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Sunday, July 28, 2024

la cérémonie d’ouverture des Jeux olympiques 🎉

 

Sketch of Opening Ceremony dancers
Terry said, ”You’ll have a ringside seat living on the quai” 

Crowd shot of dancers with Olympic torch
In fact I did! 🎉 🎉🎉


Pink flag waver on my street
Right outside my front door🚪 

Practice dance rehearsal
Someone commented last week, “They’re rehearsing on your street” was absolutely correct👍
Rue Edith Piaf street sign
They renamed my street, Rue Édith Piaf
Dancers in pink costumes looking at the Seine
I am no longer mystified by all that PINK .
2024 Olympic palette colors
Olympic palette colors
Old photo of Edith Piaf
       An homage to Piaf’s La Vie en Rose 🌹 Qui sait?
Lady GaGa performs with pink plumes
The PINK was an homage to ZIZI JEANMAIRE by Lady GaGa.
Our little pink circus 🤡 came just after her performance. They should have named our street after Zizi !
Empty street
When I came out, the ceremony had just started. My street was empty! They put the viewers way back behind barricades at the cross street. 
Viewers on balconies
                   Or people sitting on balconies and in windows🪟
Pink flag wavers
The guard said something to me, but I pranced away☺️ 
Pink croissant lady dancer
If only I’d dressed in pink croissants 🥐 I could have joined in 🩰
The head director of the dance group
For sure the lady in charge would have put a stop 🛑 to that 👍
Still I had the street to myself 🤸‍♂️ Police 👮‍♂️ vans all gone 👏 
A wall of pink banners by the Seine
After 30 minutes, the drizzle started. The dancers 💃 left. I went inside exhausted 🥳 Like the rest of you, I watched the rest inside. No available roof views on my building. 
Gojira’s performance of Ah! Ça Ira
!
Big screens by the Eiffel Tower
    Did you hear glorious Axelle Saint-Cirel sing La Marsaillaise atop le Grand Palais? Her gown was designed by Dior. 
                 The incredible  Aya Nakamura. Those Garde Républicaine live around the corner from me 👋 
Celine Dion singing
Sublime Celine Dion (in Dior) at the Eiffel Tower.
The hot air balloon 🎈 rising above the Paris. So many spectacular moments of grandeur. Thomas Jolly, the mastermind, did a fabulous job 👏
Messy Nessy Chic’s shop Cabinet has my Paris letters,
Yesterday I took Bear🐻Olympics letters to Messy Nessy Chic’s shop Cabinet. If you’re in Paris do stop by 19, rue de Béivre,75005. You can buy a letter there👍
Olympics bike racers
I was on my way to the pool 🏊 but bike racing owned bd. Saint-
Germain. To cross the street I had to go down to underground PARKING 🅿️ 
Well that’s it PBers. I hope you enjoyed the show.
I’m Carol Gillott, an artist living in Paris. Every month I send out beautifully illustrated letters that capture the true Parisian experience. 
Sign up to receive whimsical treasures in your mail.📮
Thanks for reading PB ❤️
☕️ If you’d like to support my work, you can buy me a KO-FI here  ☕️  ❤️ Thank you so much!  Bon Dimanche PBers🤸🏾‍♀️🎉🥂
Dancers in pink by the Seine.

56 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:52 AM

    What a beautiful and different perspective to all the grand festivities we all had to watch on TV.

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    1. Anonymous2:57 PM

      Thank you ❤️ CAROLG

      Delete
  2. Wow..so much dissention over the opening games.I am so glad I didn't analyze..simply enjoyed.I'm on team they were wonderful.

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  3. Very artisitic opening but as I watched on TV, I realized that people who paid lots of $$ to fly to Paris or who live there, couldn't enjoy all the festivities because they were so spread out and on the other side of barriers. It was a made-for-TV event, not in-person.

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    1. Anonymous2:58 PM

      That was the purpose of the multiply large screens placed all over Lynn. CAROLG

      Delete
  4. Anonymous9:18 AM

    Your pink pics are merveilleux! Loved watching the water-logged spectacle, especially Aya Nakamura’s performance. Thank you for keeping us posted, and we’ll be sure to check out Messy Nessy’s shop the next time we’re in Paris.

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    1. Anonymous2:59 PM

      Thank you ❤️ CAROLG

      Delete
  5. Having been a long time fan of the Olympics (since 1968) and having attended 3 (Munich in 1972, Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000) and the opening ceremonies of the latter two, it's hard to beat the emotional grandeur of the march of the athletes into the stadium when you are there. But it's a world-wide event and if you are going to break from tradition, what better city could there be? I thought it was great. BTW, we've been a fan of your blog since we found it years ago while doing our research for our first serious trip to Paris.

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    1. Anonymous2:50 PM

      Thanks Robin 👏👏👏
      The element of surprise and including Paris’ monuments was key. CAROLG

      Delete
  6. Anonymous10:00 AM

    Sorry but I think it was not a very good idea. The inaugural was very strange. The vedettes loaded with athletes, what??

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  7. Anonymous10:14 AM

    All that pink - why? It really had nothing to do with the athletes! Just a lot of pepto Bismal or should I say dismal pink vomit.

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    1. Anonymous2:47 PM

      Thank Lady GaGa’s pink plumes

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  8. LOVE that macaron costume! We're so near yet so far, aren't we, Carol? We watched it too on TV in the end - wasn't it fabulous? Excited to get into the spirit by walking around Paris tomorrow. Alas, we couldn't get tickets months ago of any events we wanted, as the ticket allocation wasn't great was it? Now we have tickets that we need to sell on the official website and watching the rest (esp fencing) on TV at home!

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  9. I would have been there watching the cycling time trial! I'm recording the opening so will watch it when I gt home. Fun to see outside your door but did it feel a bit weird behind the fence?

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  10. Anonymous10:48 AM

    Thank you for your always unique perspective!

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  11. Anonymous11:04 AM

    Ah, so lush and lovely. You were fortunate to have a unique perspective! I loved the pink, the mysterious flame carrier, all the entertainment all over. Because I was relegated to the US NBC broadcast, I missed most of those gold women statues. I guess I’ll just have to come back! Thanks for keeping the flame alive, Carol! Xoxoxox

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  12. Anonymous11:13 AM

    Wow!!!! Look how close you were to the Olympic torch!!! Lucky you!!!! I was glued to the TV…absolutely amazing!!! 🩷🩷🩷
    Nicole🇨🇦

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    1. Anonymous12:54 PM

      I was surprised to see the torch..there must have been many used throughout CAROLG

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  13. Anonymous11:22 AM

    Such an imaginative and unique spectacle like no other - loved the opening ceremony, but can understand if you paid thousands to watch it riverside, it was a washout in more ways than one. Does anyone know where the huge library where the jesters danced was? I've got to put it on my list of Paris to-dos. Merci!

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    1. Anonymous12:53 PM

      The Richelieu library 📚 CAROLG

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    2. Anonymous1:00 PM

      Merci Carol! I'll look it up and definitely want to visit!

      Delete
  14. Love the pics, how fun to be there to see the creativity of costumes and colors. I have pics of me with traveling friends standing on the sidewalk close to where you live, in the evening, watching the boats go up and down the seine. Enjoy where you can!

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    1. Anonymous12:43 PM

      Quai de Béthune is a great street for river watching. Very popular with the French and tourists alike CAROLG

      Delete
  15. Anonymous11:34 AM

    Thank you so much for sharing with us the name of the magnificent mezzo soprano singing the national anthem. She was as thrilling as Celine Dion! And for the photos of scenes we did not see on the telecast.

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    1. Anonymous12:47 PM

      Axelle Saint-Cirel was new to me too. Terrific of Thomas Jolly to introduce such a diverse course of 🎵 CAROLG

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  16. Our own personal journalist reporting on what we love to see. Thanks for the fascinating pictures.

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  17. Anonymous12:17 PM

    The Richelieu library! It was fun to watch on tv and pick out the landmarks. Strobe lights off the Eiffel just amazing! Pink seems so Paris to me but not a very sporty color!

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    1. Anonymous12:51 PM

      It was suggested the pink was related to Lady GaGa’s plumes nearby CAROLG

      Delete
  18. Anonymous12:35 PM

    Carol, I loved every minute of the opening ceremonies. Everything was beautifully done. I’m glad that they changed up everything. It was very exciting this year in so many different ways. It certainly wasn’t boring. Change is good. It was festive and intriguing and showcased Paris. Thank you for the beautiful photos. Merci Paris, J’ adore Paris!

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    1. Anonymous12:50 PM

      Thank you ❤️ My own viewpoint was just a snippet of something so grand. CAROLG

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  19. Dee Ann1:04 PM

    The opening ceremonies were fabulous! Watched it live and then rewatched what I missed on DVR. I knew the pink performers where right there at your building…front row seat for you. And the entertainment was superb. Thank you Paris and thank you Carol!

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    1. Anonymous2:38 PM

      Thanks Dee Ann, you probably saw more than I did in a sequential manner👏CAROLG

      Delete
  20. Sukicart1:14 PM

    So glad you got to see a little bit up close. I thought the ceremony was truly spectacular - just unfortunate that the TV commentators didn't have a little more information about the French connections to pass on to those unfamiliar with Paris and France.

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    1. Anonymous2:40 PM

      Too secretive about the whole event imo. Maybe they could have dropped explanatory flyers from the sky? The helicopters 🚁 were circling all week out my window CAROLG

      Delete
  21. Anonymous1:31 PM

    Merci Caroll pour ces photos de près ! Cela nous permet de voir la beauté des costumes (la robe croissant !) jusqu'au nom de ta rue rebaptisée rue Edith Piaf, j'adore tous ces détails ! Et bravo pour tous tes posts, c'est la première fois que je laisse un commentaire et c'est l'occasion de te dire que j'apprécie tout ce que tu fais !
    Bien amicalement,
    Isa Marie, blog Grelinette et Cassolettes https://www.grelinettecassolettes.com/

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    1. Anonymous2:36 PM

      Grand Merci Isa Marie 👏☺️ CAROLG

      Delete
  22. Bonnie L1:54 PM

    Having watched it in the US, the NBC broadcast was disappointing. I heard the BBC did a much better job, informing viewers what landmarks they were seeing in real time. Surely there was someone on NBC’s roster with a working knowledge of French culture? A football announcer and 2002 American Idol winner?? Sad.

    I loved the parade of athletes in their bateaux! If the cameras had stayed on them I would have been happy. Not even the drenching rain could quash their enthusiasm! Glad you got out to see some of it, Carol. Very exciting!

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    1. Anonymous2:35 PM

      I agree. I would have loved to see the Olympians on the boats. Le Monde did a short boat video CAROLG

      Delete
  23. Anonymous2:23 PM

    I love the people watching. That is more fun. Wow. Lynne

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  24. Anonymous3:03 PM

    OH, CAROL, FANTASTIC!!! LOVE YOUR ‘CURBSIDE’ VISION!!! XXOO CARLA

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    1. Anonymous3:04 PM

      Wasn’t I lucky!! ❤️CAROLG

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  25. The best coverage of the Olympics ceremony! Thanks for sharing the behind the scenes of the pink party on your street darling <3 That pink Marie-Antoinette cake looks dreamy..funny idea to create a dress with it! I'm happy to see you got to see a part of the ceremony from your street even though they had put the bars. AND that you got to see the bike race today, WOW!!! Can't wait to come next week and see the the Olympic Cauldron :-) Xx

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  26. Anonymous4:43 PM

    I loved seeing the spectacular
    opening ceremonies from your personal view. Thanks for the mention.

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  27. Anonymous9:46 PM

    Loved seeing your view of the Opening Ceremony. I thought of you today (le dimanche, 28 Julliet) when I saw the amazing French swimmer, Leon Marchand get an Olympic Record. I'm sure you look just like that when you go to the pool. :)

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    1. Anonymous10:37 PM

      🥳 oh absolutely as I do my aquagym 🏊 poolside xxx

      Delete
  28. Anonymous4:16 AM

    It was fabulous!!!
    ThankS Carol!!!!
    Beautiful and very French!!!
    Lois Flowers

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    1. Anonymous4:16 AM

      Tanks Lois
      My viewpoint was minuscule next to the whole extravaganza
      🐜 CAROLG

      Delete
  29. Anonymous4:17 AM

    Lovely!!! I knew you would get the pictures noone else would!! Love them!! You get the GOLD MEDAL 🥇 for photos and watercolors!! Normajean

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  30. Anonymous4:20 AM

    You really saw it all! Anabel

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  31. Anonymous4:34 AM

    How exciting to be a part of the opening ceremony. I am a little envious. Did Lady Gaga pass by your apartment? MeredithMullins

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    1. Anonymous4:34 AM

      Lady GaGa was dancing on a stairway before Pont Sully, preceding our little pink circus 🤡

      Delete
  32. Anonymous5:42 AM

    OMG Paris did a fantastic job of the opening ceremony!!!!
    And CELINE DION😳😳😳Absolutely amazing!!!! Carolyn

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  33. Anonymous11:16 AM

    Wonderful post —!! 🌸

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  34. Fun to hear what it was like from a local! I thought the opening ceremony was awesome! I watched it later on Saturday. There was so much great music of such variety and heaps of dancers (cabaret, heavy metal, pop, rap, classical, early music with recorder, ballads, piano solo, etc).
    The boats of athletes were amazing and I liked following along with the musketeer carting the torch. Very French I thought, our Australian tv commentators were pretty bad though.
    Merci France!

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  35. Anonymous6:52 PM

    Wow, what a unique historic place you had!!! Cool that your art is selling retail in a Paris shop!! Do you have it in more than one? Sketchbook W.

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  36. Anonymous11:25 PM

    So great that you have letters in Messy Nessy. Looks like a great shop. Have you thought about making a line of bookmarks that were original water colors? An Efiel Tower bookmark? A baguette bookmark? Price at 5 Euros. Nice thing to bring home and easy to pack.

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