Archive for the ‘Vancouver’ tag
Vancouver, the day after
Vancouver Olympic Flame is Extinguished
So here I sit, in downtown Vancouver on a dreary Monday morning following the closing of the biggest event in Vancouver history. Today reality sets in and we all try to adjust back to a post-Olympic existence, and start dealing with the hang-over the 17 day party has left.
It seems some people expected all the roads to be back to normal already so they all decided to drive to work today. It took almost 30 minutes for the bus I was on to get through Chinatown and East-Van. It would sure be terrific if traffic remained reduced from pre-Olympic levels and at least some people discovered public transit was, for them, a cheaper and viable option. It was certainly enjoyable walking around downtown and not gagging on exhaust fumes!
Otherwise, today I mainly see a lot of folks walking along pulling luggage behind them. The line-ups which have been a fixture for 17 days are gone from the Bay, and the now-closed Royal Canadian Mint House. One person I know walked right in and bought a jacket at the Bay on the way to work today. Myself, I just walked over to the cauldron and discovered I could stroll right up to the much talked about, and much maligned, chain link fencing.
Fun Vancouver Style!
On Saturday February 13, 2010 1500+ took part in the “Dancing in the Streets” Flash mob on Robson St in Vancouver, BC.
2010 Olympic Venues
The facilities for the Vancouver Olympics will be broken down into two categories competition and non-competition venues.
Competition Venues
The Competition Olympic venues for the Vancouver Olympics will be located in four adjacent cities Whistler, West Vancouver, Vancouver and Richmond.
Vancouver is the hub of the Olympic activity, but events for the games will be spread throughout these four different locales:
Grouse Mountain in Vancouver, BC, Canada
There are many breathtaking, scenic landmarks to visit in Vancouver, BC, but Grouse Mountain is one of the most popular. Situated in North Vancouver and close to the equally famous Capilano Canyon suspension bridge, a day at Grouse Mountain will consist of a scenic cable car ride to the top of the mountain that takes about 8 minutes and offers stunning and spectacular views of Vancouver and the surrounding area as far as the eye can see.
Vancouver is a hub of activity all year round because of its temperate climate and Grouse Mountain is a standard place to visit through all the seasons. There is plenty to do on Grouse Mountain from Summer to Winter and all seasons in-between. In the winter one escape into the serene beauty of a natural winter playground only minutes away from golf courses and the ocean below. Just a short distance from the Peak Chalet, you’ll find yourself a world away in the popular Munday Alpine Snowshoe Park. There are a variety of different groomed trails to choose from which guarantees that you’ll discover something different each time you visit. One can also tour the professionally groomed beginner and intermediate snowshoe trails of the Blue Grouse Loop, or head for Dam Mountain – a pristine loop of three main trails that circle Dam Mountain and Thunder Bird Ridge. You can find the trails very easily with clearly marked signs from the top of Grouse Mountain. For the snowshoeing enthusiast, there are a variety of classes and courses offered in the winter months as well, including: Beginner Snowshoe Clinics, Ladies Only Snowshoe Clinics, Snowshoe Drop-In Nights, Race Prep Clinics and Snowshoe Fondue Tours.
Sailing the Pacific Coast of Canada
North of the U.S./Canadian boarder; the Pacific coast of British Columbia has one of the most interesting and dramatic cruising grounds in the world. Here you will find snow capped mountains, waterfalls cascading down rugged cliffs, plenty of islands and quiet, still fjords. The 282 mile (456 km) long Vancouver Island give shelter to most of the mainland from the Pacific Ocean and creates an inland sea.There are a lot of places where you can go sailing in Canada, but the place to start is British Columbia. There are more than 70 marine parks scattered all around this area, and they are well preserved in compliance with the environmental laws of this country. This Canadian province is bordered by the Pacific Coast. The best time to go sailing will be in the summer, when the weather is dry and warm. There are also several bays and inlets such as Black Lake, which could be a good place for kayaking.
The Gulf Islands North of the Strait of Georgia is also an interesting venue to visit during your holiday vacation. There are simply countless places to explore, including the Wallace and Prevost Islands. You may also want to enjoy the flora and fauna of the various marine parks, such as Pirates’ Cove and the Sidney Spit. These locations aren’t only fabulous for couples, but for families as well. You can set up camp or go fishing in addition to enjoying some amazing sailing in Canada. Then you can all go down to the main village in Saltspring Island, Ganges. Moreover, if you want to most wonderful view of Gulf Island, don’t forget to continue to Mount Norman, found in the island of South Pendar.
Vancouver Island, on the other hand, is mainly made up of fjords and inlets, where you can bring your yacht charter. One of the most renowned is referred to as Alberni Inlet. If sailing suddenly wears you out, you can move to the mountains of Malahat. It is more than 1,000 feet above sea level. If you want some great challenge you better prepare your mountain gear.
Finally, go on a sailing vacation in Canada and enjoy one of the most beautiful marine parks there is found in Desolation Sound. It’s very huge, covering more than 20,000 acres of shoreline and land. You can also set on a trail and explore the hills and waters of the Gifford Peninsula.
About the Author
D. Browall is with http://www.sboats.com , an independent directory on yacht charter and sailing vacations. Visit his website if you want to find companies offering yacht charters in Canada
2010 Winter Olympics Update
Cypress Mountain- West of Vancouver BC. where snowboarding, freestyle skiing, moguls and ski cross will take place.
Whistler Sliding Area – Blackcomb Mountain is the site for the bobsleigh, Luge, and Skelton
Whistler Creekside – Whistler Mountain will host the Alpine Skiing, Downhill, and the Super G.
Whistler Olympic Park – Callaghan Valley will hold the Biathlon, Cross country Skiing, Nordic Combined, and Ski Jumping.
UBC Winter Sports Centre – University of B.C. is the home of the Ice Hockey games and Ice Sledge Hockey.
Pacific Coliseum – Hastings Park will have the Figure Skating events and Short Track SpeedSkating.
Hillcrest/ Nat Bailey Stadium Park will host the Curling events.
General Motors Place – Downtown Vancouver will also hold some of the Hockey games.
BC Place Stadium will hold the Opening and Closing ceremonies, the medal round of Hockey, as well as nightly victory ceremonies.
Whistler Celebration Plaza will also hold some of the Victory celebration ceremonies.
Ticket sales:
Tickets will go on sale around October 11, 2008. You can go to www.cosport.com to fill out an inquiry form. They will be sold in 4 different stages. Ticket prices will range from $25.00 – $1100.00. Opening Ceremonies $175-$1100 Closing Ceremonies $175-$775 Ice Hockey Finals $350, $450, $775 Figure Skating Gala Exhibition $175-$525 The Cheapest tickets will be for the cross country skiing $25-$75 and the Women’s Ice Hockey will have some for $25. Some the more sought after events will be sold as a lottery. There will also by an on-line ticket buy-sell exchange program.
General information:
It would be best to start planning your trip to the Winter Olympics as soon as possible as lodging could be limited. If you plan on flying, the airport is Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Whistler is about a 2 hour drive from the airport. Another lodging alternative would be to stay in Seattle WA. The airport in Seattle is called Sea-Tac Airport. It is about a 3 hour drive and you would have the border crossing to go through. Remember that passports will be required at the crossing by that time.
About the Author:
I like to write articles with useful information. You can visit my website for more information on this and other tops. www.mypandabear.com