Rio 2016 Olympics: Opening Ceremonies

5 August 2016 Friday

Olá from Brazil!!!



(Credit: EPA / BARBARA WALTON)
Fireworks at the Maracana Stadium, Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 05 August 2016.

It's that wonderful time again when the Olympics take place! Every two years, the Olympics alternate between summer & winter events. This time, it's the summer games, & for the first time in Olympics history, the Olympic Games are held in South America! Welcome to the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2016 Olympic Games!

What an amazing & wonderful job the Brazilians did in welcoming the world & athletes to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games! I love how the Brazilians embraced their history & owned their past mistakes. What other country can claim descendants from pre Columbian civilizations while living amongst the Amazon jungle?

(Credit: AP / Dmitri Lovetsky)
Artists perform during the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

I was particularly moved by their dances where they introduced the natives & the coming of other peoples from across the world to settle in Brazil. The slaves were heartbreaking & mesmerizing at the same time. I cannot ever recall a time in the history of the Olympics when a nation acknowledges the horrors & conflicts of their past, all while making the case for hope, for unity, & for peace in their own country & across the world.

(Credit: Getty Images / Clive Mason)
Dancers perform during the Geometrization segment of the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracana Stadium on August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

And what an amazing & important message about climate change & the need to do more to protect the earth, our natural resources, & the need to come together to make the world a safer, better, more protected place for all life. The inspired & creative use of athletes to plant & promote seeds of hope--literally giving them seeds to plant--seeds that would become part of a planned forest, a legacy of these games & an important effort to protect the environment, made these games so much more meaningful & effective in getting that message of coming together to save our earth--our home, the only place where we can live in the entire universe.

(Credit: Getty Images / Ezra Shaw)
Performers dance during the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracana Stadium on August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

But it wasn't only the somber, serious call to protect our earth & make peace that made the Rio 2016 Olympics so special. It was also the fantastic dancing & music & performances that celebrated Brazilian culture & zest for life that made the opening ceremonies so festive & exciting!

The spectacular fireworks:

(Credit: Getty Images / Patrick Smith)
Fireworks explode on the stadium roof during the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracana Stadium on August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The dazzling performances:


(Credit: TNS / Wally Skalij)
Dancers perform during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games on Friday, Aug. 5, 2016, at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

(Credit: TNS / Wally Skalij)
Dancers perform during the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympic Games on Friday, Aug. 5, 2016, at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

(Credit: Getty Images South America / Ian Walton)
Dancers perform during the Favela Voices segement of Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracana Stadium on August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

And the sensational parade of nations, one of my favorite part of the Olympics, when we get to see people from all across the world. It's fascinating to learn about these new, different peoples & cultures. But it's also the time to compare their outfits & see who was best dressed & who was just baffling.

But let's begin with the amazing volunteers, who did a great job of making the opening ceremony a fantastic event. The first thought that came mind was, "Wow. That's a bright, huge, neon pink arrow on their shirts. Does it mean 'This way to gay & fabulous'?"

(Credit: AP / Markus Schreiber)
Mohammad Tawfiq Bakhshi carries the flag of Afghanistan during the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

There aren't a lot of places one can sport a huge pink arrow. But in Rio, it works & it's fabulous!

You know what wasn't fabulous? Those boring, gawd awful blazers most of the teams were sporting. Was this the Olympics or a meeting of the junior yacht club? Seriously? Who thought that blazers were a good idea? It's a terrible design choice! Just awful! Was there a glee club competition event added to the Olympics? Because it looked like the US & South Korea are dressed for a regional sing off!

(Credit: AP / Matt Slocum)
United States athletes march into the Maracana stadium during the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

(Credit: AP / David J. Phillip)
Team South Korea arrives during the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

Thank goodness there were some awesome fashion standouts. I'm a sucker for traditional, native wear. I love cultural costumes.

Check out Cameroon!


(Credit: AP / Patrick Semansky)
Team Cameroon marches in the arena during the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

And Burundi with some bold choices: Is that leopard print with neon green shoes?

(Credit: AP / David J. Phillip)
Team Burundi arrives during the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

Canada had the best jackets. They rocked that mullet jacket--business in the front & party in the back. Very modern chic!

(Credit: AP / Charlie Riedel)
Members of team Canada take a selfie during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

Mongolia had all the right moves with the awesome native costume of the flag bearer, the glorious sunshine happy yellow suits, & those stunning golden designed skirts.

(Credit: AP / Matt Slocum)
Mongolia athletes march into the Maracana stadium during the opening ceremony for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

But without a doubt, the best dressed of the Rio Olympics (& all Olympics!) is Pita Nikolas Taufatofua of the Pacific islands nation of Tonga.

(Credit: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters)
Pita Nikolas Taufatofua of Tonga Aug. 5, 2016 at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  

You may not have heard of Tonga or Pita before, but I'm sure you're curious now! And you can bet that he is now the standard by which all future parade of nations costumes will be judged.

And how special was that cauldron lighting ceremony? You were probably wondering, with Pele, Brazil's most famous athlete too ill to light the Rio Olympics cauldron, who could fill such a big role?

And the Brazilians made the right choice in picking marathoner Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima.

(Credit: Getty Images South America / Lars Baron)
Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima lifts the torch before lighting the Olympic Cauldron during the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracana Stadium on August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima was denied victory at the 2004 Athens Games marathon when he was attacked by a spectator--a defrocked & deranged Irish priest who had an extensive history of sabotaging events for attention. Until the attack, Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima was leading the race in the final leg. The attack startled him & ruined his rhythm & concentration. He was passed up by others, yet he bravely fought on & struggled to third place, earning him the bronze.

For his incredible struggle after that unprovoked attack, he was awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal for sportsmanship, the highest noble honor awarded by International Olympics Committee to those athletes who best exemplified the spirit of the Olympic Games. And he was the perfect person to light the Rio Olympics Cauldron & inspire that spirit of hope & heed the call to be the best we can be.

And what about that magnificent Rio Olympics Cauldron? It moves & spins & radiates like the sun or a blossoming, beautiful flower! What a magnificent, stunning, gorgeous Olympics cauldron!

(Credit: Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)
The cauldron is lit during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olymics at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 5, 2016.

This Rio 2016 Olympics Cauldron is the Pita Nikolas Taufatofua of Olympic cauldrons! This cauldron will now be the standard by which all other Olympic cauldrons will be judged.

Thank you for an incredible welcome & outstanding opening ceremony, Rio! You know how to party! And we are so excited to be your guests & experience the marvel of the Olympics in your country. Muito obrigado!

(Credit: Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Aug. 5, 2016 shows the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.