Arriving in London yesterday afternoon (Monday) - it was disappointing the venerable old city did not feel very Olympic. On reflection, London has overwhelmed the Olympics through the shear scale of what passes as "everyday". A city that has countless museums, galleries, theatres, parks and architectural masterpieces hardly needs an injection of Olympic razzmatazz. In typically British fashion the Olympics seem somewhat understated, much like Team GB that as I write on Tuesday evening seems to be making a habit of being the battling runner-up.
Could Danny Boyle's Opening Ceremony have set the scene for Team GB? It looked like "only" a £30M show, but drawing on the British talent for making a lot out of little was worth a lot more. On this basis we should expect some pluck British losers and a few extraordinary golden performances.
This being the first "Olympic" blog a few words on the Opening Ceremony would seem appropriate if not essential. In a word: a jolly good show, and very British. Good on Danny Boyle and LOGOC for making some bold decisions and breaking with tradition: the pause to remember was so sadly poignant, the flag party of international peacemakers so noble and the choice of young athletes to light the flame so full of hope. By all accounts if you weren't British all the nuances were largely lost on you - never mind, no one understands the British, especially the eccentric English, anyway.
Could Danny Boyle's Opening Ceremony have set the scene for Team GB? It looked like "only" a £30M show, but drawing on the British talent for making a lot out of little was worth a lot more. On this basis we should expect some pluck British losers and a few extraordinary golden performances.
This being the first "Olympic" blog a few words on the Opening Ceremony would seem appropriate if not essential. In a word: a jolly good show, and very British. Good on Danny Boyle and LOGOC for making some bold decisions and breaking with tradition: the pause to remember was so sadly poignant, the flag party of international peacemakers so noble and the choice of young athletes to light the flame so full of hope. By all accounts if you weren't British all the nuances were largely lost on you - never mind, no one understands the British, especially the eccentric English, anyway.
