Monday, December 21, 2009

With Glowing Hearts...

We see thee rise, the true north strong and free! From far and wide, GO CANADA, we stand on guard for thee!
Olympic TorchOlympic Torch in Mississauga 06ii
Over the past few days, I was able to greet the Olympic Flame as it made its way through the Greater Toronto Area.... it began its journey on October 22, 2009 as all Olympic Flames do, in the Temple of Hera in Olympia Greece.... there, a high priestess focused the sun's rays on a metal reflector to ignite a torch.... after an 8 day relay through Greece, the flame was taken to Canadian soil in Victoria B.C. where it began what will be the longest domestic Olympic torch relay in history....

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it has already made its way through Northern and Eastern Canada and even passed through CFS Alert in the northern tip of Nunavut!.... for trivial pursuit purposes, Alert Nunavut is the most northern permanently inhabited settlement in the world.... well, it wasn't as cold as Nunavut, but it was pretty darn cold in Toronto on Thursday when Chuck and I welcomed the flame at Nathan Phillips Square....
Olympic Torch at Nathan Phillips 06Olympic Torch at Nathan Phillips 05Torch Relay Toronto 01Torch Relay Toronto 03
luckily there was lotsa music to keep us moving and warm.... I had to take a picture of these protesters to remind myself of how much I love breathing the sweet sweet air of freedom and democracy!....
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just last year during the 2008 Communist China Olympic relay any signs of free speech were stifled and/or censored by communist gestapo tactics..... FREE TIBET you heathens!!!.... btw, the sign says "No Olympics. No tar sands on stolen Native land".... aside from the First Nations protesters there were also anti-poverty protesters who were able to cause a disruption in the relay.... this resulted in over an hour delay in the Flame's arrival into Nathan Phillips Square.... but it was all good, it gave Chuck and I more time to partay....
Torch Relay Toronto 02

on Saturday, while I was out starting my Christmas shopping (hey this is really early for me), I caught the Olympic flame again as it came through Mississauga....
Olympic Torch in Mississauga 42iOlympic Torch in Mississauga 46i
our final torch bearer was two time Olympic Gold Medal Champion Cheryl Pounder of the Canadian Women's Hocky Team....Olympic Torch in Mississauga 20i another of the Mississauga torch bearers was our own and very beloved mayor, Her Worship Hazel McCallion.... at 88, she kept pace with her juniors jogging the Olympic Torch 400m before passing it on to the next torch bearer.... she has been Mississauga's Mayor since 1978 and she's still very much the "Hurricane Hazel" we all adore....
Olympic Torch in Mississauga 10iOlympic Torch in Mississauga 17
despite hosting the Olympics twice before, Canada has yet to win a gold medal on Canadian soil, but the third time is usually a charm, so GO TEAM CANADA in Vancouver 2010.... looking forward to Feb. 12, good luck/bonne chance!

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4 comments:

The Nomadic Pinoy said...

My great neighbor up north so deserves to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. I visited Whistler last year and was smitten by its sheer beauty. Hopefully, Canadian athletes will strike gold...lots of them.

Angelo said...

The Nomadic Pinoy: Thanks Nomad, I hope so too!

Puss-in-Boots said...

Oh wow, you got to hold the Olympic Flame...how amazing is that? I hope Canada gets a gold medal this time.

Merry Chrismas, Angelo and big kisses and cuddles for Nermal.

Angelo said...

Puss-in-Boots: Thanks Robyn, Merry Merry Christmas to you Bella, Mitzi and the rest of the family, from me and Nermal! Nermal sends purrs and head butts :)