At first glance it looked like a war zone. Roads blocked off, military vehicles lining the streets, crowds of people pushing to get through a gate manned by heavily armed military police.
This was my first view of the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympic Games.
From afar it looked like bedlam, but as I neared the gate, the crowds were split into groups wearing matching colors, their nation’s flag draped around their shoulders, smiling with anticipation. This group wasn’t here to protest, they were here to celebrate.
After a bag check and pat down by a military guard we approached the line of 80,000 people lining up to enter Maracanà Stadium. The life and excitement I expected was replaced by a panic to get inside as the clock ticked towards 8pm. And when a ticket costs the same as the monthly minimum wage it was easy to see the rush.
With just minutes to go, officials began screaming through speakers for people to hurry and get inside. The thousands dissipated in minutes, and the first streak of fireworks exploded into the sky.
Across the street three little boys sat on their front stoop with a sausage dog between them, watching the display. I asked them what they thought of the Olympics.
“This is great event, great in the world,” the middle boy replied in broken English.
I asked the elder if it had been disruptive, with all the trucks, police and helicopters, he said “Yes, but it’s good.”
“What do you mean,” I asked.
“It keep the robbers away,” he said. “When there is no event there is bad people, now today there is no bad people.”
The budget for the opening ceremony was a fraction of that spent on London and also Beijing. The designers explaining that it would be an insult to the people of Rio to spend money on a lavish display when the country is in political and economic crisis.
While some may have seen Rio’s opening ceremony as a bit low-key, a bit wanting - any more would certainly have been too much. In a country where the price of a ticket equals a month’s wages and the best part an opening ceremony is a safe night’s sleep for three little boys in Maracana, expensive fireworks just don’t seem appropriate.
