The last event I've attended was also the last Victory Ceremony, during which Newfoundland and Labrador were presented. The performer was Great Big Sea, the main reason I chose this ceremony. They did not disappoint, but more about that in a bit. Medals were given out for Men's Aerials and Ladies Parallel Giant Slalom. (Medals for a few other events were awarded that day as well, but not at the Vancouver Victory Ceremony.)
And look! Mounties!
Great Big Sea got everyone on their feet and dancing in front of seats, in aisles and anywhere where the old lady volunteer wasn't looking ("clear the aisles please, so people can pass").
And I don't believe I've shown you the Olympic torch and rings yet. The color of the rings alternated between bronze, silver and gold, representing the medals Canadian athletes had won that day. The picture below shows the rings in gold.
During the following two days (and last of the Olympic Games), Canada won six gold medals and now holds the record for the most gold medals ever won at a Winter Games by a single country. Towards the end, I became so emotionally involved that I refused an invitation to watch the men's hockey final with a group of colleagues because I knew there would be Americans present. To think that just over two weeks ago I wasn't even a hockey fan! Francis and I were so happy with the win that we actually stood in front of our couch during the Canadian hymn.
We also watched the Closing Ceremonies at home, and afterwards went for a walk downtown. It turned out to be a long walk because buses were no longer going in that direction. Indeed, the streets were full of happy Canadians wearing flags on their backs and giving high fives. The closer to the center of downtown we got, the harder it was to advance and the more proud I felt of being Canadian. It was amazing to see people with and without turbans, people of various colors wearing and waving the Canadian flag.
I know it's been said all over the media, but I truly felt it here in Vancouver during the last two weeks and especially on Sunday night. These Games have brought us closer together, have bridged social, financial, cultural gaps and have provided Canadians as a people with a healthy boost of confidence. I am happy and proud of what Canada has achieved during these events, despite the pervasive controversies. Yes, we've invested more money in these Olympic athletes than even the US has during the last four years, and the most important achievement of this is not to have shown the world what Canada can do but to have shown ourselves what Canada can do. Although some might disagree, I believe we strongly needed this.
The city feels empty now and I am almost sad that the Games are over. The Paralympic Games are coming up but their impact will unfortunately be less noticeable. I am not sure yet whether I will go to any Paralympic events, mostly because they will take place during the week before my next Ph.D committee meeting. But the significantly cheaper tickets (compared to those for Olympic events) are a good incentive...
And now back to regular life, with glowing hearts :-)
