On the weekend we had some friends over for a little olympics party. We showed the (prerecorded) opening ceremony on the big screen and ate thematic British food. I made toad in the hole, fish and chips and fizzy drinks with coloured life savers in them to represent the olympic rings. Our friends brought bread and butter pudding with custard and quince pudding. I think all the kids were pretty blown away, as for most of them it is their first olympics.
My opening ceremony highlights - the dance of 'mortality' choreographed by Akram Khan and set to Emeli Sande singing Abide With Me, the oak tree on the grassy hill, the dove bikes and of course the gorgeous olympic torch. Lowlights - the Frankie and June section (was all a bit lost on me) and David Beckham on the speedboat (just a bit too smarmy!). Also that whole section with the NHS seemed a bit obscure and I suspect I didn't really appreciate the political subtext.
What did everyone else think? Was it as good as Bejing?
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I enjoyed Chariots of Fire but was expecting the Teletubbies to spring out from the grassy hill. Disappointed!
ReplyDeletetrue! Teletubbies were definitely a disappointing absence!
DeleteI agree with the brilliance of the death dance, that was fantastic.
ReplyDeleteDisagree about the NHS bit though. Such a blatant political stab at the U.S. gets some love from me, for brashness if nothing else.
I'm sure it probably was brilliant but I was popping in and out of the kitchen and not paying that much attention. So it wasn't til afterwards that I realised it was alluding to the NHS reform bill and the whole Lord Voldemort/Andrew Lansley comparison. I guess I just wasn't expecting a political element.
DeleteThe only bits I actually saw of the Opening Ceremony were two snippets online, after the in-laws were enthusing about how amusing they'd been on telly- the Mr Bean /Chariots of Fire, and the Queen with Mr Bond. We were most amused. :-D
ReplyDelete