Wow, I'm really just blown away at Vancouver's transformation. I've been out and about around town over the weekend. Here are some random thoughts for what they are worth, haha, I guess since that's what you paid for 'em. (haha)

Crowds - Everywhere, hoards of people. Diversity - so many languages and cultures, milling around, waiting in lines for everything - food, transit, pavilions, bathrooms and the zipline. No doubt about it - money was being spent hand over fist.

Woodwards - the redevelopment is a total success from what I saw. And W2 will be moving in and creating a great cafe in the inner courtyard.

All Spiffed Up - Everything is so clean, power-washed DTES sidewalks, minimal, albeit growing garbage. The homeless still abound, lining up for shelter beds in the rain. More cameras on them these days.
So many lights, lanterns, wish some of that would remain. But, makes one wonder what a city that had thousands upon thousands visitors looks like after they all go home?

Politicization of the 2010 Olympics - I think you'd be hardpressed to name an Olympics that was as politicized as these ones in recent times. Activists of all stripes and causes are pulling out all the stops to get the word out about whatever it is they believe in. I hope the "winners" in it all will be the people who need it the most. I suspect that is a pipe dream but we'll blog about that elsewhere.

Technology - We truly live in this time where we are all photographers, documentarians, cameras and phones and consumers and creators of the images of the world around us.

Entertainment - Boy, if Vancouver had all the street stuff happening all the time we might be a little more interesting. I get what my friend was telling me when she said that visitors are going to get the wrong idea - that we are more fun, interesting and sophisticated than we are. But, maybe we have grown into ourselves as a 21st century leading destination and place to live?

Honouring - I was one of the thousands of people who honoured the lives of the women missing and murdered from the DTES, in BC and across Canada. Many of these women are Aboriginal women. The 19th Memorial march had a gigantic turnout. As we walked through downtown, many of us singing the Women's Warrior song. At one point, we noticed that an eagle was flying high above over the march. There is nothing more auspicious than that.

March Honours Missing, Slain Women
CBC.

Olympic celebrations paused Sunday as thousands of people paid tribute to missing and slain woman — one of the largest of the annual marches that has taken place in Vancouver over the years.

The group followed the drumbeat of a First Nations elder through the Downtown Eastside and held a news conference, hoping to attract media from around the world on hand for the Olympics.

Leaders in B.C.'s aboriginal community have called for a public inquiry into the deaths of the slain and missing women.

"I think having international media in the city today is an opportunity today, is a day that can put greater pressure on our government to take steps, to be seen to take steps," Maggie de Vries said. "We're asking for a commitment to a public inquiry as soon as one is possible."

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Next up on getting the Word (Homelessness) Out:

Protesters Set up Tent City in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside
Vancouver Sun.

Painting the town red