Bob was right

Bob said I would freeze My buns off
if I came up here

This is Hyug Ho Oh from Korea,
he was stuck in the back of the parking lot where not much was happening,
but he used his time creatively and sculpted this Inukshuk

I sat in the grand stands ($180/seat) for my 1.5 hr long lunch break,
it was a great view of the bottom turn for the Women's luge finals.
The women are starting at the Jr start, and the men are starting at the women's start.
The women were upset and called it the kinder luge.
But the committee couldn't risk having the women score better times than the men.

I grabbed the Swedish downhill team for a quick pic in the village

OOOPs

My morning walk through the village.
These 2 ladies are from the historical society in Calgary.
Everyone I talk to confirms that I should go to Calgary for the 2 week Rodeo in July

I got to see the fire and ice show last night. Snowboarders and skiers jump
through the rings of fire up on the hill and the rap group
"swollen member"
performed on the stage at the bottom on the jump. On the left is a big screen TV.
They continually broadcast the olympics through out the day
on several big screens in the village.

fireworks joined the show

this morning it was snowing and everything was covered with a blanket of white

This is a glimpse of the "Govenor General". All the Canadians that I asked, didn't seem to know what her role in the government is. (they sure know a lot about US politics though) Apparently she is recommended by the Prime Minister and appointed by the Queen of England, (Canada still pays taxes to England). I ask what her qualifications are, and several people told me that she has the same viewpoints as the Prime Minister (or promises to). Previously she was a News Broadcaster. Anyway her security motorcade blocked our shuttles and other traffic for about 30 minutes and they loaded right in front of my load zone. She did have the nerve to sit in the grandstand instead of the VIP tent (which is warm and catered). Well I didn't know she was sitting on the 2nd row from the top of the bleachers and I escorted a family with accessible needs in to find a place to sit. The accessible area for wheelchairs is the platform at the top row of the grandstand bleachers. (A lot of people just stand up there, because there are not very many wheelchairs and there is a lot of space). So I saw some available chairs, rearranged them for the wheelchair and asked the gentlemen (in dark suits and winter coats) to move down a little so this family could sit in the designated, accessible area. They very politely told me they couldn't move because the "Govenor General" was sitting right there as they pointed. OOOPs.

My roommates and athletes on the bus

I know this looks like I super imposed myself into this photo,
But, I promise, I am really here!
The above photo is the Slovakian team going up to the sliding center with me.
Most of the athletes are very friendly and excited to be here, as am I.
Below are some Croatian (for Kurtis) coaches , in red, on the BC transit, in Whistler village.

These are 4 of my cute roommates (2 redheads Elle, Jen says "we're God's chosen people")
Michelle from Red Dear (North of Calgary and south of Edmonton),
Jen from Hamilton (between Toronto and Niagara Falls,
Molly from Ottawa (the Nation's capital)
and Ashley from Seattle (I'm glad to have another American in the condo)
There is a lot of Canadian pride,
as you can imagine the excitement when they won the 1st gold medal on Canadian soil.

All the luge events are now starting at the women's start,

they have termed it the Olympic start.
The bobsled and skeleton will still start at the top,
because there is a running platform there for their starts.

a new friend and a Canadian history lesson

During my lunch (yummy Thai chicken soup) break yesterday I met a sweet Young Woman named Brianna. She is from the Vancouver area and is descended on her Father's line from the Songhees First Nation in Victoria. Her Mother's line is the Numgis or Kwa Kwa la First Nation in Alert Bay, which is the top portion of Vancouver Island. I went on line today and found that there are over 600 different bands (tribes) of indigenous people across Canada that are considered to be part of the First Nations. This does not include the Métis peoples of Canada who are descended of marriages of Cree, Ojibway, Algonquin, Saulteaux, Menominee, Mi'kmaq, Maliseet, and other First Nations to Europeans, mainly French. Neither does it include the Inuit people who reside in the Artic regions of Canada, Russia, Greenland and the US.
They speak the Eskimo and Aleut languages. The First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis are the
three officially recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
I asked and received her permission to relay her story related to her experience with being a young band member and the feelings she has noted from her Elders.
She expressed her concern that there are only 2 or 3 Elders that know the band language.
Many of the Elders are Alcoholics,
not unlike the Native Americans on US soil and the aboriginal peoples of Australia.
(It is interesting to note that all three groups similarly have a genetic disposition to alcoholism). These same three groups have experienced similar intrusion of their cultural traditions and heritage by the national and/or local government. The Canadian government attempted to decolonize the First Nation bands and prevent traditional gatherings such as the Pot lach, which is a cultural event to celebrate a new baby or a recent death in the band.
School age children were previously taken from their families and sent to residential schools, many of the children were lied to and told that their parents were dead.
The bands continued to gather underground.
Unfortunately many traditions are being lost as the Elders are dying off.
There is a website online: look up First voices if you are interested.
You can also read about the stolen generation of Australia.
I was thoroughly impressed and enjoyed the 4 First Nation bands that were represented and who performed at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.
They were rightly honored as the 4 bands on which whose lands are being utilized for the Olympics on the western area of Canada.

The young Georgian athlete who tragically lost his life in a training event on the luge is being remembered here, I am sure today there will be many more flowers and candles.
The track was modified and the area in which he came off the track has been built up
and the metal polls are now wrapped with pads. I hope and pray that the other athletes will be protected and the rest of the olympics will go on safely.

Bumping into a star

I spotted him walking in Whistler Village, enjoying the sights.
I had the nerve to ask for an autograph and then worked it into a photo.
He was so nice! Turns out he grew up in Canada and he is here to enjoy the olympics
and has tickets to several events. He asked where I was from and where I was volunteering.
We talked for about 20 minutes, mostly about the tragic death on the luge just about an hour before we met. He was sincerely concerned and interested in the track. I had been up and down the track on my 1st few shifts, I am glad I had the day off when it happened. The latest news is that they are making modifications and building up the side of the track where he flew off. I have talked to a Volunteer that works with the World cup luge and at the Calgary Olympics, his opinion was that this was just a freak accident and that the looping that took place could happen anywhere on the track and if they built the walls up everywhere on the tracks, no one would be able to see the event. I hope they can protect the athletes and they rest of the games will go well.

another day readying for the Olympics

Olympic history will be made by this young man in 2010,

as he is the 1st luge athlete from India.

But, that is not what is so interesting,

India doesn't have a single constructed luge track.
He uses the natural mountain terrain of the Himalayas for his training venue.

I had a little fun in the bobsled

I had a great day today

the "load zone" practiced a dry run today with the accessible buses, loading and unloading at the venue. I was able to offer my expertise and made some suggestions on how and where to unload. To some it may seem obvious that the area should be flat and away from main traffic areas, but, evidently not so, so I made myself useful.

just a beautiful evening, look deep into the photo to see the mountain glowing

up close and personal

during one of my breaks I walked down the entire track where some of the teams were
practicing, this track is the steepest in the world.
An Olympic videotographer was up on his tower and not videoing
(turned out his cables that are tracked up the mountain for miles were having a glitch).
Sooooooo, I asked him to take my photo with my camera "and can you get me in the photo exactly at the moment the athlete is on the track, and oh, try to get the oympic rings in the photo, and .....(the other photographers chuckled at my request, but see for yourself, he got the shot)

I got this shot

above is the start of the track and below is the end, the track is on a incline so they can slow down after hitting the last turn at 5 G's, the record speed is 153.9 km/hr

the sliders head right back up for another run, they load into the trucks with their sleds

this is a warming tent near one of my posts, I enjoyed warming my nose,
that seems to be the only part of my body that gets very cold. It's been about -6c

my uniform with my lovely orange accessory (safety) vest
(turquoise and orange are complementary colors)

notice my pockets are filled with snacks and water from the break tent,
my bag is full of layers of clothing.