The photos didn't come out but during an evening, about 6.30, from our 16th floor hotel room we could hear random drums and toots. Expecting another protest march (as we saw so many) I raced over to the window. What I saw confused me, not only were there only about 6 people making all that noise but 2 of them were carrying what looked like a giant, papier mache shoe. It was painted, mostly red and they held it above their heads, while the other marchers tooted cone horns and beat drums and chanted.
I madly took photos as the group left the sidewalk and moved onto the road. At this stage the lights further up were red so they had a free run. That soon changed and although the drivers in Buenos Aires don't sit at the lights, revving engines and giving each other 'want a drag??' faces, once the lights turn red, it is like the start of a Mercer drag strip race- even the buses! As soon as the cars started to move, they also started to hit the horn, then as if it is a competition to see who has the loudest horn, everyone else further back hits the horn.
Not only do they add to the noise being made by the Coalition for Larger Shoes but they also drive them off the road (perhaps from fear of damaging the only shoe that would fit????) and up onto the footpath. Next thing, a van screeches to a halt in the lane closest to the Coalition and the backdoor flies open. All the cars and buses behind are stopped and are forced to toot again as they try to move around the van, the Coalition members stuff their shoe into the back and leap in. Doors slam and they join the traffic........ gone!
The protest lasted all of 3 minutes. I am hoping the Coalition is successful so that when I go back next time they won't look at my size 42 feet and through the embarrassed and awe struck faces murmur "we only go to size 40!!!"
I madly took photos as the group left the sidewalk and moved onto the road. At this stage the lights further up were red so they had a free run. That soon changed and although the drivers in Buenos Aires don't sit at the lights, revving engines and giving each other 'want a drag??' faces, once the lights turn red, it is like the start of a Mercer drag strip race- even the buses! As soon as the cars started to move, they also started to hit the horn, then as if it is a competition to see who has the loudest horn, everyone else further back hits the horn.
Not only do they add to the noise being made by the Coalition for Larger Shoes but they also drive them off the road (perhaps from fear of damaging the only shoe that would fit????) and up onto the footpath. Next thing, a van screeches to a halt in the lane closest to the Coalition and the backdoor flies open. All the cars and buses behind are stopped and are forced to toot again as they try to move around the van, the Coalition members stuff their shoe into the back and leap in. Doors slam and they join the traffic........ gone!
The protest lasted all of 3 minutes. I am hoping the Coalition is successful so that when I go back next time they won't look at my size 42 feet and through the embarrassed and awe struck faces murmur "we only go to size 40!!!"
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