Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Mayhem is normal.

I have just seen the funniest thing that I seriously think could only happen in a Latin American country.  As we walked back to our hotel we could see people with flags and banners in the park opposite our hotel.  We could hear some drums and a few tooty numbers and maybe 50 people and though it must be some sort of celebration?

We came up to our room on the 16 th floor and could clearly see the party.  On one side of the park is an 8 lane road which becomes 10 lanes in rush hour (not enough lanes here today??? Just drive up the curb then...). In front is 4 lanes one way meeting a curved road with a further 4 lanes.  The traffic is diabolical and I will never moan about Auckland traffic again!!

Anyway, back to the story.  The 50 ish people waving flags and banners and following the drummer start off across the park heading for the road. A lone cop on a motorbike tries to control the situation but as the march moves on to the road he senses a losing battle, so stops his bike in the middle of the road and settles in to have a smoke.  The traffic coming up the road has to stop as the 8 or 10 buses at the front of the line pull up.  That road quickly fills with stopped traffic and the 4 lanes form back across the intersection with the 10 lane road.  Vehicles begin to back up that side of the park and affect the adjoining intersection.  In the meantime the small number of marchers have reached the curve road and begin to walk along- all in peak traffic.  Behind them for blocks is chaos of vehicles and toots and general mayhem, all stopped by one cop, his bike and a smoke.
The photos I took fail to do justice!

I am yet to figure out what the protest was all about?  Citizens for less road noise?.

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