Power of 8

The clock struck 8 past 8 in the evening on the 8th day of the 8th month of the 8th year of this century…and the magic began.

For more than an hour a perfect harmony of a massive ceremony was on display at the Bird’s Nest, the National Stadium in Beijing, and the venue of the opening of the 2008 Olympics.

Those present in the stadium and billions of others who glued to the TV screen all over the world remained mesmerized as the grand show rapidly unfolded.

The superb spectacle wouldn’t have remained secret had the South Korea’s Seoul Broadcasting System’s YouTube video on July 30 of one of the dress rehearsals not been removed in time. The Olympic committee of course punished SBS by not allowing it to take cameras inside when the actual ceremony took place yesterday.

That something of this magnitude could be possible not with automating tricks but by thousands of actual performers would have remained unbelievable, and perhaps would remain so hereafter.

I’ve picked up the following YouTube video of the opening ceremony. Do enjoy.