Paralympics Begin!

Part two of Beijing 2008.  I was just watching the opening ceremony, and I have to say that these keep getting weirder and weirder.  First opening ceremony was amazing, the closing ceremony was good but kind of strange, but I think this one was a little beyond me.  It was really short--only about 15 minutes of performance before the parade of nations--and basically consisted of a couple hundred of what I can only describe as teletubbies running around in a circle and then sitting down and playing 'parachute' with their capes.  A visually pleasing effect, but I couldn't help but thinking that it was more along the lines of some kindergarten extravaganza than an Olympic ceremony--like they weren't taking it that seriously.  Which I sort of wonder about, because I bet not getting taken seriously is something paralympic athletes have to deal with a lot. 

Two weeks in China!! Still feels ridiculously understated, but it's the same ridiculous understatement that I felt last week.  This may start going fast in the near future..