What are other countries saying about Vancouver?
Date created: 23/03/2010
Vancouver was recently in the international spotlight for the 2010 Winter Olympics. See what other countries are saying about Vancouver, Canada and Canadians!
Key quotes from 2010 Olympic Winter Games
Here are some quotes from international press who came and enjoyed the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC. They enjoyed the sports, the weather, the beautiful city, and the warm welcome of Vancouverites and Canadians!
VANCOUVER AS A DESTINATION
"You're gorgeous, baby, you're sophisticated, you live well...Vancouver is Manhattan with mountains. It's a liquid city, a tomorrow city, equal parts India, China, England, France and the Pacific Northwest. It's the cool North American sibling." - The New York Times
"You may have heard that Vancouver is a great city, but it's better than that. On a good weather day - and we had a spectacular five-day run in the middle of the Games - it is stunningly beautiful, and it is an excellent eating, drinking and shopping city ." - The Boston Globe
"Vancouver looked gorgeous on TV ... NBC's shots of Vancouver's downtown and waterfront, and aerial views of Whistler ski areas, provided a media boost no marketing campaign could have delivered ." - The Seattle Times
"Vancouver is a city unlike any other. Wherever I look, I see water or mountains -- or both. And everyone looks so healthy ." - The Daily Telegraph (UK)
"In winter, the heart of downtown [Vancouver] is 30 minutes from the ski slopes. In summer, sun seekers crowd its beaches and seaside promenades. And despite a rain-prone climate, it displays a perpetually sunny disposition. Consider it the supermodel of North American cities." - USA Today
"Vancouver is one of North America's most under-rated tourist destinations. It is a modern, travel-friendly city with a unique mix of cultures. The relatively mild Pacific Northwest climate and an energetic restaurant and nightlife scene are other features that make this such an attractive city ." - LowFares.com
"The city of Vancouver and the ski village of Whistler are terrific hosts for these Olympic Games. The air is clean, the public transit is scarily efficient, and the harbors, with snowcapped mountains for a backdrop, are picturesque. Whistler, two hours to the north and home to the skiing, sliding and Nordic events, is a winter wonderland." - Time
THE FRIENDLINESS OF CANADIANS
"Thank you, Canada. For being such good hosts. For your unfailing courtesy... For reminding some of us we used to be a more civilized society. Mostly, for welcoming the world with such ease and making lasting friends with all of us." - Brian Williams, NBC News
"The Olympics went into overtime Sunday. It was perfect. No one wanted the Warmest Games to end. Warmest weather. Warmest hosts ." - The Miami Herald
"Make no mistake, Canada's people were the stars of these Games. They jammed the streets of Vancouver, cheered the most obscure sports as long as a Canadian was competing and all but drowned themselves in a sea of red. These are not folks normally given to outbursts of patriotism, but they found their voice here ." - Chicago Sun Times
"Graciousness is their default mode here. For the last two weeks, beaming has been a way of life. In a nod to the local vernacular, let me just say this is the nicest city I've ever been in." - The Los Angeles Times
"No question the biggest winners of the 2010 Winter Olympics were the Canadian people, who were unfailingly polite, passionately patriotic, and self-deprecating enough to poke fun at themselves in the Closing Ceremonies." - The Miami Herald.com
CANADIAN PATRIOTISM
"For Canada, I'd call it a 'coming of age' moment. The country, all 35 million of us, were able to bare our patriotic souls in an outburst of unbridled patriotism not seen before." - The Toronto Star
"...the Games are a remarkable success. Millions of us are watching, and Vancouver is a giant block party. We know Canada is a small country in a big world, and most of us seem thrilled with what our athletes have achieved. Per capita, our medal count is second only to Norway's." - The Globe & Mail
"Canadians used to think of themselves as being quiet, modest and unassertive. No longer. After their athletes topped the medals table with 14 golds at the winter Olympic games, some 100,000 flag-waving locals took to the streets of Vancouver and the nearby ski resort of Whistler, deliriously singing the national anthem." - The Economist
"This quiet city with such beautiful scenery made all of Canada proud ... In a nightly transformation, as many as 150,000 people flooded the closed-off downtown streets to savor the Olympic experience. Mostly mild instead of wild, the crowds whooped, hollered, danced and shouted 'Go Canada Go!' well into the morning." - The Houston Chronicle
"The bright-eyed exuberance can be a little overwhelming to someone who has spent many years absorbing cynicism in the Middle East, but the sheer earnestness helps temper what could elsewhere be an aggressive nationalism. Instead, it seems a pure expression of civic boosterism, no more, no less." - The Jerusalem Post
QUALITY OF THE GAMES EXPERIENCE
"These were the best Winter Games ever ." - Salon.com
"The venues here and the streets of Vancouver and Whistler are joyful places to be." - The Times London (UK)
"So there was no shortage of Olympic spirit in BC and Vancouver became an amazing party town day and night." - Inside the Games
"The sporting venues were built on time and on budget. A new subway line links the airport to the city centre. The athlete's village, with a view over one of Vancouver's many picturesque waterways, sets high standards in energy-efficient construction." - The Financial Times
"There comes a time to tip your toque, and our good friends in Canada deserve our respect for hosting, and excelling in, a memorable Winter Olympics." - Philly.com
"Known better for their hospitality than their military, Canada mustered a small army of volunteers to pull off these Olympic Games with unfailing patience and cheerfulness." - The Christian Science Monitor
"In the end, these games became a testament to the resilience of both the Canadian and the Olympic spirit ." - The Australian
"Seoul's citizens were wonderfully fanatical in 1988 and Sydneysiders were pretty hyped up in 2000 but the Vancouverites who teemed downtown in their maple leafed garb have surely now set the standard for Londoners for 2012." - The Daily London Telegraph
VIEW FROM THE TOP
"The Games, suggested Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Monday, have elevated Canada on the world stage. 'Mark my words, some day historians will look back at Canada's growing strength in the 21st century and they will say that it all began right here, on the West Coast, with the best Winter Olympic Games the world has ever seen." - Prime Minister Stephen Harper, CBC.ca
"We hosted the biggest event in our country's history and it was a huge success.' The mayor also took time to praise everyone involved in the Games, from the athletes to visitors, the police and finally, residents, for their consideration, co-operation and kindness. 'The people of Vancouver made the whole country proud." - Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, The Province
"Furlong, in Sunday's touching farewell speech, may have said it best: 'I believe we Canadians tonight are stronger, more united, more in love with our country and more connected with each other than ever before. These Olympic Games have lifted us up. If the Canada that came together on opening night was a little mysterious to some, it no longer is. Now you know us, eh." - VANOC Chief John Furlong, The Vancouver Sun
"US Vice-President Joe Biden complimented Canadians Saturday on what he called an 'incredible' Olympic opening ceremony. 'You guys put on one heck of a show,' Biden said Saturday afternoon, speaking briefly with reporters. 'Last night was incredible, absolutely incredible,' he added." - US Vice-President Joe Biden, Canada.com