WWTBAM Bored

Wow!

I thought the drum segment was truly amazing, but I think it was just topped by the dancers' caligraphy.

Fantastic juxtaposition of ancient and modern. Very apropos.

Best line so far: "Well, we've got the people!"

I love the Danish flagbearer carrying the pole in one hand -- held straight out in front of himself. I wonder if he did that all the way around the track?

The young earthquake survivor had me tearing up. Next to Yao Ming he looked about 3 yrs. old -- I was stunned to hear he was 9. What a great story, and an amazing child.

I was befuddled at the bagpipes. They played for hours, the same tune over and over. I can think of one nation who would have bagpipes, and how many athletes can Scotland be sending to the Games anyway?

As I just said over in the FNGD forum, this entire production raises the standards for "spectacular."

Holy Cats!! That was amazing.

I saw that the Egyptian men and women were in seersucker suits.

Dang, we've got only two years to top that?!?!?!?!?!?


I better start shining up the sled.....

Ritterskoop wrote:I was befuddled at the bagpipes. They played for hours, the same tune over and over. I can think of one nation who would have bagpipes, and how many athletes can Scotland be sending to the Games anyway?

I thought that the presence of the bagpipes was very odd.

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I thought that the presence of the bagpipes was very odd.

I think there were 4 or 5 recorded songs representing various cultures on a continuous loop as the athletes came into the stadium. Pattern recognition kicked in for me after a while.

The artistic section of the opening ceremonies was astounding.

a1mamacat wrote:Dang, we've got only two years to top that?!?!?!?!?!?


I better start shining up the sled.....

Actually, you've got only a year and a half.

hermillion wrote:The young earthquake survivor had me tearing up. Next to Yao Ming he looked about 3 yrs. old -- I was stunned to hear he was 9. What a great story, and an amazing child.

Yeah. My first thought was, "He's nine? He looks too small to be nine!"

And then, "Duh! He's walking next to Yao Ming!"



Did anyone else notice that the Chinese flag that boy was carrying was upside down? When the U.S. flag is flown upside down, it's a symbol of distress. I wonder if they have the same meaning for their flag and if they did that deliberately, as a reference to the earthquake, or if that little details somehow slipped by, in this magnificently choreographed ceremony?

Ritterskoop wrote:I was befuddled at the bagpipes. They played for hours, the same tune over and over. I can think of one nation who would have bagpipes, and how many athletes can Scotland be sending to the Games anyway?

And the bagpipe tune was "Scotland the Brave". None of the countries marching in when that was being played was anywhere close to Scotland.

Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention!

MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention!

Or who wasn't watching......

lb13

MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention!

Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?

I'm not usually that big on opening ceremonies, being impatient for the games to begin, but that ceremony held my attention, to say the least.

The drummers, the people inside the blocks, the 2,008 Tai Chi masters, the little boy with Yao Ming, the way the torch was lit, etc. etc. etc.

Wow.

The bar has now been set so high, even Sergei Bubka couldn't vault over it.

christie1111 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention!

Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?

They are in the Indian Ocean, roughly between Madagascar and mainland Africa.

ulysses5019 wrote:

christie1111 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention!

Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?

They are in the Indian Ocean, roughly between Madagascar and mainland Africa.

Yes, but since I was paying attention, I was hoping that he would ask that. for one free point!



Hey, and I hope you didn't expect points for answering the FNGD Q's AFTER everyone went to bed. Do you ever sleep?

Oh, and I noticed you didn't answer the flag Q.

christie1111 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention!

Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?

Paraguay has different symbols on each side. I wasn't aware Comoros has a different front and back.

Bob Juch wrote:

christie1111 wrote:

MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention!

Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?

Paraguay has different symbols on each side. I wasn't aware Comoros has a different front and back.

I asked which one had this. I did not say Comoros had one.

More of the trivia mentioned during the opening ceremonies.

christie1111 wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote:

christie1111 wrote: Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?

They are in the Indian Ocean, roughly between Madagascar and mainland Africa.

Yes, but since I was paying attention, I was hoping that he would ask that. for one free point!



Hey, and I hope you didn't expect points for answering the FNGD Q's AFTER everyone went to bed. Do you ever sleep?

Oh, and I noticed you didn't answer the flag Q.

I left it for bob to answer. Actually I didn't see it. I knew Paraguay. Did not know about Moldova.

ulysses5019 wrote:

christie1111 wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote: They are in the Indian Ocean, roughly between Madagascar and mainland Africa.

Yes, but since I was paying attention, I was hoping that he would ask that. for one free point!



Hey, and I hope you didn't expect points for answering the FNGD Q's AFTER everyone went to bed. Do you ever sleep?

Oh, and I noticed you didn't answer the flag Q.

I left it for bob to answer. Actually I didn't see it. I knew Paraguay. Did not know about Moldova.

What is different about Moldova? Guess I missed that refreshing my pomegranate margarita.

Actually, I have sort of moved on to Mojitos lately. Mint is in season.

christie1111 wrote:

ulysses5019 wrote:

christie1111 wrote:
Yes, but since I was paying attention, I was hoping that he would ask that. for one free point!



Hey, and I hope you didn't expect points for answering the FNGD Q's AFTER everyone went to bed. Do you ever sleep?

Oh, and I noticed you didn't answer the flag Q.

I left it for bob to answer. Actually I didn't see it. I knew Paraguay. Did not know about Moldova.

What is different about Moldova? Guess I missed that refreshing my pomegranate margarita.

Actually, I have sort of moved on to Mojitos lately. Mint is in season.

Their flag is different on the reverse and obverse.