Olympic Mirage: A bit of a Parisian Disappointment

Why go to Paris during the Olympics, when you have almost zero interest in sports?

Well, we  imagined ourselves being at the epicenter of a global phenomenon, but upon arrival, we find the streets remarkably... ordinary. 

We knew of course that  the roving  bands of athletes,  the spontaneous outbursts of national anthems and the fever of competition were within the concrete confines of various stadiums, but we actually  thought the excitement would spill out into the streets.

But no.

Except for a few fan zones scattered around the city, the much-vaunted Olympic spirit is safely contained inside a labyrinth of barriers and checkpoints.

When we arrived, Paris did look like we had never seen it before with some forty thousand barriers dotting the cityscape, like some absurdist art installation gone awry.

The river Seine was  off-limits to the unwashed masses, and only those blessed with a personal QR code might grace its banks, . 

And enormous rows of police men and soldiers in khaki stood  guard on every other street corner

As the interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said, these Olympics will be the  "biggest security challenge any country has ever had to organize in a time of peace."

Of course, the security theater is nothing new in the grand Olympic tradition. We've had Lockdown London, Fortress Tokyo, and the "arms race" in Rio. It seems each host city is determined to outdo the last in terms of paranoia and overreaction. 

So, mes amis, let us raise a glass (after being thoroughly vetted, of course) to Paris 2024 - where the real Olympic sport is navigating the labyrinth of security measures. May the odds be ever in your favor, and don't forget your QR code!