Trying to stream the olympic opening ceremony live from Quebec proved difficult. But I imagine online streaming of the olympics may be difficult from anywhere? Seems you still really need a TV to appreciate sporting activities in real time.
We started out from one website in our apartment. Microsoft Silverlight proved troublesome so we switched to another, which lagged – step – pause – flag – pause – we moved to a local bar… <luckily said bar happened to have 2 for $6 drinks>
I tend to think the olympic opening ceremony has started to create too much hype. The Olympics is about athletes, and the coming together of the worlds nations for sport, but people expect more from the opening ceremony than athletes these days.
I felt kind of sorry for England. Having lived there for a few years myself, I felt they had tried, but just fell short of the olympic opening ceremony expectation. I laughed all the way through the Rowan Atkinson (aka Mr Bean) part, but found all the various other historic times which were represented somewhat confusing, lacking in impact, and generally tedious.
It seemed different times in history were being represented – musically, dress sense and so forth, but the frequent appearance of mobile phones and modern text message style messaging threw us a little. I’d like to read about the overall director’s ambition – but personally I didn’t really get it.
Opening ceremony thoughts over, so what about the athletes.
This is a travel blog, not a celebrity gossip mag or other fashion chatty piece, that said, what follows is mostly my unsubstantiated ravings on the dress style of different nations athletes.
“Oh my God, is Australia trying to look like a nation of cheesy 60′s airline cabin attendants?”
“I hope New Zealand doesn’t look so appalling. Surely athletes, who come to the olympics for sport shouldn’t wear such ridiculous outfits – it’s a sporting event, wear sports clothing”
I did like Canada’s outfit, no bullshit.
New Zealand didn’t disappoint. And I was worried after seeing what the Aussi’s were wearing.
I did question a few nations equality of sex after seeing various countries displaying vastly different male and female uniforms. It’s difficult, because it isn’t necessarily sexist to dress women in dresses and men in suits – but sometimes you just get the impression that anything else would be unacceptable, that’s when I think everyone should just wear the same baggy sports slacks…
“Wow, who’s that militarist nation?” – I’d just come back from the washroom and I really said this. Military beret’s, cadet uniforms, looked like they were off to war. Thought it would be some infrequently heard off, somewhat mischievous dictatorship – but no, it was the United States. What does this ‘uniform’, supposedly Ralph Lauren designed, have to do with sporting competition and uniting an already too separated world?
How much of US spending is military oriented again? Are these uniforms military/cadet oriented, are they aimed at creating the impression of an open, forward thinking country?
It seems there is already a little internet ‘who har’ about the US olympic uniforms, but not so much the design, but rather the fact that they were actually manufactured in China. Who cares? Isn’t everything manufactured in China anyway?
Great Britain marches by in white and gold. With lots of confetti.
Let the games begin…
US, Spain and Australia photos from Mental Floss
Canada photo from Vancouver Sun
England and second Australia photo from The Daily Mail
Talking of male/female segregation, i’m suprised you didn’t mention the Germans. Woman in pink, men in blue, just as it should be… haha!
Also, I’m not sure if anyone has told you, or if you’ve found out, but Frankie Snell is in the English waterpolo team. I searched for her in the opening ceremony but with no luck. Her whole family is over there watching. Very jealous!!
I do remember a rumor a while ago that she was quite likely going to be competing, that’s really cool. I’ll have to watch some waterpolo games now too!
New Zealand always comes out looking the same but at least it works for us! Definitely don’t understand some of the fashions by some of the countries. But then again I love trackies and a hoody so who am I to comment haha.
haha yes, New Zealand is always in black. We’re obsessed with the colour. But I don’t mind, I’m rather fond of it…
It looks like you were aware of the brouhaha about the US uniforms having been made in China, but, get this, there was also criticism of the uniforms because the athletes are wearing berets which some Americans apparently felt was just too too French. (Yep. Some Americans have been eating Freedom Fries and Freedom Toast ever since the French did not support the U.S. 2003 invasion of Iraq—WMDs or no WMDs). Apparently, they forgot about all the U.S. special forces troops whose uniforms have berets.
Thanks for sharing Suzanne, that’s an interesting side of things I hadn’t thought of at the time. Contradictions everywhere.