Olympic Opening Ceremonies

10:30
Final Torchbearer - they all have their torches lit still, tension mounts...
Arena floor opens and giants shards of ice rise up.
And the last four jointly light the flame.
Joint effort, interesting...
Would have rather it been Terry Fox's Mom - that would have been really inspirational.

10:25
Rick Hansen brings in the flame and passes it too,
Catrina la may doan
Steve Nash
Nancy Greene Raine
Wayne Gretzky

10:10
Oh no Terry Fox's Mother is carrying the flag and so is Bobby Orr (good call Craig) - not the torch...along with Ann Murry, Barbara Ann Scott, Donald Sutherland and others.
I'm guessing Gretzky now.
Wow the Olympic Hymn is being sung by someone with really, really big hair  (I hope it doesn't fall off) and a really big (opera) voice.

10:00am
The Gov General opens the games, John Furlong gives a pretty good speech.
KD Lang sings Hallelujah - Michael's favorite performance.
We Are More - recited by Shane Koyzcan - goggle the poem for full transcript
The torch?

9:25
We Canadians are amazing dancers! A cross between punk rock, celtic kilt wearing, fiddle playing, Irish tap dancers. Now an acrobat is flying through the air through the wheat fields at Joni Mitchell sings. The use of color is fabulous.

9:05
Very cool effects with the northern lights, cracking ice, whales jumping, and giant totem poles become trees. Sara McLaughlin sings and ESPN fades to a commercial.

8:57am
Craig says the final torchbearer will be Bobby Orr.
The audience is given drums and Prime Minister looks uncomfortable (as always) beating the drum.

8:45am
Whoohoo, here comes Canada with Clara Hughes carrying the flag. The crowd goes crazy. They are wearing red, white and black - at least they are different. The politicians are waving and I feel sorry for whoever sits behind the First Nations chief with that crazy headdress.
Those dancers on the floor have been dancing and twirling this whole time especially the first nations people, they must be in good shape.
Here come Nelly Furtado and Brian Adams. Time to party.

8:20am
I forgot, the Canadians will come at the end. Good thing cause ESPN went to commercial at the B's and came back to China. Have you noticed how many teams are wearing red and white? Ooh except Kazachstan (sp?) just came in wearing purple - they should rethink that for next time.
OK, a bit of a lull now so the big question is: who will be the final torchbearer? Michael says Betty Fox and I agree or Terry Fox and Betty Fox. Craig and Alanna say Gretzky.
What about that 4th mascot, that little marmot guy? How about Svend Robinson?

7:50am
It's started. I liked the opening with the snowboarder and all the scenes from Vancouver and Whistler. The national anthem - I just want to know that the girl who was lip synching (not that she looked like it) was the actual girl that sang it. And what tune was she singing it too - the national anthem sung to the tune of "Oh Christmas Tree."
The ice statues are impressive and look their arms move.
Wow, here come the athletes already. Got to get ready, remember in Canada we spell Canada with a "C."

7:10am
I was awake for most of the night. Was I too excited about the opening ceremonies - now fifteen minutes away? I did get the news about the death of the luge slider. Very sad way to start the games.
Just going to make some coffee (I'm going to need it) and then park myself on the couch for a few hours.