Vancouver 2010 - 500m Speed Skating

We are looking forward to speed skating today, but the highlight of the event is the signature building of the games, the Richmond Olympic Oval. This is one of the few entirely new venues for the Olympics and it is by far the most architecturally significant. The Oval sits on the banks of the Fraser River in Richmond, a Southern suburb of Vancouver and home to Vancouver International Airport, YVR. The low-slung building features one of the longest clear spans in North America, the "Wood Wave" roof constructed of one million board feet of native wood from trees downed by pine beetles.

This is the Men's 500m Long Track Speed Skating Finals. It is a short distance race on a long distance track, 1.25 laps on an oval measuring 400m. Competitors skate in pairs from two lanes, and cross-over mid-race. The distance skating from the inner and outer lane is the same, but the advantage is not. This is a sprint with speed building through the race. The skater in the inside lane for the final turn has the advantage. To correct for this, each competitor skates twice, once from each lane. The times from each race are combined to determine the final standings. 39 skaters will race twice in pairs, so we will see 40 races, with a pause after each ten races to resurface the ice. This is an exciting sport. It lacks the crowded ice and spectacular crashes of short track speed skating, but long track skaters reach speeds of 60km per hour. It is the fastest human-powered sport.

We lined up on the dyke overlooking the river as we waited for the doors to open two hours ahead of race time. This building has been designed as a multi-purpose community venue post-games, and much of the infrastructure for the Olympics is temporary. We entered through tents and walked under scaffolding on the way to lunch at the concession stands. Decent standard hot dog, bun steamed soft, and pretty good chili, more Stagg than Nalley. The house was full, the crowds favoring Canada, Finland, and the Netherlands. We had great seats in Row 17 above turn four and the staring line. The starter sounded like a drunken Quebeccer with a speech impediment, like former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien after a moderate stroke. As each race was about to begin, he would call the athletes to the starting line, "Go to the start." The skaters glided forward, the tip of the front skate just on the line, the back skate biting into the ice for maximum leverage. The starter called, "Ready..." and the skaters lowered into a crouch. As the starting gun popped, the racers exploded from the line, accelerating down the straightaway with powerful alternating thrusts. Just incredible!!!

The first ten races went off without a hitch, but at the first intermission, the ice resurfacers failed for the second day in a row. We were delayed for more than an hour as they tried to address the problem. Zamboni is the eponymous brand in ice resurfacing, but this Olympic ice was trusted to Olympia resurfacers. Not good, but we were not without entertainment.

Brass band Kleintje Pils tours with the racers on the World Cup entertaining speed skating crowds all over Europe. They made the trip to the Olympics and kept us warm singing along to the classics. When the ice settled and the racing concluded, just 22 hundredths of a second separated gold medal winner Mo Tae-Bum of Korea from the Japanese skaters that took silver and bronze. The winning time was a combined 69.82 seconds over two 500m races.

After our speed skating marathon, we stopped at Rob Feenie's Cactus Club Cafe for dinner. Rob Feenie WAS the celebrity chef extraordinaire of Vancouver. Lumiere was among the very best fine dining destinations in Canada. The casual Feenies next door delivered the same quality food in less-fussy preparations, featuring an outstanding smoked cheese dog, Feenies Weanie, and a killer duck shepherd's pie. The chef was the Emeril of the Canadian Food Network. Then he lost it all. Investors forced him out of his restaurants and brought in international uber-chef and restaurateur, Daniel Boulud. More about that in a later post. Adrift, a chef without a kitchen, Rob Feenie landed at Cactus Club Cafe, a Canadian chain of mid-range steak and cosmo houses with an ethnic twist, as executive chef. I love Rob Feenie's food and this was my first experience with his new gig. This location in suburban Vancouver near the border is very slick with dark wood, slate, and glass. It is the answer to the question, "Where do you go when you're too old to hang out at the frat house anymore?" The menu is fine, but not particularly inspired. The chef's specialties are noted with an "RF." There is a tuna tataki and a beef carpaccio. We started with a very pedestrian smoked cheddar chicken and spinach dip followed by very good short rib sandwiches, luscious shards of fatty juicy short rib and caramelized onions on sourdough toasted with emmental cheese, beef jus on the side for dipping. Dinner was satisfying, but oh how the mighty have fallen.

When we are not at the games, we are watching them live on Canadian television. CTV is available at Semiahmoo and it's a welcome change from the tape delays and rampant American nationalism of NBC's much-maligned coverage.

Next Event: Men's Super-Combined Downhill

TG

Watch us go for the gold!

SSBD Travel is happy to welcome Tres G. as our newest contributor.  Tres has sailed five of the Seven Seas and toured six of the Seven Continents. He has cruised Down Under and flown Up Over. He has been around the world, and is as round as the world. He will go anywhere and do anything, as long as there is first-class transport and five-star accommodations. He doesn't own a backpack and has never stayed in a hostel. He has a filthy mouth and a refined palette, both of which crave bacon above all else. His guilty pleasures include lapel pins and the worst of American pop music. He is the Everyman, yet one of a kind; he speaks for his generation and writes for no one but himself. Tres is our correspondent to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Look for his nightly updates après-ski and post-skate.

Is Budget Travel going on a permanent vacation?

The New York Magazine recently reported that Budget Travel is getting ready to pack it up for good.  Say it ain't so.  We just renewed our subscription!  In our opinion Budget Travel has seen better days. Though Arthur Frommer's name is still above the title, he has been out of the picture for some time now.   Currently operated by the Newsweek Group, the magazine has seen a decline in quality content in recent years.  Once full of feature articles, now it seems dominated by ads and content readily available online.  However a rep for BT emailed NY Magazine and said "Budget Travel is not shutting down nor is it laying off staff. It’s business as usual at Budget Travel and we are currently working to produce the February issue and beyond."  After recently receiving what appears to be a thinner than usual December 2009/January 2010 edition with, we are starting to worry.   Budget Travel is currently offering an annual subscription for only $12.  Times are tough, but that is a bargian.  JJ 

Austin-Help wanted. What to do in the live music capital of the world?

Same Same is taking a short trip to Austin, TX, USA very soon. Our plans include visiting the much lauded Salt Lick BBQ, a day trip to San Antonio to tour the Alamo, the San Antonio River Walk, swimming at Barton Springs and some quality time with great music.

The bands we’re looking forward to seeing this October in Austin are the Murder City Devils at the fantastic outdoor venue The Mohawk, Ruby Dee & the Snake Handlers, and we sure hope we get the chance to see Austin up and comers Oak Is Keeping. If you like Oak Is Keeping, you can vote for them in the Airwalk Unsigned Heroes contest and and help them get a record deal.

Please send Same Same suggestions if you have ideas for additional fun in Austin. We are always on the lookout for interesting activities. FB

Get lei'd in a hybrid.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is now offering hybrid options at four of its Hawaii locations. You can choose from either Honda or Toyota cars depending on available stock. In an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the company already offers hybrid vehicles in 29 other markets.

We sampled renting a hybrid in Maui the first week of September and the estimated cost was a little over $200. Not too shabby.

San Francisco-Part II: Happy, Happy, Happy in Chinatown and More.

As we continue our San Francisco visit, we move a few blocks west of Union Square to Chinatown. This predominantly Chinese community was founded in the mid-1800’s and is a must see for tourists. The oldest in North America, it is reported to have the largest Chinese population outside of Asia. Walking down its crowded streets, it is not uncommon to hear several different Chinese dialects and not a word of American English for lengthy periods. Visit the quaint shops where bargaining is often not only allowed, but encouraged. In a sea of standard San Francisco branded tchotchkes, these shops can hold hidden treasures for discerning shoppers. A favorite is the Canton Bazaar at 606 Grant Street. Though shopping in Chinatown can be fun, what I prefer to do here is eat and drink.

The Bar Nun has written about my favorite little watering hole, the Li Po. It’s certainly worth a visit for their famous Mai Tai, but don’t expect anything too fancy. This place, like much of Chinatown, is well travelled. Across the street is the Buddha Lounge. The Buddha is even smaller and more of a dive than the Li Po. However, I can think of worse things than standing at the bar with a nice pour of your beverage of choice while watching the “Happy, Happy, Happy Man”. Another interesting option is the Empress of China. This once glorious restaurant has certainly seen better days. Upon entering, you’ll see a wall of photos of people whom I am guessing to be the owners with top celebrities. Unfortunately these celebrities, much like the Empress of China, have seen the spotlight come and go, or may even be no longer with us. I can only imagine the opulence of this place in the 70’s and early 80’s. Take the elevator to the top floor lounge. I have never tried the food, but the bar offers great views of busy streets six floors below, Coit Tower, North Beach, and Russian Hill. Pictures of those great views can be a bit tricky because of the reinforced wire windows; however, a decent optical zoom and no flash will do the trick. Of course, you can always blame any poor pictures from this fantastic vantage point on the abundant booze.

Chinatown also has some delicious eateries. It is hard to go two or three storefronts without seeing glistening roasted ducks or tasty bakery treats in the windows. My advice is to pick one that looks good and keep your fingers crossed. Chances are you will have a great, inexpensive meal. One food item I have yet to thoroughly enjoy in San Francisco’s Chinatown is sit-down Dim Sum. I have read about great take-away joints, but I like to have my shrimp balls presented by ladies with carts. You would think this place would be crawling with good sit-down establishments, but I have yet to find a stand out.

At the western edge of Chinatown is Broadway. This street and surrounding area are home to many of San Francisco’s gentleman’s clubs and the Francis Ford Coppola owned Columbus Tower. The Columbus Tower is very photogenic and if lined up properly you can snap a cool picture with it in the foreground and the Transamerica Tower in the background.


Across town is the Civic Center and adjacent Tenderloin. The Civic Center area is home to City Hall, the Supreme Court of California, and the Opera House. The Tenderloin is not. Both areas are worth a look, but don’t plan on spending much time in either. I highly recommend checking out the recently renovated City Hall and hear good things about the Asian Art Museum. The Civic Center is also home to various open air festivals such as Slow Food Nation in the summer months. Due to its close proximity to the TL, at night this area can be extremely different from the center of San Francisco politics and cultural events its hosts during the day. Since many events are held at night, direct transportation is strongly encouraged. Otherwise wandering these parts during the late night hours may provide you with some unexpected entertainment.

Which brings us to the Tenderloin. It’s hard to avoid the TL as it’s close to almost everything in the downtown area. Whether native San Franciscan’s want to admit it or not, this could almost be considered the heart of this grand city. In the middle of everything and full of life, this neighborhood is home to some of the most affordable housing in the city. Many of the apartments in this section actually are bigger than a large closet and rent for less than 2k a month. This allows some of the city’s struggling artists, hip bartenders, up-and-coming chefs and others a decent sized placed to call home. As such deals are not easy to find elsewhere, it comes with a catch. You won’t find many tourist stops in this part of town, as it contains a high transient and criminal population.

At the edge of the TL is Polk Street. This lively area is home to multiple hip bars and eateries. Check out internet café Quetzal at 1234 Polk for a decent cup of coffee and healthy breakfast or lunch. Then head west, up Nob Hill to see what else this area has to offer. If you are a fan of Greek fare, be sure to stop at Myconos for the two person specials. Bring your appetite, the portions are enormous. Don’t worry though, if you are by yourself, they also offer smaller options such as Gyros, Souvlaki, and more.

One street over on Van Ness, across from the Opal Hotel is Tommy’s Joynt. Though I’d heard some good things about Tommy’s Joynt, I was a bit reluctant, since it had been featured on a food show hosted by a bleached blond spiky haired, backwards sunglasses wearing goof of whom I am distinctly not a fan. Fortunately for me this “dive” did not disappoint. The corned beef was melt in your mouth tender and rivals the best sandwiches of the East Coast deli scene. Both food and beverages are on the inexpensive side and this place had me coming back for more over the course of several days.

For me, Chinatown, the Civic Center and the areas in close proximity to the Tenderloin are of the most enjoyable for experiencing “city life”. All three are very different and offer a variety of solid dining options, bargain shopping and diverse culture. JJ

Part III will feature Fisherman’s Warf, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Check out our pictures of San Francisco by clicking here.

Related:

San Francisco, CA-Part I=No Snappy Title. Just the Intro and Union Square.

San Francisco, CA-Part I=No Snappy Title. Just the Intro and Union Square.

San Francisco is the only city on the West Coast even remotely reminiscent of the East. I am not saying that is good or bad, but I like things a little worn around the edges. Take a good amount of NYC, mix in a touch of DC, a smidge of Philly and throw that into a pan of California. I have a great deal of respect for this city and its people, even in the Tenderloin. Relatively small in size for such an influential metropolitan masterpiece, San Francisco is also a land of extremes. Extreme wealth and poverty, co-existing just blocks away from each other. Several of the finest restaurants in the world, only a strip club away from some of the most overpriced, bland crap fare you will ever put near your mouth. And don’t even get me started on the weather, as I can never figure this one out. It appears to have 9 weather systems going on at once in its 46.7 square miles. I am warning you now to layer.

My advice when visiting any new place is to do some homework. Understand the lay of the land, read a bit about its history, and have a basic understanding of the things you want to see and do. For San Francisco, I recommend studying a bit more than the bare minimum. Because it is so condensed and much of it is within walking distance from the downtown area, prepare by having your routes planned in advance. This will not only save time, but will also help you avoid some of the more suspect areas. Unless, of course, you like to watch the “crackhead shuffle” and smell fresh urine, there are a few blocks it’s best to stay away from. For those that are more adventurous, the previously mentioned Tenderloin will have you occasionally checking over your shoulder; however, it’s not as nearly as bad as it’s made out to be. Doing this bit of extra research will also keep you clear of some of those crap-tastic dining options that I mentioned earlier. These places have sucker, I mean tourist, written all over them. They cater to the unsuspecting and can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth for one of the finest culinary cities in the world. Listen to the locals and you will be rewarded handsomely.

Union Square is the commercial center of the city. Far from being its heart, this is likely where you will be staying, or at least within several blocks. This Square is actually more rectangular in shape and is home to many high-end retail establishments such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci, Prada, Dior, Dolce & Gabana , Armani and others. If shopping is your thing and you prefer malls over adventure, this is your place.

Start one of your days off at Sears Fine Foods. This San Francisco tradition has been around since 1938 and is famous for their Swedish pancakes. However, before you order those pancakes you will wait in a deceptively long line outside the front door. The only time I have not seen a line outside Sears is when the restaurant has been closed. Fortunately the staff is very organized and the line moves quickly. Though known for the little pancakes, try the Eggs Benedict if you are a fan. You will not regret it. With a Hollandaise sauce that is more tangy than most, it is simply delicious.

For the ultimate in San Francisco tourist attractions, two major cable car lines begin on Powell. If you have never ridden one before, I recommend giving it a short ride to say you have, but don’t rely on this slow, crowded, uncomfortable and pricey form of transportation as a way to get around town. The novelty can wear off very soon. JJ

Part II will feature Chinatown, the Civic Center, and everyone’s favorite…the Tenderloin.

Check out our pictures of San Francisco by clicking here.