Closing Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics

The Closing Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver was held a few hours following the Canadian men's hockey gold medal victory. The closing show was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek poke at Canadiana. It quickly degraded to what one Twitter tweep described as a monster truck rally.

The stereotypes included mounties, lumber jacks, hockey players, floating moose and the now infamous giant inflatable beavers. I'm not sure this is the Canada my Nonnas left Italy for.

Here's a video of the view from our seats at the Closing Ceremony held at BC Place Stadium on Sunday, February 28, 2010.

Virtually here: Winter Olympics, Vancouver 2010

I've put together this post for my friends and family who want to interact with the Olympics but are too far away from Vancouver -- or won't leave the suburbs.

There are oodles of bloggers reporting on the best pavilions and events, so I won't touch those. This is simply a list of things you can do remotely to control a part of what we're experiencing live. Enjoy!

Vectorial Elevation

Part of the Cultural Olympiad, the Vectorial Elevation allows online participants to design the nightly light show over English Bay. Watch the live light show or take control and create the light patterns we'll see.

The Athletes

Wonder how the athletes are experiencing the Olympics? Follow them on Twitter or Facebook to get a look behind the scenes. Check out my list of athletes on Twitter -- it's neither authenticated nor complete but it will give you a conversational view of athletes like US short-track sensation Apolo Ohno and veteran Canadian hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser.

My photo of Apolo Ohno after his silver medal win in the 1500m.

Google Street View on the Slopes

Google used a custom snowmobile to capture these images. It's your turn to take a run on the slopes at Whistler.

Ontario House

The Ontario House pavilion showcases some interesting technology, including a 4D theatre and projected air hockey.

Air hockey projected on the Ontario House floor.

My favourite technology, is the lighting that visitors manipulate via a brain-wave reading headset. Watch as visitors control the lights on three of Canada's most famous landmarks, including Niagara Falls and the Canadian Parliament buildings.

I take control of Parliament. Do you hear that, PM Harper?

Live Cam

LiveCity Yaletown is one of the hot downtown locations for free concerts. Check out the live cam to see the long line-ups or listen to daily concerts.

Alberta's Corb Lund winds up the crowd at LiveCity Yaletown.

Official Channels

For official listings, medal counts and schedules, download Bell's free 2010Guide for iPhone or Blackberry, or check out the official website. For photos, videos and more engagement, become a fan of Vancouver2010 on Facebook.

Watching Live

If you aren't near a TV but have access to a computer, follow the live action on CTV (from North America only).

Granville Street

Granville Street in downtown Vancouver is a pedestrian mall that was a rapid transit construction zone for years and has recently transformed to celebrate LunarFest (Chinese New Year is on February 14th) and the Olympics. The mall is a buzzing crossroad for locals and Olympic visitors.

Here are a few photos from yesterday's stroll along Granville. And yes, it was a beautiful spring-like day!

Cheering Messages

This message board in front of H-Mart, at the corner of Robson and Seymour Streets, was a clear attraction for visitors and foreign students. Who could resist the call for "Cheering Messages for your country"?

Do you have a message for your country?

Red and White

Not to be outdone by the red Olympic mitten craze, one of my favourite retailers has embraced the red and the white in their latest window display.

Dressew ("dress-sew") is a bargain-priced haven for sewers and crafty people with a selection of fabrics from upholstery to faux fur, and a wide-range of notions from buttons and buckles to fringes and boas.

I'm neither sewer nor crafter but I do venture past the "no drinks inside" sign for the jam-packed aisles of Halloween costumes and accessories (in season of course). And I love their window displays. My bus ride takes me by them and I am always tickled by their simplicity and subtle humour.

Today's stop made me look twice. So simple in a town that's going over-the-top with Olympic display. Like the red mitts, I had to stop and snap the red and white (aka Go Canada Go!!) display with the torso-less mannequins sporting what looks like rounds of gouda cheese. Smile!

Red Mitts!

I don't usually go gaga over stuff but I've been smitten with mittens. The red, 2010 Olympics, go-Canada-go, mittens. Ever since I spotted them in a TV ad way back in the fall, I've wanted a pair. Unfortunately, Santa couldn't find a pair to fill my stocking, neither could the Befana. But yesterday, eureka, at The Bay!

Yes, like many people who live in this city, I'm tired of the construction, the road work, the impending doom of commuting in February. But, like many other people, I'm tired of being a curmudgeon and I'm ready for a party. And now I've got my hot red mitts to play in!

My backyard

It's 2010 and that big, global sporting event is coming to my neighbourhood. Here's how I know it's coming.

Stay tuned for more updates from my backyard.