Day 2 & Olympics already stunning

I’ve written about drones before in my Musings (Blog January 2021) but the globe in the sky above Japan’s Olympic National Stadium on Friday night, created by over 1800 of them, took my breath away. As well as this beautiful light show, there were some quirky dance elements to the Opening Ceremony, as befits the wacky Japanese sense of humour but overall, the Ceremony was respectful and serene, reflecting both the worldwide grip of Covid as well as the spiritual nature of Japanese culture.

I didn’t expect to be so quickly engrossed in the Games, feeling somewhat drained by both Wimbledon and Euros 2020. But we’re only on Day 2 and I’m already checking the matrix that is the Sport-by-Sport timetable against my diary, to work out what I can get to see at all the various times of day or more likely, night. Frankly, I’m not keen enough to be up in front of the tele in the early hours of the morning but have already caught live hockey, gymnastics, football and swimming.  And oh my days, have you seen the street skateboarding guys - mesmerising! What inspiration for the skateboarders in the Undercroft on the Southbank Centre. Although their space is comparatively modest, of course, I reckon they regularly enjoy more of a festival-like atmosphere than the sweating competitors in the near empty stadium in Tokyo. But rock on Olympics - 14 more days to go!