The Paris Olympics

OK, let’s start with the most exciting and eternally significant event of the summer.  My grandson Sam Charles is getting married and sealed to Katie Cragon. They both work in the Writing Center at BYU. She is an English major, and he is a mechanical engineering major. I’ve seen that combination work before in the form of his parents!  All my children are gathering for the event. But we are staying here in Paris on our mission. Serendipitously, Sam and Katie are honeymooning in Paris. Great for us!  Congratulations Sam and Katie.

Now to the Olympics. Paris was in full view on everyone’s screens these past few weeks.  Here is the front of the Pompidou Museum of Modern Art during the Olympics.

There was the Eiffel Tower and beach volleyball. Breaking and skateboarding in the middle of Place de La Concorde. Equestrian events at Versailles. The opening ceremonies and triathlon in the Seine. We have seen 12 Marie Antoinnettes each holding her head, a metal horse and phantom rider galloping down the middle of the Seine, Lady Gaga doing what Lady Gaga does, a crazy controversial runway walk, a torch lighting up a balloon, and Celine Dion belting “L’Hymne de l’Amour,” with the Eiffel Tower lighting up city festivities. Then at the end Tom Cruise flying in and cruising out.  Hello Los Angeles.

We live one block from part of the men’s road race course, so two Saturdays ago we walked along the Seine and climbed up to the road to stand on the bridge and cheer on the peloton. Lots of spectators rode their bicycles to the bicycle race.

The racers were preceded by many security cars. They were trailed by even more cars with bikes on their roofs supporting the riders. The racers were in two groups: the fastest four and then a few minutes later the rest of the peloton. None of those fastest four medaled. Interesting how it isn’t always best to be the fastest at the beginning.

BYU athletes came and spoke at three firesides in Paris. They told about their training and racing and tied it all to their spiritual journeys. They were articulate and inspiring, and then they all went out and performed great in their races.

Then last Saturday we went to the women’s water polo bronze match, which happened to be USA vs. Netherlands. There were a few USA fans in red, white, and blue, but we were surrounded by orange t-shirted fans who overpowered our “U. S. A.” chants with “Hol-land, Hol-land.”  The US team played great. They led the entire game.  And then in the last 10 seconds, with a tied score, the Dutch took a time out, and then swam up the pool and made a goal. They won in the last second.  Exciting yet disappointing ending.  Except the Holland fans loved it more!

The Parisians have actually left town for the summer. The local restaurants, bakeries, and even the pharmacy are all closed for August vacances. The city has been full of tourists from all over the world, and this week the tourists will leave and the Parisians will return. Back to the Paris I know.

Now I am off to bed so I can wake up in the middle of the night to zoom my grandson’s ring ceremony. Look I just got a picture of the couple after the ceremony, thanks to my sister-in-law, Tracey. Congratulations, Sam and Katie. What a great day!