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Q. You were spotted on the streets of Paris. Can you sense that the city is hosting an event as big as the Olympics does it seem like just another ordinary day, much like when an IPL match takes place in Mumbai or Delhi?
A. Paris kicked off the 2024 Olympics with a groundbreaking opening ceremony on the Seine River on Friday. The excitement is palpable but isn’t articulated at all, specially where I am staying- Champs Élysées. There is massive bandobast (in Indian terminology) for the event.
Unlike previous Olympics, the Paris 2024 opening ceremony did not take place in a stadium. Instead, dozens of boats carried thousands of athletes and performers on a 6km route along the Seine, sailing by the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral and arrive near the Eiffel Tower, after passing under bridges and gateways, including the Pont des Arts and Pont Neuf, and near many of the French capital’s landmarks.
It appears that the organisers are taking advantage of the historic monuments, riverbanks of Paris and even the sky and water, with every riverbank or bridge filled with music, dance and performances.
The 2024 Games are being held in a country at war with itself following waves of anti-government conflict, growing tensions over immigration, religion and race, terrorism fears and the rise of the far right over the past 12 months in France.
The Mayor of Paris, had said the city’s bid for the 2024 Olympics was seen as an opportunity for the French capital to rebound and heal following outrage at the 2015.
So it’s time to celebrate for France and I am also excited. Btw, how did you intrude my privacy? Guess in the digital age there is no privacy anyway 🙁