Final Weekend

Day 16 of the games

We are almost at the end.  One last party night of concerts and fireworks.  It is expected that Sunday will have more people downtown than any other day yet.  Not sure if I want to go out in the crush tomorrow.

Friday was a great day.  After a day of giving directions, smiling, taking pictures of tourists one last time, I met up with my daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.  We wandered the marketplace and around Concord place where the kids played ball in the "active kids" tent.  We watched some of the men's hockey game on a couple of the giant screens around town.  The city was alive with excitement.  After the kids went home I watched the rest of the game with some happy strangers on the street.  After Canada squeeked out a narrow win, the group burst into song.  It was also announced that Canada had also just won 2 more gold medals in speed skating.  The group then started to sing our national anthem. 

As I sung with all my heart, I noticed the man standing next to me staring and smiling.  Must be a record producer I thought.  I am often surprised when I am not pulled over by multiple record producers as I sing in my car.  However, as the song ended instead of handing me his business card wrapped in a contract, he bent down to me and smiling stated "I bet you have to sing Happy Birthday in a group as well".  I wasn't exactly sure what he meant but I took it to mean that people often want me to sing with them.  I have decided it was a very nice compliment.

As I made my way along the waterfront around 11pm, there were so many people in the crowd enjoying Canada'a achievements of the day, the ending of the games and just being caught up in the moment.  It didn't matter that it was raining and windy.  We are counting down the hours now until the end however, we will only have 12 days to rest before the Paralimpics begin.  A lot of the venues will close however, a number will remain open including Robson Square skating rink and the zip line.  I am hopeful that I will get to zip before it all closes.

I am now done my Olympic volunteering but not my Olympic experience.  I am off to enjoy the final two days.  I will post again tomorrow night when it is all finished.

Stay tuned