Day 4

So yesterday turned out to be a pretty long day, hence my lack in posts (not that anyone is reading though, hehe - this is more for my own record than anything, at the very least, as well as to hopefully update any reading family).

The day started out rather early-ish (well, for me, I'm a night person, not a morning person, haha) with the Women's 1,000m Speed Skating. We watched some incredible athletes, including a 15yo from Russia and a German setting an incredible pace (but dying out juuust at the backstretch, so coming up short of a record). All four Canadians won their heats (including against the Netherlands, against Germany, against Japan, and against the US), for Gold, 4th, 21st, and 25th placings!! Finally, second last heat, we watched Christine Nesbitt steal the Gold from the Netherlands, by 2 one-hundredths of a second (time of 1:16.56)!!!!! It was incredible to watch!!!

Next, we power-walked it to the Ozone, where we were (thanks to the fast pace I set all the way there, hehe) by very short lines - no go on the Heineken house though, as it had a line of several hours (and Dutch get preference). We walked around a little before hitting it off for a nearby bar (we found a BP's) to watch the Switzerland/Canada game. We were pretty excited to score the first two goals, but the rest of the game was admitedly (in my mind) rather embarassing. Canada just did not seem aggressive enough - lots of 'almost' goals, but no actual goals, leading to a 2-2 tie between the two teams!! Come ON Canada!! Eventually we did win, but not until after 5 minutes of overtime and a shootout!! Crosby eventually scored the winning goal during the shootout, after his first attempt being blocked. Canada: better step up your game if you hope to beat the US this Sunday!!! And you have to beat the US (this is not a choice!), else we're all going to have to bury our heads in the sand, especially considering how cocky the Americans are getting out here, what with their eighteen medals!! I'm already nervous for the game, haha.

Lastly, we footed it back to the Ozone to watch Our Lady Peace on the (outdoor) main stage. By the time we were in the Ozone, honestly, my feet were dead tired. But we made it! The Arkells hit the main stage just prior to Our Lady Peace - I admitedly missed them due to a long mini-donut line-up (though I could see the stage and easily hear the music, I was only a couple hundred feet away, just not directly in 'my spot' in front of the stage)...but the mini donuts were well worth it (mmmm....), hehe. Our Lady Peace was absolutely fantastiLICIOUS!! LOVED 'em, and loved the energy of the crowd!!! The only 'adventures' provided us was a pair of older, VERY drunk women who pushed past us twice (I almost took them down when they drunkenly chose to stand in front of me - and I use the term 'stand' loosely - but fortunately they moved on just before my patience ran out, hehehehe), and a pair of gay guys (very clearly gay, we won't get into details, haha) who were very evidently high as kites - they eventually 'pushed' a large circle of 'open' around them via all their unpredictable bouncing, lol. I think a few guys were about ready to take them down too, but finally they moved on. My other source of entertainment was the Irish guy next to me for awhile who, I swear, was taking down EVERY girl's number in his vicinity - hahahahaha. It was all pretty hilarious, and all a FUN part of the outdoor concert experience ;P

Finally we were hoofing it home - attempting to beat the other thousands of spectators pouring out of the Ozone (and everywhere else??!) down to the Sky Train station resulted in dead feet, splitting shins, and the (again) overstretching of one of the ligaments in my right foot (my little problem child, lol - my fault though, as I have yet to find the time to properly re-hab it, which is admitedly dumb on my part). Of course this finally ultimately meant my being unable to walk, haha, which was interesting. Finally I hobbled it onto the first Sky Train (from Richmond to the Vancouver Waterfront). At Waterfront, here I was (very) painfully shuffling up the stairs when all of a sudden a huge roar broke out on the landing above me. Ever the seeker of excitment (and anticipating a huge fight or a riot - it was that loud on the platform of stores above us), I of course bolted up the rest of the stairs to see what was above. Where are the Police?!! Why aren't they rushing past me to the riot!! Was the first thought out of my mind as I scrambled up the stairs as quickly as I could. I was SO excited, hahahaha. Finally, I reach the top of the long stairs, to find....

Nothing. Well, throngs of people, but no riot, no fights. Know what it was? A group of Americans (a dozen or so), had started chanting U-S-A! U-S-A!! Of course then, their chant was met with a rebellious roar CAN-NA-DA!!! CAN-NA-DA!! You can imagine this continued throughout our train rides. Those same cocky Americans rode our particular train car and were met with much furious chanting and singing when they so much as began to utter a 'USA', haha. So proud of us Canadians, LOL - it was great and an incredible feeling. A great end to a great day!!

Of course my noteworthy bolt up the stairs and excited push for the trains resulted in my - literally - being unable to walk the last 1 1/2 km's home, but I managed, haha (our progress was frustratingly slow though, LOL). This morning, actually, I am surprised to have recovered rather well - I had to shuffle around a bit, but not overly bad or moreso than usual. Of course that is after about 12 hours of sleep though, heeheeheehee.

Sidenote: I LOVED how the Vancouver Police organised the Sky-Train throngs!! In Sydney, Australia, it was a huge fight to get onto the transit systems and Police were rampant immediately after the New Year fireworks. They just could not fully fight the shoving and pushing that persisted though - many people were arrested and if I recall correctly, some were trampled. The Vancouver Police, however, stopped people before they even got into the station - at the entrance!! People lined up along the streets and then were let forward in 'train-capacity' groups. No pushing, no shoving - completely calm, relaxed, safe, and quick! The trains came at short intervals and were able to accomodate (as much as possible) the people coming on. So kudos for Vanoc or to the Van Police (whoever ultimately organised it) for setting up a safe and efficient system!! Thanks too to the Salvation Army for providing us all hot chocolate as we stood waiting to be let into the train station :)

Tonight we're headed to the Victory Ceremonies, which include a tribute to the Northwest Territories and a concert by Theory of a Deadman! It's been a few years since I have seen them in concert, so I'm excited to (luckily) be able to see them again :)