2010 Vancouver Olympics!

[bluesummer]

I was planning to avoid it like the plague, then one guy in my company with whom my fiance and I both have a working relationship gave us curling tickets. So now I'm going to an event, and now that I'm going to an event, we're going to take the day to see some of the shows and visit a pavilion or two.

Yesterday I was having coffee and studying at one of the Starbucks here in Chilliwack (an hour outside Vancouver), when a Swedish Olympic women's team of some kind all hopped off a tour bus and came in for coffee. It was cool.

[Asip4u]

I was planning to avoid it like the plague, then one guy in my company with whom my fiance and I both have a working relationship gave us curling tickets. So now I'm going to an event, and now that I'm going to an event, we're going to take the day to see some of the shows and visit a pavilion or two.

Yesterday I was having coffee and studying at one of the Starbucks here in Chilliwack (an hour outside Vancouver), when a Swedish Olympic women's team of some kind all hopped off a tour bus and came in for coffee. It was cool.

That's cool, blue. You should go see some of those hockey games. The crowd at GM Place usually goes nuts!

[bluesummer]

There are no hockey tickets to be found, unless you want to sell your firstborn to get one.

I heard tickets for the gold medal match were selling for the thousands.

[IndiReloaded]

The local stuff IS in Vancouver. So what kind of local are you talking about?

I'm in the burbs on the water, Girl. That should be enough to narrow it down.

[bluesummer]

This thread kind of made me realize that this is the first time I've ever been this affected by the Olympics.....only because it's in my (and Indi and girl68's) hometown.

No one else probably gives a damn.

[girl68]

A pair of shitty seats for men's gold is 10K.

[Asip4u]

A pair of shitty seats for men's gold is 10K.

10K? that's insane!

[girl68]

Which is why I found it absolutely hilarious that you even suggest that seeing mens hockey is even an option...

[IndiReloaded]

I'm not rabidly against the Olympics like some, but I do think its largely a politicians sandbox. I was talking to our MP last week and he was telling me his schedule for the next few days. Insane and no time for doing his actual job: helping his constituents.

As for the games -- there should at least have been a lottery for some of the tickets so the 'common folk' could take part.

So, while I think its okay we are hosting, I'm largely ambivalent and cynical that the average BC person will see any benefit from them. Except for our real estate prices, those investments have done well, but how much of the population does that really affect?

[bluesummer]

Indi, I've been saying all this since the day we were awarded the Olympics.

As for the benefit to average British Columbians....really none, except if you happen to make it in for a few free shows, and if you owned a home long before the games. It's a party for the rich and famous, and the politicians. Major sponsors have booked out entire restaurants down in Yaletown to host dinners for incoming celebrities. I have a feeling the only place we'll be able to have dinner is McD's.

[IndiReloaded]

Its weird, tho. There are people who are going to all the music events, the torch ceremony, etc. I'm a crowdaphobic, tho, so that's part of my bias.

But, friends who have businesses in Vancouver have suffered hugely (no parking anywhere DT now, Hastings is a mess) and I'm just not seeing the supposed benefits they will get from all the hullabaloo.

Anyway, the unis are closed for the two weeks and my work is only affected lightly, so we'll just sit back and relax while the insanity takes hold of everyone else.

[bluesummer]

Apparently, the hotels aren't booked like they thought they'd be either, so they're starting to drop their rates.

I think I'll only be able to handle one day in it, that will be enough for me. I a crowdaphobe too. We were planning to take the Skytrain, and I can already envision a panic attack coming on.