Centaur Stage: The opening ceremonies showcased Greece's rich culture. AP

We're five stories above Athens, a Marcelo Rios lookalike is spinning house music and Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe just walked in. White polo shirt. Tan chino shorts. Brown docksiders. Bob Ryan. Now that's old school. I'd say hello but he isn't likely to pardon my interruption. Anyway, at the moment I'm straddling two worlds. Watching the Olympic ceremonies on Eurosport with dozens of Games volunteers and sprinting back to the SI offices -- there are just six of us here -- where we have the international broadcasting feed with no sound. There is something so peaceful about no television commentary.

The verdict is in: Man, they pulled it off. The always-late-and-sometimes-never Greeks have done it The Opening Ceremonies are a stunning success, beginning with the 400 percussionists playing zeimbekiko, a Greek dancing rhythm in nine counts and eight steps, and the pyrotechnic comet that flooded the infield with water and triggered the fiery formation of the Olympic rings. For the past three hours I've become educated to clepsydra (ancient clocks), potnia theron (the ancient protector of nature, vegetation and fertility) and that there's a country called Malawi. I've discovered Yao Ming makes a good flag bearer. Mostly I've learned how much pride the people of this land have in these Games. So many Greek flags flying in the wind; it was truly spectacular when the home team walked into the stadium. And the final moments of the ceremony may be the best in history.

"We tried too much, believe me," says Games volunteer Evegenia Anastasopoulou in half-parts Heinken and broken English. She is putting in 12-hour days (that would be gratis, capitalism fans) as a technician at the press center. She says her last name is the same as Jennifer Aniston before the actress went Hollywood. "We work day and night, believe me," she says. "We love Iraq. We love U.S.A. We love everyone, believe me. We are a very small country but have a big heart, believe me." We believe you, Evegenia, and we promise that's not the Heineken talking.

Michael Phelps takes his initial strokes toward immortality Saturday afternoon in the event he's most guaranteed to win. The SI cover boy is the reigning world champion and just broke his own record this month. Jenny Thompson also goes for a bit of immortality. If the U.S. wins the relay, it will be Thompson's ninth career gold medal, tying her for most gold medals by a single athlete.