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The Olympics are almost here and the city of Vancouver is holding its breath, or it seems that way anyway. Security and city engineers have thrown the fear of gridlock into everyone and it seems to be working. Vancouver has no major highways running through its core and that is both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because it keeps the city somewhat compact and discourages people from taking their cars downtown to a certain degree. It’s a curse for the same reason. Saturday we decided to see what was going on downtown, a week before the Games are in full force and the crowds descend. So, in the name of sanity (and because the sun was shining) we took the scooter.

It was strange, we went downtown around noon and it was like a ghost town. Robson street on a sunny Saturday is usually crowded with shoppers and not a parking spot to be found…. parking was abundant and the sidewalks, while not vacant, contained very light foot traffic.

The Starbuck’s at Robson and Thurlow is usually busy, but at 1pm we walked through the doors and right up to the order counter…and then took a seat at the window. Unheard of! But definitely pleasant. I think an awful lot of Vancouverites are taking things in stride and practicing avoidance, but there is still an excitement in the air.

The photo above is of one of the Lions at the South end of the Lion’s Gate Bridge, gateway to the North Shore. Someone (not a city worker) decorates them a few times each year. At Remembrance Day they are dressed in a wreath of poppies, and at Christmas they always sport a big red bow. For the Olympics this same individual, who prefers to remain anonymous, dressed them in a necklace of international flags and a giant pair of red mittens. It’s hard not to smile when we pass them.

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