The Grand Opening Ceremony
Today, the 1st of December, marks the opening of the much awaited 15th Asian Games here in Doha , Qatar. I am watching it right now as I write this article. My husband and I (especially me) have had our eyes glued to Qatar TV minutes before the ceremony began. I'm sure entire Qatar is all eyes on it too, either in the flesh at the Khalifa Stadium or within the confines of their own homes.
The night was surely a nerve-racking experience for all the organizers and performers as well, especially because it hasn't stopped raining since this morning. It was still raining just before and after the program has started. But it was really surprising to see that the stadium has been filled up to the brim, we could even see lots of umbrellas on tv. Well I guess, spending 500 riyals for a ticket is motivation enough to get there despite the bad weather, not unless there's a strong typhoon or hurricane. We also experienced a 20-second power interruption. We are not sure whether the same thing happened in the stadium, my husband couldn't help speculate that it could have been some sort of sabotage. Thank God it's not, in the same way that no one planned for it to rain today. Depsite the gloomy weather, you can still see from the audience a festive mood, thus you could just imagine their excitement once the show started.
The ceremony basically showed a brief history of how Qatar came to be and the role that the its Asian neighbors played in its way to nationhood. The program also showed Qatar's path to industrial and technological advancement. This happened side-by-side with the showcasing of different performances. It was a musical narrative. It showed the cultural richness of Asia, consisting of the varried cultures of the different countries particulary of China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Mongolia. There were a few flaws though, like the performers not completely synchronized. But what the heck, maybe they were just so nervous at that time. Besides all that matters is that people were entertained. I was. I also loved the special effects that they used. Although my husband was not that impressed, I'm sure most people were, especially those watching in person. I am sure that everyone enjoyed every bit of the ceremony, up to the lighting of the Asian Games torch. Oh boy, the horse really got tired from that stunt (galloping on a steeply-inclined plane) and the rider surely got a bit nervous. The fireworks display, although a bit short was really wonderful to watch even on tv. It was also the first time that I saw the Emir of Qatar on what may have been one of his rarest tv appearances. I'm sure everybody also caught a glimpse of the Emir's wife (do they call her the queen) who is absolutelu gorgeous.
Finally, the long wait is over. The months and months, if not years of preparation has finally been put to the test. As an observer and a resident of Qatar myself, I can say that all the hardwork has paid off. Now I realize that all the trouble we've had to endure during the countless road constructions has been worth it. Hats off to everyone who has taken part in this endeavor. Hats off to Doha Games! Let the games of your life begin!