My trip to the games almost didn't happen: during the week leading up to my departure, we experienced two back-to-back blizzards in Washington, D.C. The first storm dumped more than 20 inches of snow in my backyard, with the second storm adding another 10+ inches a few days later. The city was paralyzed for a week.
But nothing was going to stop me from getting to Canada to see the games.
The games of the XXI Winter Olympics is being held in Vancouver, where they are experiencing their warmest winter on record. If only I could bring the snow from Washington to the west coast.
My sister and her family were flying from Boston to Vancouver via Phoenix. My route (on Air Canada) was from Washington National Airport to Vancouver via Toronto.
The Inukshuk Leads the Way

Throughout the airport in Toronto, large Inukshuk signs pointed the direction to Vancouver. An Inukshuk is a stone navigational sculpture, often found in the arctic regions of Canada. The excitement of the games was building. All of the airport stores were selling Olympic souvenirs. There was even a lounge with comfortable chairs and couches where you could watch the games and relax.
Lounge Lizard

I arrived at the Vancouver airport about 45 minutes before my sister and her family. As I was coming through domestic arrivals, I had to make my way to the international arrivals area to meet up with my sister. The airport terminal had a lot of artwork from the region.
Bill Reid Sculpture "The Jade Canoe"

Aboriginal Artwork on Display

I met up with our airport transfer contact while waiting for Marie, Allison, Joshua and Rebecca to clear customs. Finally, they arrived!
Arrival at the Airport

We had made prior arrangements for a limo service to pick us up at the airport and take us to our house that we were renting. Limos, apparently, are in quite demand, so they decided to bring us a stretch SUV, which the kids really enjoyed riding in!
Here's Our Limo

We're All Here, in Vancouver!


We had made prior arrangements for a limo service to pick us up at the airport and take us to our house that we were renting. Limos, apparently, are in quite demand, so they decided to bring us a stretch SUV, which the kids really enjoyed riding in!
Here's Our Limo

We're All Here, in Vancouver!

Inside the Stretch SUV

After some tricky navigating down narrow Vancouver streets, our limo driver made it to our house where we were met by the manager, Mel. The house required that we pay in Canadian cash, upon arrival. When we exchanged money in the states, the larger denomination bills were in rare supply due to the East Coast storms. As a result, we ended up paying for the house in the largest stack of Canadian bills you have ever seen!
Allison and Mel and Lots of Canadian Cash

After settling the bill and unpacking, Allison and I walked four blocks to the local wine shop and the Safeway grocery store, to stock up on supplies for the week, and buy something quick for dinner. We all were tired from travelling and were in bed by 9:00 p.m. Tomorrow, we are off to Whistler Mountain to see our first Olympic event: men's luge.

After some tricky navigating down narrow Vancouver streets, our limo driver made it to our house where we were met by the manager, Mel. The house required that we pay in Canadian cash, upon arrival. When we exchanged money in the states, the larger denomination bills were in rare supply due to the East Coast storms. As a result, we ended up paying for the house in the largest stack of Canadian bills you have ever seen!
Allison and Mel and Lots of Canadian Cash

After settling the bill and unpacking, Allison and I walked four blocks to the local wine shop and the Safeway grocery store, to stock up on supplies for the week, and buy something quick for dinner. We all were tired from travelling and were in bed by 9:00 p.m. Tomorrow, we are off to Whistler Mountain to see our first Olympic event: men's luge.
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