The real success of the Vancouver Olympics

For the past two weeks Vancouver has been host to one of the largest parties in the world, and now with the Olympic high over, and the screaming and the frenzy and the painted faces and the flag capes moving out, the hangover is just beginning to settle in.

Finally, there is a moment to breathe, and a moment to take in this historic moment that we all just witnessed.

Wow.

It was a whole new level of Canadianism.

How the hell did we manage to do this?

Credit the Own The Podium campaign or VANOC and the IOC, but the single greatest reason for Vancouver’s massive success was the local people.

No one forced thousands upon thousands of people out of their homes and onto the streets of downtown to embrace the Olympic Games — we chose to do that.

There wasn’t any memo in the VANOC guide that said we were required to high five every stranger we passed by. Or to walk around with “free hugs” signs and maple leafs plastered on every inch of our bodies — we chose to do that, too.

It seems that for the first time in decades, Canadians have rallied together in a strong patriotism and Vancouver became electric.

What else could harness people to burst out into the national anthem on the platform of a SkyTrain station at one in the morning? Or cause a group of Dutch visitors in bright orange jackets and hats to join in, humming the tune?

Of all the medals won, records broken and hardships overcome, it was that unexpected thrilling Olympic fever that really made the 2010 Winter Games what they were.