North America. We wandered though Dr. Sun Yat Sen Garden and Park, which was built in 1986 for the World Expo held in Vancouver. There are multiple buildings and pools all constructed in the classical style. It was a very peaceful area, except for a man who was stumbling around either on something or battling a mental illness. As we turned to leave, we saw EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT on the side of a nearby building in light up letters. We later found out that’s a fairly recent addition by a builder.
On the bus back, we saw a huge crowd gathered at Robson Square where some kind of Olympic rally had been held. Even though the city was adorned with Olympic banners and crowded in areas, it wasn’t overwhelming. And aside from a clogged sky train ride, we didn’t feel hemmed in by crowds.
That night we decided to order in pizza and watch the opening ceremonies. The pizza place wasn’t happy that we didn’t have a local phone number, and asked that we make sure the address was right. She hung up the phone with a “thank you, bye bye,” without getting our name or a credit card number. About 45 minutes later, she arrived in the pouring rain with pizza that was still piping hot and some of the best we’ve tasted.
After watching the ceremonies, we were tired from the long but eventful day. Next up, Micah and Jon’s experience with speed skating and my journey to Kitsilano with Mom.
- Jennifer Taylor lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and Burmese cat. Her website is www.jrtaylorweb.com
Photo Credit: www.vancouverchinesegarden.com
Read: An Olympic Adventure Part One-Getting There
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