I admit that I’m a sucker for great entertainment. And the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Olympics in Paris, were some of the best I’ve seen.
It was a sort of comeback after COVID-19 all but shut down the last games. Paris is known as the City of Lights, and it is also known as the City of Love. Well, in my humble opinion, it lived up to both titles. The floodlights illuminated many of its prominent buildings, and at the end of the games, one of the broadcasters told us that there had been several marriage proposals.
From day one, Paris opened her heart and welcomed the world. While this city is not always known to be the friendliest in the world, that changed during the Olympics.
From all accounts when the broadcasters talked about their time there, they could not say enough about the friendliness of its people and the utter happiness everywhere they went.
As I have mentioned in the past, I was born in Hungary and then lived for a while in Australia but am now a fully-fledged Canadian.
So when any of these countries were competing, I felt my heartstrings being pulled in two directions. I was happy when any one of them, from whichever country, stood proudly on the podium, and it did not matter whether they were receiving gold, silver or bronze.
My heart was in my throat when I watched Summer in the pool and I even stood cheering in my living room as she reached for the wall.
Her heart-stopping performance as well as all the medal winners were so exciting to watch. They all had endured many years of training and self-sacrifice to get to the games, and now they were proud to represent their homeland.
I especially enjoyed watching the closing ceremonies when the athletes came out together, countries mingling with each other, no tension between the races. As the Olympic president noted, we have far more in common than we have differences.
Some of my best memories are those I spent in Paris. When the Eiffel Tower began to shimmer during the opening ceremonies, it took me right back to the time my sister and I took a dinner cruise on the River Seine.
At the end of an incredible night, our boat stopped in front of the Tower just as those memorizing lights began to dance.
During the opening ceremonies, to me, the Tower was magical. It was an explosion of lights, a feast for the eyes. Searchlights flashed and lit up the sky, and at the same time, the rest of the structure sparkled. It was as if the Tower understood its own importance and joined in the happy occasion. What a great idea to include a piece of the Tower in each medal. A true souvenir and reward to each winner.
To say that the absolute best part of it all was Celine Dion would be an understatement. Her stunning performance and magnificent voice brought tears to my eyes. Even the pouring rain could not dampen or distract from her fabulous performance.
One of the broadcasters commented that people all over “soaked up the games” and the whole city was humming the same tune. The athletes as well as the crowds were ready to join in the fun. At every event, whether in the stadium, out on the streets, or on the banks of the Seine, people were seen enthusiastically cheering and waving their country’s flag.
It did not matter who won a medal, as each stood on the podium, their faces beamed with pride, not only for themselves but happy to be a representative of their country.
Watching the runners go past places I have visited made me feel as if I were there. Then occasionally, one of the TV crew would do a little tour of the city and showcase The Arc de Triomphe, or the Louvre, or any one of the restaurants that lined the Champs Elysees. It always included people with broad smiles on their faces and happy to be included in a once-in-a-lifetime event.
So now, it is over for another four years. Wonder what the intervening time will bring? My wish is that all of our dreams do come true, and that peace will reign so that people of the same mind and sensibilities will prevail.
Los Angeles is next. I know that the race has already begun for the athletes as they look forward to many hours of training. Willingly endure any hardships that may come their way.
Each will want to be the best representative they can be for their country, and each will wish to be the recipient of a medal, a reward for their hard work.
