Come Back Leni Riefenstahl- All Is Forgiven

[poliphilo]

The guy who was favourite to light the Olympic flame (a national hero in Greece) is under suspicion of being a drugs cheat. Here we go again!

Who cares whether this years crop of pampered darlings gets to run a little faster or jump a little further than their predecessors did four years ago? It's a freak show- and the nationalism is disgusting.

I watched the Sydney Olympics for the scenery. I don't remember any of the sports events, but I remember the blue waters of the harbour and the the beautiful palm-lined streets. I guess Athens should offer something similar. It's the events that take place outside the stadium that I'm looking forward to- olive groves, crags and ruined temples, with lightly-clad bodies moving elegantly across the foreground.

Comments

[archyena.livejournal.com]

On the nationalism, there was an article somewhere about the nations recruiting athletes from other countries to go to the Olympics. I believe the Greeks have a few, in fact. Sort of a testament to globalization.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

A bit like the Irish football team. It used to be notorious that if a player had the merest drop of Irish blood in his veins - even if he was really English or Scottish or American- they'd take him on.

[balirus.livejournal.com]

the nationalism is disgusting

My guess is that you'll not be watching the opening ceremonies and its parade of flags. It might be worth a view though, if only to see the U.S. reaction to our athletes being booed when they enter the Olympic stadium.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

This is odd. I thought one of the main channels might have been carrying the opening ceremony live- but none of them did. One of the news programmes showed us a clip of a weird flying sculpture that broke apart to reveal another sculpture inside. And then the stadium appeared to have been flooded and a man and a woman were rolling about in the water. I guess I'll catch up with things later this evening. Surely someone will be showing a recording.