More Colorful Photos From Rio Olympics As Brazil Ignites The Samba Spirit!

Rio's Olympic Games have officially begun after Friday's Opening Ceremony - a celebration of Brazilian culture featuring Gisele, carnival-style dancing and an elaborate light display.

But many were left unimpressed by the cut-price ceremony - which cost just a tenth of London's in 2012, branding it 'boring'.

Others were furious that the money had been spent on the Olympics during Brazil's worst recession in recent years.

That anger erupted into protests outside the stadium as demonstrators, also frustrated over the presence of Brazil's acting president Michel Temer, clashed with police who used tear gas on the protesters.

Inside the stadium, others showed their anger through the thousands of seats left unsold as the Opening Ceremony began.

The 80,000-seater Maracana Stadium was less than two thirds full when the lights went down. A Brazilian presenter told the audience: 'We are 60,000 people soon to be joined by three billion' on TV. Twenty minutes before the world tuned in, many of the seats of the 'sold out' show remained empty.

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The cauldron is mounted on a giant sun sculpture bearing which moves with the lit flame

Fireworks explode over the Olympic cauldron with the Olympic Flame during the opening ceremony