pavilions

Gosh, is it really after midnight Chicago time? It's barely gone 10 here in Vancouver, and the city will not go to sleep for some time yet. The pavilions within sight of the apartment give ample evidence of that.

I'll post a lot from the Olympics (or so I plan, for the week we're here, that is). Not in order, either. Things that strike me, things I want to report on. A lot.

Conrad is in bed right now - fast asleep, I hope. I have on some music, softly, but I can hear traffic out on Main Street and some thrum of music coming from over at the pavilions at False Creek. Now then, here's where I'm admittedly naive. I didn't think about the Olympics being an ideal venue for other provinces and countries to promote themselves, only BC. Nope, not the case. Many countries have set up pavilions in temporary structures (tents, for example) or taken over space in bars and clubs and other facilities around the city and up in Whistler. More awesome? They offer free stuff! Pins, food, entertainment. All up for grabs, and a big reason why on this Saturday night there won't be an early night for the folks not far away.

I love that I can see a few of these places from right here. Saskatchewan Pavilion, for example, includes a globe that appears to spin an image around and around, changing, bright in the night.



Behind it is a solid blue glow from Maison du Quebec. Alluring, and after I sent Conrad home from the restaurant (jetlagged and fighting a cold, poor guy), I wandered over to take in a bit of what was going on. I wish I'd had someone to go with over to the Atlantic Canada pavilion on Granville Island, if only to see Ashley MacIsaac live, but oh well.

In fact, we wandered through the pavilions area a little after lunch today, the three of us. Poked in one or two: Right to Play (a wonderful organization, I think) and Quebec (a musician being unjustly ignored, though I confess I did not catch his name). Not all are freely accessible - Molson Hockey Place costs a pretty penny, I gather, so many people (like Marie), contented themselves with photos outside.


We also wandered by the Chinese pavilion (or so it seemed) by the casino. The musicians deserved a bigger crowd, I think.

Speaking of musicians, I did get to enjoy one Canadian artist tonight: Elisapie Isaac, a singer from northern Quebec.
With Conrad at home and the night still young, I set out to catch some video and photos from the nearby sights. In the process, I found myself back at Maison du Quebec listening for a handful of songs before going over to buy a CD and go home. She had people dancing and cheering by the time I left.



On the way out, I caught the distinctive (and potent) scent of marijuana on the breeze, and thought, "How very Montreal!". How very Vancouver, too, for that matter. I wonder what I'll see/hear in nights to come.