London 2012 Olympic Games: Sixteen days of Anglophile bliss, with London the center of the world and television bringing the wonderment into our homes! The moment I heard James Bond music in the opening ceremony and saw Daniel Craig standing beside the Queen—not a double of the Queen, but the actual Queen of England—I thought to myself this. is. momentous. And ohh, it was! The opening ceremony highlighted all the reasons we Anglophiles admire Britain and its culture. Her contributions to science and pop culture have been enormous, and the ceremony showcased those contributions with amazing creativity, giving us goose bumps and dropping our jaws. I’ve watched many opening ceremonies, but what Britain did, what Danny Boyle did, tops them all. (At least in my Anglophile-obsessed mind, it does!)
The opening ceremony gave us a “mini history lesson,” taking us from bucolic green pastures in the Agrarian Age to belching smokestacks in the Industrial Age to digital wizardry in the Technology Age, while the closing ceremony gave us an endorphin rush with its rollicking, “Okay, folks, now we’re going to party British style” dance music. I’m still euphoric yet today!
Many worried about the Olympics. Worried about security and terrorist attacks. (Remember the flap over the missile launchers? Residents of one London block were unceremoniously informed that surface-to-air missiles would be installed on the rooftops of their apartment buildings.) Some worried about the London transportation system. (Could Heathrow and the Underground withstand the crush of visitors?) Officials did stomp out a few fires. Tickets were difficult to get, too many stadium seat sat empty, commuters protested the closing of a major commuter lane, etc. But in the end, we’re left breathless by how well things did go. Kudos, Britain, kudos!
If, like me, you’re feeling a London-Olympics afterglow, you may enjoy perusing photo galleries of the ceremonies and games. I’ve provided links, below, for you to do so. I also have good news! Danny Boyle has announced that he will release a feature-length DVD of the opening ceremony! The DVD will allow us to see all that we missed due to limited television coverage. And for those who were lucky enough to attend the ceremony, the DVD will allow you to relive the spectacular event. Trust me, my Anglophile friends, as soon as I hear its release date, I’ll let you know!
To view the Guardian’s Photo Gallery of the opening ceremony, click HERE
To view the Guardian’s Photo Gallery of the closing ceremony, click HERE
To view the Guardian's Photo Gallery of the games, click HERE
The opening ceremony gave us a “mini history lesson,” taking us from bucolic green pastures in the Agrarian Age to belching smokestacks in the Industrial Age to digital wizardry in the Technology Age, while the closing ceremony gave us an endorphin rush with its rollicking, “Okay, folks, now we’re going to party British style” dance music. I’m still euphoric yet today!
Many worried about the Olympics. Worried about security and terrorist attacks. (Remember the flap over the missile launchers? Residents of one London block were unceremoniously informed that surface-to-air missiles would be installed on the rooftops of their apartment buildings.) Some worried about the London transportation system. (Could Heathrow and the Underground withstand the crush of visitors?) Officials did stomp out a few fires. Tickets were difficult to get, too many stadium seat sat empty, commuters protested the closing of a major commuter lane, etc. But in the end, we’re left breathless by how well things did go. Kudos, Britain, kudos!
If, like me, you’re feeling a London-Olympics afterglow, you may enjoy perusing photo galleries of the ceremonies and games. I’ve provided links, below, for you to do so. I also have good news! Danny Boyle has announced that he will release a feature-length DVD of the opening ceremony! The DVD will allow us to see all that we missed due to limited television coverage. And for those who were lucky enough to attend the ceremony, the DVD will allow you to relive the spectacular event. Trust me, my Anglophile friends, as soon as I hear its release date, I’ll let you know!
To view the Guardian’s Photo Gallery of the opening ceremony, click HERE
To view the Guardian’s Photo Gallery of the closing ceremony, click HERE
To view the Guardian's Photo Gallery of the games, click HERE
| | <---- A wonderful sampler of the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony |
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