Let the games begin: Sochi Olympics starts off strong
The Fisht Olympic Stadium, taken by Atos International
Photos taken by Atos International/ Creative Commons Licensed
Even though it seemed the rest of Sochi was not prepared, the opening ceremony on Day 1 of the Winter Olympics proved just the opposite.
At 8:14 p.m. local time — or Greenwich Mean Time, plus four hours — on Feb. 7, the almost three-hour extravaganza began, recounting Russia’s turbulent history. However, the main focus was the history of their industrial revolution, with performers setting down a fresh railroad; the famous Bolshoi Ballet, featuring a scene from Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”; and a traditional matrimonial dance displaying Russian marriage values, which was slightly ironic considering recent passage of severe anti gay-marriage laws by the Russian Parliament.
The only hitch in the entire ceremony was that one of the Olympic rings did not expand from a star shape. Russian television stations, however, doctored the footage so that it appeared to open. All in all, however, the opening ceremony was beautifully performed.
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