Today marks my fourth day in Paris and it has been an interesting ride thus far! It is my first time in Europe and the sheer difference in architecture and layout compared to my home continent of Asia has been striking. I believe that one of the best ways to experience a new city is by immersing oneself in its streets and sounds on foot, so that’s exactly what I did on my first day here. Michael, my new friend and roommate, and I walked from our hotel to the Luxembourg Gardens, soaking in the city’s atmosphere. Along the way, we stumbled upon the charming Rue Mouffetard, a street lined with cozy cafes and restaurants. As I enjoyed a delicious gelato, a wave of euphoria rushed over me—I was in one of the most extraordinary cities in the world! The day was capped off with a lovely dinner with my Chinese friends, adding to the perfect start of my Parisian adventure.
Yesterday, I visited the Musée d’Orsay, and it was nothing short of a dream come true for the art history lover in me. Actually seeing all these famous artworks that I’ve been reading about for years was a feeling that I’ll never forget. The museum’s stunning collection of impressionist artwork is a gold mine for any art enthusiast and I could not have found a better way to spend my time than at Musee D’ Orsay! Here is probably my favourite of all the paintings I saw at the museum – Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette (Bal du moulin de la Galette ) by Pierre Auguste Renoir. The day had a fitting finish with a sumptuous program welcome dinner at Jules! One of the highlights was following the epic clash in Women’s 400m freestyle between Titmus, Ledecky, and Mackintosh and I couldn’t have been more ecstatic as Titmus, one of my favorite athletes came out on top!
Today we had our first meetings and it was nice to learn about the behind-the-scenes workings of the Games from the experts in the industry. After the first two meetings, the group walked up to the Louvre and it was here that most of us split up before reaching our next destination- Hotel Elysees Regencia near Champs Elysees. Aine, Jette, Daniela and I decided to cover the 3.5 KM distance by walking instead of taking the metro and it turned out to be an amazing decision as the long scenic walk along the banks of Seine, was an amazing quintessential Parisian experience that I’ll not forget for a long long time.
In short, my time in Paris has been delightful so far. Although I haven’t had too many Olympic related experiences yet, I’m certain there are plenty more to come, and I can’t wait for them!
