SURPRISING STUFF
Never ever forget that it was the French who were the only friends the U.S. had in breaking away from the iron grip of England.
The 2024 Summer Olympics are being held in Paris, France, starting July 26th and going through August 11th. For the first time, the opening ceremony will not take place in a stadium. Instead, dozens of boats will carry thousands of athletes and performers on a 6km floating parade along the Seine River. Departing from the Austerlitz Bridge, athletes will sail by Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral and arrive near the Eiffel Tower. They will then pass under bridges and gateways, including the Pont des Arts and Pont Neuf, and also sail near many other of France’s landmarks.
Organizers have conceived of a plan that takes advantage of the historic monuments, the riverbanks, the sky, and the water. The show will be “a large fresco” celebrating Paris, France, and the Games and will interweave the parade of athletes, artistic performances, and elements of protocol, said Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony. The show will be attended by over 100 heads of state and government and over 300,000 spectators will watch from the river’s banks. Boats carrying the athletes will be equipped with cameras to allow those watching on TV or their phone to get a close-up view.
There will be 10,500 athletes competing in 39 sports with events taking place at some of the most iconic places on earth including beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower Stadium, equestrian at the Palace of Versailles, tennis at Roland-Garros and fencing and taekwondo at the Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées. The Opening Ceremony will conclude there with a final show as the Eiffel Tower lights up the night.
Person of the Week
Speedo, the wonderful man who owns and runs the Harborside Grill.
