Fortunately for the Canadians, the underperforming, but undeniably brilliant Sydney Crosby found his shooting boots, and scored the winner less than 10 minutes into overtime, sending the whole of Vancouver into raptures. People once on the edge of their seats jumped for joy, strangers hugged and screamed unfathomable screams, beer spilled, and everything was better.
We left the pub shortly after, and tried to get along Broadway on the 99 B-Line Express bus towards downtown. The street, one of the main ones in the city, was blocked though, with joyful locals blocking the road and playing street hockey. The police were on hand, but let things continue. This was no time to be strong arming. The time to celebrate was here.
Downtown was a sight to behold. Granville Street, the main entertainment street in Vancouver, was awash with celebration. The vibrancy of Vancouver's Olympics shone through, with almost everyone wearing the red and white of Canada. Security Guards left their hard veneer at home, carrying with them smiles, welcoming waves, and joining in the universal high-five marathon. People climbed on top of bus stops and up street lighting to get a better view of the crowds of celebrating people - Canadians and foreigners alike. There was no choice in which way to walk. The tide took you to the next location. Vancouver was a hive of activity.
Two days later and the city was once again empty. The Olympic Juggernaut had left the city, leaving with it only the remnents of the games - the signposts and advertisements, tourist info plaques and transport information.
One legacy of the Olympics was the incredibly mild weather preceeding and in the duration of the games. Authorities worried that the temperatures would spoil the conditions, and things got so desperate that snow was flown in to blanket Cypress Mountain, as the Olympic runs were barren, rocky, and green. Cherry Blossom, normally flowering in mid-April, was out before the end of February. It looks like it will be another hot summer.
When I first arrived in Canada I never even considered the possibility that I might be in Vancouver for the Olympics; but looking back now I couldn't even imagine life without them. Ever since I got here the talk of the town was the impending start of competition, with businesses flocking to the city to invest, and city authorities spending billions of dollars on infrastructure, to cater for the hundreds of thousands of extra visitors coming from all corners of the globe for the 2010 showpiece.
Now we are left with the benefits. The Canada Line Skytrain - a fast Metro link to the Airport, is a godsend for commuters to downtown from the south of Vancouver, and tourists from the airport. Roads have been resurfaced, more buses added, and many Skytrain Stations have been redeveloped.
There will be many pitfalls to come though. The games were countless millions of dollars over-budget - something that tax payers will be taking the brunt of, and there was the added controversy of native Canadians and their supports arguing that the games were held on stolen land, and events were damaging the environment.
Ultimately though, 99% of people I spoke to had the time of their lives during the games. Many people who opposed them beforehand had amazing experiences. I know I did. There were endless free events around for locals to take advantage of. Many many musicians from across Canada flocked to the west coast city to play free concerts - many participating countries had 'houses' where people could go and drink and be merry, and the mood around Vancouver was excited, but friendly. I know I had an epic two weeks and many many memories that will last forever.
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