Some Thoughts on the Paris Olympics by Steve Kaffen (Russia)
Thank you, Mariya. The combination of the beauty of Paris, the remarkable planning and execution of the event, the hospitality…
by Steve Kaffen (Russia 1994-96)
Visitors line up for photos at the Olympic rings
The Paris Olympics had something for everyone. For those like myself who wanted to see many different sports, there was a wide selection of matches daily from morning until late at night. With careful scheduling and some fast walking, it was possible to attend a few events a day. For those interested in particular sports, the ticketing website was set up to show availabilities by date and sport, and another website offered tickets for resale. I used the resale website to find tickets to three hard-to-get sports—swimming, tennis, and skateboarding, and to substitute purchased tickets for others with teams and sports I wanted to see. I was fortunate: I got to see the USA quarterfinal in soccer, USA vs. France in rugby, and USA runners and swimmers, plus a few hometown skateboarders.
Some attendees stayed for most or all of the Olympics, and others arrived midway to support their countries through the medals competitions. Europeans took trains to Paris for extended weekends, and some visitors used the Olympics to explore France, buying tickets to events in different cities and using trains and buses to get from one location to the next.
The Place de la Concorde Obelisk
The Olympics made for a great family vacation and family bonding. Together, they navigated the metro and regional train systems (often with the children leading the way) and hiked up to a mile to the arenas and stadiums. Often, it was a child, having studied basic French in school or online, who asked the volunteer the question, received the answer in (very slow) French, and shared it with the family. Fan Zones were set up throughout the region with big screens, live music, and a range of activities. Volunteer facilitators engaged the children in group soccer, arts and crafts, and skateboarding lessons, and the kids made lots of international friends. At sports venues, you could tell which events were family favorites by the high-pitched cheering: skateboarding, of course, and also interestingly, table tennis.
Gold medal 10,000 meter race in Stade de France, won by Uganda runner, followed by Ethiopia and USA.
The USA fans made their exuberant presence known. Flag face-painting and red, white, and blue attire were popular. Along the mile-long walk to the stadium for the USA-Morocco soccer match, I was watching for a person dressed as Uncle Sam in order to duplicate a photo that I had taken with him during a similar walk 14 years before in Pretoria at the World Cup. But he was nowhere in sight, probably already in the stadium.
At the closing ceremony, the volunteers, some 45,000 for the Olympics and the Paralympics, were justly recognized. They were everywhere: in metro and regional train stations, on street corners, and near the sports venues carrying big cardboard hands with fingers pointing in the venue’s direction. Critical for me, they operated in the sports venues information kiosks that provided cell phone charging. They have set a standard of excellence for the volunteers of the USA’s upcoming World Cup and Olympics to meet and best.
Paris police and Steve pose for a photo.
The police had a daunting job that occasionally included giving directions. I was leaving Concorde after skateboarding and needed to get to the soccer stadium outside Paris. The regional train station was at Invalides, across the Seine, but the bridge was closed. I approached a cluster of police, asked for directions in basic French and received them in basic English. “Photo?” I asked. The four of them insisted on the picture with me wearing a cap. People encounters will be the most indelible Olympics memories.
My road to the Olympics
Steve Kaffen (Russia 1994-96)
I attended the annual pop music festival in the Beatles’ Cavern Club and the christening of Cunard’s new Queen Anne in Liverpool in early June, and planned to travel with a Eurailpass until the Olympics in late July. However, Europe was overcrowded with visitors, and I returned the Eurailpass and instead filled the time with cruises for the Europe by Ship book I’m working on. The cruises were dramatically different: at midnight on Scarlet Night on Virgin’s Scarlet Lady, passengers jumped into the pool fully clothed, while on Formal Night on the Queen Victoria, they didn’t.
Steve Kaffen has explored most countries and has authored over a dozen related books including several that were named Best Travel Book by Peace Corps Worldwide. He is a long-time member of the Explorers Club, nominated by mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary after they met high in the Nepal Himalayas.
As the Peace Corps’ Assistant Inspector General for Auditing and Senior Auditor (2003–11), he reviewed the operations in about half (35) of its posts and got to know hundreds of dedicated staff and volunteers. While Paris is Steve’s first Olympics, he regularly attends soccer’s World Cup and served as Rose Bowl finance manager the last time it was held in the U.S. He currently serves on the D.C. Metro’s advisory committees on Accessibility, Bus and Rail Transit, and Bus Network Redesign.
Steve grew up in New York City and has lived in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, and now Washington, DC.
Always a pleasure to follow Steve’s travels!! Thanks for a different view of the Olympics!
You’re welcome, Marnie. It was an uplifting experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed this article. This article allowed me to feel that I was actually with Steve as he traveled out and about. Such a nice way to add to my enjoyment of watching the Olympics this year. Hopefully, we can expect more of this style of writing!!!
Thank you, Frank, for your very kind comments, sincerely appreciated. I’m looking forward to writing an Olympics book and reliving the experiences as I write it. I’m nearing completion of a Carnival in Rio book that I’d like to get published first, as it has instructive material for those thinking of attending the upcoming Carnival.
After Steve took a long course in Chinese in China in the early ’80’s, he traveled around the world nonstop for several years. I met him in Torajaland, Sulawesi and ran into him two years later in Malawi as he was on his way to Cape Town to catch the Queen Elizabeth to Rio.
Indelible memories, Tom, and we’ve been good friends ever since. Thanks so much for checking in and writing.
I read the article with great interest. Steve knows how to tell and perfectly conveys the details. We will be waiting for new books and new articles.
Thank you, Mariya. The combination of the beauty of Paris, the remarkable planning and execution of the event, the hospitality to visitors, and the games themselves made for quite an Olympics.