My Olympics - Day 0

Tomorrow the Olympics start here in Vancouver, so I'm calling this day zero. Today I went out to see the Torch Relay in person (you can watch the last day on Friday live online here), and afterwards got my pic taken with one of the torch bearers after the relay went by Vancouver City Hall. Yes, I'm touching the torch!! Very cool;-)
The torch!!! SO cool to see it right there in front of me. Sweet!!!

Afterwards, in addition to getting my pic with the torch, I also had a chance to meet three of Canada's Olympians. Imagine my luck at finding Emanuel Sandhu smiling up at me! I asked him how it felt to not be skating (he was a men's single skater in the 2006 games), and he said "weird".

I love how they have engaged past Olympians in the events!!! This is Ruky Abdulai, a Canadian long jumper, who competed in Beijing and hopes to go for gold in London in 2012. So far, so good!

OK, I also got their autographs, but I figure I could be arm twisted to give those to some kid with Olympic aspirations. Rose Marie Pepe is a swimmer - breaststroke - who competed for Canada in 1972! I probably watched her when I was 13! (I was a fish).

This was the other torch bearer who was posing for pics at City Hall. I believe he said the woman he was hugging had organized the torch relay, but he hugged a lot of people, and I'm not sure she organized the whole thing... but interesting nonetheless....

This was the scene at the back of City Hall where all the action was. The guy in stone is George Vancouver, for whom our great city was named.

This is the HUGE Olympic flag hanging at City Hall and visible from Cambie Street between 11th and 12th.

Loved the way people decked themselves out in Canadian flags and other stuff!!!

Just the cutest kid ever, excited beyond words at getting near the torch.

If you get stuck in traffic as the Olympic torch relay goes by, what better thing to do than stand on the roof of your car and wave your Canadian flags?!?!!? Love this pic. It's worth clicking on to see the enlarged version. Oh, that fog, hoping that above it might be cold enough for a little snow on Cypress...

As the torch was about to clear the corner at 12th and Cambie, this was my view. And I'm tall!! But after a few calls of "umbrellas down!" from the peanut gallery (with "please" and "just for a minute"), the view cleared and everyone could see.

This seeing eye dog is proudly wearing his flag...

Being near Vancouver General Hospital, I wasn't surprised to see nursing staff running down the street in their scrubs to take in the action. I only say nurses, as I imagine that the doctors might not be able to get away, but who knows...

Now this hat is just weeeeird. But at least it's red, right?

So, it was a fun way to start off my Olympic experience. Tomorrow: the opening ceremony! I am heading to a friend's place to watch it on tv with wine and pizza. A bit of a luxury, as my new flat does not have cable, hmmmm.... let's just say I'm hoping for lots of web streaming coverage, and I can see myself out at those big screens a lot.... Oh... and I did an Olympic doodle today, it's over on my Beepdoodles blog, here.