From AP's Fergus Bell in place and awaiting the opening ceremony:

"A Mexican wave just started. The crowd are getting fired up. The scene is set on the stage in front of me depicting a rural idyll. There are tractors and a water wheel. There is a small cottage in the middle with two smoking chimneys. I have seen similar scenes in the English countryside but this looks a little cleaner, a little more fairytale.

— Fergus Bell — Twitter http://twitter.com/fergb

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EDITOR'S NOTE — "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item, and get even more AP updates from the Games here: http://twitter.com/AP_Sports