Don't let anybody onto the place! In normal times, views like the ones below would contain the faces, backs, arms, legs, hats, umbrellas, balloons, etc of roughly one zillion people. Today, the day of the opening ceremonies, no one except officials let any closer than the far side of the wide road.
A cop told us that the square would be open again tomorrow. Also, in fairness, anyone who has seen Washington DC get locked down for events involving the Imperial Presidency will find the scene familiar.
Meanwhile, sky looks better than it did this morning, and much better than it did 24 hours ago. Let the Games begin.
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James Fallows is a national correspondent for The Atlantic and has written for the magazine since the late 1970s. He has reported extensively from outside the United States and once worked as President Carter's chief speechwriter. He and his wife, Deborah Fallows, are the authors of the new book Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America, which has been a New York Times best-seller and is the basis of a forthcoming HBO documentary.