Olympic Joy

I’m currently seated at a quintessential Parisian cafe, one of thousands in the city, one with small round tables lined up along the sidewalk, wicker chairs, seats facing out as to enable top-quality people watching. It’s Wednesday and it’s the rare morning that I’m not off to an Olympic event, backpack in tow, joining the mobs of fellow spectators, boarding and deboarding a train then marching in unison to a Paris 2024 venue. Beyond the pedestrian and bike-friendly street in front of me, I’m looking out at Canal Saint-Martin, a pretty little slice of Paris I’ve never seen during previous times in the city, and a neighborhood that’s just a few blocks from my Airbnb. I’ve ordered a café crème and a croissant with butter and jam. Paris is passing by in front of me. Not Olympic Paris, just Paris. And it’s a wonderful thing.

This is a day to catch my breath. After five previous days, attending at least one Olympic event each day, I don’t have tickets to any competitions today. It’s a bit of a relief. I need the break. The last couple of days I’ve found myself very exhausted by mid-day. On Monday I even caught myself dozing off a couple of times during the Women’s Field Hockey quarterfinals I attended. Today is a day to sleep late, lounge around a little at my apartment, go out for this wonderful coffee, then spend some time in the city center later this afternoon and evening. I have an entrance ticket to the Olympic Cauldron at 4:00 – yes, you need a ticket to enter – then I’m excited to see Paris, the Cauldron and the Eiffel Tower after dark for the first time. Because I’ve been so busy attending events, by the end of the day I’ve been too tired to want to make the trek across the city to visit these sites. While things are laid out super nicely here in the city, and while public transportation whisks you easily from one corner of Paris to another, getting places still takes time and effort, and the crowds and packed trains can easily sap my energy.

Being here is a dream come true. As I stated in an earlier post, I haven’t been to an Olympics in 40 years, not since my family attended the L.A. Games in ‘84. I’m not sure what took me so long to go back because being here in-person is extraordinary. The mood on the streets is energetic, spectators are joyful, the vibe is so positive, and seeing these world-class athletes competing at the highest level is like nothing you can imagine. And the fact that all of these athletes, the very best athletes on the globe, are all here, all at the same time, all competing for Olympic glory is such a phenomenal thing. To be able to see the world’s best bicycle racers in the morning then zip across town to see the world’s best soccer players in the afternoon, on the same day, in the same city, is such an amazing, amazing thing. So far I’ve seen men’s and women’s road cycling, the women’s triathlon, men’s golf, women’s field hockey, USA women’s soccer, tennis, beach volleyball and track and field. In the upcoming days I’ll be attending gold medal finals in canoeing, the women’s gold medal water polo match, and, AND…. I’ve secured a ticket for the closing ceremony!!! This, definitely, will be a dream come true. I cannot wait to be in attendance as the Paris Olympics are celebrated in their entirety, as the athletes dance together on the field, and as the games are called to a close. It’s sure to be an absolutely emotional evening.

Backtracking a little to my arrival in the city, I made it to Paris by train from Munich mid-morning last Tuesday. Needless to say, it was a bit overwhelming. I’ve been to Paris before, but I’m not supremely familiar with the city and I was immediately immersed in the middle of huge, fast-paced crowds. To add to the overwhelm, the temps were in the mid 90s when my train pulled into Paris’ Gare d’Est station. I found a cafe in the station to park myself for a while and get my bearings. I had a bunk reserved at a hostel across town, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to check in for a few hours. After relaxing, grabbing a drink, and figuring out some essentials for the rest of my day, I hopped in an Uber to take me across town. With all my bags I wasn’t sure I was ready to fight the crowds in the packed trains, especially in light of the heat. At the hostel, I was told my room wasn’t ready, so I went to the rooftop restaurant to wait a little bit longer. It was at this point I began to question my decision to stay in a hostel. I thought it would be an excellent way to meet other people, interact, enjoy the Olympics with fellow fans and to not feel so alone in this big city. But after arriving there, I wasn’t vibing with…well, the vibe. I wondered if I’d made the right choice. I hopped onto Airbnb’s website. There were still dozens of affordable options available, including an apartment owned by Arnaud, a friend I’d met during my time in Guanajuato this past spring. Maybe I could change my plans?

After about an hour, I went back down to the desk, still not quite sure my best option, but decided, in the end, to check-in. However, upon entering my room, I quickly said, “hell no.” There was a dude sleeping in the bed below mine, the room was dark, damp and it smelled bad. A man exited the shower room, barely making eye contact with me, and I was like, “this is not happening.” I made the decision then and there. I was not staying in this place. There was no way living in this “hole” for two weeks was going to be part of my Olympic experience. I texted Arnaud. He quickly got back to me saying his place was definitely free, he proposed a good deal, off the Airbnb site, and I snatched it up, not yet knowing if I’d get a refund on my hostel. I went back to the desk, told them I was out of there, I did get a full refund, and I happily, so happily, made my way back across the city to Arnaud’s lovely place. Finally settling into his flat, after seeing the hole I had come from, was such a joyful thing. God, what was I thinking? This apartment, this spacious, light-filled, beautiful apartment cost just a small amount more than the hostel I’d booked. Why I hadn’t just done this in the first place, at that moment in time, seemed like a gigantic mystery. But there I was, luckily able to pivot, change my plans and figure out a far superior solution. Damn I was one happy, relieved man.

Enjoying the Olympics from Arnaud’s home base has been an extreme pleasure. It’s a great neighborhood and it’s linked very easily to a metro station and two main Paris train stations. Being in his apartment, with a full kitchen, has also allowed me to stock up on groceries and do some basic cooking and meal prep. With shelling out money for the apartment and event tickets nearly every day, I’m trying to do food on the cheap. Okay, maybe Paris is the last place you want to skimp on money for food, but I’m saving where I can. I’ll be back to Paris one day to fully enjoy the pastries, coffees and sidewalk cafe lunches. For now, it’s pasta salads, beans and rice, oatmeal, yogurt, and pb&j sandwiches.

Getting around this city, and getting to events, has been a breeze. It’s actually so much fun, joining the throngs of event goers and packing into trains, all heading to the same events. Periwinkle-colored signs are ubiquitous throughout the city, directing fans toward metro stations, and olympic volunteers are everywhere, pointing the way to event venues with their big foam fingers and happily answering any questions you might have. It’s nearly impossible to get lost. A city like Paris seems specially made for an event like this. And what a way to see one of the world’s great cities, to be here for an event that has brought together people from all corners of the globe in unified celebration. Okay, it’s not without its drawbacks, including that some of Paris’ major sites, including the Eiffel Tower area, are almost completely cordoned off for everyone without an event ticket, but I’ll take the excitement and energy of Olympic Paris any day. Regular Paris will be here for me to enjoy in the future any time I choose.

Some of the highlights so far… My first day of events, seeing the Women’s Triathlon in the morning, then spending all afternoon and evening at Roland Garros, watching five tennis matches on the red clay, and getting to see Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev and others in action. This was an astounding experience! Another day of multiple events in which I watched the Men’s Cycling Road Race in the morning then walked to Les Parc des Princes in the afternoon to watch Team USA Women beat Japan in the Soccer quarterfinals. Attending my first ever golf tournament and seeing the likes of John Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and eventual gold medalist, Scottie Scheffler, do their thing. Viewing the Women’s Cycling Road Race along the narrow, hilltop streets of picturesque Montmartre. Watching Simone Biles win the gold and Suni Lee the bronze in Gymnastics at the Fan Zone in Champions Park in Trocadero Gardens across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. Sitting in the first row, at the finish line, of Stade de France to watch enjoy a beautiful morning full of track and field events. It’s been a heckuva week, and I’m super excited for what’s yet to come. Paris, and these olympics, have not disappointed!