10 Days in August

The 2009 World Police and Fire Games are just finishing in the Lower Mainland...Vancouver, and suburbs all around. From July 31 through August 9. 10 days of firefighters and police-persons from around the world taking a break from saving the rest of us; instead, doing their athletic best in competition that resembles more play, than anything Olympic.

Close to 10,600 participants. All events were free to watch, at any of 69 event venues. 69 pre-existing venues, as it happens. No Olympic'like anything monumental to build, nor fund for. Nor pay for, for the next thirty years. No billion-dollar athletes' village. No years-long construction nightmare for locals to navigate, and business to survive. I've only seen smiles all around.

And that's about all there is to say about these 10 days in August.