Thank you Vancouver.

Thank you for opening your arms to the world and bringing us all in so tight we don't want you to let us go. You're going to have to pry our fingers from your red hockey jerseys and pitchers of beer.

As your red mittens wave us goodbye we'll keep this incredible experience with us forever.
 
The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games are officially over, but the people littering the streets of Vancouver don't seem to be letting up. The celebrations will be going well into the early hours of the morning as we truly finish these Games off on a high like no other. Maybe not with the most amount of medals, but the most gold medals ever won by one nation at any Winter Olympic Games, even the Americans have to admit that's pretty impressive.
 
During these past 17 days not only has Canada managed to win more gold than any other country, it has finally showed the world how patriotic it can be. The Canadian spirit and energy was everywhere.

The entire city held its breath as seconds ticked away in overtime this afternoon during the men's gold medal hockey match against the US. The eruption of thousands of people in ecstasy as Sydney Crosby scored the winning goal was deafening. We are known to be a hockey nation, but these Games have shown us that we're more than just hockey.
 
Every athlete on Team Canada here in Vancouver was supported and cheered on every single day. We've come to know our athletes, the Bilodeaus the Rochettes, and appreciate their incredible talent and awe inspiring performances.

Vancouver was and will always be inspired by them and it showed from the smallest child to the eldest person who still celebrated in the streets with the rest of us. No person felt excluded from this Canadian moment.
 
The national anthem could be heard echoing from street to street to venue to venue at all hours of the day. It has never sounded so good. Proudly wearing the maple leaf, the red and white sea of people that took over Vancouver definitely left a mark on the city.

These Games have changed this country and how we look at ourselves as Canadians. The true north strong and free.

Thank you for everything Vancouver, these Games will be hard to be forgotten.