With the 10th anniversary of 麻豆传媒映画hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics upon us, we are looking back at some of the stories that were making the news in the Courier during those 17 days in February.
This story was originally published Feb. 19, 2010
Some people will go to great lengths to see an Olympic event.
Take Bertie and Tom Matwiczak from Roseburg, Ore. who 铿俥w into 麻豆传媒映画Tuesday morning. The couple鈥檚 plan was to buy tickets for the U.S. versus Japan curling match, visit as many sites as possible and catch a 铿俰ght home 24 hours later.
The Courier caught up with the Matwiczaks at noon at Robson Square, where they searched for tickets from scalpers.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to stay on our feet until the last train goes back to the airport in the morning,鈥� said Tom, a retired telephone company employee. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got no plans to sleep. We鈥檒l be up until we get back home around one o鈥檆lock in the afternoon.鈥�
Roseburg is about three hours south of Portland. The city, which has a population of 25,000, is not exactly a curling mecca. But the Matwiczaks caught the bug after watching the sport on television during the 2006 Winter Olympics.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a bizarre sport,鈥� said Bertie, a bookkeeper. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really fascinating to watch them and how they can manoeuvre those stones around with those little brooms.鈥�
The couple last visited 麻豆传媒映画10 years ago when they took a cruise to Alaska. The pageantry and festive mood on the street Tuesday made them feel welcome.
鈥淧eople are so friendly, so nice,鈥� said Tom, whose allegiance was easily recognized by the small U.S. 铿俛g stuck in his ball cap.
鈥淎nd the weather鈥檚 great,鈥� said Bertie, squinting into the sunshine. Added Tom: 鈥淲e were going to bring in our little bucket of snow to kind of help you along but we don鈥檛 have any either.鈥�
When the Courier left the couple, they hadn鈥檛 found tickets. Face value price for tickets was in the $70 range. Scalpers were asking more.
鈥淲e heard they might be a hundred bucks a pop, so we鈥檒l see,鈥� Tom said.
Markus Germann proudly strolled through Robson Square Tuesday afternoon wearing his Switzerland jacket. The previous night, Germann was one of nine judges at the pairs skating event at the Paci铿乧 Coliseum.
China won gold and silver.
鈥淚 made them win,鈥� Germann joked. 鈥淚鈥檓 铿乶ished my duties now. I had my roundtable discussion about judging this morning and now I鈥檓 a tourist.鈥�
Germann has judged 铿乬ure skating for 40 years and competed as a skater at the 1964 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. He鈥檚 travelled extensively but this is his 铿乺st trip to Vancouver, 鈥渙ne of the nicest cities I鈥檝e ever seen.鈥�
The art collector planned to visit the city鈥檚 art galleries, shop and tour Stanley Park.
鈥淭his is one party鈥攖he whole town is a party,鈥� he said, noting his Switzerland jacket has attracted attention. 鈥淧eople say to me that Switzerland is such a nice country. But when I ask them if they鈥檝e ever visited, they say no. More people should come.鈥�
Michael Spiroch, in his limited English, talked hockey at Robson Square Tuesday. Dressed in a Czech Republic jersey, Spiroch was the minority in a sea of hundreds of people decked out in Team Canada jerseys.
In 麻豆传媒映画for one month on a work visa, Spiroch said he timed his visit with the Olympics. He plans to travel to the Yukon after the Games. For now, it鈥檚 hockey talk.
鈥淲e have a very good team.鈥�
Sure, but can Jaromir Jagr and friends beat Sidney Crosby and Canada鈥檚 all-stars?
鈥淥f course. Maybe even gold medal.鈥�
