Spent a few nights over a few beers in various cities across the torch tour with Roy Macgregor and Kevin Van Passen from Canada's national newspaper, the Globe and Mail. Check out Macgregor's words and Van Passen's pictures online to get a different perspective on the relay. Macgregor is a Canadian treasure.
Up until the wee hours every night, Nicole+Ryan hosted family and friends each day, then repeated over and over. I've never seen anything quite like it. This morning they rousted me from my pillow at 6 for a quick post session before flying off to Turks and Cacois for a week of lonely bliss [them, not me]. Tomorrow I fly back to Toronto then onto Halifax Wednesday where it's back to the winter Olympic torch relay run. Stay tuned.
Nicole+Ryan were married on the beach in Cabrera, Dominican Republic Saturday. There are several beautiful villas here on the north coast and Flor de Cabrera certainly is one of them.
Nicole+Ryan are getting married Saturday in Cabrera, on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic. These pictures are from their villa where family and friends are staying, and from their civil ceremony in town earlier this morning. This is our favourite place in the DR. We love it for its Playa Grande beach, the local golf course [known as the Pebble Beach of the Caribbean], the fabulous Hotel La Catalina, a beautiful slew of stunning private villas [N+R are at the Flor De Cabrera] and a town full of friendly people who don't care where you come from - everyone is treated the same way. If you have not ventured this way yet, get here before it's too late. Change is coming. Cheryl is here with me shooting Super 8. And I am fresh off the northern leg of the Olympic Torch Relay where frostbite was a real concern. So I'm thrilled to be here soaking up the sun, bodysurfing at Grande and eating and drinking my way back into shape. Stay tuned; beach wedding tomorrow.
A few days ago I was standing on a frozen ice flow in the Bering Straight, it was 38 below, blowing hard and a polar bear hunter was protecting us. Tomorrow I'll be on a Caribbean beach seeking shade, preparing for Nicole+Ryan's Dominican wedding this weekend and protecting a cold drink from the hot sun. Crazy world! The northern leg of the 2010 Winter Olympic Torch Relay was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the team of 60 of us bringing the flame to several remote communities that otherwise would only experience the Olympics from afar. We were greeted with non-stop hospitality, ear-to-ear smiles, and tears of joy everywhere we travelled. One young First Nations torch runner yesterday summed it up better than I can. He said: "Oh my God. Oh my God. The torch is here - and I have it." Back to long johns and the relay for me in a week, but for now I'm looking forward to an icy cold Presidente under a swaying palm. Stay tuned.
The Winter Olympics Torch Relay rolled into the tiny arctic hamlet of Kugluktuk today. We were greeted with nearly minus 30 temperatures and warm faces of both young and old. Wearing home-made gold medals and waving brightly-painted banners, the children led the flame through town. Elders were dressed in traditional caribou parkas and grinned from ear to ear. I'm always shocked when I come around a corner and the tears begin to well up. But it really shouldn't be a surprise in a community like this. They were all there. They were loud and they certainly were so proud that the Olympics had come to town.
Queen Charlotte Islands were magical. The flame arrived on iconic artist Bill Reid's Hiada war canoe.
Just a quick torch relay update.
1] Long days - usually the first runner begins around 6:30 with the last finishing at 7.
2] Fitness is a small issue - I'm the guy running beside the runner tripping over my tongue.
3] There's always a point in the day when I look around and every single person including me is crying. Beyond the cliches the moments are very real and wonderful to witness.
4] Yes, that actually is a surfer with the torch at Long Beach, near Tofino. All 300 of us on the beach said a collective "wow, dude" [sigh] when it happened.
5] Last day here on Vancouver Island is Monday before heading north with the Queen Charlotte Islands the first stop. Somebody pinch me.
