Vancouver/Whistler - One Year to Go


As I mentioned in blog no . 142 - "San Miguel de Allende - Conde Nast Traveler and More", Vancouver rated no. 2 in a Conde Nast Traveler reader's survey on the "Top 10 Cities To Visit in the Americas". Conde Nast Traveler is arguably the foremost American publication on the travel experience.

According to the survey the top 10 are:

    Buenos Aires
    Vancouver
    Quebec City
    Victoria
    San Miguel de Allende
    Cuzco
    Montreal
    Oaxaca City
    Toronto
    Rio de Janeiro

Vancouver is a city that I enjoy visiting and here is some recent "good news" and some "bad news" about it.

.....as they say, the "good news" first.......

The "good news" is that the Winter Olympics 2010 will kick off exactly one year from February 12, 2009. There is much anticipation expressed on radio and television to mark the event in both Vancouver and Whistler, the ski resort that is located a two hour drive north of Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway .

The "bad news" is that at the moment, the city is gripped by a state of disbelief as a series of drug/gang related shootings have traumatized local citizens. In the last 11 days there have been a total of nine targeted shootings in the greater Vancouver area resulting in 4 deaths. Particularly troubling is that the shootings between alleged gang members have taken place in public areas putting bystanders at risk.

On my way back from Vancouver to Prince George yesterday (February 12, 2009) I made a point of taking the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler. I wanted to be there for the 18:00 ceremony that marked the exact one-year-point to the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Attached are the photos that I took during my short visit.
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Also check out Blog No. 10 Whistler - Two Years Till D-Day
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lobo/vancouver_2006/1202261940/tpod.html
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Vancouver Update: February 25, 2009

There have now been 16, apparently gang related, shootings in 16 days .

Prime Minister Stephen Harper visiting the Vancouver area today is expected to announce federal legislation calling for automatic first-degree murder charges for gang-related killings and a mandatory sentence for drive-by shootings.

Also this weekend hundreds gathered in Surrey (city next to Vancouver), including the mayor and local Members of Parliament, to protest against violence.

The newly elected mayor of Vancouver, Gregor Robertson, has called for a regional police force that would operate across the Greater Vancouver area.

Meanwhile Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan has described the Greater Vancouver area as the "gang capital of Canada".

Update: March 5, 2009 (source: The Province)

No End in Sight to Violence - Gang Warfare: Five Shootings in Seven hours bring 2009 total to 27

Two dead as guns blaze across Metro Vancouver - Police scramble to respond to wave of violence after big gang arrests

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I almost feel guilty to even mention the negative press that Vancouver has been getting, for the city truly is a wonderful place . However, while peddling my half hour on a stationary bike at the gym, I keep reading about these negative events occurring almost on a daily basis and it is hard to ignore in my blogging.

For those planning to visit Vancouver, it is important to note that the violence has been gang/drug related and there should be no threat to personal safety.

Those of you who read my "MEXICO: 23 Destinations To Spend The Winter Months" blog may wonder why I have not mentioned the gang/drug violence that is so common in Mexico. Well, I have been putting it off, but at some point I will have to tackle the subject before the travel blog is terminated.

In conclusion, let's not forget one year from February 12, 2009 the big show will start.

One thing I did realize during the "one-year mark" ceremonies was that I might not want to be there for the Olympics just based on my agoraphobia - fear of crowds.

The town plaza and the surrounding streets were packed with spectators all trying to get a peek at the stage . At a certain point I had to get out of there.

When I look at the actual symptoms of agoraphobia my condition must be a "dislike for crowds". I have none of the following symptoms: breathlessness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly. Well maybe the "inability to think clearly" would have been a symptom that I had. How could I expect to go to such an event and not be surrounded by people at close quarters on all sides?

Another thought during the ceremonies was: "how are they going to feed and lodge all these visitors who will be coming to Whistler"? They will all want to eat breakfast, lunch and supper about the same time. That should be interesting. Whistler is relatively small with the towns of Squamish one hour to the west and Pemberton 30 minutes to the east along "difficult" Highway 99 - the Sea to Sky Highway". (see photos)

It is also easy for me to say that "I may not want to be there for the Olympics" because even if I would want to be there the logistics of getting there will be a formidable task due to traffic and parking restrictions . Accommodations would not be a problem for me since I have Hotel Volvo at my disposal. The problem would be where could you park? Even now Whistler has no "on street" parking in the center of the village and no overnight parking on the ski hill parking lots.

Enough already ---

I could go on to discuss:

-    the Olympic security costs were originally estimated to be about $160 million and which have now ballooned to near $1.2 billion
-    the major stake the City of Vancouver had to take in the financing of the athletes village due to private sector financing difficulties brought on by the "economic crisis"
-    the controversy concerning the cleansing of Vancouver's "Downtown Eastside" that has the highest concentration of open drug use and homelessness in North America

But can any Olympics be staged without its share of problems? I think not, so congratulations to the Vancouver Organizing Committee for having brought this mega project near fruition in a most spectacular manner against some daunting odds .

Oh, yes just one more thing. I am somewhat skeptical of the media hype concerning Canada's medal expectations. According to some reports, Canada should finish No. 1 with a gold rush of medals - that would be major improvement over past years.

Finally, in one year - LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!
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