The 2010 Olympics – day (-4), Vancouver

Let’s leave alone the big politics associated with this event, there will be a lot to say by special analysts.
Let’s leave all the financial discussions and opinions about profitability or fiasco of the games and if they’re going to end up in red or green area of the budget.
Let’s leave all those things that the street is now talking about and what’s not covered by the official media. Let’s leave social impact of the games for life of all people of the province.
Let’s leave all these things – at least for a while.
Now let’s concentrate on showing how the Olympic environment looks like in these days and what the general vibe of the street is. I have a clear conscience that no single article will cover everything for there’s a lot associated with this event.

4 days, 23 hours and 10 seconds to 21st Winter Olympic Games – Olympic clock in front of Vancouver Art Gallery

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

The obvious fact is that once selected to be the host of 21st Winter Olympic Games, Vancouver right away decided that it would be “our time to shine”. I must say that this was a fantastic occasion to put our best foot forward considering that both Toronto and Montreal have had their own, much advanced exposure in the world than very remotely located Vancouver. Ask anybody from the rest of the world about Canadian cities – Toronto and Montreal will be quoted first and then… there will be a moment of silence.

remembering Chinese Lunar New Year, under the lanterns – Georgia Street

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

For Vancouver has been placed on such a distant wild and Far West that if you want to venture one more step westward, you will easily find yourself on the Far East. So the Games were a great opportunity for local authorities “to invite the World” and finally put Vancouver on the map of Canada and on the world map of big sport.

aboriginal decorations

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

Some time ago there was a very true and accurate slogan invented about “beautiful British Columbia” that’s now embedded into our license plates and I am not sure who invented another one, “the best place on Earth”. These two, along with the presence of the Rockies, very well suited for winter sports, were great starting point to make yet another conquest of the Canadian westernmost province. In my humble opinion this conquest will be the easiest one – supported by internet, satellites, HDTV, Facebook, YouTube and a lot of visitors very well equipped with their own digital cameras and camcorders. They will be covering the games for themselves.

general decorations of 700 block of Granville Street, Vancouver

Joseph Boltrukiewicz

I feel myself privileged – I am reporting for Digital Journal so that others, in other areas of the world, can read and view my photo reports.
Today I have visited downtown Vancouver after some time of not being there. The things around there have changed much. The central area of the city, intersection of West Georgia and Granville has its own exhibition related to the Chinese Lunar New Year. This time it is the year of the tiger.The big chunk of 700 block of Granville Street, once busy with bus traffic, was decorated with lanterns that were a great background for lots of shots and video footage, both for visitors and local people who were coming out from work. “It’s weird”, I heard a few times from people who experienced this exhibition for the first time and I thought the same when walking in the tunnel of lanterns above the head. Then I took a walk around the block where the Sears and TD Canada Bank are located. Next to the Vancouver Art Gallery there are two Olympic clocks – they are counting down time to Olympic and Paralympic Games. On the corner of Howe Street and West Georgia, a huge maple leaf covers the building, the flag covers several floors of the building. It dominates on that corner and is viewed from very far distance. Visitors love it – lots of shots and video footage again. The store displays are decorated with Olympic colours, the city is sure getting ready for the biggest sporting event of the year. You gotta be here!

very convincing by what you read and what you see around.

Joseph Boltrukiewicz