Vancouver is the perfect showcase for the cool digital technology that allows anyone to design and control this large, interactive light show during the Olympic Games (image courtesy of www.katcam.ca)

by Judy Bishop - The Travelling Eye

Starting today (Feb 4th) beams of light pointed towards the stars are illuminating English Bay and the night sky in downtown Vancouver in a spectacular light show during the Olympics as part of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad.  The 10,000-watt lights quietly move and create patterns from locations in Vanier Park and Sunset Beach, covering an area of 100,000 sq. m and visible within 15 km of the city’s downtown core, stretching to other Olympic venues such as Richmond and Cypress Mountain.

Starting at dusk, 20 robotic searchlights create a canopy of night lights above and on the surface of English Bay with designs created by people around the world and delivered over the Internet. Called "Vectorial Elevation", its the first time this internationally-celebrated artwork is being displayed in Canada AND over a body of water.

The display is considered one of the world’s largest interactive artworks, and led by Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. More than two million people will personally view it in Metro Vancouver, and countless others internationally via www.vectorialvancouver.net or http://www.vancouver2010.com/code.  The lightshow runs regardless of weather until Feb 28th.  Wow.

A personalized webpage is automatically created for each participant to document their design and send a personal dedication to anyone in the world. Organizers estimate 130,000 different patterns will be created in the 24 days the project operates from dusk to dawn.  Previously, the installation was staged in Mexico, Spain, Ireland, and France where it received accolades such as Lyon’s prestigious Trophée des Lumières.

‘Judy Bishop – The Travelling Eye’ is a Vancouver-based photographer specializing in travel and experience photography. Her stock images are sold worldwide by Getty Images,   Judy was a board member of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics bid, and is a keen Whistler skier.   She is a long-time business/marketing columnist for Business in Vancouver newspaper, and sits on corporate boards.

Judy is also managing partner of Bishop + Company, a 20-year old management consultancy providing corporate & market strategy for technology and growth companies. Contact info & story summary available. Follow Judy on Twitter @travellingeye. email:  judy@judybishop.ca

by Judy Bishop – The Travelling Eye

An impressive set of 14-metre tall Olympic rings light up Coal Harbour at night, visible from Vancouver’s downtown and the North Shore. The rings were built by BC companies from thousands of individually-programmable LED lights. The rings’ barge is moored at Brockton Point (shown) and will be moved into the harbour for lightshows – including a show each time a Canadian athlete wins a medal. One of 2 sets of lit Olympic rings (the other is at Vancouver Airport), these rings will be photographed thousands of times as they reflect their colors onto our Inner Harbour. Glorious !

'Judy Bishop – The Travelling Eye’ is a Vancouver-based photographer specializing in travel and experience photography. Her stock images are sold worldwide by Getty Images,   Judy was a board member of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics bid, and is a keen Whistler skier.   She is a long-time business/marketing columnist for Business in Vancouver newspaper, and sits on corporate boards.

Judy is also managing partner of Bishop + Company, a 20-year old management consultancy providing corporate & market strategy for technology and growth companies.  Contact info & story summary available. Follow on Twitter @travellingeye. email:  judy@judybishop.ca

So yesterday’s blog article on the Olympics generated quite a bit of private comments to me about the #1 concern which is how to effectively get around the city during the Games.

These are the 8 Tips and Tricks I recommend.

1. Check out the http://travelsmart2010.ca/ website for all the up to date Transit information, maps, trip planners, travel alerts, & business preparedness tips + road closures.

2. Did you know that if you have an Olympic event ticket this is also good as your transit pass for the day! That’s free unlimited transit for the entire day of the event you are going to! Includes everything but the West Coast Express.

3. For non Olympic related activities/errands/work consider travelling into the downtown core before noon. Most Olympic events taking place in Vancouver and Richmond are scheduled to start after 12 noon.

4. Translink is also offering 6 week Limited Edition transit passes. These are available now and are valid from Feb 8, 2010 to March 21, 2010.

5. If you have a smart phone and are on Twitter follow them. Translink will be real time monitoring these sites and information gathered will be fed to the dispatch center. Jhenifer Pabillano, Online Communications Advisor for Translink is also a great resource and is responsible for the http://buzzer.translink.ca/ Blog.

6. If you have an IPHONE download the free Translink APP. It is a bit clumsy but all the schedules are updated and it utilizes the GPS in the phone to help you find stops near you. You can find the APP by entering TRANSLINK in the APP Store search. Best of all it’s FREE!

7. Depending on your departure to final destination points give yourself some extra time. This way you are not adding any additional stress on yourself and it will ensure less “transit” rage.

8. Smile and be helpful to locals and tourists alike. A smile is infectious and will help in lowering transit tension.

What are your thoughts and ideas about getting around Vancouver during the Olympics? Please let me know what you think. Look forward to your comments.

Having missed Expo 86 I am very excited to be able to partake in all the fun and events that will be happening in and around Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics. I’m even planning to do a day trip up to Whistler just to be a part of the energy and excitement that will be up there.

Thanks to a couple of great websites (www.miss604.com 04 and www.citycaucus.ca) I’ve been able to scout some of the best and FREE events that will be happening around the city.

Here are my top three pics

1. LiveCity Yaletown – I think this is going to be the hot spot downtown for live events. Running from 11am to 11pm Feb 13th to Feb 28th. To find out the full listing of scheduled performances click here

2. Casa Italia – We all know how much I love good food….. Well I am sure that Casa Italia will not disappoint. Located at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown it will be open daily to the public between Feb 6 – 28th from noon until 6pm daily.

3. Heineken House (Holland) – the must Go See pavilion of the 2010 Games. Located near the Richmond O-Zone it is expected this “party” palace will serve in excess of 90,000 people. Open from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m daily they will serve up equal portions of Heineken and performances by Dutch Artists. A must see!

Holland Heineken House Virtual Tour - click here to view

So now you know some of the places I’ll be. Where will you be?