So 2014 has come upon us, and at long last, we have seen the unveiling of 7 long years of preparation to build a quiet resort town in the Western Caucasus into a world-class winter sporting destination. The problems of Sochi were many: the pictures of unfinished hotels, questionable sanitation, and dodgy construction practices widespread, but all this can be ignored. The Opening Ceremonies are the first true show of the Olympics, and they set the tone.

Not since 1980 has a chapter of the Olympic Games been hosted in what is now Russia (though, under the Soviet Union, Russia was one of 15 Soviet Socialist Republics), and like Moscow in 1980, the Sochi games have been fraught with controversy (the 1980 Olympic Games were, in fact, boycotted by the United States over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, an eternally foolish decision that contradicts everything about the international spirit of the Olympics).

The tone of the Sochi Opening Ceremonies was an interesting one: Russia has only steadily been making forays onto the international stage, most recently with its successful joining of the World Trade Organization in 2012, and Sochi was really its first chance to show itself as a major player on the world stage.

I for one, found it to be quite an impressive show.

But what about everyone else?