Sunday, January 24, 2010

19 Days And Counting...

I don't normally post photos on my blog, but the sunrise looked so pretty through the skeletons of the trees, I snapped this photo this morning. In just 19 days the XXI Olympic Winter Games will begin here in Vancouver. I am one of the few people who actualy seems to be excited about this amazing event being held here. Most of us have very few chances in life to experience a world-wide event. I have always been one of those people who enjoys being in the middle of an exhilarating experience. One of the things on my list that I would love to do one day is to attend New Year's Eve in Time's Square, New York City. We can choose to spend our lives sitting on the sidelines, being spectators, or we can choose to participate in life. At the end of the day, we should have no regrets -- coulda, woulda, shoulda. Bring it on...!

A large aspect of the Winter Olympics will be the wonderful cultural events from January 22 to March 21, featuring the best artists and musicians from Canada and around the world. There will be dozens of events every day, and the kick off today will feature Canada's own Joni Mitchell. Starting on February 4th there will be a spectacular laser light show over English Bay. 20 robotic searchlights will create a canopy of light in the night sky above and on the surface of English Bay below with designs created by people around the world and delivered via the Internet. Called Vectorial Elevation, it is the first time this work of art will be displayed in Canada and over a body of water. The installation - considered one of the world's largest interactive artworks - is by Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and is part of CODE, the Cultural Olympiad's Digital Edition. The 10,000-watt lights will move and create patterns silently from locations in Vanier Park and Sunset Beach that cover an area of 100,000 square metres and be visible within 15 kilometres of the city's downtown core, stretching to Richmond, Cypress and Grouse mountains and freighters and boats on the water.

Today I plan to see the exhibit of Ansel Adams photographs, which is part of the cultural events starting today. It doesn't get any more exciting than that -- well, except perhaps for Time's Square in New York City on New Year's Eve.

Have a fabulous day, everyone.

Cheers...!

18 comments:

Cedar said...

I saw an Ansel Adam's show when I lived in D.C. and it was great!!! You will really enjoy it I am sure!!!

Kitty Moore said...

I agree - participate in everything that you can! Great photo.

Kitty x

Kathryn said...

My hubby told me to tell you the delivery folks got confused (about the snow) Jo.

Hope you get "dumped on" soon so that there is plenty for the festivities. :)

Jennifer D said...

I can't wait. The opening ceremony is my favorite part of the Olympics. It always gives me a taste of the area's history.

I would love to hear about the Ansel Adams exhibit. I live very close to Yosemite National Park and Ansel Adams took some truly amazing photos of the park.
His photos (of Yosemite) feel like home to me.

DUTA said...

Vancouver is on the Map! How exciting for its residents!
The sunrise you've captured is amazing.

DUTA said...

I mean: on the Map of the Olympic Games.

Owen said...

Wow... Joni Mitchell and Ansel Adams all in one day... what a great day that sounds like ! Hope you have a great time throughout the festivities and the games ! Hopefully Fred Herzog will be featured in there somewhere, imho he is one of Vancouver's finest !

Tom Bailey said...

I have tons of Ansel Adams works in my house some people make fun of them because they are so common.

The black and white just goes with the black and white in the rest of my house.

Thanks for sharing
Tom Bailey

Jo said...

Risley, I didn't get to see it. :-( Perhaps next week.

Kitty, yes, we only get one opportunity, don't we?

Kathryn, oh goodness, snow? We have tulips blooming. *sigh*

Jennifer, Yosemite National Park is one place I have ALWAYS wanted to see. Ansel Adams' photos there were breathtaking. I didn't get to see the exhibit today, however. *sigh*

Duta, yes, on the map -- definitely. There are already tons of tourists here. It's exciting.

Owen, Fred Herzog is one of the best photographers ever...! I have been meaning to go and see his exhibit which is just blocks away from me. Thank you for remind me. :-)

Tom, oh, goodness Ansel Adams common? I don't think so... :-) Good photograph and good taste is never common.

Deedee said...

Thanks for the photo, Jo- it's really beautiful!

Brenda said...

That does sound really exciting. Joni Mitchell was one of my favorites in the 60's. I had all of her albums. Enjoy!

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

Enjoy the part-ay!

Alicia said...

I'm so excited about the Olympics Jo! I can't even imagine how you must feel. I can't wait to see that light show, I'm sure it will be spectacular!

Kathy's Klothesline said...

We will all enjoy seeing all the ceremonies through your eyes!

Jo said...

Deedee, thank you. And it's nice to see you again. I've missed you!

Brenda, yes, she was one of my favorites too. I love Joni Mitchell.

LGS, well, I hope I get to some of the part-ay...! *heh*

Alicia, people can log on from all over the world and participate in it...!

Kathy, I will be amazing, that's for sure!

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

130 odd days before the FIFA Soccer World Cup starts in South Africa

Paula Slade said...

Enjoy Jo! So many cultural events coming up - it seems like there is something on the calendar for just about every interest!

Amy said...

Hi Jo! You are going to have an exciting month ahead. Oddly enough our fledgling museum, Turtle Bay, has a collection of Ansel Adams that just finished it's run in Columbia SC. This is an excellent article:

American Beauty, Ansel Adams’ Masterworks Comes to the Columbia Museum of Art

Here's hoping the link works!