The Olympics

The Olympic torch will be passing through Abbotsford next Sunday.  For the next two weeks the Japanese Speed-Skating team and the Russian figure skaters will be practicing at one of our great local sports complexes.

So this morning Al and I explored what this might look like.  This just shows how naive and unsuspecting I still am - thinking we'd sit in the bleachers and it would be come-and-go as you like.  Not so.  The whole ice area was locked down and all the windows curtained with black.  Of course that made sense.  Looking about and asking a few questions, we noticed a line-up outside at the opposite entrance.  So we also took our place in the queue wondering if it would be worth  it.  There were a number of friendly guides around to inform us that they were letting people in in groups of 150 at a time to view the practise from up on the mezzanine floor for 20 minutes.  We waited about 20 minutes and then followed the lead for our turn to observe.

The mezzanine is a glass-enclosed area overlooking the olympic-size sheet of ice.  We were allowed to take pictures, but no flash.  I had only taken a short video clip when my batteries died.  I was prepared and hastily exchanged them.  But now to get that stubborn clip back down to keep the battery chamber closed was the hurdle that practically ate up half my viewing time and got me frustrated.  I so wanted a few pictures.  I did get a lot but oh my, they aren't good.  Way too far away for my  little lens and far too much speed from these fabulous skaters.  I'm going to have to learn to use some of my setting options.  That might have helped some!

It was exciting though to see these super skaters jumping and spinning and flying through the air at such incredible speed.  I'll be watching for the couple below to make it to the podium in the pairs event - they were phenomenal...but then...all the others will be looking mighty fine as well.  No wonder there's always so much controversy surrounding the skating events.

 

The pair below were smaller- she was just so tiny it seemed- but also extremely talented.

  

As we left we saw more skaters and a coach in the lobby.  It was exciting.

 

My sisters and I are planning to take the train into Vancouver two weeks from today in order to wander around downtown where dozens, possibly hundreds of interesting events, displays and shows are available to the public - many of them free of charge.  I think that, like viewing the practise sessions, is a great way of engendering enthusiasm among the locals for this great attraction, the Olympics, that is bringing people from all over the world onto our doorstep.

I'd love to know how I could incorporate a small segment of a video clip here from this morning - it was so beautiful.  Yes, it definitely was worth it.