Here's how and where my adventure unfolded.
My plan was simple: follow the boat parade route along the Seine and finish as close as possible to the Eiffel Tower. I even drew a map in my notebook in case my phone battery died (it didn't!).
At 1pm, more than six hours before the ceremony was due to start, I put on my favourite comfy sneakers and left the hotel with a bag containing my laptop, raincoat, rain hat, water bottle, notebook, camera, selfie stick and some mini KitKats.
I took the metro to Trocadero to scout out the finish line, but a security perimeter prevented me from getting any closer, so I walked to the Louvre, rented a bike, and returned to the start to begin my journey in earnest.
It was raining a little. Clatin“I'm glad I brought rain gear,” I thought.
The first thing I noticed was that there were fences everywhere, very few cars, and long lines of people.
The police at the first checkpoint were thorough, even asking us to take a sip of water. Security was understandably tight after the French train system had been set on fire earlier that day.
Just before entering the security area, I stopped. Brick-a-LuffAfter a Tunisian egg and bread dish we headed towards the starting point. There was so much to see!
One thing I didn't realize was that there was a hole right in front of me, I stepped in it and (slightly) sprained my ankle.
I walked past the crowd gathered around the giant screen. Everyone was friendly, and I was talking to an Argentine journalist when suddenly, music blared from a nearby speaker. I saw the top of the Austerlitz Bridge exploding with red, white and blue smoke.
I went back outside the security area, rented another bike and cycled towards where the rivers rejoined, hoping to get through the checkpoint.
The security guard was very kind and said: NonSeveral times.
I texted my editor: “I'm outside, I can't get back in, and it's raining.”
She told me to be patient.
However, I did find what seemed to be a good spot to peek at the boats.
At this point, I'd been out for hours and the ceremony wasn't even half over. I made an important discovery: the portable toilets were surprisingly clean! And there were no lines!
Next we stopped off at the Jardin des Tuileries. The egg block was long since burnt and the Kit Kats were not satisfying. We ordered pizza. They were sold out. But they did have lager!
The jolly crowd, getting wet, cheered as the Palestinian players passed by and then sang along to “Lady (Hear Me Tonight)” by French duo Mojo.
As I was sending out an update, raindrops hit my phone screen, causing it to glitch. I watched the letter “g” be typed 106 times. My editor worried I was having a medical emergency. I noticed my hands were wrinkly.
I stopped under the portico to dry off a bit. It was getting colder as the sun was setting, but the lights of Paris were just beginning to warm me up.
As I prepared to resume my pursuit, I made another important discovery: the bike's electronic payment system didn't work well in the pouring rain.
I heard Juliette Ahmanet singing “Imagine,” and I imagined myself dry again.
Then the rain stopped and I saw the Olympic flag being raised on the screen on the Pont Alexandre III.
From where I was standing I could see the tip of the Eiffel Tower and a few beams of light from the laser show. “I'm going to miss this!” I thought, so I sped up.
I wandered around what seemed to be a ton of fences in the world and got lost.
I eventually made it to a point where I could see the towers and watched on another screen as Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet welcomed the athletes.
It started raining again.
I wished my camera was waterproof.
He hoped the cauldron was waterproof.
So who was at the top of the tower? Wow! I wish Celine Dion was waterproof!
I arrived at 1:02 a.m., 12 hours and 2 minutes after I left. According to my phone, I walked over 12 miles (20 kilometers), but I biked much more.
But I actually experienced the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris, and I saw not only the big things on the screen, but also the little things on the streets: the dancers, the skaters, the vendors, the happy groups of people from all over the world.
“I'm living this, and it's amazing,” I remember thinking.
Even the rain was kind of magical.
Pete's adventures are primarily those of Arthur Garrotxa, reporting from Paris with help from afar from Bonnie Berkowitz and Alvaro Valinho.
Graphic editing was done by Samuel Granados.
