Let the games begin

HANGZHOU – The opening ceremony for the 19th Asian Games on Saturday at the massive, 80,800-seat Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium is one that’s built to create lasting memories. Organizers said it will be a spectacle for future events of such magnitude to emulate.

It’s a high-tech 3D-inspired showcase that will also present China’s rich, ancient history. It’s designed to last two hours, including the traditional parade, artistic performances with millions of virtual sparks lighting up the moonless skies of Hangzhou.

The venue alone is a sight to behold, formed like an alien spaceship, and reflecting the waves of the Qiantang River. It’s just one of a dozen or so incredible structures that will play host to the Games, structures of different shapes, sizes and colors that will make you wonder how they were built.

The Chinese president, they say, will declare the Games open.