The Olympics: Beijing - Opening Ceremony

**Phoenix** · #1 08-09-2008

Here is some of the opening ceremony for the Summer Olympics which is taking place in Beijing, China.

**Phoenix** · #2 08-09-2008

Oh yeah, and if you want to watch all of it:
Part1
Part2
Part3
Part4
Part5
Part6
Part7
Part8

GoldenWarrior · #3 08-09-2008

Ah man I missed most of it but it looks like it amazing....to be there would have been epic. Thanks for the video Phoenix!

roomie · #4 08-09-2008

I tuned in as Team USA was walking into the stadium (sidenote: damn they looked good in their official jackets/berets/etc!) and kept watching until the ending after the cauldron was lit... Watching it on TV was breathtaking, I can't imagine what it must have been like to actually be there!

And, okay, did anyone else get a little choked up when they explained who the little boy walking with Yao Ming was?

bratty · #5 08-09-2008

I didn't watch the opening, but i've watched the swimming today as well as beach volleyball.

**Killer_Tofu** · #6 08-09-2008

Originally Posted by roomie

And, okay, did anyone else get a little choked up when they explained who the little boy walking with Yao Ming was?

YES! That was so amazing to me.

I read an article one time about the idea of the group and the individual in western vs eastern cultures that talked about how people in eastern cultures are really focused on belonging to the group whereas people in western cultures try to be individuals. The story of that little boy demonstrates that perfectly to me.

**Bacchus** · #7 08-10-2008

Originally Posted by roomie

I tuned in as Team USA was walking into the stadium (sidenote: damn they looked good in their official jackets/berets/etc!) and kept watching until the ending after the cauldron was lit... Watching it on TV was breathtaking, I can't imagine what it must have been like to actually be there!

It was absolutely spectacular. A few of us were watching while commenting in the chat box and we all echoed your sentiments. You could truly see where the 100 million went. I would feel confident saying it was the greatest live performance spectacular of all time, and by leaps and bounds (and I have seen a Phish festival or two in my days!)

To put things in perspective, here are parts of the opening ceremonies in Atlanta and Los Angeles:

Yes, it can be argued that these events were from decades past, but there is no question the Chinese event was so massive in scale that even if you removed all the technologies involved and moved it back in time, it would have still trumped all predecessors by a large margin with its scale, ingenuity and cultural magnificence.

Key Statistic: Fifteen thousand performers! Yes, Fifteen thousand...

**Bacchus** · #8 08-10-2008

Spectacular (large) photos from the opening ceremonies.