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This are pictures from Day 2 at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, but first, the really great news. After watching two periods of Canada versus Latvia last night, my wife leaned over and said to me, “You know, fighting does make hockey more exciting.” Holy kaw! Mother of four, pacifist, greenie from California, saying this is HUGE.

It started with getting tickets from my buddies. This is Mike Jagger of Provident Security.

And this is Jim Anholt of Canada’s Pacific Gateway.

This is my total ticket stash.

Went on a little walk through the West End of town and saw this car.

It’s a Carnuck.

We just don’t have lingerie shops like this in California.

Roots was doing a bang-up business.

All these people stood in line to buy pins.

Pins in action.

You could stand in front of a green screen and look live you were in various situations around the Olympics.

Even Batman was out.

This is an exhibit of scrolls or something.

If the digital method of posing isn’t your thing, you can go analog.

No visit to a city is complete with dropping in on the Apple store.

Curling is a formal sport here.

Apparently, Canadians do like to hang out.

Let me show you how you get into a hockey game. First, you walk along the sidewalk until you go through security.

Second, you go up a bridge.

Third, you get in line with 20,000 Canadians…

All of whom are going through this tiny gate.

Fourth, you go up and across another bridge

Fifth, down the bridge.

Sixth, you walk into the arena area.

Seventh, you get to the building.

Eighth, you go into the building.

And you see 20,000 rabid Canadian fans.

Ninth, you go thru a hallway.

Tenth, you arrive at a suite full of Canadian fans from VKI Studios.

But all you truly care about is the beer.

And in such a suite you meet famous people like Brian Burke, the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the American men’s hockey team.

The arena is a sea of red.

Mathematically, 19,998 Canadian fans and two Norwegian ones.

After the game, 19,998 Canadians and two Norwegians go out, you go to your hotel, chill for thirty minutes, and then you repeat the process to see Russia play Latvia.

This time, in a new suite, you get to meet a minister, Naomi Yamamoto, who is the minister of state for intergovernmental relations for British Columbia.

Total Winter Olympics coverage.