GLOBALPOST LIVE BLOG: THE SOCHI OLYMPICS KICK OFF

UPDATE: 2/7/14 3:00 PM ET

Signing off

Hope you had fun following along with us. Stay tuned for Dan Peleschuk's cheatsheet on the opening ceremony when it's broadcast on NBC tonight.

Meanwhile, here's some reading material:

Sochi 2014: The gayest anti-gay Olympics ever

You can thank Putin for these 11 amazing new gay rights protest songs

These are the 6 openly gay athletes competing at the Sochi Olympics

The cost of the Sochi games: $19 million per Olympic athlete

6 things that might ruin the Sochi Olympics. Spoiler: Not one of them is ‘gay people.’

Meanwhile, just outside Sochi, a neighboring breakaway region is growing even more isolated

The US bobsled team is brought to you by Germany's BMW

The 35 most glorious fashion statements in the history of Olympic figure skating

UPDATE: 2/7/14 2:15 PM ET

Olympic torch is lit

Maria Sharapova carries in the flame #sochi2014 https://t.co/b2n96m8cpL

— Michael Pearce (@mikea_pearce) February 7, 2014

One of Olympic torchbearers – gymnast Alina Kabayeva – has long been rumored to be Putin's mistress.

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

The flame has been lit. The 2014 Sochi Games have been ushered in. #news8 pic.twitter.com/wbnQ2ysOE8

— Jack Doles (@jackdoles) February 7, 2014

Olympic flame now lit. GAME ON.

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

Hockey legend Vladislav Tretiak and figure skater Irina Rodnina light the #Olympics Cauldron. http://t.co/keKtfvUhHs pic.twitter.com/p5DncFH6b3

— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) February 7, 2014

Lit. #Sochi2014 #olympics #openingceremony pic.twitter.com/LdyJnWZkpE

— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 1:35 PM ET

And the games are officially open

Putin declares the Olympics OPENED!

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

Meanwhile…

Everyone loved the opening ceremony – except Medvedev (via @tvjihad) pic.twitter.com/iYiHDN8yGv

— max seddon (@maxseddon) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 1:00 PM ET

Sochi's Olympic mascots freak everyone out

And we're back to the pageantry portion of the ceremony, with some Russian ballet, onion domes and a shoutout to Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace."

Sneak peak at the Opening Ceremonies going on right now! #kslsochi pic.twitter.com/q8XnDnqtWZ

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) February 7, 2014

Now a trio of white horses gallops slowly across the stadium

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

could really use some of @mlauer and @meredithvieira commentary right now! pic.twitter.com/hz0sRZxux1

— chelsea shalhoup (@chelsea529) February 7, 2014

A bunch of inflatable, colorful onion domes — which top some of Russia's most beautiful churches — now moving in. The girl continues dream

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

So looks like a artistic recreation of 'Maslenitsa' — a Russian/East. Slavic late winter holiday known for its pancake eating.

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' told via the medium of dance #OpeningCeremony #Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/o9ISU3LdF3

— Sochi 2014 (@Sochi2014) February 7, 2014

Playing up Russian imperial culture BIG time.

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' told via the medium of dance #OpeningCeremony #Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/o9ISU3LdF3

— Sochi 2014 (@Sochi2014) February 7, 2014

So we've gone from awesome graphics show to a War and Peace-themed dance sequence. Can't guess what's next.

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

War and Peace sequence gives way to the Russian Revolution — as a giant steam engine pushes its way in — ALL RED

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 12:45 PM ET

Sochi's Olympic mascots freak everyone out

Wow, giant Sochi Olympics mascots are fairly creepy.

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

Yes. This just happened. pic.twitter.com/2IsLTLfO8B via @YSportsEvan

— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) February 7, 2014

Shit just got weird in Sochi. pic.twitter.com/IQOyVq2ZuM

— Richard Hall (@_RichardHall) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 12:30 PM ET

Russia enters with t.A.T.u. music

Russian team enters to rockin ovation. pic.twitter.com/sclYN3hcyQ

— Steve Wilson (@stevewilsonap) February 7, 2014

The Russia team is played in by music from Tatu, the passe, 'faux lesbian' pop duo that performed at the pre-show. OK.

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

If t.A.T.u. sounds vaguely familiar… remember this?

UPDATE: 2/7/14 11:53 AM ET

East Timor's first Winter Olympian

As you watch the ceremony tonight, keep an eye out for East Timor's first Winter Olympian Yohan Goutt-Goncalves.

The 19-year-old is on a mission to introduce East Timor to the world — and, for those who only know its history of turmoil, to show that there is more to the country and its people.

He’ll fulfill his mission on Friday, by carrying the flag of Timor Leste, as the country is officially known, in the Sochi Winter Olympics opening ceremony.

Read more about Goutt-Goncalves.

UPDATE: 2/7/14 11:45 AM ET

The athletes' parade begins

The countries began their stroll through the Olympic stadium:

I really, really like the outfits of these women introducing each country. #thathat #sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/xxhuOWVPIc

— Kaleigh Rogers (@KaleighRogers) February 7, 2014

Looking great #TeamAustria! The parade continues #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/cac7Rfbvk8

— Sochi 2014 (@Sochi2014) February 7, 2014

Sorry, Bermuda — but your athlete costumes are hilarious: red shorts and button-down/tie/blazers

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

The Winter Olympics delegation of the definitely tropical British Virgin Islands is in the house. pic.twitter.com/PIpSBdhzN7

— Sam Laird (@samcmlaird) February 7, 2014

And here's Team USA waiting in the wings:

Just about there!!! pic.twitter.com/KvjpCCM3cL

— Nick Alexander (@skiflyzander) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 11:39 AM ET

The first minor malfunction of the night

Eagle-eyed viewers caught this moment where one of the snowflakes failed top open:

Oops. #Sochi2014 http://t.co/ppStwSxBjm on @vineapp

— NowThis News (@nowthisnews) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 11:32 AM ET

Putin's moment, the national anthem

Now a choir appears, each singer representing Russia's 180+ nationalities in nat'l costume

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

away we go! pic.twitter.com/1knpv4QvMr

— chelsea shalhoup (@chelsea529) February 7, 2014

Putin has been waiting for this 7+ years. Russian anthem begins.

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

(FYI — Russian national anthem is set to Soviet-era melody — just different words.)

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

Russian flag now raised. pic.twitter.com/2pDZpS9eaM

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

For $51 billion, the cost of the Sochi Games, might as well pull out all the stops. pic.twitter.com/MNhYml98M8

— Mike Wise (@MikeWiseguy) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 11:25 AM ET

Everything is floating

Wow! The stadium is packed. Not a free seat in the house. #OpeningCeremony #Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/2IHKic5IkF

— Sochi 2014 (@Sochi2014) February 7, 2014

Lots of things floating right now — magical little girl, islands of renowned Russian landsape

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

The music is the Polovetskian Dances from Borodin's Prince Igor, which in the opera signifies the "other" – the world of the Eastern Khan.

— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7) February 7, 2014

I'm sold RT @paulsonne: This is what we're looking at right now. #Sochi MT @rianru pic.twitter.com/aw6D8pa3il

— Ellen Barry (@EllenBarryNYT) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 11:17 AM ET

And we're off!

The opening ceremony started with:

So they're taking us thru the Russian alphabet, attaching each letter to a famous Russian figure/moment in history

— Dan Peleschuk (@dpeleschuk) February 7, 2014

Wow! The stadium is packed. Not a free seat in the house. #OpeningCeremony #Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/2IHKic5IkF

— Sochi 2014 (@Sochi2014) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 11:10 AM ET

Here's the view from Fisht stadium

In fisht stadium and near showtime! #sochi2014 #openingceremony pic.twitter.com/b8fxxMwunO

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) February 7, 2014

The view from outside:

Fisht Olympic Stadium, 15 minutes before #Sochi2014 opening ceremonies pic.twitter.com/MLYguo6O3k

— Dave Wagner WCNC-TV (@WagnerWCNC) February 7, 2014

And athletes on their way (via the Twitter account of Sophie Caldwell, a member of the US ski team):

To opening ceremonies we go! pic.twitter.com/jt8Nh4bZZt

— Sophie Caldwell (@dophed) February 7, 2014

UPDATE: 2/7/14 10:30 AM ET

Sochi gets ready for the spotlight

If you're a cable or satellite subscriber, you can catch most of the Winter Olympics online. The one thing you won't be able to see is the opening ceremony that's kicking off the Olympics in Sochi on Friday.

"We want to put context to it, with the full pageantry it deserves," NBC Sports Group chairman Mark Lazarus told Variety.

We'll be following along with Senior Correspondent Dan Peleschuk as he gives us the highlights with cultural context.

You can find him here on Twitter.

And you can find the folks from NBC News on Twitter here.

Sunset in Sochi, the last before the #Olympics cauldron is lit pic.twitter.com/VcGFSyCiIy

— Lou Dubois (@dubois) February 7, 2014