there is no there there

Today was an off day from the Olympic Village. Did some shopping this morning - failed to get by a few minutes some more red Canada mittens but later on got myself a nice light blue sweat shirt on sale. I'll be wearing vanoc2010 stuff for years to come.

This afternoon,rather than watch the USA men's hockey game, I decided to take the bus to Squamish. It's at sea level at the top of Howe Sound . I arrived there at a WalMart and beside a Home Depot. I discovered it's a bit like arriving in Kanata although with mountains- there's no there there. Ottawa and area residents know what I'm talking about. Just a big spread out town . I inquired about buses to downtown and got directed from pillar to post. As patience in waiting for buses is not one of my strengths( I can be patient about other things..) I gave up and went into the WalMart. Bought some small souvenirs then took a bus back to Creekside, a trip of about 45 minutes each way. This picture is taken showing the view behind the Home Depot. Certainly different than the view in Kanata.

Got back in tie for a short nap then went downstairs for the Canada Russia men's hockey game. WOOHOO! Bring on Alfie and the Swedes. I watched the game with my now ex-roomie Christain from Norway and a blood collection officer from Surrey named Annie.Also with us was my new friend from from Wales named Alan , a UK doping control officer.

Lots of people in the bar. I had been teasing Christain that he was the younger triplet of the Swedish Sedin twins sold by the Sedin parents to a Norwegian couple to raise as their own. Christain now uses a picture of the Sedins as his Facebook profile picture.
Spooky or what?

Alan and I enjoying a drink during the hockey game.

Great win by Canada! Christain and I have a bet, as I have mentioned, for a twoonie for total medals Canada Norway. Great evening tonight for Canada picking up 3 more to close the gap. However there are way too many medals for cross country skiing and ski jumping and not enough for real sports like hockey and curling . Maybe in hockey there should be medals like in the skills competitions: fastest skater,hardest shot, most accurate shot, best stick handler, or may be new hockey events such as hockey team pursuit,individual pursuit,relay and all sorts of other ways to pad out the medal totals.

Christain also got to meet the King and Queen of Norway this afternoon but no pictures allowed. I had asked him to get a pair of the Norwegian men's curling pants from the King for me but alas no luck there. I did get this picture of Christain in front of the Norwegian flag in our lobby.

 

For my younger female readers you should note that Christain is engaged and will be getting married in late June with a honeymoon to follow by touring across the US in a car.

Tomorrow I'm up and out the door in the morning for a day at cross country. I believe it's Nordic Combined , which is ski jumping followed by cross country skiing. I hope I'll have some good pix from that.