The GREAT Britain is ready to showcase itself as the country's politicians brag about what it "has done to shape the modern world". Toufique Imrose Khalidi has been taking a stroll across the city that's hosting the modern Olympic Games for a record third time
What a sight at the River Thames!
In its final day on Friday of a journey across Britain cheered by a fourth of the island's population lining up its path over 70 days, the Olympic flame was being carried on board the royal barge Gloriana.
As many as 50 boats formed a flotilla centering the million-pound royal vessel, in a fantastic show reflecting London's waterborne heritage in both sport and business. The flame arrived at the City Hall before its final lap later in the evening.
The 8000-mile relay in the UK by 8000 torchbearers will end at the brand new Olympic Stadium, built in a rundown part of London's poorer East End, where someone – and no one knows who – will finally light the Cauldron.
Organisers have kept it a closely guarded secret, and speculations have gone in all directions about who will join the league of such luminaries as boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
The speculators' list of the likely torchbearer doing the final lap includes Steve Redgrave, with five Olympic gold medals in his glittering career, Prince William and David Beckham.
At 8:12am, the Big Ben chimed, for the first time since the funeral of King George VI in 1952, for three minutes heralding the day of festival and celebration along with bells across the country.
A three-hour spectacle awaits an estimated one billion people watching it live on the Internet and TV, and the "idiosyncratic" Opening Ceremony directed by Danny Boyle, the creator of Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire, promises both "pomp and punk" faces of the host country.
Boyle has made it clear that he has never been under the illusion of 'pleasing everyone' as the event will celebrate all the chaos, contradictions and complexities of the country.
Anyone interested in the British history will be enlightened, as the 27 million pound opening show will mark the nation's heritage, its economic transformation through the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century and today's pop culture.
William Shakespeare's Tempest will provide the theme for a part of the show – and Dickens, Darwin and Newton will all be there in a collage of a bit of everything from the Arts, showbiz and inventions.
The Olympics minister, Jeremy Hunt, has dubbed it "the biggest single ad for Britain".
He declared hours before the greatest show on Earth: "This will not be a moment for modesty."
Hunt spoke of "amazing contribution we made to democracy … in a quiet Brtitish way.
"We are very very proud of what Britain has done to shape the modern world."
Queen Elizabeth will formally declare the Games open at the 60,000-capacity stadium at Stratford in presence of VVIPs like US First Lady Michelle Obama. Among the guests will be Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"Every few years these Games bring pride, excitement and wonder to the world," the First Lady said as she cheered up the American athletes training to retain their top position on the medals table.
She has fared a lot better than her husband's challenger in the come presidential election who has questioned London's preparedness for the extravaganza ahead of his trip to London.
"We will prove Mit Romney wrong," Minister Hunt declared after the Republican hopeful's faux pas.
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, insisted Britain was ready. "It's a great opportunity to show the world the best of Britain."
Scores of events weeks before and during the Games, to be followed by the Paralympic Games, have indeed targeted showcasing Britain's best and the brightest.
With 11 million tickets – prices ranging between 2012 and 50 pounds – sold and some 14700 athletes vying for glory, Britain has also braced itself for disruptions caused by the biggest security operation since the Second World War.
Once the Opening Ceremony is over, it is the sport that takes the centre stage. And Bangladesh has dispatched five athletes to fly the nation's flag among the 204 that have been participating.