16th of February; Nova Scotia day!

My started out pretty early since I wanted to get in line to visit the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit at the VAG (Vancouver Art Gallery), it still took about an hour to get in but it was worth it. It is an exhibit of his anatomical sketches. They were amazing! There was so much detail in all his drawings, that show tendons and muscles and bones. And he writes about their different functions and what their roles and importance are. Very impressive considering he lived about 500 years ago. They had translated lots of his notes (written in his mirrored writing). You could see people moving different body parts as they read Da Vinci's description of them. Like how he talked about the rotation of the 2 lower arm bones that twist as you rotate your palm. A guide was mentioning that this pictures are so valuable that when the brought them over to Canada they were sent in 2 different planes just in case something should happen to some of them. On the 2nd and 3rd floor of the VAG were exhibits on BC art. One cool piece was a sculpture of whale skeleton, life size, made out of white plastic lawn chairs! On the 4th floor there was stuff about wood in BC and its importance. There was also a 4D movie on BC (4D meaning, a 3D movie + smells and vibrating chairs). They had a model of a hydrogen bus. Some cool touch screen large TV screens, you would move your hand across the screen to make the leaves fall off the fall trees or make flowers appear on the spring trees.
I headed down to Robson Rink and watched the Mascots ice show! It was lots of fun, the mascots wear figure skates; Miga skated with sea creatures, Sumi skating with forest sprites and Quatchi played some hockey (his favourite sport). It was my first time seeing the mascots in person so I was quite excited! So were all the little kids around me!
Then I headed out to see the Olympic flame in person. It is behind a big fence, but I think this is to be expected since it is a bunch of big flames. Apparently they have now made a viewing platform and made a slit in the fence so you can take better pictures.
After I headed back to the BC stadium to sit down for a while before my volunteering shift started. The shifts include lots of standing so I needed to be ready! Tonight I got to be Finland again, and Tempere again also! So that means 2nd floor ushering in the middle! I ushered lots. At one point a group of 3 girls walked into my vom (vomitorium; ie entry to the stadium seating) and they were all dressed the same, so I figured 3 athletes. And as they walked in they burst out laughing and laughing and talking to each other in whatever language they speak in Slovakia. I was about to direct them to the athletes seating area (they have seating in every venue for athletes, they just need to show their accreditation) Once I finally managed to figure out what was happening, apparently they were looking for the hockey game! And walked in an obviously realized they were in the wrong place. So I directed them to Canada Hockey Place, which is in the same footprint as the stadium, so they are within the same security perimeter and have common magnetometers and security entrances. So yesterday was really really busy since there were 3 hockey games at CHP and the victory ceremony in BC place. I also spent some time being the stand in for my team leader when she went to go have dinner. So that meant walking to the 4 vom's that were being manned by the Tempere Finland team and make sure everything was going ok. Things were quite crazy in one section with lots of people with General Admissions tickets giving them access to the floor to ''rush'' the stage once the Barenaked ladies hit the stage. First was a 30 min feature on NS that I missed because I had my dinner break. Then the medals for the men's Snowboard cross and Canadian Mike Robertson's silver medal, and a speed skating medal ceremony for the men's 500m (I think) and also the broadcast of the Whistler ceremonies. Then time for some Barenaked ladies! A good concert but I didnt hear/see most of it since I was busy maintaining order for those trying to access the General Admissions area (lots of girls trying to get in without tickets and pushing through other volunteers).
I also spent lots of time out on the concourse directing people out of the building and giving directions to skytrains and other locations downtown. Most people are nice, but some can get angry when you say you arnt sure and point out to them who could help them. They expect you to know everything, but we end up at a different end of the stadium each night and things such as the exits and ramps that are accessible change from day to day. We can only learn absorb so much information!
Once everyone managed to get out I got home and collapsed into bed for a sleepover with Miga! After 3 volunteer shifts you get a pin and after 6 you get a small Miga stuffed animal!
Check out some pictures at ;
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=186724&id=503442501&l=6ac12057a0