Never a dull moment

Tonight we nipped into town partly to buy baby presents, but also to see how the Red Box team of Kilometro Zero were getting on doing open air preaching amidst thousands of Catholic youth, here for the World Youth Day and the Pope's visit tomorrow. We never found our friends on the Red Box because just at their usual start time a crowd of about 5,000 protestors marched onto the square calling out their protests about the government's spending of public funds on a religious event. One example has been cheap fares on the Metro for 1 million delegates the week after our normal fares have gone up 50%!


Mass gatherings meet



Christ has risen, Hallelujah!
- can't argue with that



Vatican? We have a problem!









 


Dancing Nuns on the run.

The protestors appeared a bit wrongfooted to see how many Catholic pilgrims were in the square already and for about half an hour it was not possible for them to move. There had been praise songs and dancing nuns pretty much filling the square until their arrival. The only bloodshed we heard of was a punch on the nose (landed by a Catholic we have to say). After we left the police moved in, needing to establish security for tomorrow. 

We don't wish to offend our Catholic friends, but we have had enough excitement for this week and we won't be among the crowds tomorrow to welcome the Papa.