12 hours of live Olympic experiences 2010

Day 2. Saturday morning. The day after a very fun and memorable Day 1. It was just like old times hanging our with my standard crew. Started out as 7, finished as 3. The usual.

I woke up with a screaming head ache, back ache and arm ache. Couldn't figure it out... and I some of it hit me at different parts of Day 2. Maybe it was the pullout bed or maybe it was the uncountable number of glasses of Heineken I took down. Liquid gold I tell ya.

Lola and I decided to go downtown. Met up with a few others that were already there and basically just walked the city and enjoyed the spirit of the games.

We took the Canada line down and got off at City Center. The streets were shutdown and there was a sea of people cast over Robson Square. People from all nations were wandering the streets.

Then we headed to Yaletown. Maybe a 20 minute walk. But this was no ordinary walk. Nothing about this experience has been ordinary. We had lunch at the Hub restaurant. I had a wicked beef dip and split a jug of 1516 with Dthong. Dthong is Lola's best bud. She's a hoot and holds her own when it comes to drinking. Dthong had an in at the Hub, but surprisingly we didn't need to excercise the option as we lucked out and got a seat right on the patio where we able to soak in more spirit.

After lunch we walked over to David Lam park to watch the band Default. Free concert goodness. The place was pounding out music, which took quite a while to get too. Maybe another 20 minute walk. Broke in the new shoes nicely.

Beer buzz on, we take a left and see the entrance way. Then the lineup started... and kept going... and going, and going around three citl bock lengths. Nuts. We made a pact that we would not line up. Not on Day 2. We wanted to maximize the fun and not kill the buzz (although the line was moving... so I exclaimed) so we agreed that no lineups were to be had unless it was our last resort.

So we hopped in a cab and headed over to Gastown. Another town you say? Not really... it's basically like taking a cab from The MGM Grande to the Venetian. Not worth the walk, that's for sure.

We arrived at the German House and the lineup was big, but tolerable. We still weren't prepared to wait when you could just go next store to Steamworks for a few. We wanted more beer!

Fortunately, Dthong had the in. It was one of those ins that I have only really heard about or read about until now. Or seen in a movie. Yeah, like a move! One of those mob style ones. One of those Goodfellas type moments.

We sat outside while text messages flew back and forth. Our in was in a meeting and we sat tight until we got the word. Skipping this 1000 person lineup was within reach and beer was only moments away. No need for a bracelet. Not even a security check.

I had never even met this girl - the in. She hooked us up and hooked us up good. We basically waited for the exact moment. It wasn't a sneak in either. Like we went through the kitchen type of a move. Over one rope and through the back entrance of the tent and we were ordering beer 5 minutes later.

The place wasn't even jammed. It was not like the Holland house at all. Security was lacking, the design was weak. There was no authentic German type of stuff at all. I wasn't about to complain to the in though as that would just be foolish.

I will say that they did bring in their own food, beer and a band. They lacked the TV coverage although the people space was very limited. The beer was awesome. German Pilsner, your choice of light or dark. I chugged the lighter colored liquid gold and at a medium pace.

We watched the ladies mogules on the big screen and saw one of the Canadians earn our first medal. A Silver medal at that. Well done. I am sure most of you witnessed the one wipe out. Oh and USA taking Gold and Bronze was a plus for my American readers. They are out to an early lead in the Medal count.