Blogging Beijing-- Closing the Games, Ceremony Underway

Fireworks Open the Show

A cacophony of fireworks fills the Bird's Nest and lights the night sky around Beijing to kick off the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

The countdown to the ceremony - starting from '29' to indicate the 29th Olympic Games - is cheered on by the 91,000 crowd before the national anthem is played. Chinese President Hu Jintao and IOC president Jacques Rogge entered the stadium to an appreciative roar.

Passionate crowds cheering and waving orange and red fans - found in the ceremony bags - turn the stadium into a riot of color and sound. A box of friendship (smiling) bracelets and mini Olympic and Chinese flags are also supplied in the each of the goody bags.

Flashbulbs are going off everywhere as some 200 performers - sporting flashing bike helmets - make a drum formation at the centre of the stadium. Two 'heavenly drums' suspended above the stadium are being banged for all they are worth by tiny-looking men harnessed to them as 1,148 silver bell dancers gather around the main stage.

The men in green tights adorned with lightbulbs are back, following their appearance in the opening ceremony. They man the eight drum carts around the stadium. Drumming has become a bit of a theme. The gift for choroegraphy of ceremony director Zhang Yimou is evident at even this early stage. Next up are light wheels spinning around the stadium before the energetic dancers make way for the entrance of the NOC flags. Written by Mark Bisson.

Pre-Show Atmosphere Muted, Security Tighter

There has been significantly increased security presence with Chinese military personnel stationed at all access points around the Bird’s Nest stadium in the hours before closing ceremony.

Earlier today, two stationary armed personnel carriers were seen between the stadium and the Games water polo venue.

Fans had clearly been determined No lines for hot dogs or Cokes at the closing ceremony. (ATR)to not miss what has traditionally become one of the Olympics’ most treasured and iconic entertainment offerings.

There did not appear to be many late-comers to the event but even before it commenced at around 8pm, there had been no carnival atmosphere.

The only signs of celebration that could be seen were among the hundreds of performers leaving the stadium arena after their performance and those waiting to enter for their turn on the stage.

A short time earlier, those without tickets to the event were treated to an awesome and extremely loud, but well-planned, pyrotechnics sequence which lit the stadium and the skies immediately above it.

Inside the stadium, fans remained seated, abandoning the kiosks around the stadium where long queues had been the order of the day throughout the Games. Written by Anthony Stavrinos.

By Mark BissonThe ATR blogs from opening ceremony continue…