There are lots of chaotic roadworks going on in our town at the moment.
I haven’t got a clue what they think they are doing here. Possibly a roundabout? - since this is one of the few crossroads in town that doesn’t have one yet…
At the moment, it’s just a place of Big Confusion for drivers as well as pedestrians. Fences in all directions, road signs and traffic lights lying on the ground…
It seems even the police have got so tired of the traffic situation that they’ve decided it ‘s easier to use horses rather than cars… Or?
It was a nice Sunday afternoon for a horse-back ride for sure, but I was still a little confused by all the police in town this day, both riding and driving. (I didn’t take a lot of photos of the police cars but they seemed to be everywhere; as were their horse-riding colleagues.)
Look closely at the photo above, and in the background between the horses you see the non-violence sculpture (a gun tied in a knot) in a park named in honour of Anna Lindh, Swedish minister of foreign affairs who was assassinated in 2003 (in Stockholm).
Besides the fact that the town was swarming with police, everything looked very peaceful. On a Sunday afternoon, only one department store in the town centre is open. Some people were enjoying the sun at the outdoors cafés and restaurants by the river, but nothing special seemed to be going on… Except for…
… the police riding round and round… Which is not an everyday sight in our town. Mounted police are usually only seen at special events.
So the only thing I could think of was that maybe there had been something that I had missed? But if it was over, why on earth were the police still hanging around?
Not until I decided to take the bus back home did I finally get a clue, from a conversation I happened to overhear on the bus. It was national league football night, with a game starting in a couple of hours. Our team (Elfsborg) playing a team from the capital (AIK). Evidently, what the police were waiting around for were hordes of fanatic football supporters arriving and making their way through town to the arena…
I checked the newspaper the next day, but no major dramas reported, only that our team won by 1-0.
Have to confess – I never really understood sports… ;)
What a pretty town you live in.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand sports either, but I understand how much I love the picture with the orange flowers in the foreground!!! And the horses and riders, what good shots!!! I guess there is no speed limit for horses. Funny, my post tonight will be on the police doing something strange, too!!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, the road construction does look confusing. It seems hard to know where to go.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the mystery of the police riders was finally solved.
Nice post for the letter R.
I was curious as I was reading along, but your explanation sounds right on. We actually had a riot here in Vancouver last year when our hockey team lost the Stanley Cup! Better that your city was prepared for anything that might have occurred! Have a great week,
ReplyDeleteLeslie
abcw team
some nice shots amongst the chaos of the roadway.
ReplyDeleteROG, ABC Wednesday team
glad your team won. i love the last 3 photos, that part of your town is beautiful, i like the horse patrol in front of the bricks, really fun pics and what a mess on the roads.
ReplyDeleteIt's always nice to see the riding policemen/women, remember seeing them in Gothenburg too sometimes.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos
Well your town looks just lovely, the streets although in repair look beautiful. Sports seem to do that to people sometimes don't they.
ReplyDeleteAnn
It's nice to see that your mounted police people get to enjoy riding around in the sunshine before more arduous duties may be required.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be one of the polices hehehe.
ReplyDeleteR is for RED, come and see.
Rose, ABC Wednesday Team
Thank you for giving us an impression of the beautiful town you live in!
ReplyDeleteGood job that they sent so many police officers out - I am sure they were responsible for keeping things peaceful before and after the game.
I feel a bit homesick for the cafes of Napier seeing yours. It's been very cold here and there's certainly no sitting outside!
ReplyDelete