The following is a guest post from Agnes Gulbinowicz. Follow her on Twitter @agulbino

Ok, secret’s out: Vancouver is kind of awesome. Despite what grumpy Brits are saying, Vancouver has made an impression in its world-stage debut. Stephen Colbert has been so moved by our hospitality that he has taken back all of the trash talk he’s been dishing our way for the past few months. And The New York Times (The New York Times) has said that “Vancouver is Manhattan with mountains”. Vancouver, it seems, has arrived.

All of this is great, except for the fact that it’s kind of redundant. I wholeheartedly agree with Pete McMartin’s take on our fair city:

Vancouver

“Every index already rates Metro Vancouver as either the most livable city in the world or almost so. We’re already cosmopolitan and multicultural. Our environment is as close to paradise as you can get….Vancouver doesn’t need the Olympics to chase that mirage of being a world-class city. It already is a world-class city.”

No, we didn’t have to prove that we were on par with other great cities, but for some reason, we felt we should. Personally, I think it was neat that Vancouver was one of North America’s best-kept secrets. Those days are now gone. It’ll be no use trying to set the story straight and convince visitors that February in Vancouver is usually dogged by clouds and rain; as far as the world is concerned, Vancouver is a place where spring, complete with gloriously sunny days and flower blooms, begins in late January. And you can still hit the slopes. The Olympics were, indeed, the biggest branding opportunity the city has ever seen, but not because of a snazzy logo and a few loveable mascots – the weather cooperated in a way that no one could have anticipated. Canada will go down as the first country in history to host the Spring Olympics.

Gastown

Guest blogging at the Gastown Blog has given me a unique perspective on the Games. Gastown is not an obvious destination for most visitors – it’s tucked into a corner of the city that is not on the way to any venues or Live Sites, so visitors have to make a deliberate effort to visit this part of town. Many of them stop by the Gastown Blog office to ask for directions to neighbourhood events such as the Canamade marketplace. It is heartening to see that in such a small space of time, Vancouver has welcomed visitors to such a degree that they are comfortable venturing off the tourist track to see all of the amazing aspects of the city.

The biggest impression that Vancouver has made, however, has not been on outsiders but on locals. Yes, we have some new buildings, roads, and a new Skytrain Line (and a whole lot of debt), but the biggest change that Vancouver has seen is the increased city-esteem of its citizens. You can feel it everywhere: we’re smiling and talking to one another. We’re crowding the streets in Canada hats and mitts, eager to prove that our no-fun-city label is seriously misplaced. We’re proud. We’re happy. I hope it lasts.