Visiting the Olympic Cauldron

I know the Olympics are over, but as you all know, mum is suffering from Post Olympics Depression Syndrome. So being the perfect dogter that I am, I'm going to try to help her and re-live some of the memorable events. It's therapeutic, says the therapist.

We went to see the Olympic Flame on Sunday, February 14th, less than two days after the opening ceremony. Faye was over because her parents were away, so STINKY and her had a date at home (thank doG I got a break!). I'm very good in crowds because I'm umm... SuperALOOF to people I don't know. I let them pet me, but I don't react. STINKY on the other hand is too "friendly" (says mum) in crowded situations (as in too annoying and landsharky).

It was impossible to get to the Olympic Cauldron by car as most of the roads downtown were closed for the Olympics. So we parked in a parkade quite a ways away and started walking towards the cauldron.

The big dome behind me is known as BC Place, where that amazing opening ceremony (minus one pillar LOL) was,


We came to a road block,


It's a pick up hockey game in the middle of the street,


This happens a lot, welcome to Canada!!


We continued walking,


and walking........


I watched as some immature, anti-Olympics protesters got arrested for vandalism. It is ok to have an opinion, but its childish to destroy city property and smashing windows just because they don't like what's going on.


We came to a BC Hydro booth. BC Hydro provides electricity to most homes in BC. They were giving out souvenir light up lanyards, and mum, of course wanted one! (She keeps SOOOOO many things that she NEVER uses, yet she puts MY lovey toys away even tho I sure use them....HMMMMPH)


I waited patiently in line,


Then I went to check out the water fountain. I am naturally attracted towards anything water (except bath water),


As it turned out, to get a lanyard, you need to answer the question - what can you do to conserve electricity?

You know what my GENIUS mum said?

She said she'd go home and light candles!!!!

We walked by the Royal Canadian Mint Pavilion,


People were lining up to get free commemorative Olympic coins,


The commemorative coins look like this,


That's a Canadian loonie ($1) in the center with the 2010 Olympics logo on it. The others are quarters with different venues on them,


Thankfully, mum did not make me line up to get them!!

SuperDALE recharge time! Yummmmmmmmmmmy Island Oat Bar from Starbucks!!


Those Oat Bars from Starbucks make me droooooooooool like nothing else. I normally don't drool much even when I see food that I want, but something about the oat bars.... From the time that I first smell it to the time my first string of drool falls takes about 20 seconds (yes EVIL mum timed it, quite a few times)

As we got closer to the Olympic Cauldron, the more crowded it got,


That's Canada Place & Vancouver Convention Centre behind me. It's home to the Main Press Centre (MPC) for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.


Canada Place housed the Main Press Centre, while the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) was located in the Vancouver Convention Centre.


The Olympic Rings floating over Coal Harbour were often seen from the CBC (maybe NBC too?) broadcasting center. Whenever Canada won a medal, the colour of the rings would change to the colour of the medal accordingly.


It was GOLD the last day!!


Then mum came across a compoooter. That's me being very patient with a very impatient face BTW!


She wanted to become a permanent part of Canada Place,


I waited patiently for her to become a permanent part of Canada Place......


As it turned out, she made me a permanent part of Canada Place!!!


The Olympic Cauldron was located in the waterfront plaza, not far away from Canada Place. The crowd continued to built as we got closer,


Take a look at the live shot of the walk leading to the cauldron,

Many thanks to the 2500 blue coated volunteers (like the one using the megaphone telling us where to go for the flames). They have made these games as successful as they have been!

Finally, we got to the place where Wayne Gretzky lit the cauldron,


But..... are you KIDDING ME????

They FENCED IT OFFFFFFFF??


Don't we look like ZOMBIES trying to get to our foooodies???


D-Guy did manage to get some decent pictures of the cauldron after he fought his way to the front of the zombie pile and stuck the camera lens through the fence! Mum and I stayed behind so my SuperPAWS didn't get stumped on.





We attempted to have a picture taken with the cauldron in the background, but it was almost impossible with all the zombies around. Here you sort of see the cauldron in the upper left corner,


Mum and I took a break on a nearby bench,


Miss Sunshade & MY mum!!!


Then mum fell asleep.......


And she woke up!!!


And she FORGOT me on the bench........... help... I'm an orphan.....


Thank doG D-Guy remembered me, so he came to "pick me up",


(mum: I try to discourage any jumping down from Sunshade because of her bad elbow. Usually we try to support her weight as she comes down from a high place so she gets a soft landing.)

The viewing platform to see the cauldron from up top,


We stopped for a moment so mum could humiliate me,


Yes, I'm a very abused yet patriotic gurrrrrrrl........


After the break, we walked to Robson Square,


And Vancouver Art Gallery. Can you see our city was ready for the world??


Had my picture in front of an Olympic Bobsleigh, and the Olympic clock behind,


It had been 1 day 22 hours 56 minutes and 16 seconds since the Olympics officially started!


There were many street performers,


Bronze statue gurl,


Granville Street,


Robson Street (where Wayne Gretzky drove through to light the cauldron),


Papa Beard Cream Puffs!


Vancouver Public Library,


Look at what I found! JACKPOT! A box of raw chicken!!!


Somebody stole the chicken from ME.....


And took the box inside here... (and I wasn't allowed in!!)


We walked by the Alberta House,



Every province in Canada had their own house throughout these games in the downtown area. Admission was free, and you could buy food and drinks inside.


Eventually, we made our way back to BC place,




Can you tell I was tired??


Mum always tells me to "Find your car car" when we're in a parking lot, and I go and find MY DaleMOBILE.

Found it mum...piece of cake since there were only a few cars left,


Now where is MY treat??


GOOD BOY D-Guy!