Olympic opener

The Olympics opened last night in London. Although I have become …cynical or skeptical about many things, I still love the olympics. Which might be surprising for someone who is not typically a sports fan. My favorite sports were/ are hiking, skiing, dancing now more like walking with Bella, and learning Qi Gong. The devotion and focus to get to the olympics I find awe inspiring. The competition is now commencing but the comparisons and critiques of the opening ceremonies is in full swing. I wonder what the queen thought of last nights’ show I’m sure she kept calm. Hopefully, no  arch-conservative types had heart attacks during the performance. What did I think  – I thought it was brilliant, entertaining and engaging from start to finish. Fortunately for we the TV audience had a commentator explaining that all of the united kingdom was represented not just england.  They  started with the Glastonbury tor rising up from the earth with it’s spiral path from which the succeeding decades people emerged. The transition from the agrarian society to the industrial revolution was fascinating. All of the hundreds of actors were volunteers and learned their parts, singing and drumming etc. so well. They actually removed the sod and the fenses and carrtied them off without a break in the action. Then smokestack rose up from the ground and cities grew. One house was used for image projection as they went along. The homage to english writers of bedtime stories had children flying in beds down to the floor of the arena. Then the 60’s psychedelic period complete with appropriate costumes and songs was great fun and was a turning point in music and society – this is where I feared for the previously mentioned heart attacks. Then a 100 ft Voldermort  (Harry Potter fame) looms and the day is saved by a passel of Mary Poppins characters with umbrellas. From Shakespeareto the stones and beyond. Danny Boyle the director has quite an imagination. Oh did I mention the beginning with Daniel Craig as Bond and the pair parachuting into the stadium? Stunt doubles of course. These are just what stuck in my mind this morning – there was soo much more  like Sir Paul McCartney playing. The Show ended with the saying : “This is for Everyone” said in lights of course.
The Global Post comment is my fav’: It was bit messy, overly nostalgic and extremely eccentric. Yet it was spirited, proud, funny – and very British.
UsaToday :   Olympic opening ceremony: Boisterously, Britishly odd
The UK Daily record said: London Olympics: Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony captivates world as Games get off to a stunning start

Mr Boyle said of the 10,000 volunteers in The Guardian UK:  “They really are the best of us,” he said. “They have given up their time, their energy. Their family and friends have suffered. They have danced their hearts out. It is very much a tribute to them. We hope the feeling of the show is a celebration of generosity.”