Vancouver's pre-Olympic Craigslist houses an odd array of offers and ideas.
Before a trip to this month's Winter Olympics, a brief scan of the Web site's Vancouver listings provides a glimpse of what objects and ideas, some odder than others, western Canadians are trying to put out amidst the run-up to the festivities.
More than 1,000 Olympic housing options have been listed since Feb. 1. They range from $25,000 penthouse digs to a $100-per-night stay with a host whose pets' names reflect their owner's interest in the Knights of the Round Table.
Some are looking to profit from the Games by appealing to entrepreneurs.
A "mint condition" mini-bus is still on the Craigslist market, as is a "damn near mint condition" hot dog cart. The $28,000 bus is licensed to provide tours and limo service while the $7,500 cart might be a welcome sight for hungry event-goers outside a SkyTrain station.
Other locals are looking to profit by being entrepreneurs themselves.
A recent piece appeared on The Vancouver Sun's Web site describing the Olympic effect on the city's adult industry. Needless to say in a country where prostitution is technically legal and a city known for its strip clubs and escort services, Craigslist advertises for plenty of "adult gigs" during the Games.
Some business ventures, though, are more innocent. One Whistler native is trying to capitalize on the possible usable-snow shortage at Cypress Mountain by selling his neighborhood's powder. Ten dollars is a steal for leftover Zamboni snow transported in mom's car with the heat off.
Craigslist is also used as a forum for Vancouverites to voice their opinion on the Olympic presence. These folks may not be looking to profit, but they're still definitely selling something.
Only days ago, one angry critic used Craigslist to publish an extensive rant complete with visions of violent security forces and broken government promises. The vast number of similar posts, most short and profanity-laden, shows the strong anti-Olympic sentiment in Vancouver.
From Craigslist, it can be gathered that Vancouver's people want out of town during the Games, will sell anything from their hot dog stands to their snow to their bodies while preaching that the 2010 Olympics is the perpetuation of Nazi tradition.
So maybe Craigslist can't tell you a lot about a city's people--hopefully just its weirdos.
Photo by Joe O'Donnell
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