Let Canada's Games Begin

12:14 AM: Gretzky lights the cauldron in Jack Poole Square. There are tears in the eyes of the crowd that has gathered in the square. What a moment and though it wasn't very dramatic by any means, it is an amazing end to the flame's amazing journey through this country. Just seeing all those people on the downtown streets in Vancouver sums up what the Games mean to this country. The Games of Vancouver have begun! Just imagine all the memories that will be made in the next 16 days...

12:12 AM: Lloyd Robertson and Brian Williams are reminiscing about their own torch runs. It looks like Gretzky has reached his destination.

12:10 AM: It's hard to believe how close they're allowing the the crowd to the truck. They didn't even let us on the road when it came around here in TO. And now Gretzky has gotten a replacement as he continues on this rather long ride to the external cauldron.

12:08 AM: Gretzky stands in the back of a truck, waving to all the screaming supporters that have lined the route. It's one last public leg for a truly public relay. It is quite an amazing moment. Keep in mind that it is pouring in Vancouver and yet so many peope are running alongside the Gretzky.

12:03 AM: Now, Wayne Gretzky will carry the flame to the waterfront to light the external flame. I wonder if this was the original plan or a last minute replacement for another malfunction?

12:00 AM: The Olympic cauldron has been lit inside the stadium in what is an anti-climatic moment. Catriona Le May Doan does not get to light her section of the torch. This was not what I thought it would be...

11:59 PM: There has been a malfunction with the hydraulic system that operates the cauldron. Only three of what is probably four cauldrons has come up from the floor.

11:57 PM: A moment of suspense as all five torchbearers stand in their spots. What will they do? Will they light it together?

11:55 PM: And now the Great One...Wayne Gretzky receives the flame. Now the question is, will he light the cauldron?

11:55 PM: Nancy Greene receives the flame from Nash and a huge ovation to go with it.

11:54 PM: NBA MVP and All-Star Steve Nash receives the flame.

11:54 PM: Hansen passes the flame to Catriona Le May Doan.

11:53 PM: Here comes the majestic music. It's the Olympic torch!!!! The same torch I saw almost two months ago here in Toronto. It looks like Rick Hansen coming in on his wheelchair.

11:49 PM: French singer Garu sings yet another song.

11:48 PM: Hayley Wickenheiser takes the Athletes' Oath in English. Michel Verrault takes the Judges' Oath in French.

11:47 PM: A minute of silence is held for luger Nodar Kumaritashvili. It is a powerful and memorable moment as 60 000 people stand quietly and solemnly for 60 seconds. They lower the Canadian and Olympic flags to half mast.

11:41 PM: The flag-bearing octet arrives at the flagpole, where they stand to watch the Mounties raise the five-ringed flag. The Olympic Hymn is sung. Jacque Rogge still doesn't know the words (see my Beijing Opening Ceremony post).

11:39 PM: Now comes the Olympic flag, carried by: Betty Fox (mother of Terry Fox), actor Donald Sutherland, Formula One driver Jacque Villeneuve, 1948 figure skating champion Barbara Ann Scott, renowned singer Anne Murray, former UN peacekeeping commander Romeo Dallaire, the great hockey player Bobby Orr (who gets a huge ovation from the crowd), and astronaut Julie Payette (who just finished a tour of the International Space Station)

11:32 PM: "Hallelujah" is sung by KD Lang as the crowd romantically waves their flashlights.

11:30 PM: Our Governor General Michaelle Jean bilingually opens the Vancouver Games!!

11:26 PM: Here's Dr. Jacque Rogge.

11:23 PM: Furlong says this is the "proudest night of my life".

11:22 PM: Furlong says with the help of the Olympics flame, we can all aspire to be Olympian. I couldn't have said it better myself.

11:20 PM: Furlong makes multiple references to Nodar, calling on athletes to compete with his spirit.

11:18 PM: John Furlong calls on the world to share the experience of being "a proud Canadian".

11:16 PM: Here comes John Furlong and Jacque Rogge. They begin jointly at the podium to dedicate a moment to Nodar Kumaritashvili, the luger who passed away in the luge accident earlier in the day. It is an appropriate, solemn remembrance.

11:11 PM: A poem of Canadian identity is recited by a man who was reportedly discovered on YouTube and it is an inspiring and passionate one! He sums up what this country is all about. He sums up why my parents came to this country. Wow.

11:10 PM: We move into the part of the show highlighting the modernity of this country. The light streaks on the ground are like car lights on a busy highway.

11:07 PM: It's another light show galore as images of winter Olympic highlights are projected onto a mountain in the middle of the stage with acrobats twisting and turning in the air with skis and snowboards strapped to their feet.

11:04 PM: What a cooperative audience they've got in there, waving their flashlights with perfect effectiveness.

10:57 PM: The prairie segment of the show begins with a boy running along the wheat fields. He is lifted into the air and gracefully glides and twists in the "wind".

10:52 PM: Woah...are those flames on the heels of their shoes and the tips of their violin bows?

10:50 PM: The crowd gives an enormous ovation to the solo tap dancer. Some more dancers join in. It's one heck of a party scene down there on the floor.

10:48 PM: More fiddling and leaves falling. The bright red maple leaves are pretty good looking.

10:45 PM: Man in a canoe suspended high above the stage pretending to play the violin/fiddle amidst falling maples leaves highlight the "colours of fall" in Canada.

10:37 PM: Sarah McLachlan performs "Ordinary Miracle" along with the orchestra. Great song for this atmosphere. Almost every athlete can relate to an "ordinary miracle" sometime in his or her career.

10:34 PM: Seriously, the light effects are amazing. They're so real. First, it was the ice cracking and now the orca whales swimming in the ocean. I'm impressed.

10:31 PM: THAT is one big bear!! Very very cool with the light effects.

10:25 PM: Commercial break across the channels. Been a great show so far. Let's see what else is next.

10:19 PM: "Bang the Drum", a tribute to the athletes is performed by Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams. They're standing on the "drum" in the centre of the stadium.

10:18 PM: BC Premier Gordon Campbell cracks me up with his enthusiastic flag waving!

10:14 PM: The crowd goes wild as the Maple Leaf enters the stadium! Canada is here, led by flagbearer Clara Hughes. Listen to the crowd. Look at all those camera flashes and waving flags. What an emotional moment. I'm getting goosebumps.

10:12 PM: Listen to the applause as Americans enter. Many Americans probably made their way up to from Washington state. Very warm welcome for that contingent. Vice President Joe Biden is in the stands with his wife Jill.

10:09 PM: Chinese Taipei makes an entrance with their Olympic flag. They send a luger to Vancouver.

10:07 PM: Sweden is sending a huge contingent. And hey look, it's Peter Forsberg holding the flag!

10:02 PM: The Russians want to win 40 medals in Vancouver? I don't think that's going to happen...they'll be lucky to crack 30.

9:59 PM: And here comes another powerhouse-Norway. The Nordic events are pretty much DESIGNED for them.

9:55 PM: Mexico's lone athlete is 51 years old. He's an alpine skiier who hasn't competed in the Olympics since 1994. He IS the oldest athlete in Vancouver.

9:53 PM: NBC points out that Liechenstein has won 9 medals in Winter Olympic history and they have just a population of 34000.

9:52 PM: Latvia is bringing 58 athletes and many of them are likely to contend too.

9:48 PM: The Jamaican Bobsled Team did not make it to Vancouver, but they do send one athlete though, competiting in ski cross.

9:45 PM: Out of 1.1 billion people, Indian sends a meagre 3 to Vancouver.

9:43 PM: Hong Kong has a team of its own?! My dad says she looks like somebody from the north of China, definitely sent by China, he says.

9:40 PM: Germany sure is a colourful contingent.

9:39 PM: Here's the Georgian contingent. A standing ovation from all those in the stadium in memory of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the luger who perished earlier today in training. The Georgian delegate will leave the stadium immediately after marching in. They have those black armbands on. What a moment.

9:35 PM: Look at the dancers on the sides of the entrance, reminds me of Beijing a little bit.

9:33 PM: More flamboyant pants, this time from the Czech Republic.

9:30 PM: Here comes China!!!!!! Much much better uniforms this time around. Han Xiaopeng, the reigning aerials gold medallist, holds our flag.

9:28 PM: Five athletes from Brazil, a nation of almost 200 million... Cayman Islands has 1 athlete and a population of 49000...

9:27 PM: Jacque Rogge is a surgeon?! And wow, Bermuda's lone athlete trots in with shorts on. Never thought that would happen in the Winter Olympics eh? But honestly, they look pretty tacky with those navy blue suits.

9:24 PM: Here comes the first powerhouse of the Winter Olympics. 81 athletes from Austria and theire co-flagbearers are brothers. And hey, look at those colourful pants of the Azerbaijan contingent.

9:22 PM: Love the snow-like surface the athletes are walking onto.

9:21 PM: The countries are here already? The show part of this is done already?!

9:20 PM: They're doing some cool things with the lights. Look at all those flags projected in the stands.

9:19 PM: As we watch the First Nations gather in the centre of the stadium, Brian Williams points out that Canada has more than 350 First Nations.

9:13 PM: The four different First Nations welcome the world by extending out their hands. Those totem poles look a bit robotic.

9:09 PM: Up goes the Maple Leaf. This rendition of O Canada is a bit too pop/romantic for an OC, don't you think? But VANOC CEO John Furlong did say this was going to be an intimate ceremony.

9:07 PM: They've definitely set a majestic atmosphere at BC Place with the pompous music. Look at all the camera flashes.

9:04 PM: What an entrance by the snowboarder!! Simply beautiful!!

9:02 PM: Love the video of the snowboarder carving down what is a pure cliff. Wow! The list of Winter Olympics host cities is a bit out of the place though.

9:00 PM: The countdown has begun! An awe-inspiring video of Vancouver beauty kicks it off.

8:55 PM: It's time to light the cauldron once again. Tonight, in the shadow of the awe-inspiring beauty of Vancouver harbour, the XXI Winter Olympics will be officially opened. It's a project nearly a decade in the making, which has inspired unprecedented Canadian pride. Tonight, all the anticipation comes to an end and Canada's Games will begin. I cannot describe in words, as a Canadian, what I am feeling tonight. Watching the pre-ceremony shows right now, I am already getting goosebumps. Alright, here we go-Vancouver 2010-about to begin.

-D