Showing posts with label olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label olympics. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Gold Medal Memories

Let's get ready to rumble!

Japan's guys had a great Paralympics, especially their awesome captain Takayuki Endo, a double amputee

Fight for the puck - these guys play rough! Talk about some body checks (aka slamming into each other)

Flags being raised at the victory ceremony - USA all the way!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Tuesday blahs

The bad news --- the Olympics and Paralympics are over

The good news --- Enjoying the memories and re-runs of events on Universal Sports

The bad news --- no more cool trips to Canada

The good news --- Jim went for a third time last week-end (gold medal sledge hockey game USA vs. Japan)

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Paralympic Biathlon/Cross Country Skiing course


The shooting range is in the background.

Jim trying out the Paralympic Biathlon equipment



I was fortunate enough to exchange the damaged camera and save the pictures on the card!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Vancouver Paralympics sans pictures (kind of)

Well, we made it to both events this week-end in Vancouver. The "sans pictures" means that I lost my cell phone/camera last week. Then on Saturday old klutz here fell on her new digital camera. Camera a loss and possibly pictures on card as well. That card contained the pictures from our last Olympics visit as well. The "kind of" part means that Jim took pictures, which I may get access to once developed.

I certainly am no Kelle Hampton (the blogging/photography wizard I've been writing about). Well, I will retreive what pictures I can. Anyway, no pictures or words can really describe some of the incredible Olympic experiences Jim and I have been having.

The biathlon was Saturday at Whistler Olympic Park. The drive up to Whistler was spectacular as well as the 1/4 to 1/2 mile hike into the venue!!!! The drifts of snow were almost taller than me and fresh snow fell most of the day. Jim had the chance to try the biathlon shooting setup which has a sensor giving the shooter auditory cues when they are on target. Yes, visually impaired shooters and armless shooters participate also! The skiing part is done either standing or sitting on specially designed skiis. The visually impaired competitors ski with guides.

Sledge hockey was Sunday at UBC Thunderbird Arena, Italy vs. Norway. How to describe what an experience it was sitting right above the bench of the Norway team? Don't know where to start. The guys are amputees, paraplegics or otherwise mobility impaired. They play seated in an ingeniously designed contraption with a bucket seat and a skate blade underneath. Their poles which propel them around double as a hockey stick.

Had a great time cheering on every single incredible athlete. We had a chance to cheer for the volunteers also! They really helped make the experience special.

Friday, February 26, 2010

The Vancouver Olympics - the Olympic Flame







Waited in line two hours to get to the viewing platform for an unobstructed view of the Olympic torch. Got to meet some wonderful people including "borrowed" police from all over Canada. That's one way to a free trip to the Olympics! The view of the harbor was spectacular!

The Vancouver Olympics - the hockey game

The game was Norway vs. Switzerland. The Swiss fans were painted and very excited. The ice was decorated with the Olympics emblem. The game was close and went into overtime but Switzerland won.





Monday, February 22, 2010

Scenes from the Olympics



Canada Place and Canada Hockey Place - more to come after I figure how to upload my pictures.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

The Vancouver Olympic Experience Is ...

... the friendliest host country imaginable.
... chatting and sharing with strangers from other countries.
... riding the skytrain everywhere and helping lost strangers find their way.
... one big street party - half of downtown closed to traffic.
... getting excited about the Paralympic Winter Games and hearing the athletes stories of overcoming adversity.
... cheering for the US, the best athlete, the underdog or our new friend's country
... a jacuzzi after walking all day!!!
... being blown away by natural beauty, man-made beauty and the sheer number of people in one place.
... homeless people on the street and dreaming of a more perfect world.
... hockey with no fighting (almost).
... searching all over for those elusive red mittens.
... queuing up for everything and meeting patient friendly people every time.
... people wearing their country's flags as capes.
... learning hockey terminology from a new French Canadian friend.
... quality time with one's spouse.

Thanks Jan and Maxine for the Love is ... idea.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Vancouver Olympics preview



Spent a wonderful long week-end in Vancouver. Took the skytrain all over the city and saw several of the Olympic venues including the Richmond Speedskating Oval, BC Place (opening and closing ceremony location) and Olympic Village. Pictures are of downtown Vancouver from Stanley Park.

By the way, best part of the week-end - we actually found tickets to an Olympic event - we're going to the Norway-Sweden men's hockey game!