Godiva Awakes (2 Viewers)

[Otis]

Anyone go? Godiva was a thing of complete and total beauty.

Not ashamed to say that I shed a tear or two as she glided from University Square to Broadgate where she came face to face with her own image upon the horse.

If you missed the awakening you can catch her again at the carnival procession later today.

Proud to be a Coventrain last night. Large applause all round from those who were there to witness it all.

Simply beautiful.

 

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[WillieStanley]

We didn't get to broadgate but we watched the piece in University Square. Godiva was much better than I thought. Fantastic, in fact. The music was superb, acting and dancers were brilliant and it was a great concept. Had a great night!

 

[I'mARealWizard]

I've been following this closely for a while. I really wish I'd been able to go and see it.

Some of the pics look amazing!

 

[Otis]

Wonderful!!

Just beautiful.

 

[Macca]

Being a lazy sod, what's all this about?

 

[Otis]

Another pic from last night

 

[Otis]

Being a lazy sod, what's all this about?

A 6m Godiva has been created for the Olympics. It is partly robotic and her head and eyes are operated by remote control.

The whole thing will be powered by 50 cyclists who will be under her coat (fitted today) and she will carry messages from children throughout the land saying what they would like to see to make the world a better place.

Godiva will set off tonight for London carrying the messages in her pocket and will visit towns and cities on her trip down to London. She will then appear in the closing ceremony.

We people of Coventry should be rightly proud. It's a wonderful achievement.

Last night we had the awakening of Godiva with a specially written score and hundreds of actors, dancers, musicians and acrobats, preparing her for the journey to the capital.

 

[I'mARealWizard]

A 6m Godiva has been created for the Olympics. It is partly robotic and her head and eyes are operated by remote control.

The whole thing will be powered by 50 cyclists who will be under her coat (fitted today) and she will carry messages from children throughout the land saying what they would like to see to make the world a better place.

Godiva will set off tonight for London carrying the messages in her pocket and will visit towns and cities on her trip down to London. She will then appear in the closing ceremony.

We people of Coventry should be rightly proud. It's a wonderful achievement.

Last night we had the awakening of Godiva with a specially written score and hundreds of actors, dancers, musicians and acrobats, preparing her for the journey to the capital.

Now she is awake and will go to sleep again at the end of the Olympics, wouldn't it be wonderful if it became an annual event in the City? Something to bring everyone together and remember and celebrate such an important part of our history.

 

[Otis]

I am hoping she is brought back home after being on display in London. Would love to see her in a glass tower somewhere in the city centre with her greeting all comers from across the globe as they enter the city.

Only thing that disappointed me was the amount of people who turned up to witness this amazing event.


The whole city should have been there to witness it.

Such a shame. That's the people of Coventry though unfortunately. More often than not rather apathetic about anything that promotes and represents their city.

Godiva is know across all 4 corners of the globe. My wife, who is Russian, was even taught about her back in school when she was a child.


People all to ready to knock their own city, but not so quick to embrace anything positive.

 

[ajsccfc]

Ah, so this what all the fireworks were for last night? Looks ace, I was expecting some kind of lurching monstrosity (look up the bus doing pushups someone has created for the Cultural Olympiad, it's disturbing)

 

[Otis]

She moves so elegantly and smoothly. It is so touching and her eyes move and blink. It is a sight to behold for sure.

Carnival procession at 1 p.m. today in town if you wish to catch it.

She sets off for London at 4 p.m.

 

[Macca]

I am hoping she is brought back home after being on display in London. Would love to see her in a glass tower somewhere in the city centre with her greeting all comers from across the globe as they enter the city.

Only thing that disappointed me was the amount of people who turned up to witness this amazing event.


The whole city should have been there to witness it.

Such a shame. That's the people of Coventry though unfortunately. More often than not rather apathetic about anything that promotes and represents their city.

Godiva is know across all 4 corners of the globe. My wife, who is Russian, was even taught about her back in school when she was a child.


People all to ready to knock their own city, but not so quick to embrace anything positive.

I knew nothing about it sadly. Looks amazing

 

[Nathccfc]

I must say though if I had actually knew about it I probably would have went to have a look. I don't think it was advertised very well, I seen the Godiva awakes road signs but I didn't actually know what it was about until I just read this post, and I'm sure many more people weren't aware of it happening.

 

[WillieStanley]

I must say though if I had actually knew about it I probably would have went to have a look. I don't think it was advertised very well, I seen the Godiva awakes road signs but I didn't actually know what it was about until I just read this post, and I'm sure many more people weren't aware of it happening.

I must admit, if it wasn't for my wife applying for the tickets, I wouldn't have known about it either. Considering the one-off specticle it was and all of the effort that went into the actual event, not much was done in the way of promotion. Having said that, there was just the right amount of people in University Square. Enough to create an atmosphere but we were able to move about and have enough room for our new born in a sling.

 

[Otis]

I must say though if I had actually knew about it I probably would have went to have a look. I don't think it was advertised very well, I seen the Godiva awakes road signs but I didn't actually know what it was about until I just read this post, and I'm sure many more people weren't aware of it happening.

They should have had a lot more posters around town.

The CT covered it as did BBC news, but there wasn't too many adverts for it around Broadgate. It was a free event. I guess about 500-600 turned up there.

 

[WillieStanley]

They should have had a lot more posters around town.

The CT covered it as did BBC news, but there wasn't too many adverts for it around Broadgate. It was a free event. I guess about 500-600 turned up there.

That's a lot less than the expected 2000.

On a side note, have you ever done a good deed for a stranger then immediately regretted it?

We have six tickets. Only five of us could make it in the end. On the gate there was a guy trying to get in without his ticket, so I offered him our spare. His response was "Well these aren't going to let me in, are they?" in quite an aggressive tone. I then joked "It'll cost you £500", attempting to lighten his mood.

"IT'S A FREE EVENT!!!" He replied, and proceeded to snatch the ticket from my wife!!

 

[Otis]

Lovely. :facepalm::facepalm:

The free event was Broadgate. University Square was ticket only.

 

[skybluejelly]

its at rugby school tomorrow evening if anyone else is interested in seeing it

 

[Marty]

Looks brilliant, have to say I've never once heard about it or saw it advertised.

 

[sw88]

I heard the fireworks and wondered what the hell was going on! If I'd known it was a proper display is have got off my arse and watched em but I just thought they were in someone's back garden! Bloody loud they were (which would suggest they were proper ones but I still didn't twig!

Did see a sign for it today (which was a bit late)

 

[Otis]

The fireworks were fantastic.

 

[Otis]

Two more pics.

 

[Otis]

Lady Godiva with her coat of silk.

 

[Otis]

Godiva upon mechanical horse.

 

[oldskyblue58]

Just watched it on the BBC Midlands Report ....... Stunning

 

[Gray]

beats the Michelin man!

 

[SkyBlueUkeman]

Coventry is awesome really, isn't it? Imagine if all that horrific destruction of the town centre in the 50's hadn't happened. If only...

 

[TheHellion]

I was in Broadgate last night, and I have to say that this was the most incredible thing I've seen in Coventry for many years, possibly since the turn of the Millennium. The whole thing was a spectacle to behold, and my only regret is that I didn't take my camera with me to get some photo coverage. It was an incredible show, it had a real power to it. It was something that unless you were there, you may never get to understand the sheer scale, impact and power of it. It is something that Coventry, and all of the people involved in organising it should be really proud of.

The good news is that I've read that they are trying to make her a permanent attraction in the city, so she may well have a lasting legacy.

 

[Otis]

Yep, i would build a big glass case for her, stick her in a prominent position and have her greet all-comers to to the city.

It's a beautiful creation and we should embrace it.

 

[I'mARealWizard]

It's been confirmed that she will have a 'resting place' on permanent display in Coventry.

I'd love it to be a glass tomb a la Sleeping Beauty.

And also it will be an annual event in the City

 

[Otis]

Excellent!

Some we here in Coventry should all be very proud of.

Hoping this could become our 'Angel Of The North' and help put Coventry more on the map.

 

[Otis]

Now made the national press.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/jul/29/olympics-2012-godiva-awakes-coventry?newsfeed=true

 

[ajsccfc]

If they're doing this again I'm definitely there next time.

 

[Otis]

Just to watch it walking down the High Street towering over the buildings was breathtaking.

 

[ajsccfc]

It's easy to take the cathedral ruins for granted (it was just a quick way to walk into town for me) but it's a huge asset for the city and a naturally dramatic environment. I went to see Comedy of Errors there a year or two back and it was stunning, something that you wouldn't get in a regular theatre.