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For DeSautels, it’s all about hockey
While most Americans watched the Winter Olympic games in their homes or favorite pubs, Tim and Jan DeSautel got to experience the excitement up close and personal in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Grafton couple was in Canada to support Zach Parise, a member of the New Jersey Devils and the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team.
For the DeSautels the Olympic games were all about men’s hockey. Jan’s daughter, Alisha Woods, formerly of Hoople and a graduate of Valley High School, has dated Zach since they met when they both were students at UND and he played hockey for the Fighting Sioux.
“We went to Vancouver to be with Alisha and support Zach,” Jan said.
Tim and Jan stayed in the downtown area of Vancouver where the majority of the people taking in the hockey, ice and speed skating competitions were lodging. The hockey games were played at General Motors Place, home of the Vancouver Canucks NHL hockey team, within walking distance of their hotel.
"The city of Vancouver did a great job of planning for the Olympics. We were told there were 2 million people living in Vancouver and another million moved in for the two weeks of the games,” Jan said. “They were very well prepared.”
The transportation system available to the multitudes attending the Olympic games included buses and a transit system, taxis, gondolas and ferries. Streets were blocked off downtown to allow people to walk to the Olympic activities and the people who lived in Vancouver were encouraged not to come downtown throughout the duration of the games to reduce congestion and keep traffic flowing. There were many volunteers stationed throughout the area who guided people to various destinations and everyone was very friendly.
According to the DeSautels, security in and around the Olympic games was very tight, equal to that of an airport. They had to empty pockets and purses, take off belts and pass through metal detectors
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