10 August 2008

2008 Olympic Games


No matter what China's politics are, or what we may or may not think of them, for sheer colour, spectacle and technological wizardry, the Opening Ceremony was hard to beat.
I didn't watch the parade of athletes because it was 11.30 pm and I was rather tired, but I did watch what went before. I loved the 2,000 drummers...so perfectly co-ordinated that the overall effect was of a movable checkered mosaic. The costumes of the Confucian students were mind boggling when one thinks of the amount of work that went into the making of these.
I've never seen anything like it...
I loved the fireworks at the beginning...starting 6 km away from the Bird's Nest and making footprints towards it...remarkable. But then, I'm a sucker for fireworks and as China invented this colourful entertainment (albeit originally to frighten bad spirits away), they have the best displays...Friday night was no exception.
It was a sight to overload the senses...I can only imagine what being in the actual stadium must have been like.
Now...all we have to do is see who wins the medals...especially in the swimming. That's a competition between two countries really, the USA and Australia. Makes for good TV viewing.
Good luck to all athletes...may you win your medals honestly and fairly.

7 comments:

Gattina said...

I fully agree with you !! It was simply the best !! What a hard work must have been behind this wonderful show. And anyway I think that the Olympic games should NOT involve politics and ol'Bush is really not the man to talk about human rights (see Guantanamo !!!)
The weather turned bad here in Eastbourne, it is cold (19 !) rainy and very windy ! hope it won't last until wednesday when I go home !

Jeanette said...

Hi Robyn."Wow" was the games a spectacle!! I stayed up and watched to the end finished about 2 oclock, and was well worth staying up for..Im think ive developed square eyes since games started tv never off and on channel 7.I just love watching all the competions .. normally my tv is hardly ever on before the news broadcast..at 6pm...

Gledwood said...

I'm looking for a good Youtube "best bits" of the opening ceremony... you don't happen to know a good clip do you?

all I dredged up was 2 gold blokes performing in their underpants, which everyone says is rather marvellous but it's NOT what I had in mind to be honest...

Pear tree cottage! said...

Robyn, yes! wow! but I just knew with the huge population there it would be wonderful and it so very much was.
2000 drummers.........gosh only in China! (smiles)

love to you.
Lee-ann

Anonymous said...

I agree.. it was spectacular!
I too closed my eyes and missed the athletes parading into the arena but I caught it the next morning. I think my favourite parts were the drums and the tiles moving to the music.
I wonder what the closing ceremony will bring?

Unknown said...

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Walker said...

It was spectactular.
It looks like China wanted to impress the worl;d and I think they achieved it