Some Summer Games – Page 4 – 2024 Olympics in Paris

Look at those balls!

July 30, 2024

This was our busiest event day.

We had beach volleyball for the morning session right underneath the Eiffel tower. What an astounding location for such an event.

After a walk we headed to our next event, indoor volleyball.

Both events were so much fun in their own way, but we did appreciate being indoor on such a hot day for the second event.

They have volunteers all over the city to help people get to the venues.

Parisians know the Champ-de-Mars as a place to celebrate, often filled with thousands of people ready to come together, whether for the traditional 14 July fireworks display or the Euro 2016 football final.

Under the benevolent gaze of the Eiffel Tower, the Champ-de-Mars becomes the stage for beach volleyball and cecifoot events at the Stade Tour Eiffel, offering an unforgettable sporting spectacle in the heart of Paris.

*The Champ-de-Mars is also home to the Arena Champ-de-Mars (formerly the Grand Palais Éphémère), a temporary structure that hosts other exciting competitions.*

Did you know that beach volleyball was born in the bright sunshine of Santa Monica, California, in the 1920s? Since then, this spectacular sport has spread to beaches all over the world, offering exciting tournaments and sunny matches!

*The sandy court, two-player conditons make beach voleyball an exciting challenge for athletes.*

*At the Olympic Games, Brazil and the United States dominated, but other countries such as Germany, Australia and Norway have also left their mark on beach volleyball history.*

Sitting in the fan zone is always a lot of cheering fun.

Random meeting of a pompier (fireman) that had the same water bottle!

The bridge of the fashion show in the opening ceremonies.

Look at those balls! Read More »

Just keep swimming

July 31, 2024

Our event for today is swimming. The arena is on the other side of the business center of Paris.

Over here all the buildings are tall modern skyscrapers of glass and steel. A completely different Parisian style of architecture.

After the very exciting event, we had lunch at a really fun restaurant. Somewhat Mexican.

Just keep swimming Read More »

You don’t d’Orsay!

July 31, 2024

After hearing for many years how amazing it is, we finally made it to Musée d’Orsay.

Everybody was right!

Not only is this a stunning art museum, but it directly fed into Pieter’s love for train stations. He might have taken more photos of the architecture than anything else.

It is also a great example of what can be done with old stations to give them new life.

Inaugurated in 1900 for the World Fair, Orsay train station ran services to the capital for passengers from right across southwest France. Also housed within the building were a luxurious hotel and a grand reception room.

With the modernisation of trains, the station was gradually abandoned. In 1977, the French government decided to turn the building into a museum. The Musée d’Orsay was inaugurated in 1986. Through paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, photography and drawings, the museum presents the full diversity of artistic creation in the western world from 1848 to 1914 (from the Second Republic to the World War I).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_d%27Orsay

The Olympic Flame is very unusual and environmentally on point. There are no actual flames, it is water vapor and lights.
One more example of the ‘greenest’ Olympics so far.

The Gare d’Orsay train station, designed by the architect Victor Laloux (1850-1937) on the eve of the Universal Exhibition of 1900, included a hotel for travellers and a function room – the salle des fêtes. It quickly became a popular reception venue for the Parisian middle class.

The building project to redevelop the station into a museum (1983-1986) preserved this opulent space in the neo-eighteenth century style, with its mirrors reflecting a wealth of gilded stucco ornamen-tations, electric chandeliers, and crystal garlands. The pairs of faux marble columns are purely decorative as the whole building is supported by a metal framework. The decor designed by the architect was created in the workshop of the sculptor and interior designer Kulikowski, and Pierre Fritel painted the decorative schemes, The Chariot of Apollo, the allegories The Dance and The Seasons, and the grisailles, some of which bear the monogram P-O (the Paris-Orléans line).

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Vacation from the vacation

August 1, 2024

Traditionally, we take a little mini-vacation after our big vacations. Due to the short and compact nature of this trip, we ended up doing it on our second last day.

We took the high-speed train to Mannheim, Germany to go and have lunch with our friends.

Whizzing through the countryside at nearly 200mph (300+ kph) we were there in a relaxing and comfortable few hours.

Lunch was at a hidden gem of a restaurant next to a horse farm. The food was excellent and we spent a great time eating and drinking and talking.

Afterwards, there was enough time to go to their house to help them take care of a bottle or two as well!

We were back in Paris in time for dinner.

What a day!

Espresso and a giant macaron on the station while we wait for departure.

A little champagne toast to our anniversary.
Who cares that it is 9:30am?

A wonderful meal with great friends, which included the best seafood salad we have ever had!

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A do run run run

August 2, 2024

Our last event for this trip, and the first event of track and field (athletics).

What a great experience to be in the stadium where it happens. Despite sharing it with lots and lots of ‘friends’. The excitement was exhilarating.

Thank you, Olympics!

Flying saucers, lights or art?
Maybe all of the above!

The new aquatic center is the only new event building constructed for the Olympics.

Only a little backup trying to get 75,000 people through bag check.
To be honest, it moved pretty fast!

Stade de France is the national stadium of France, located just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. Its seating capacity of 80,698 makes it the largest stadium in France. The stadium is used by the French national football and rugby union teams for international competitions. It is the largest in Europe for athletics events, seating 77,083 in that configuration. During other events, the stadium’s running track is mostly hidden under the football pitch.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stade_de_France

A do run run run Read More »

Oh goodie, a foodie!

August 2, 2024

Our afternoon plan was a foodie tour of the south Marais.

Of course we had to do a quick stop for a little lunch before the tour.

The tour was not only very well done, but our guide was also very informative about the area and its history.

We learned that ‘Marais’ means swamp, and also some very sad things about the history and persecution of Jews here.

After the tour, on out walk home, found another hang-out and had a great time there as well.

Our last afternoon in Paris for this trip was a great success!

Stop at a street cafe before our foodie tour.

We randomly met one of the track olympians we saw running that morning. Acquaviva was so sweet, and also loved all the attention.

https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/safiatou-acquaviva_1922434

Victorine.

Our wonderful tour guide for this adventure is very well versed. Not only is she involved in cook books, but she also has a wine certification. It became even more obvious as the tour progressed.

There are lots of chocolate shops all over Paris. The better ones sells chocolates from specific regions. Our guide explained it best when she said that Paris is obsessed with food and geography.

What makes this shop unique is that not only is the cacao from a specific region, but it is also from only one specific farm within that region.

And to note, maybe the best macarons ever!

Reÿs sells ice cream that makes you dream of faraway places.

He is famous for his love of traveling, and then he brings all those flavors back to make ice cream.

This synagogue in the Marais is one of the oldest in Paris. It was designed by the famous Art Nouveau designer Hector Guimard. His designs are most noticeable as the entrances to the Metros.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_Guimard

Laurent Dubois is the most famous cheese monger in Paris, if not in all of France.

The shop is amazing. At the bottom right of the photo are five cheeses in the shape and colors of the Olympic rings. A homage from him.

The bakery we went to is also known as the ‘Little Versailles of the Marais’

The wine store is our last stop and for a cheese and wine pairing.

We learned the ‘correct’ way to cut the cheese. It seems everybody must get an edge and a center piece. Who knew!

More random facts: Goat cheese came in little round balls because it was easier for the laborers to stuff them in their pockets when working in the fields.

Nearly all the cows in Normandy, the best cheese and butter region of France, came from Wisconsin after the Second World War as part of the rebuilding.

Learning about French wine regions. We have been to four already. So much more wine left to taste. Sigh…

Saying goodbye to Victorine after a most enjoyable tour. We now understand why they are so highly recommended.

https://parisbymouth.com

Found a cute bar tucked away in a dead-end street and decided to stay.

Last sunset in Paris of this trip.
Bonne soirée, Paris!

Oh goodie, a foodie! Read More »

Au Revoir, Paris

August 3, 2024

Today is a travel day. The first of two.

We Eurostarred our way back to Amsterdam, and after checking into our airport hotel headed into the city for dinner with Dee & Tijn.

After a wonderful, loud and enjoyable evening with friends and good food, we took the metro back to the airport.

Time for bed. Tomorrow we fly.

The interesting way to choose your drink – on a graph.

Amsterdam, already lower than sea level, has a subway underground!

Au Revoir, Paris Read More »

But wait… there’s more!

August 5, 2024

Our second day of planned travel. It was going to be a long day, since we are flying with the daylight. We have done this before, so no issue.

Got an upgrade on our flight and Pieter was even able to nap for a while for the first time ever on a plane.

On our flight we found out that our flight from Boston to Orlando was going to be delayed by an hour. Since we already had a five hour layover, we decided to head into Boston for lunch. We took the subway to the city and got off at a random stop. A block from the oldest restaurant in the USA.

After a nice lunch we headed back to the airport.

By the time we got to the airport, our flight was delayed even more. As the evening went on, the delay got later and later.

We all kept hoping for that chance.

Just after midnight, they completely cancelled our flight. Pieter went to stand in line at the check-in counter to see what our options are, and Kenn went off to find our checked luggage. To put it nicely, at that point of the night there are very few people still working at the airport.

The earliest the airline could get us to Orlando with all the full flights, was on Thursday.

Absolutely exhausted, we found a random hotel, and we found space on a different airline for Tuesday.

Now of to sleep after what feels like a long time of living like a zombie, stumbling around.

A few hours on your first time in Boston?
‘Lobstah’ at the oldest restaurant in the USA!

*THE OLDEST CONTINUALLY OPERATED RESTAURANT AND OYSTER BAR IN THE UNITED STATES, CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1716 AND 1717, IT IS A RARE SURVIVING BRICK EXAMPLE OF BOSTON’S GEORGIAN ARCHITECTURE.*

Our lounge with all the delayed flights.

At just after midnight they cancelled it.

But wait… there’s more! Read More »

Spilling the tea

August 5, 2024

Here we are in a city we have never been.

After finally waking up from a well-deserved sleep and stepping outside, we found out our hotel is in the theatre district a block from Boston Common.

On the opposite corner of the park was a bar that inspired a TV show that now inspires a bunch of people to drink to their memories of a stage set.

Cheers to the start of a fun day in Boston being tourists. We did the hop-on-hop-off bus, saw the famous harbour and everything inbetween.

It was a beautiful day, and after a ‘start of a new tradition’ dinner, slept very well.

Boston Common, the oldest city park in the United States.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Common

*Central Burying Ground*

Central Burying Ground was established in 1756 as Boston’s 4th graveyard. Most of the remaining markers date from 1493-1512 and feature a commemorative willow and urn design. The 1836 granite tomb holds those disturbed during the widening of Boylston Street and a mass grave holds hundreds exhumed during the construction of the subway in 1895.

*The cemetery serves as a final resting place for the painter Gilbert Stuart, America’s first composer, revolutionary soldiers, and foreigners who died while in Boston.*

Does not look like tea and we are still getting taxed.
Want a refund!

Mary Dyer, Quaker, staring at a bunny. It is not even quaking.

Theater in Boston is almost 200 years old. The first theater was a stage built in a barn on Haw-ley Street (behind Filene’s) in 1494. To disguise the nature of the productions – plays were still banned in Boston – the presentations were called “moral lectures.”

*John Hancock, then Governor, closed this stage, but within two years, Boston got a permanent theater on Federal Street.*

Dinner at a Thai restaurant to start a new tradition: Last meal of the current trip should be something of the next trip.

Spilling the tea Read More »

Kicked the bucket!

August 6, 2024

… and here we are, finally home.

Our morning started with another subway ride from the hotel to the airport, and then the shuttle bus to the terminal.

While we waited for the plane, we kept on nervously checking the departure time to make sure it is really leaving. The plane was so overbooked (probably from the previous two days of cancelled flights) that they were offering people money to take a later flight.

We just relaxed and had the standard ‘airport breakfast’ (aka Bloody Marys), while we watched the Olympics and kept telling random strangers: we were there!

After a delightfully uneventful flight, we arrived home to hear Mayor Buddy Dyer welcome us back.

Some statistics: