By Des Dougan

I was very fortunate this evening to have attended the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. BC Place was packed, colourful and loud. Seated high in the nosebleed seats with two of my children, we had an amazing view of the stadium floor as first the audience preparation then the main show kicked off. Clad in pale blue ponchos (there were ponchos around the stadium in 4 or 5 different colours) and armed with reflective gold cards and pompoms with build-in orange lights, we were prepared by the pre-show MC as he rehearsed when and what to do. Of course, once the main show kicked off, most of his instructions went by the wayside, especially in the use of the pompoms. When the stadium had darkened, and everyone (and I mean everyone) started shaking the lit pompoms, the sea of flickering orange lights was a sight to behold.

And did I mention the noise? As well as the excellent sound system, the cheers and screams of support from the crowd left my ears ringing as the performers strutted their stuff. Each country's athletes received loud applause and approval as they moved across the stadium floor. Finally, of course, the host nation entered the arena last and if I thought it had been noisy prior to this - the ovation for Canada's athletes was long and heartfelt and wonderful to see.

The emphasis on the future, showcased by the majority of performers being children, was an interesting and creative direction that differentiated the ceremony quite clearly from its sibling last month. The mix of able-bodied and disabled performers was well managed and brought home how physical challenges are no barrier to people with talent.

Lloyd Robertson's section on Terry Fox was extremely moving and emotional and led well into the lighting of the Paralympic flame, which ended the wonderful event on an excellent high note.

You never know what to expect of events such as this; and the show's directors had a huge challenge to create an event that could stand out on its own. That they did so with zest and some excellent performances is a credit to the entire team behind the show.

Downsides for me - the national anthem seemed to have been tweaked again (it wasn't clear in the stadium other than there appeared to have been an extra chorus added). It's fine as it is (actually, it's a great anthem), so why mess with it?? The second downside was John Furlong's absolutely awful French. I'm sure he's very relieved that he won't have to attempt speak the language ever again after next weekend!

Des Dougan is Principal of Dougan Consulting Group, which provides technology support services to small businesses in the Metro Vancouver area. Des can be contacted here and via @ddougan on Twitter.

By Des Dougan

"Unique" is one of those words whose meaning has been devalued by overuse, mostly by over-the-top advertising, but there are still some truly unique experiences out there. We saw one today, when a BC native, Ashleigh McIvor, scored a unique triumph - the first ever Olympic Ski-Cross gold medal.

Another unique experience, and one I have had the pleasure and privilege of enjoying, involves getting down on your hands and knees and crawling underneath a piano - a concert grand, no less. So why, you ask, would you crawl under a piano?

In the words of Craig Addy, founder of Vancouver's one-of-a-kind Under the Piano, a business that bathes the listener in improvised piano music:

When you crawl under my grand piano and nestle amongst opulent quilts and cushions you are treated to about 40 minutes of piano improvisations. You are surrounded by the music and enveloped by the sound. Your entire body is bathed by sound vibrations. You get to enjoy your very own personal concert and a remarkably relaxing and healing experience.

Every word there is true - the sound vibrations envelop the listener and you emerge incredibly relaxed and feeling totally at peace.

Craig, a classically-trained pianist, has developed a business idea that he believes is the only one of its kind in the world. If you're in this wonderfully warm and welcoming city for the Olympics and are looking for a memento unlike any other, visit Under The Piano - you won't regret it.

Des Dougan is Principal of Dougan Consulting Group, which provides technology support services to small businesses in the Metro Vancouver area. Des can be contacted here and via @ddougan on Twitter.

By Des Dougan

Today I managed to make it downtown to try to get a sense of the Olympic experience. First impressions - loads of people, very many of whom were wearing Canada gear, lots of security, and lots of visitors, too.

Parking near Science World, my son and I took the Skytrain to Granville and then bused down Richards to Davie St, where we stopped in the Granville and Davie Blenz. I set up my laptop and started streaming the snowboard cross event from Cypress while I ate lunch. Although I was too late to see her first run, managed to pick up the fact that Maëlle Ricker must have fallen or hit a bad patch on her run. Bad news, I thought...

The Blenz was pretty quiet (although the music was loud enough to drown out the laptop's speakers), so we walked down Davie to Pacific and along the Seawall towards Science World. Again, the walk was characterized by busy crowds, lots in red, heading in both directions. We passed  a couple of police officers by the casino and I noticed that one had the uniform and badge of the Sudbury, Ont., police force - so there's obviously more than just buses from across Canada in the city.

Heading through past Quebec House and the Saskatchewan pavilion, the general mood was one of a friendly city welcoming people from all across this wonderful country and abroad. People chatting on the Seawall; quiet lineups at the entrances to the pavilions; friendly "Smurfs" and visible, but laid-back, security. We who live here are truly fortunate to be in one of the most beautiful cities on Earth.

When I got back to my office, I cranked up CTV's video stream and among the wonderful views of Vancouver from Cypress realized that Maëlle Ricker was still in contention. A quick check told me that she's had a second opportunity to qualify, and boy! did she take it.

We watched as she qualified for the semi-final, heart in mouth as her American rival almost took her out, then, delaying our departure for my son's homework appointment, we watched as she totally blew away the field in the final. Amazing! A second home gold and from a local, too! Way to go, Maëlle!

I know a certain President who'll be grinning from ear to ear over this victory!

Des Dougan is Principal of Dougan Consulting Group, which provides technology support services to small businesses in the Metro Vancouver area. Des can be contacted here and via @ddougan on Twitter.

By Des Dougan

I can't remember the last time I sat in front of the TV for three hours - perhaps watching one of the Lord of the Rings movies - but I did it tonight, and was captivated. Along with my 14-year-old son, Peter, we watched entranced as the amazing, and sometimes breathtaking, Opening Ceremony unfolded. From Greece to Canada, we watched as the athletes and coaches paraded through BC Place (which was transformed from a concrete balloon into an amazing chameleon throughout).

I'm no longer much of a TV watcher and haven't watched an Olympic opening for a long time; that said, tonight's was quite possibly the most amazing piece of theatre it's been my pleasure to watch - ever. From the first moments, watching the snowboarder carve his way down the mountain and into the stadium through the Olympic rings, to Rick Hansen and his cohorts lighting the cauldron, we sat ooh-ing and aah-ing.

The march of the athletes was fun, and turned into a geography lesson for a Grade 9 student who didn't know what the Soviet Union used to be (it's hard to believe it didn't exist any longer when he was born). We cheered when the huge Canadian team finally made their entrance, a proud Canadian and his immigrant dad, just as proud of the country I now call home.

The cultural segment in the middle was a real eye-opener - knowing how cheesy and kitschy these events can sometimes (often?) be, I had low expectations... Wow, were they blown away or what? Quite amazing lights and graphics led us through from the North to the Prairies (underpinned by Joni Mitchell's ageless talent). The punk fiddlers and the punk poet (Shane Koyczan) whose creation was just so Canadian; the peerless Sarah McLachlan and the quite amazing rendition of Hallelujah by kd lang, who has one of the greatest singing voices ever. It's so hard to recall the details, there was so much to see.

The Olympic flag ceremony and the minute's silence for Nodar Kumaritashvili were emotional moments handled with tact and grace. It was great to see Betty Fox alongside Senator Romeo Dallaire and Bobby Orr. I loved Donald Sutherland's voiceovers during the cultural segment.

Finally, the flame arrived and the only hiccough of the evening when one of the crystal pillars failed to rise, causing a short delay and unfortunately preventing Rick Hansen from taking part in lighting the cauldron alongside Catriona Le May Doan, Steve Nash, Senator Nancy Greene Raine and Wayne Gretzky. Overall, though, a quite stunning demonstration of the great talent and skill we have in this country.

And then I got back to my trusty MacBook to find 200 tweets - some of my co-bloggers really do need to get a life!!!

It's clear that my amazement at the quality and sheer energy exhibited by the performers, and the talent who designed the event, is fairly universal from all the tweets I read. Let's hope, Canada, that the rest of the world recognizes what great talent we have here. And that we Canadians, from wherever we have come, open our hearts and offer our hands to the thousands of visitors to our country and our city.

Des Dougan is Principal of Dougan Consulting Group, which provides technology support services to small businesses in the Metro Vancouver area. Des can be contacted here and via @ddougan on Twitter.

By Des Dougan

I took my 14-year-old son to Lonsdale Quay this morning for the Olympic Torch Relay. We breakfasted at a well-known coffee shop chain on Esplanade with a couple of networking colleagues, then we headed down to the Quay. Even at just around 8.00, the place was busy with musicians doing their sound-check, volunteers handing out Canadian flags (predictably, my son wanted one of the Coca-Cola sponsored ones, probably because they were glossier that a simple paper Maple Leaf) and a big group of kids from two of the nearby elementary schools. The kids had created great long banners and were proudly showing them off, along with their equally proud teachers.

By 8.30 the place was solid, with people up on the ICBC plaza, others on the external stairways and hundreds of others jammed into the space leading from the Seabus terminal and bus loop to the plaza. There was even one gentleman (who shall remain anonymous, as I know him well) on the roof of the office building adjoining the Seabus.

Just as my Grade 9 son was starting to get bored, we began to get some action, with a couple of morning DJs (are they still called that?) from Virgin Radio acting as MCs. There were the predictable speeches from the Mayor, MP and MLA and some very good drumming from the Stony Creek First Nation Drummers prior to the relay itself.

Scheduled for 8.42 a.m., the runner appeared almost to the second. Victor Kraatz, a former Olympian who figure-skated in three Olympic Games with Shae-Lynn Bourne, brought the torch into the central plaza to loud cheers.

Victor Kraatz carrying the torch in North Vancouver

Following a brief stop, the flame was handed over to another runner (unfortunately, I was unable to find his name on the Torch Relay information sites) who headed back out and up to Esplanade for the next stage of North Vancouver's big day of Olympic excitement.

Thankfully the rain held off while we were at the Quay; unfortunately we had to leave as soon as the torch did so that I could get my son to school. Overall, though it was a most enjoyable event.

Des Dougan is Principal of Dougan Consulting Group, which provides technology support services to small businesses in the Metro Vancouver area. Des can be contacted here and via @ddougan on Twitter.

By Des Dougan

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of North Vancouverites gathered at Lonsdale Quay early this morning to welcome the Olympic flame to the North Shore. Along with City Mayor Darrell Mussatto, MP Andrew Saxton and MLA Naomi Yamamoto, citizens from all over the North Shore met at the Plaza at the Quay to see the torch relay.

Crowds began gathering well before 8.00 a.m. and the plaza was packed by the time the torch arrived to cheers. Precisely timed to arrive at 8.42, the torch was handed over from one runner to another before it headed back out on its all-day visit to North Vancouver.

Des Dougan is Principal of Dougan Consulting Group, which provides technology support services to small businesses in the Metro Vancouver area. Des can be contacted here and via @ddougan on Twitter.

So you're here in Vancouver and Whistler for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. You've brought your laptop so that you can upload from your camera the great photographs you're going to take. You'll need a wireless connection to email them to friends and family back home. What do you do?

Well, if you don't mind paying for the privilege, you can go visit coffee shops displaying the logo of the green giant from the Emerald City (Seattle, to you and me), where there are no free hotspots, or you can visit one of the many local coffee shops, such as the Blenz chain, co-hosts of this fine blog, where free WiFi is the norm.

(As an aside, Blenz is rolling out a creative new wireless environment with an associated Blenz Community Web site - check it out for Olympic news and updates).

As well as a free WiFi network, you may also need somewhere you can save or upload your pictures so that you have them backed up in case disaster strikes while you're here.

A couple of options are to use an external USB disk drive or, for more security, consider using Dropbox, a site where you can upload your files and then download them if needed when you get back home.

Welcome to Vancouver!

Written by Des Dougan

Des Dougan is Principal of Dougan Consulting Group, which provides technology support services to small businesses in the Metro Vancouver area.  Des can be contacted via http://DouganConsulting.com and @ddougan on Twitter.