Tickets, Tickets and ... Wait For It ... More Tickets

Today Is All About Tickets

We're spending the morning counting and recounting tickets for our programs. It is a tedious and very, very necessary process to make sure we have the tickets we requested as well as making sure the ticket allocations make sense for the hospitality guests.

Rio continues to ramp up security and traffic is now becoming a significant issue. I worry a little about security for major buildings etc.

Sleep continues to evade as our hotel is very noisy.

Opening Ceremony -4

Seven days and we're now only four days from the opening ceremony. Rio seems to be coming alive. I had about one hour of time to myself yesterday and was able to make a quick visit to the "Mega Store" set up on the beach. I noticed it was beginning to get crowded.

Mega Store

One of the routes we take to walk from the Windsor Atlantica to the Porto Bay Hotel (where our hospitality programs are) has also changed significantly. Each day there is more and more security and one particular area is not a very large "flea market." One minute it was clear, the next it was full of stalls selling trinkets made in China.

Finally, one knows this is the Olympics (in case you missed the signs) because of the pin trading. It's already started. This pic is a little blurry as it is not good "form" to take pictures of pin trading, however, I did notice at least five groups outside of the "Mega Store." 

Hotel - The Lap Of Luxury

Good morning. I thought I'd do a little writing about the accommodations for those of us on staff. Just in case any of you are wondering how we're spending the USOC's money.

Gail and I are staying at the Ibiza Copacabana Hotel. The hotel is located about three blocks from Copacabana and the same distance from the Beach Volleyball venue. We walk to our other venues in the mornings but, for security reasons, we are not allowed to walk back to the hotel after dark. In Brazil, this hotel is rated as a 3 1/2 star hotel. While this is not me complaining in any way, it certainly is not a 3.5 star hotel. Here are some pics of my room! There are only five hangers in the closet and no storage drawers at all.

In case you are wondering this is the entire room! Today, if we get a break, I am going to find some billiard balls and a cue stick as you can actually play pool on the mattress.

Things are beginning to really ramp up here in Rio and it's beginning to really look like an Olympic City. This is my third Games and I think this is going to be exciting.

The security presence continues to grow and even the hotels are beginning to ramp up security around their properties.

Hope everyone is enjoying and I will continue to post as everything begins to develop further.

A Little Remiss at Posting

So, we've been incredibly busy. There were nine pallets delivered yesterday. The same nine we shipped from COS. Here's the rub, our hosts will not make any deliveries until after 21:00. Needless to say, there was a lot of late night working.

My opinion ... Brazil has started working security issues early and there has been a great presence of military and federal representatives. So far this really has been a good experience.

Hotel wise, that is another subject. Unfortunately, the hotel I've been assigned to leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, here's a picture of the protective fire sprinkler system in my room. 

We did get a chance to see the Beach Volleyball venue from the Windsor Atlantica Hotel. It is pretty impressive.

We're still a week away from the opening ceremony with a ton of work to do. Finally, simply don't believe everything you hear and read in the media. As a very wise person said, "It's all problems at the Olympics until the Opening Ceremony, after that, the host country can do no wrong!" 

Hope everyone enjoys and I'll try to post more as things begin to ramp up!

J

Arrived in Rio

First impressions! I again think the media may have blown most of this out of proportion again. Rio appears ready to host this world event.

Two very large aircraft, ours and another 777 disgorged at least 400 people at one time and Brazilian Customs & Immigration did a wonderful job getting us processed.

More to follow as the opening ceremony gets closer.

Leaving Today.

 

Heading to Rio today. The Opening Ceremony is August 5th. There is a ton of work to do to be ready.

I will be attempting to do the blog and add pictures as often as I can. Please remember that these blogs are my perceptions not the official United States Olympic Committee opinions.