I went into the Seine River at the Olympic Games: Vicente in Paris

By: Vicente Padilla

Being at world events is one of my great passions, supporting and celebrating your country in another part of the world is undoubtedly a great experience.

Trip to Paris 2024, the Olympic Games that were much talked about as to whether they would be held or not and that was the same uncertainty I had about whether I would go or not, but a few days before the inauguration everything was moving forward and I managed to be at the grand opening, but… What was it like to get the ticket for the inauguration?

It was quite an odyssey, and my bread and butter of all events was “the resale” and even more so my decisiveness, as the prices kept going up more and more every moment. Thanks to the fact that I was traveling on Delta One I was able to have internet access for the entire flight to make this coordinated purchase against the clock because I only had 10 minutes to make the payment. Time ran out and they won’t get the ticket I wanted and I finally ended up paying close to 2,000 euros, two thousand euros that many people will think is a lot of money and to me it seems like a lot too, but every euro is worth it when you see your country pass by and the entire world applaud it.

The big opening day arrived, and I was ready for everything… except for the rain that lasted from start to finish. For about 30 seconds I had the Mexican boat in front of me and at that moment all the Mexicans I hadn’t identified appeared. It was undoubtedly one of the great moments of the trip.

But every second that I looked at the Seine River I thought about what would be the best place and time to wear the life jacket that I had bought exclusively to get into the river, thanks to the fact that I had told friends, family and whoever I met that I wanted to get in, and it was one of them who told me that he had seen the best place and it was in front of the Louvre, one of the main tourist and security points at these Olympic Games.

I decided to go and not tell anyone – because everyone told me not to – I put my vest and a towel in a Lafayette bag and went in flip-flops and socks to the subway to get there.

The time came and I didn’t have much time, nor was there time to think about it, I had to let the big boats that made a lot of waves pass by and jump in and so it was, I put on my life jacket, left my socks on and I got in, what I wanted the least was achieved, from the bridge above people saw me, they shouted and applauded me, it was not the best time to attract attention but after a few minutes in the water it was time to get out, it was very slippery and yes, I fell and the same people who were applauding me laughed and then continued with their thing, my socks, my swimsuit and sunscreen, it was full of a radioactive green moss, minutes later the police arrived in a boat, but… neither do I speak French, nor do they speak Spanish and they wouldn’t get off their boat nor would I get back into the water like that, so after a bad move I hurried and in front of the Louvre I had to walk wrapped in a towel, while I took off my socks and changed as I walked.

Very close by, one night in Paris in front of the Eiffel Tower I had to witness what seemed to be a joke, a failed marriage proposal, and everything seemed to be ready and just 3 minutes before the future spouses arrived, the police got there first, and arrived first, there was so much security at Paris 2024 that in less than 20 minutes they destroyed all the decoration, the couple arrived, the groom was nervous and didn’t know what to do, the bride, excited to know what would happen, kept her eyes closed at all times, as the minutes passed more and more police continued to arrive, dozens of undercover policemen, wearing caps, shorts, disheveled hair that you only knew were the authority because when they arrived they put on a “Police” bracelet but passed like any other tourist, finally the organizers were put into the patrol car next to the flower petals and the lyrics of Marry Me, the couple stayed there in the rain, he in a suit and she in a dress and with great makeup, days later I was able to see photos where He gave her the ring the next day and that story did have a happy ending in Paris.

Paris 2024 was undoubtedly a great moment that had to be in my life. I don’t remember Paris as I saw it in these Olympic Games, where we even heard Mariachido at the Arc de Triomphe, a great party.

PS: So far I have not vomited, nor have I gotten sick from going into the Seine River like your competitors, if I get sick there I will tell you on @vicentepadillat thanks for reading me, see you another time from another country.