Olympics Opening Ceremonies

[highlander_Daz]

Scotland is part of "Team GB"

[Galician]

I really doubt China wants to encourage that sort of thing. Which is why I am also puzzled that they still allow Hong Kong to field a separate team. *shrug*

But enough of politics. I bet, for many Chinese, this was the first time they'd ever heard the pipes or, if it was shown on CCTV, seen a kilt. I wonder if pipe bands will start springing up around China in the near future. There's already at least one appropriate tartan for a Chinese pipe band. They'd have to import it from Scotland (Strathmore Woollen Company), though.

The decision to let Hong Kong field a separate team might be analogous to how Puerto Rico has its own there, though it's a U.S. territory.

On that note, when Hong Kong was handed back to China ten years ago, the final ceremony was the lowering of the Union Jack to the sounds of a band of bagpipers slowly playing "Auld Lang Syne" and continuing as they slowly marched off to a British naval vessel to depart. I myself found that it very moving. I'm sure that thousands of Chinese were watching that ceremony, and so have heard bagpipes and seen kilts at least fairly recently.

[sharpdressedscot]

With the changing demographics in the US, Texas may secede and rejoin Mexico.

And the rest of western US, as it was also part of Mexico.



I didn't see any kilts nor pipers at the opening ceremony... conspiracy!!

[londonpiper]

here's the dunsire site take on it for more info

[Mael Coluim]

here's the dunsire site take on it for more info

Great link. Thanks!

[piperdown]

What I have been told is that the band is from Dundee, called Fintry Mains Pipe band.
They are not a competition band but if they did compete it would be at a grade 5 level.
The tunes I heard over and over and over were Scotland the brave, flett from flotta and the auld house.
It inspired me (as a new pipe band member) to practise/practise/practise.

[cessna152towser]

Chris Hoy's folks had their banner taken down today cos it had little saltires on it

Wife is watching Olympics on the telly.
As a Scot I consider it grossly offensive that the English national anthem gets played when a Scot wins a medal for "TeamGB" .

[Fedgunner]

Wife is watching Olympics on the telly.
As a Scot I consider it grossly offensive that the English national anthem gets played when a Scot wins a medal for "TeamGB" .

Vote man... when the time comes, VOTE!

[Smayniac]

I heard the pipers during the opening as well and commented to the others in the room.

There is a chinese instrument, whose name escapes me, that sounds rather like a high pitched bagpipe. Some sort of split reed thing that, as I recall, looked rather like the instrument the snake charmer plays in the old movies.

Bob

[george7]

I heard the pipers during the opening as well and commented to the others in the room.

There is a chinese instrument, whose name escapes me, that sounds rather like a high pitched bagpipe. Some sort of split reed thing that, as I recall, looked rather like the instrument the snake charmer plays in the old movies.

Bob

Are you suggesting they used said instrument to play Scotland the Brave?