Best of Sochi Olympics Revisited 1: Opening Cermony and Memorable Victories

First, allow me to wish a VERY HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY to all the lovely women of the world! Read my post:  March 8, Happy International Women’s Day!

Also, an important announcement: Yesterday, March 7th, I was on the Time Monk Radio’s show PLANE TRUTH. We have discussed in detail the situation in Ukraine, Russia’s role, USA/EU, geopolitics and some of my predictions. I will post the video of the interview on Lada Ray Blog, as well as YT Channel as soon as it becomes available.

BEST of SOCHI OLYMPICS REVISITED

A WELL-DESERVED CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RUSSIAN ATHLETES ON THEIR HUGE SOCHI OLYMPICS SUCCESS!

13 Gold medals, 33 overall – 1st place! Bravo! Well done!

Let’s belatedly revisit the Sochi Olympics spectacular opening and closing ceremonies, as well as some of the spectacular victories, in stunning images!

Sochi Olympics were the most expensive Olympics in history at $50-51 bln. In seven years, the old, quaint Soviet resort of Sochi was transformed into a huge modern athletic and tourist center. 11 international athletic venues were built from scratch, most of these so advanced architecturally that they can be disassembled and taken to another city for a different event. So, I won’t be too surprised if one day I see the Sochi Faberge egg Olympic stadium in St Petersburg.

Also, 40,000 new hotel rooms were built, and to top it off, the new port, new rail road station, many new roads and other infrastructure was added, plus a new high-speed railroad connecting Sochi seaside with Krasnaya Polyana, Adler and the mountains where all the mountain-based events took place during the Olympics.

The historic Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi

Stunning images of the Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony

Beloved Russian fairytales: magnificent Russian Troika of horses pulling the sun and the Russian culture as represented by the colorful Russian domes in the background. A revolutionary new technology as used during the opening and closing ceremonies: the floor of the Olympic stadium was transformed into a giant “3D painting” as designers call it, that changed with every scene. It was amazing and  incredibly realistic. One moment it would be a stormy sea, another, the giant 3D map of St Petersburg, and yet another, the ice melting, as seen on the picture below (click to enlarge for more detail).

Another artistic representation of the sun and light (hence enlightenment) as a beloved image of ancient Russian folklore

Going deep into Russian heritage and history: colorful fairs, ancient Russian cultural entertainers, and beautiful Russian domes

Peter the Great, founding of St Petersburg and the Russian Empire, 18th-19th century Russian culture, Russian ballet, Tolstoy’s War and Peace and more

Soviet days, industrialization and building of the new society

Russian Space exploration and Yury Gagarin tribute – the legendary Vostok spacecraft

Vladimir Putin declaring the Sochi Olympics officially open

The mysterious young woman on his left that everyone has been asking about is a Russian bobsled athlete. During a pre-competition run in Germany several years ago, she crashed on track, but the judge mistakenly sent the next athlete downhill. The collision sent her into a coma and she was in a hospital for over 18 months, going through multiple arduous surgeries. She’ll never be able to jump, dance or compete again, but the very fact that she is walking is a reminder that some of the biggest victories are the victories of spirit that don’t take place in the Olympic stadium. A beautiful symbolism, if you ask me.

China and Kazakhstan leaders, among many heads of state at the Sochi Olympics opening ceremony. Over 60 heads of state were present at the Sochi opening ceremony – double the number of heads of state at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in Canada

Russian team entering the stadium during opening ceremony. Outfits based on traditional Russian “ushanka” Russian hats and “dublenka” fur coats for women and men as well. Furs are artificial of course.

Women outfitted in a traditional Russian dublenka. Yummy, yummy – I so want one!

Ah, the only two teams that had the taste, common decency and courtesy to carry the host nation’s flags along with their own, during Sochi Olympics opening ceremony: China and Japan

China entering the opening ceremony

Japan entering the opening ceremony

Speaking of common decency… Loud outfits of the USA Sochi Olympics team designed by my favorite (now decidedly FORMERLY favorite) designer Ralph Lauren. Tastelessness is not my style.

The American flag and the sign carried in front of the team were apparently not enough to identify the team’s national association. LOL

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But let’s get back to something much more tasteful….

The brave and beautiful girl representing young, new Russia, whose name is Lyubov, a beloved Russian name which means ‘love,’ flying over the stadium and Russia

The girl called Lyubov, symbolizing young Russia, is flying over the floating islands of various cultures that symbolize the diversity of the Russian land

Beautiful symbolism. New, young Russia reaching for the sky, supported by the entire country

 World renowned opera singer Anna Netrebko, originally from Krasnodar region that is hosting Sochi Olympics, sings Olympic Anthem

Olympic constellations – lit up moving figures of Olympic athletes in the sky

The whole cast of the spectacular opening ceremony, symbolizing entire Russian population throughout its whole history, greets the Olympic torch as it is being carried through the long passage towards the cauldron by legendary Olympic champions Irina Rodnina and Vladislav Tretiak.

Russian/Soviet sports legends – legendary, never-defeated hockey goalkeeper Vladislav Tretiak & multiple Olympic and World gold medalist in figure skating, Irina Rodnina – light the Olympic Torch in Sochi.

Best of Olympic Victories

Apart from the Beijing Olympics in 2008, this was the first Olympics since 2002 I watched as a whole. In addition to the sport I always loved – figure skating, I discovered for myself the spectacular newer sports such as snowboarding, free style skiing and short track. I admire all athletes for their courage and dedication to such dangerous, yet amazing to watch, sports. Below are several of the #Sochi2014 Winter Olympic Games wins that impressed me most.

Russian 17-year-old Adelina Sotnikova wins gold in women’s figure skating

Russians win gold and silver in pairs figure skating! Russia’s Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov – first place; Russia’s Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov – second place

Russia wins team gold in figure skating

Russian athlete Victor Ahn, originally from South Korea, wins 3 golds and a bronze in short track.

Russia sweeps podium in men’s 50K cross-country race! Russia’s gold medal winner Alexander Legkov is flanked by Russia’s silver medal winner Maxim Vylegzhanin, left and Russia’s bronze medal winner Ilia Chernousov at the 2014 Winter Olympics on Feb. 23, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia.

At 39, Russian athlete and one of the oldest Olympians, Russia-1 pilot Alexander Zubkov wins 2 golds in 2 and 4 men bobsleigh at Sanki Sliding Center during Sochi Olympics. Zubkov was also the Russian team flag bearer.

Congratulations to Canada for winning gold in both men’s and women’s hockey

American Joss Christensen – gold in slopestyle

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Today, like many in the world, I am celebrating the International Women’s Day. Here you can find my original March 8 post with history and lots of nice pics.

I really wanted to mark this day with a lovely post about the Sochi Olympics, which I meant to post still during the Olympics. However, the sad and dangerous events in Ukraine, which hit too close to home for comfort, had made me delay this post.

I have written a number of articles at FuturisTrendcast.wordpress.com in which I have discussed the cultural, historical, geopolitical implications of the Ukraine events, as well as gave my predictions. These articles are written for those who see through hypocrisy and who want to know the truth. Click on link above to read.

Part 2 of the Best of Sochi Olympics Revisited: Closing Ceremony is coming soon!