OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY AWE-INSPIRING
By Giles Malone // July 28, 2012
LIVE REPORT FROM THE 30th Olympiad
(VIDEO: LondonOlympics12)
EDITOR’S NOTE: SpaceCoastDaily.com’s Giles Malone, a native of England and 30-year resident of Brevard County, is in London covering the Olympic Games. He was at the Opening Ceremony and following is his report.
THE OLYMPIC GAMES • LONDON, ENGLAND – English pride and patriotism were at a fever pitch last night at the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony as over 65,000 people, including yours truly, witnessed the incredible opening ceremony live – and a reported 2 billion people tuned in worldwide.
The audience was not disappointed as the production was an awe-inspiring depiction of Great Britain’s contributions to the world over the past several centuries.
The buzz around London prior to the event was “what is really going to happen at the OC” and “who will actually light the Olympic flame.” The actual production had been kept under a very tight veil of secrecy so the public had no idea what to expect.
Having spent the first 17 years of my life growing up in England, I have only ever seen as much English pride when Diana married Charles at St Paul’s cathedral many years ago.
The British bulldog spirit was alive and well when the giant screens in the stadium showed “James Bond” arriving at Buckingham Palace and into the royal chambers, apparently summoned by the Queen.
When he escorted the Queen of England into the Royal helicopter and took off (video above), the crowd cheers and celebrations were deafening.
The laughter and smiles of delight on the faces of the Brits were brought to a crescendo when the Queen apparently jumped out of the helicopter to parachute into the packed stadium.
Had the most revered Royal on the planet actually agreed to an incredibly humourous “skit?” Could this really be happening? The Brits looked incredulously at each other as they could hardly believe their eyes that their stoic Queen was “joining in for a laugh.”
To their delight, the Queen appeared through a tunnel in the stadium “after parachuting in,” and the cheers of joyous celebration were something I will never forget.
The scene then changed dramatically as the show began an incredible 90-minute depiction of everything British.
From the Industrial Revolution, where Great Briatin became the world’s workshop…to English leader Winston Churchill’s famous words of wisdom…to the Pop invasion, and England’s musical influence on the world.
As the young Olympic leaders lit the long stemmed copper tips of the Olympic Cauldron, the energy in the stadium was palpable. As the stems all rose together, depicting each of the countries represented in the games, I witnessed tears of joy falling all around me and the moment was very special as all the flames merged together to create perhaps the most beautiful Olympic torch yet created.
The Englishman who invented the internet got a standing ovation as he waved enthusiastically to his countrymen.
When the flame entered the stadium by previous Olympic stars and was passed to the next generation of stars, the stadium audience became hushed in reverence of the moment.
As the young Olympic leaders lit the long stemmed copper tips of the Olympic Cauldron, the energy in the stadium was palpable.
As the stems all rose together, depicting each of the countries represented in the games, I witnessed tears of joy falling all around me and the moment was very special as all the flames merged together to create perhaps the most beautiful Olympic torch yet created.
All in all, the evening was an amazing experience and the expectations are now sky-high for a marvelous event – the 2012 London Olympics.
What can top this?
Perhaps the greatest athletes in the world will.
Stay tuned to SpaceCoastDaily.com for further updates from across the “pond.”
– GILES MALONE
