| Salt Lake City |
 |
 |
| GER |
12 |
16 |
7 |
35 |
 |
| USA |
10 |
13 |
11 |
34 |
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| NOR |
11 |
7 |
6 |
24 |
|
| CAN |
6 |
3 |
8 |
17 |
|
| RUS |
6 |
6 |
4 |
16 |
|
| AUT |
2 |
4 |
10 |
16 |
|
| ITA |
4 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
|
| FRA |
4 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
|
| SUI |
3 |
2 |
6 |
11 |
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| NED |
3 |
5 |
0 |
8 |
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It's easy to enjoy Games on a budget
By Peter Thunell
Deseret News staff writer
So you just flew in on first class, are staying at the Grand America and have tickets to closing ceremonies. If that's you, feel free to just stop reading this article right here.
This story is dedicated to those of us wanting to enjoy the Olympics but on a different kind of budget. Those not looking to get gouged like a cheese log at Christmas.
Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to have an Olympic day in Salt Lake on just $20 — and we're not talking ordering a pizza, grabbing your beverage of choice and sitting back on your couch, remote in hand.
If there was ever a time to get out and enjoy downtown Salt Lake City, this is it.
And here's some suggestions on how to do it:
To get to downtown, TRAX is easily the best way to go. But if TRAX doesn't appeal to you, drive to one of 10 Olympic park-and-ride lots (go to utahcommuterlink.com to find where they are) and take a free shuttle into the city.
You could also park at the mall and buy something, but that would go against the spirit of cheapness.
Once downtown, a good place to start is Salt Lake Olympic Square. Once through security, make a beeline for the Coca Cola On Ice tent. The reason to start here is the very cool exhibits where you can ride the luge, shoot the hockey puck, push the bobsled, throw the curling stone or e-mail fake pictures of yourself at a figure skating event.
Each one is a great way to get a feel for the sport, but the lines later in the day can begin to get long.
While at Olympic Square, make sure to wander over to the Olympic Superstore where even if you don't buy anything, you can check out just about anything that can be bought for money that has the 2002 logo on it — including cast iron dutch ovens.
Also, if you go to any Olympic sponsor pavilion, hit the one by Samsung where you can skip past the product pushing elements and go straight to the multi-player electronic snowball fight game.
So far, you've spent zip. If you're looking to break open the billfold, go just past The Gateway to Mountain Dew's Ice Village where $10 gets you a day pass to watch events like snowmobile racing and motor cross.
Before you completely leave Olympic Square behind, be sure to stop by the lobby of Abravanel Hall to tickle the ivories of one of five famous pianos that are part of a hands-on display from 1-4 p.m.
If the pianos whet your artistic pallete, walk down to 339 W. Pierpont Ave. where you can catch two free art shows, "Women Beyond Borders" and "Brian and Joe Show" at Art Access.
By this time lunch will be in order. Pass up all of the inflated prices of the local restaurants and mall food courts and head to a true friend of the common man.
Edwardo Gonzalez's taco cart sits at the northeast corner of State and 200 South and day in and day out, Monday through Friday, Gonzalez serves up the biggest and best $2 chicken burritos you'll ever eat. He even has kept his prices the same during the Games.
By this time you're a hop, skip and a jump away from Washington Square with its free entertainment plus exhibits of Olympic memorabilia (inside) and Allan Houser sculptures (outside).
Now you can walk to the final destination of the day: Bud World, aka the Gallivan Center.
If you are looking for free hot chocolate to hold while you stand in the long line to get through security, head to the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance office at 270 S. Main. Be sure to pass by the windows of the Hotel Monaco and feel smug that you got your hot chocolate for free while those inside had to pay $2.25 for theirs.
After you head back to Bud World and get in, you can see the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales or someone demonstrate glass blowing.
The coolest things at Bud World are the 3-D imaging of yourself the Air Force is doing in a little room — (Warning: Do not do this unless you are really sure you want to see how you really look from all angles.) — and the bubble hockey stands set up inside a tent.
Bud World has had a good run of bands playing on the main stage there in the evenings of course most are not nearly as famous as the first band there, Smash Mouth.
There are also multiple large screens to catch up on what is happening with the Olympic events. What makes it especially fun is the large group of people all in the relatively small area and pointing out to people that the beer garden suffers from a surprising lack of greenery and foliage.
When it gets close to 9:30 p.m., you can also hurry back to Olympic Square to catch the nightly fireworks show at the Medals Plaza.
By this time you have worked off the lunch burrito and have only spent under $10. With 10 bucks to still blow, take yourself out for a nice late dinner downtown. OK, maybe $10 won't buy a "nice" dinner, but look at how much you were already able to do with next to nothing.
E-MAIL: pthunell@desnews.com
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February 18, 2002
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