Hurricane Brings Rain to Guadalajara
Flag-raising ceremonies for Brazil and other nations in the Pan Am Village may be the worst that happens as a result of the rain carried to Guadalajara by Hurricane Jova.
Now a tropical storm, Jova’s full impact of high winds and squalls was confined to the Pacific coast hundreds of kilometers away. For Guadalajara and Jalisco State, the storm appears only to have brought much needed rain to the region, expected to dissipate in the next 24 hours, in time for Friday night opening ceremonies.
Puerto Vallarta, the site of beach volleyball, triathlon and sailing events, was not in the direct path as originally feared, but officials had prepared for the worst by stacking sandbags.
Ticket Sales Not Dampened
The soggy weather in Guadalajara didn't stop people from lining up to buy Pan American Games tickets outside the sprawling Expo, site also of the Main Press Center.
Tapatios, as people from Guadalajara are called, appear to be embracing the "Fiesta of the Americas." The opening ceremony on Friday sold out the first day at a rate of 100 tickets per minute. About 72 percent of tickets, or about 500,000, have been sold for sports events. Most of the stadiums are expected to be full for finals. Although only 52 percent of closing ceremony tickets were sold as of Tuesday, interest should increase as the Games progress.
For the first time in the history of Guadalajara, the city is said to be at 100 percent capacity for lodging on Oct. 14-16.
Security in Numbers
More than 10,000 security, police and military personnel are in Guadalajara, plus one Black Hawk helicopter. Their presence cannot be missed, especially with so many trucks carrying armed personnel.
At the Main Press Center, journalists have their credentialschecked before they pass through the metal detector, again before they get onto an escalator and once more before entering the workroom.
Cielo on the Scene
Olympic champion swimmer Cesar Cielo of Brazil, one of the most decorated athletes at these Pan American Games, arrived on Wednesday. He and the other Brazilian swimmers arrived by bus from San Luis Potosi, which is northeast of Mexico City, where they had a training camp.
Cielo, who won the 50 meter freestyle in Beijing, added two gold medals at the recent World Championships in Shanghai.
Thiago Pereira, who won eightmedals, including six gold, at the 2007 Pan American Games, is also on the Brazilian swimming team. He broke the record of five gold medals won in a Pan Am Games, which was held by Mark Spitz of the U.S.
In athletics, Brazil will be well represented by world champion pole vaulter Fabiana Murer.
MPC Still Setting Up
The Main Press Center has been quiet, with few journalists milling around or working on stories. No information or Games news was available on tables or in the "cubbyholes" and the computerized information system was not up and running by early Wednesday. The Expo was actually livelier on Monday and Tuesday with a funeral convention, complete with an antique hearse parked in front of the exhibition hall.
Dedicated Lanes Not So Dedicated?
The Pan American Lane, a lane reserved for official vehicles among main thoroughfares, has not been a success, according to reports.
The road from the airport was bumper-to-bumper in a test run, so the plan has been modified. Now any car can travel in the Pan American Lane as long as it yields to official vehicles.
Written and reported in Guadalajara by Ed Hula and Karen Rosen
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