My first Olympic event

So I've now taken part in my first Olympic event. The flag arrived to Vancouver (albeit a replica, as the real one is going to China first) and was raised in a ceremony on Tuesday, and yesterday they lit up the Inuk Shuk statue that inspired the mascot and the symbol for the games. Now this statue just happens to be about hundred meters from our house, so I went along to the ceremony last night.

TV news said that there were thousands of people there, but I'd say it was thousand tops. The mayor was there, some aboriginals (although Inuk Shuk is actually an Inuit symbol - who are not really local people), drummers, kids singing O Canada... you know all those ceremonial things Canadians like. After the kids had finished singing they scattered all around and constant exited chatter started, so I could hardly hear the speeches - not that they were more than "oh it's so great" blurbs that you would expect. After the speeches the actually lighting started: this meant a strange kind of fire dance - there was a circle of fire and a lady with huge white angel wings who performed this very slow twirling dance to drumming. It lasted maybe ten minutes, and then the statue was lit up - they were playing for time and waiting for it to get properly dark I guess.

I'm slightly worried about the artistic direction the ceremonies are taking. The performance at the closing ceremonies was pretty bizarre and didn't say "Vancouver" in any way, it was more stereotypical Canadian stuff and I didn't really get it. I hope they get a clearer direction from now on and produce something exciting and innovative next that also reflects true Vancouver. Rest of my photos are on Flickr.

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