Time to say goodbye

I will probably never be a football fan, for my own reasons. However, I watched the closing ceremonies and the final game. It was enough to melt all my doubts and misgivings. A very, very costly affair it was that may well leave a bit of a hangover for the hosts, but the payback in terms of goodwill and trade will almost certainly eclipse all of that. I was also negative about Shakira and her Waka-Waka song, because Waving Flag was so much catchier. I take that back too. She was a real presence in the closing ceremony, willing to bare her feet and catch the rhythms of Africa as she sang to her 84,000 spectators and a world of TV audiences.

The ceremony was amazing. How they did some of the things they did, will just have to remain the stuff of magic. The elephants that ambled over a Savanna plain, were as good as real, yet not. The way that scenes weaved seamlessly into each other - amazing. The music - wonderful. The images - fantastic.

Of course the leading performer of the night was the referee, although he sure had his work cut out for him - had he been stricter, Spain would have been left playing alone, but a more liberal approach to the game would have reduced it to a war. Someone had to win and Spain were actually better on the night, although the Dutch were fearless, uncompromising and very dangerous. They never lost, Spain just won.

So now its time to say goodbye. Its all over. The world has left and life will now go on as normal, but wow, what an occasion and what a privilege it was to live through it all.

(c) Peter Eleazar @ www.4u2live.net