Olympics: Opening Ceremony
Jul. 27th, 2012 11:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bearshortyThis summer, I have been pretty terribly at blogging. Mostly because it is summer and I don’t have a regular schedule. Also Bear and I spent about two weeks in July looking for an apartment for us and it has been a bit hectic. I will write up a little July summary soon with highlights like apartment hunting and The Wall concert but for now I just wanted to write up my impressions of the Opening Ceremony of the London Olympic Games.
I have always loved Olympics. Apparently, I watched my very first Olympics when I was just a few months old (Moscow Olympics) and it was always a big event. And I love watching gymnastics (especially the guys with those arms), track and field, swimming and other Olympic sports. I’m excited that everything will be available online – every single sport and every team. And the fact that this year the Olympics are in London make it extra special.
I lived in London for about a year – first a Semester Abroad program in college in 2000 where I got to go live in Central London and go to the theater two or three times a week through the program and again in 2005, when I did my dissertation research in the National Archives in Kew. (I also lived in Norwich for a month). And I studied medieval England and I adore British literature (probably my favorite literature). And I was there in 2005 when London won the Games and joined the celebration (and the next day for the terrorist attacks). Bear just came to visit me so we were both in central London those days. And also I was able to really appreciate the Britishness of the ceremony. So parts my parents found boring, I found fun.
I’m wearing my London tank top too, to watch the ceremony properly (I was going to wear my official Olympic shirt but it was a little hot).
So here are some of my thoughts as I was watching:
I do love NBC Olympic music – puts me in a great mood.
View of England and of London through Thames River – very exciting. I loved little “Eastenders” nod in that segment.
Quoting Shakespeare too with Kenneth Brannagh. I recognize ‘The Tempest’. Especially since I just finished “Sandman” and it ends on the Tempest and parts of that speech are included there.
They could have done longer history. (that was the medievalist in me)
Agrarian to industrial Revolution
Loved the forging of the ring and joining of all five rings the rings’ fireworks and the music
James Bond and the Queen. Awesome. Queen as Bond girl. I think this is my favorite. How did they get the Queen to agree to this?!!!!!
J.K. Rowling! Yay. Mary Poppins vs Voldemort – whoever came up with that is a genius.
Rowan Atkinson – since I get British humor, that was great. My parents didn’t know who he was.
Parade of nations – how I love you with your often silly uniforms. Germany what are you wearing? And Mexico? And Tongo? The marching was fast! I love USA’s uniforms; very stylish (And not just because someone in my family works for Ralph Lauren). And the UK ones too were very nice.
I like the stadium in general – with the tree and all shiny, with all the lights. And the music to the Parade of Nations was fun:. BeeGees, ELO, U2 etc. And ‘Come Together’ cover was really fun. The music segment was a little messy – the idea to show great British music was good but the execution could have been better. Maybe with more actual musicians.
Favorite bits: ring being forged and flying up, James Bond and the Queen, J.K. Rowling, all athletes standing together in that stadium (that always just warms my heart), the view of the cauldron from above, the whole cauldron lighting ceremony and those amazing fireworks at the end.
During my regular year, I almost never watch sports. Olympics are an exception. I’m looking forward to two weeks for sports and cheering. Go USA! (and Belarus too).
I have always loved Olympics. Apparently, I watched my very first Olympics when I was just a few months old (Moscow Olympics) and it was always a big event. And I love watching gymnastics (especially the guys with those arms), track and field, swimming and other Olympic sports. I’m excited that everything will be available online – every single sport and every team. And the fact that this year the Olympics are in London make it extra special.
I lived in London for about a year – first a Semester Abroad program in college in 2000 where I got to go live in Central London and go to the theater two or three times a week through the program and again in 2005, when I did my dissertation research in the National Archives in Kew. (I also lived in Norwich for a month). And I studied medieval England and I adore British literature (probably my favorite literature). And I was there in 2005 when London won the Games and joined the celebration (and the next day for the terrorist attacks). Bear just came to visit me so we were both in central London those days. And also I was able to really appreciate the Britishness of the ceremony. So parts my parents found boring, I found fun.
I’m wearing my London tank top too, to watch the ceremony properly (I was going to wear my official Olympic shirt but it was a little hot).
So here are some of my thoughts as I was watching:
I do love NBC Olympic music – puts me in a great mood.
View of England and of London through Thames River – very exciting. I loved little “Eastenders” nod in that segment.
Quoting Shakespeare too with Kenneth Brannagh. I recognize ‘The Tempest’. Especially since I just finished “Sandman” and it ends on the Tempest and parts of that speech are included there.
They could have done longer history. (that was the medievalist in me)
Agrarian to industrial Revolution
Loved the forging of the ring and joining of all five rings the rings’ fireworks and the music
James Bond and the Queen. Awesome. Queen as Bond girl. I think this is my favorite. How did they get the Queen to agree to this?!!!!!
J.K. Rowling! Yay. Mary Poppins vs Voldemort – whoever came up with that is a genius.
Rowan Atkinson – since I get British humor, that was great. My parents didn’t know who he was.
Parade of nations – how I love you with your often silly uniforms. Germany what are you wearing? And Mexico? And Tongo? The marching was fast! I love USA’s uniforms; very stylish (And not just because someone in my family works for Ralph Lauren). And the UK ones too were very nice.
I like the stadium in general – with the tree and all shiny, with all the lights. And the music to the Parade of Nations was fun:. BeeGees, ELO, U2 etc. And ‘Come Together’ cover was really fun. The music segment was a little messy – the idea to show great British music was good but the execution could have been better. Maybe with more actual musicians.
Favorite bits: ring being forged and flying up, James Bond and the Queen, J.K. Rowling, all athletes standing together in that stadium (that always just warms my heart), the view of the cauldron from above, the whole cauldron lighting ceremony and those amazing fireworks at the end.
During my regular year, I almost never watch sports. Olympics are an exception. I’m looking forward to two weeks for sports and cheering. Go USA! (and Belarus too).