With a bit of Spice and a lot of masala,the Games draw to a close

Theyd laugh at themselves if they saw replays,at such a show of teenage sentimentality.

In the song and dance and bye-bye symphony parade of Britains iconic musicians from The Who to George Michael,dazzle of its rampway supermodels like Kate Moss,and showstopping spectacle of former band Spice Girls,artistic director Kim Gavin had neatly hidden any cues that could turn the closing ceremony of the London Olympic games teary or wistful. But,best that these moments of parting are unplanned. And Londons came at an oddly sporting ritual of the Olympics: the extinguishing of the flame. As the announcer declared that the flame would now blow out,the stadium reverberated with an impromptu,long Awwwwwww.

Theyd laugh at themselves if they saw the replays,at such a show of teenage sentimentality. But Londons Olympic Stadium did turn briefly blue.

For a fortnight now,as they got on with the business of hosting the Olympic Games,uncompromising in efficiency,Londoners havent been cribbing. But the morning after,yawning from non-stop late nights of watching Team GB and Usain Bolt pick one gold after another,and finally a closing ceremony which,though dragging in parts for visitors,seemed to entertain them lots,London was strangely quiet.

GB medallists put together a Dont Stop Me Now out-of-tune dedication to Queen,and everyone was having a laugh,but the host city dwellers were gearing up for some withdrawal symptoms and planning parties to get over the big sporting party coming to an end. Cabbies wondered aloud if throwing tantrums about lanes had been worth it since they had grown used to the new roads.

The night itself ended with one song merging into the next at the stadium,with the Union Jack painted in newsprint bearing the names of Shaekespeare,Keats,Dickens and Tolkein,and at other times,in Londons streets. London remembered Freddie Mercury and John Lennon,with a jigsaw making the late Beatles legends face drawing the most cheers. Nick Mason was a happy sight on the drums when Ed Sheeran broke into Wish You were Here.

Spice Girls,reunited for just one night,put up a visual show to a very ordinary soundtrack. But since when did that matter if you could put Ginger,Posh,Scary,Sporty and Baby on taxi-tops and tell the anxious Rio performers that a carnival wasnt their exclusive domain. Beady Eye got a nice singalong going on Wonderwall,and Jessie Js yellow coat-tail was more stunning and breathless than her less than breathless We Will Rock You.

Once again,though,the old British gent lightened the proceedings wonderfully just like Mr Bean at the opening ceremony. Monty Pythons Eric Idle broke into Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. He later attempted to join the drumbeats of a bhangra in vain,then gave up and did his own step,adored by the crowds. A man was actually cannonballed out,and fell into a safe netting for the evenings most dangerous stunt.

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Seb Coe came out to say,When our time came,we did it right,with studied pauses,and Boris Johnson was gracious in giving up the tag of the worlds most-watched mayor to the Rio man.

Muses Survival aint quite Waving the Flag or Waka Waka outside Great Britain,but its haunting crescendo may well remain the enduring sound of the Games,where the organisers did play to its strengths entwining music into everything from a boxer or wrestlers entry to the opening session montage.

For Indians,there was the desi-segment and familiar beats of the dhol,and some happy enquiries about Mary Kom. Home-sickness hadnt struck though,and you joined along with the stadium audience in a wistful aaaawwwwww.