Ah, Vancouver in the Spring - Oh, Winter Olympics

Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver it well may be, but who'd know it from the weather? Wouldn't you know it, despite VANOC's plans, aspirations and dreams for Vancouver, Nature had other plans. While areas of the United States which normally see little-to-no snow throughout the course of the winter months cities from Georgia to Massachussets have been set upon by record snowfalls, Vancouver's famed highlands are more green than white.

The opening day of the 2010 Winter Olympics was a misery of pounding rain and heavy fog conditions. But the show, for the most part, went on. The second day of the events saw a lovely high of ten degrees, sunny sky, and blossoming cherry trees. Bright yellow forsythia were in full bloom; doubtless spring bulbs will be popping up in bright profusion, as well. But the games go on, and the podium is the place to be, if human skill, endurance and determination will it.

Meantime, the Canadian Heritage Minister is put out by the lack of French during the opening ceremonies. In self defence VANOC claimed they had made an especial effort for fully francophone representation, that a number of Quebec singers claimed to be too busy to perform, Celine Dion among them (whew!). Not enough that Gov.Gen. Michaelle Jean opened the games French-language first - and etcetera.

And there were ample French cultural elements included in the opening ceremony, among them a dramatic interpretation of an old Quebecois tale about a group of voyageurs who make a pact with the devil - some additional message in there to be interpreted as any French-Canadians agreeing to perform having done likewise?

And there's the foreign press harrumphing about restrictions on practise runs being responsible for the unfortunate death of Georgian luger athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili during an Olympic training run at Whistler, hours before the opening ceremonies. And ongoing snide comments with respect to Canada's very unpleasant and wholly unacceptable hopes for gold, on home turf. What's worse, doubtless, achieving a few.

But there are some purely nasty home-grown things Vancouver just can't hide from; the poverty of the homeless that gather in the province's clement atmosphere. And the infamous drug-riddled, druggie-raddled Downtown Eastside now on display for any interested visitors. And the protests, and the rowdy protesters, lobbing rocks and bottles at police and the windows of The Bay.

As though that weren't enough cringing, the march in remembrance of B.C.'s missing aboriginal women. True-blue human/inhumane disgraces. But the games must go on, and they will go on. People gathering to cheer, even while others are refused entry to events as a result of the inclemency of the atmosphere and the setting. What an unfortunate balls-up.

Nature, the last bastion of enduring defiance of humankind's plans and aspirations.