For those who have never been to Canada, hung out with Canadians or talked to them about their hockey, you may not understand just how serious they take the game. It’s more than just sports to the Canucks….hockey is a cultural institution. I’ve been up in Vancouver largely for the Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) event however the event didn’t know that because the 5th game (yup, it’s not even the final) was banking on beating out Boston as it brings them closer to winning the CUP, that the city would be taken over by Canadians. Literally.
Starting around 4 something, I started noticing people, mostly men, trickle down various streets in downtown Vancouver wearing blue hockey shirts. An hour later, I started noticing women trickling down the same streets, some in groups and others alongside their guy, obviously on the way to some pub or restaurant to take in the game in front of a large screen.
People are singing, dancing, shouting, high fiving, and even cheering with the police on the street who are also smiling while trying to create some of order. The Canadian wag waves boldly as does the Vancouver one. Hundreds of people proudly wear the blue Hockey uniform shirt, chanting into the cool June evening air: Boston Can’t Win & We Want the Cup! There are musicians in the street, rappers who have prepared songs specifically for the “win”, dancers, skateboarders, cyclists, and more who came out to watch the game and then take over the streets once the game was over. It was about as insane as Mardis Gras. Lots of photos to follow but here’s an album to start to give you an idea of the energy. Videos below in parts and more will be uploaded over the next couple of days to the We Blog the World channel.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
