GABIT attendees thread

[Fresh_Horse]

Yup. My nephew has been playing hockey in Germany for 6 seasons now. 4 in Manniheim and now 2 in Wolfsburg (even though it was orginally 1 season he had signed for). My Great-Niece Mila (who will be 2 on the 28th of March) was born in Manniheim and my Great-nephew Cael (who will be 3 months on Tuesday) was born in Wolfsburg.

And he actually did live in Canada for a year back when he played for the Calgary Flames. Personally I would love it if he could be here in Vancouver, playing for my Canucks. But Germany is where he is and he loves it there.

Wolfsburg has had a great run this season. However, starting on Wednesday that run is going to get ended by my beloved Koelner Haie!

Tell Blake the Grizzlies don't stand a chance! ;-)
...and Cologne is much nicer than Mannheim and Wolfsburg combined.

There's nothing like Play Off trash talk!

TSE2 in 2012? Wouldn't it be difficult for anyone from the UK to get time off during the Olympics? I figure a lot of people will try to either get tickets or avoid the whole thing. That would mean that more people than usual will request time off for the same 3 or 4 weeks in 2012.

[Skydiver]

My biggest thing about the Olympics is that it's often priced so incredibly ridiculously expensive it prohibits most from getting to attend. Hundreds of dollars for a single event? I'll watch it on tv where I can be comfy and save the money. Its less about the athletes and more about medal count and profit margins.

[AnnieS]

Wolfsburg has had a great run this season. However, starting on Wednesday that run is going to get ended by my beloved Koelner Haie!

Tell Blake the Grizzlies don't stand a chance! ;-)
...and Cologne is much nicer than Mannheim and Wolfsburg combined.

There's nothing like Play Off trash talk!

TSE2 in 2012? Wouldn't it be difficult for anyone from the UK to get time off during the Olympics? I figure a lot of people will try to either get tickets or avoid the whole thing. That would mean that more people than usual will request time off for the same 3 or 4 weeks in 2012.

We will see. But I will tell him next time I Skype with him and family.

I know here in Van during the Olympics lastyear many people escaped town who could. Also many rented their homes to people who were coming for the Olympics. At our work (Wal*Mart) it was a Black-out for vacation, since they thought it was going to be busy (we even opened 24 hours). But the North Shore in North Van was deader than a door nail.

I for one tried to enjoy as much as I could. Went downtown at least once during both the Olympics and the Para-Olympics. Wanted to do the Zip-line but unfourntly the lines were hours long. So I took part in any other activites I could do. Many things were free.

[Fresh_Horse]

We will see. But I will tell him next time I Skype with him and family.

I know here in Van during the Olympics lastyear many people escaped town who could. Also many rented their homes to people who were coming for the Olympics. At our work (Wal*Mart) it was a Black-out for vacation, since they thought it was going to be busy (we even opened 24 hours). But the North Shore in North Van was deader than a door nail.

I for one tried to enjoy as much as I could. Went downtown at least once during both the Olympics and the Para-Olympics. Wanted to do the Zip-line but unfourntly the lines were hours long. So I took part in any other activites I could do. Many things were free.

I felt bad for the folks who had to get through downtown by car. Several of the streets were blocked off, the traffic on the ones that weren't was insane.

The line for the Zip-line was unbelievable. One of the TV reporters got in line and every hour or so they would show her waiting in line.
Hilarious, if you think about it. Not sure what she told her partner when she came home. "So, hon, how was your day?" - "Oh, well, I stood in line for 6 hours to get on the zip-line. When I finally did, it was over in 6 seconds. "

I loved the whole atmosphere. I thought it was great, apart from the idiots who destroyed several of the windows of Hudson's Bay.

[AnnieS]

I felt bad for the folks who had to get through downtown by car. Several of the streets were blocked off, the traffic on the ones that weren't was insane.

The line for the Zip-line was unbelievable. One of the TV reporters got in line and every hour or so they would show her waiting in line.
Hilarious, if you think about it. Not sure what she told her partner when she came home. "So, hon, how was your day?" - "Oh, well, I stood in line for 6 hours to get on the zip-line. When I finally did, it was over in 6 seconds. "

I loved the whole atmosphere. I thought it was great, apart from the idiots who destroyed several of the windows of Hudson's Bay.

I saw that report. It was fun.

And yeah the protesters were awfull. What were they thinking that destroying property would service a purpose other than to make people ashamed of their tactics.

When I went downtown I took transit (bus, seabus and skytrain) and then walked about for the rest of the time.

[llp]

Yeah, it is strange that for a few weeks most people take on a different vibe. Of course in Canada it would be hard to tell when someone was being nice or extra nice....Canadians (almost) always seem nice to me.

But I doubt that TSE2 would run at the same time that the Olympics would run. That timing just doesn't seem right to me. That is a worldwide event and probably not a good time to run other events. In spite of some comments, I would think it would cut down on attendance as well as stray some peoples attention. Most likely it would be a few months before or after the Olympics. Plus airfare ALWAYS goes up before, during and after the Olympics....got to get their money, right!

[llp]

Speaking of which, has anyone notice airfares recently.....are they going up because of what is going on in the middle East?

[Jumble]

Speaking of which, has anyone notice airfares recently.....are they going up because of what is going on in the middle East?

Definitely

[SWMBOTGSG]

I met CJ just the once, here in the UK. He was being unmercifully ribbed about his fear of bears, and so I gave him a bear bell I had, so that he could feel safer! Hehehehe!

Mumsey

[SWMBOTGSG]

My biggest thing about the Olympics is that it's often priced so incredibly ridiculously expensive it prohibits most from getting to attend. Hundreds of dollars for a single event? I'll watch it on tv where I can be comfy and save the money. Its less about the athletes and more about medal count and profit margins.

You have to apply for tickets giving Visa card details. They then put your application in a lottery and if you 'win' then they charge your card for the tickets. Prices go from £25 to £ridiculous. The corporate bods will obviously get the prime seats and the British public might get some seats in the Gods. The very few events that I will be interested in will be on TV with a much better view.

Mumsey

[Jumble]

You have to apply for tickets giving Visa card details. They then put your application in a lottery and if you 'win' then they charge your card for the tickets. Prices go from £25 to £ridiculous. The corporate bods will obviously get the prime seats and the British public might get some seats in the Gods. The very few events that I will be interested in will be on TV with a much better view.

Mumsey

They always seem to overestimate the British Public's interest in these things - Millennium Dome anyone?

[llp]

The fact is they really don't care about that. They are doing it to bring publicity to the city, tourism and extra revenue. They are after the all enforcing "money" from other countries. In London, you will get added tourists from all over Europe as well as No. America and where ever else they will come from. The hosting city deals with the attitude of "be damned, we don't care." If a local gets to benefit, well that is just the bonus. They are out to make $$$ and they don't care where it comes from.

[Skydiver]

it's also a bit of an 'international yardstick contest'.....politicians trying to outdo each other with the olympics or bidding for them for nothing more than prestigue....and most hosting cities/countries don't get near the benefit they were projected to get....for a lot of the reasons above, people that can't afford to attend, people put off by the crowds or security, too much 'be as big of a fan as your gold card will allow', and often, too much of the cream funneled off to sponsor companies (in other words, Visa, a massive sponsor, i'm sure gets first dibs on a block of tickets to distribute as they will)

by the time all the sponsors get their 'share' there's often not much left

I think, had i lived in vancouver last year, I'd have volunteered to help. that's the best way to experience it, work it. you're gonna get to experience more than those that pay to be there

[llp]

You are so right. Being a volunteer is also a rewarding job. I know someone who did it and had a blast. Wish I had the time to do it when it was in the US. Oh well, now I'm just to old.

[lame moose (mocha)]

does anybody have a picture of the banner that was at the side of the stage for at5? i intended to get one, but the only photo i have is half the banner. could i please have a copy? you could pm it to me or post it here and i'll copy it. thank you