Opening Ceremony Highlights

[babydee1]

Knowing our weather the way we do, British Airways flew a group of five Native Americans of the Yellow Bird Indian Dancers from Arizona over especially for the dance. They did their thing near Tower Bridge in a bid to influence the weather during the Olympics and keep the sun shining over the capital.

Read full story here. 

I can see why Danny Boyle, director of the Opening Ceremony (who also directed Slumdog Millionaire), wanted to wait until as late as possible to get the full effect of the visuals.  It was stunning. 

  

"Good evening, Mr Bond." 

 

"I got your ride waitin', Ma'am." 



Her Majesty the Queen arriving at the stadium in style.  GERONIMOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!  

 

Hee!  Gotta love her, she's such a sport. ;-) 

Mr Bean performing Vangelis's Chariots of Fire with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra...in his own inimitable style, of course! 



The incomparable Sir Kenneth Branagh heralding the dawn of the Industrial Revolution with a speech from Shakespeare's The Tempest... 



Workers of the Industrial Revolution... 



I cheered and clapped when the Olympic  Rings of Fire united 





My favourite contemporary dance piece of the night...



The Olympic cauldron is lit by seven inspiration teenagers nominated by prominent past Olympians 




     

The petals of the 204 competing nations all combine to burn as one flame...



  

...and Danny Boyle here looking like a proud papa... 



It was a good night.  I loved it. :-)