XXII Winter Olympics Came to Sochi, Russia!

I was very excited to watch the opening! Just because it is Olympics and just because they are in my home country!!!! I have been to Sochi when I was almost 8, right before starting school. I remember warmth, palm trees, hot dry air, my first ever plane ride, first seeing sea which was very salty.

I can only guess how much they have done to prepare for Olympics in Sochi. There are different information online on how far they went to do what needed to be done, not sure how much to believe though.

This was the first time Russia hosted winter Olympics, so the opening was really breathtaking.  I am looking at some website to get numbers for this opening ceremony and it is plain crazy - 9,000 people worked on high-tech, pyrotechnic performance.

Me and Kyra were snuggling on the couch watching all the countries come in. We brought world map with us so we could see where the country is located, how big it was and what language people there spoke. Great geography lesson!

"The two-and-a-half hour show took us on a riveting 18-part roller-coaster ride through Russian history, from the times of ancient Russia to the modern era, presenting spectators highlights of Russian culture. Accompanied by the music of great Russian composers like Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Sviridov, it portrayed the path Russia took to become the country it is now.

The unique feature of the parade was a special floor where an image of the earth was magically projected. The stunt included a smooth touch: An image of the globe from outer space rotated every time a new country was announced, pinpointing the location of that country.

The athletes appeared from the heart of their respective nations and then walked into the stadium.

All countries were introduced in alphabetical order according to their Russian spelling. Per tradition, Greece - the birthplace of Olympic competition - was the first to enter the stadium.

As host country, Russia took the stage last, marching to the upbeat dance song "Not gonna get us" by t.A.T.u., a Russian pop girl band extremely popular in the mid-2000s, and the country’s most successful pop export to the world.

Following the hour-long parade of more than 3,000 athletes, who will be taking part in almost 100 events, the dazzling show began. Dancers, actors and singers took the audience on a magnificent voyage through Russian history.

The main idea of the ceremony were the dreams of a little girl named Lyuba - meaning 'love' in Russian - who sees Russia and its history in different periods.

The actors on stage reenacted episodes from Russia’s history as well as most beloved folk tales, mesmerizing the audience. One of the most elegant and enchanting moments of the opening ceremony was the ballet reenactment of Natasha’s first ball from the Leo Tolstoy’s timeless novel ‘War and Peace.’

The ceremony’s fiery finale featured over 3,500 fireworks. The average weight of the firecrackers was around 22.5 tons, while the heaviest weighed in at 4.8 tons.

During the Games athletes will compete in over 15 disciplines in seven sports. Twelve new events have been slotted into the crowded Olympic schedule, including the figure skating team event, slopestyle and half-pipe skiing (both men’s and women’s).

Over the next 16 days a record number of Olympic medals will be presented – a total of 98 sets, that is 12 more than in Vancouver 2010. Each gold medal weighs 531g, while silvers are 525g and the bronzes are 460g"

Fireworks!