Olympic Fever Has Begun

I took at drive into downtown Vancouver yesterday and snapped a few photos of the cities transformation for you. It was great to see some of the buildings decorated for the games. There are tents, and banners everywhere you look. Here are a few of the photos I took.

The Hudson's Bay Company Building - The Official Olympic Store

The Georgia Hotel - I think this is reserved for Media, but I am not 100% sure about that.

The Hotel Vancouver with the RBC Tower in behind.

Robson Square Outdoor Skating Rink

They were installing a zip track right above this while I was there.

If any of you have tried to get tickets you will know that it is not an easy task. The tickets were distributed by a lottery system and there were no gaurantees that you would get any tickets at all. In fact, many people I know were quite dissapointed when no tickets were awarded to them. My cousins in Holland also had their Olympic speedskating dreams squashed (temporarily) when their lottery system failed them as well. After hearing all the stories I simply didn't even bother trying. Finally I thought I have to at least try. Years from now I will be kicking myself big-time if I don't at least attempt to get tickets. So on the last round of sales I finally got on the 2010 site set up an account and gave it a go.

Here is a play by play of my Olympic Ticket Buying Event!

First I patiently sit in the virtual waiting room

Faithfully refreshing my screen for three hours!!!!

I finally get in,

Kids don't bug me now

I only have twelve minutes to shop for tickets and then check out.....

I get my tickets and the system seems a bit slow

Lots of people must be on this site I guess

Man, this is really taking a long time

All I have to do now is click on "checkout"

I get the dreaded message, "Internet connection lost"

I scream

@#$%&*

Did this really just happen to me!

I guess it was not meant to be!

I can not give up with out a fight!

I get on again,

This time the wait is only 40mins, not bad!!

Miraculously all the tickets I want are still there,

I put them in my virtual cart.

Then I get cocky

I only have a few minutes left and I call my good friends

Do you want any tickets, Yes! Yes!

I throw their tickets into the cart.

Minutes to go,

I click on "check out"

and

@#$%&*

NOT AGAIN!!!!!

Can you believe it!!!!

I get on to the site again

and buy tickets for me

and my friends!!!

Yay me!!!!

It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I really wanted to take my kids to something.

We are all getting really excited! The Olympic mascots have been to their school and we are following the torch as well. It will be traveling through our little town on February 11th and we are for sure going to go see it pass through.

We can't wait and I will keep you posted!