Expected one had a bombastic Putin-show, the result was comparatively from conventional. At the opening of the Winter Games in Sochi was indeed marching lots and lots of dancing, but less talked about. Not the worst sign for the competitions.

At the end of the opening night of Sochi it was even cold. As befits normal winter games. Normality was not yet sure what you had attested those events in advance, the first Winter Games in a subtropical region, the games that exist with their gigantic effort just as Putin’s games in the consciousness of the general public.

And so it seemed almost comforting to know that this opening ceremony but then proceeded comparatively conservative, somehow unspectacular, considering the expectations and fears. The Great Mother Russia was more of the housewife Russia this evening. So many fireworks were shot into the night.

In front organization President Dmitry Chernyshenko had awakened highest expectations: the evening will be “wonderful”, the “most beautiful thing you seen in a while” have. The promise could not comply with the ceremony. Especially in reference to his incomparably casual summer predecessor London 2012 Sochi had to fall off (read the minutes record the ceremony).

In London, were opening the Queen, Paul McCartney and Muhammad Ali together in the stadium. Boxer Nikolai Valuev in Sochi was the main attraction. And so the party looked more like an evening at the court of the Tsar, less like a world sports festival.

2014 Sochi Winter Olympics:Decent selection of torchbearers

For the organizers, however, had proved with the selection of torchbearers a good hand. Figure Skating Queen Irina Rodnina and probably the most famous ice hockey goalkeeper in the world, Vladislav Tretiak, inflamed together the Olympic flame. Two of the biggest, known by the winter sports. A good cast.

The lighting of the fire – it was one of those moments when something like the much quoted as stressed in the Olympic spirit Fisht stadium was palpable. In that newly built arena that is needed in these games exclusively for opening and closing ceremonies and otherwise unused in the Olympic Park stands around . Also, the moment at the beginning of the celebration , as instead of the five Olympic rings unplanned only four lit up the evening sky , made ​​the evening sympathetic – even if the Russian state television the mishap faded out the same.

Otherwise it was like opening ceremonies usual marches too much, danced a lot and thankfully rather little talk . Vladimir Putin looked on the happening and was limited to the its intended sentence: ” . Hereby I declare the Games of Sochi for opened ”

IOC boss Thomas Bach was responsible for the delicate task to invoke the spirit of the games without duping the host in his brief address . So clearly and deliberately he spoke out against any form of discrimination. Given the Russian repression against homosexuals is to be interpreted even as a silent critique of the host as a really self-evident proposition .

2014 Sochi Winter Olympics:Dance scene remains in memory stick

Few images remain of this evening actually sustained in the memory. This includes the enchanting choreographed ballroom scene from Tolstoy’s national work “War and Peace”. Especially since right before even a military-looking, rather irritating march sequence was to see who would rather fit on the May Day parade in Moscow.

It would have been the dance of Natasha Rostova almost forget that Sochi has been changed for the games beyond recognition. One would almost forget that many people have been resettled against their will for it. The fact that the construction workers had to toil under scandalous conditions. That homosexuality under Putin is best tolerated. That these Winter Games are more expensive than any other previously put together.

The colleagues of the “time” have asked the question: Can we look forward to this winter games? If all that does not forget, which is related to the Games in Sochi, the gigantism and the ruthlessness: Yes, then everyone can look forward to. Those who have experienced such friendly and helpful are the thousands of volunteers on site. As euphoric viewers of Sochi have cheered their opening ceremony. The may be inspired with the host.

And with the athletes who have waited for years for their great, possibly even unique opportunity, too. Just to recap: Sports, probably even great sport, is also driven in these next 16 days of Sochi. These finds this whole event took place actually.

Maybe, yes maybe the Olympic idea is so big that even a Vladimir Putin with his penchant for staging they can not destroy.