It is the French holiday of Toussaint and we are enjoying a week of fine Autumn weather (70 degrees F or 21 C). I got three "trick or treaters" last night for Halloween, three tiny children with dabs of lipstick and make-up on their faces and over-sized clothes. I was so caught off guard that I had to hand out centimes instead of candy. I promised them that I would be prepared next year.
The big news though is that the G20 heads of state are in the area for meetings in Cannes this week . And following them are the protestors who are aiming for the center of Nice.
Aside from Obama arriving in Air Force One and 3 other jets full of his entourage of 800, (yes 800 people for Obama), aside from all of the congestion at the airport with all of the 25 heads of state arriving with their people, there are expected to be at least 20 busloads of anti- G20 protesters . Some estimate that 15,000 protestors will descend on the town. This crowd is expected to be sprinkled with the ubiquitous "anarchists" who mostly want to destroy and have caused trouble here in the past.
It is really fascinating to read about all of this in our local rag, the Nice Matin and has been all eloquently reported in English in the Best of Nice Blog written by my pal Gail.
Here is her link again: http://www.bestofniceblog.com/2011/11/01/anti-g20-protests-in-nice/
She has three posts on the subject so far. Especially shocking to me is the party of 800 people arriving with Obama alone. I can understand the need for protection for this beleaguered president, but who and what are all these people?
And then there is the description of the car that Obama will be traveling in: Here is how GAil reports it :
The police escorts from the airport to Cannes for the 25 entourages (the G-20 actually has 25 members) will cause major freeway tie-ups on Wednesday, but one cortege to watch for is Obama’s, who will be transported in Cadillac One, also known as ‘The Beast’, the armor-plated sci-fi limo that thinks it’s a tank, and goes with him everywhere. This specially designed mobile command center is sealed against bio-chemical attacks, has night laser vision, tiny tear gas launchers below the bumpers, special tires that can roll at high speed even if blasted away, an iron-plated gas tank surrounded by foam to prevent an explosion even with a direct hit, pump-action shot guns in the doors, fire fighting equipment, an oxygen supply and bottles of the President’s blood in case he needs an emergency transfusion.
I think someone out there has been watching too much James Bond.....
but seriously, I pray that the leaders can come together and actually makes some proposals that are implementable and effective ...something to justify the chaos and expense of all this hullabaloo. Otherwise, I am going to go listen to what the protestors have to say.
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