Posted on 02/26/2006 10:27:32 AM PST by Brian_Baldwin
Today, Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan accepts the Olympic Flag during the Torino 2006 Closing Ceremony at Stadio Olimpico. These are exciting times for all of us over the coming several years, because the next Winter Olympics will be in Vancouver, Canada in 2010! The Olympic Flag will be handed over to the beautiful city of Vancouver, B.C., which hosting many of the indoor events, and the Alpine events will be in the Winter wonderland of Whistler just a few miles away. Canada is a neighbor just next door, and this is an opportunity for the United States to show a strong presence at the next Winter Olympics, not only in terms of athletic representation, but in a strong participation from Americans attending the Games and cheering on our Red, White and Blue athletes who participate in these much-loved and honored Winter events.
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Four years from now seems a long time - but not in Olympic terms. Many Americans are already planning, contacting family members, proposing and encouraging family “pow-wows”, “clans”, “convenes” and “reunions” of all kinds, in which family from granddaughters to grandmas and everyone in-between come and meet in Vancouver British Columbia for a week or two in February 2010, to lodge together, family together, and to enjoy the high spirits of the Winter Olympics. For Americans, the journey would not be far - but why limit such reunions to only one’s family in America? Already I hear of those who are starting to get the word out, to reach out to family all over the world to also come and join such reunions in Vancouver, whether they be a Father-in-law from Great Britain, sister-in-law from Australia, relatives in other parts of Canada, England, India, Israel, Mexico, Russia, you name it - everyone invited to come together for a gathering of family during the time of a momentous event.
Why? Why work so hard, considering all the coordination, expense, and assemblage of chaos such would involve? Consider, Vancouver 2010 ticketing will not even be available until late 2008. But when it happens, the ticketing will sell out, lodging and hotels will fill up with bookings months and months in advance. It would take years to contact and commit friends and family for such an orchestrated meeting in Vancouver and Whistler. Some would have to commit to taking ownership of such coordination. The monetary expense for some would not be small. Today we have technology and the internet to assist, but no, it would not be easy - and so some would ask, Why?
The answer is, the rewards would be great.
There are several reasons why. Of course, there are reasons that have to do with family values in times when family is looked down upon as “old-fashioned”, or even unneeded.
And there are obscure reasons.
Let me explain.
I believe by 2010, we will know the outcome of the war on terror, of the threat from Islamic Fascism.
By 2010, we will know in very real terms where we stand in this war. Two years prior, 2008, the Summer Olympics will have been held in Communist China. China has hegemonic designs on all of the rest of Asia and the world. The Communist Chinese government considers the Olympics as an avenue of political propaganda, much in the same way as did Communist Russia. 2008 will be a very difficult year for America, and for the West in general. We will be in the heat of, likely, world war against Islamic Fascism. And China will use any of our weakness or stress of such war to likely move on Taiwan and steal the freedom and government from those Democratic people’s of the free Republic of China. Iran, I need not say more than it’s name. There will be crucial elections in the United States during the next four years, which may very well determine our victory, or loss, regarding the wars to come.
And then will come 2010. And the Winter Olympics.
As strange as it may sound to some at this time, it will be at the 2010 Winter Olympics where we can all come together. We will wave the flag of America. You will understand at that time, it will be a time that, if you are alive, you will remember. You will remember.
From Torino to Vancouver, the flag-handover at the Closing Ceremony today marks the official start of Canada’s Games. Today, they are having a small celebration in the Village Square in Whistler to mark the moment.
Very large celebrations are to come.
In 2010, these will, must, be celebrations for Americans.
You can do the same. You can start planning now. Invite your family, from all over the world. And for Americans, you can show a strong presence of Americans at the Winter Games in 2010.
In Vancouver, B.C., Whistler, Canada. It isn't that far away in miles. And it isn't that far away in years, either.
"In Vancouver, B.C., Whistler, Canada. It isn't that far away in miles."
Not from Seattle, but Miami is another story.
Yeah, it's about a 5 hour drive for me, but I'm going to the 2010 winter games anyway. Never been to the Olympics before. I want to go at least once in my life, and I doubt they will get any closer to where I live.
In August 2001 we visited BC.
Vancouver is a beautiful city. Equally worthwhile is Victoria, on Vancouver Island. Getting there by ferry is half the fun.
The only time that I will considering visiting of watching the Olympics is when they have American Football..
We took the road from Vancouver to Whistler two years ago. Massive amounts of traffic, snail's pace interspersed with road maniacs, and absolutely hair raising. The locals promised the road would be improved by 2010.
But Whistler is quite beautiful if you survive the commute.
Ideal locations for winter sports in British Columbia are far into the interior -- east of the coastal mountain range.
We are planning to go to the 2010 Olympics...we live down in Olympia, so we are close...we are retired, so our time is our own...we will travel there and stay in our RV, so no real need for motels, hotels, or restaurants...
Its beautiful up that way, so aside from the Olympics, there is also the scenery to enjoy...
I know its four years away, but those are our plans, so hopefully our plans will be fullfilled...
It's being upgraded to 4 lanes, although far from what I would like to see (an Interstate-grade highway up).
Well, it's true, I was in Whistler two years ago. The road is bad, but bank on it, you won't believe what they are going to do - they will turn the whole Olympic Village into a mini-City.
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