8/20/2014

final part of Napier trip

Our little trip had an interesting last night. We had been out wandering around all day and it was getting dark when we started back to our room. We decided to have a leisurely fish and chips dinner from the park's restaurant, which was across the road from our room, adjacent to the conference room. That way, we could settle in early for our drive home the following day.

Since Kennedy Park is on a quiet side street, we were surprised to see a police car backed into one of the visitor's spaces just outside the gate. Hmmm. We turned into the entrance and it got spookier. There was a BIG guy with a bullet-proof vest standing at the automatic gate, looking inside each car that entered. We decided that somebody had to have been attacked by a gang or something!

As we crept along, we saw an ambulance backed into a parking space and lots of people walking around in uniforms. What was going on???

We looked down the street where we should turn to get to our room and it was filled with vested police wandering about talking to each other and, apparently, people who worked there. So we drove down to the next street and saw that the conference room entrance was also covered by official-looking people. Weird.

Since the restaurant was connected to the conference room, we concluded that fish and chips from there was probably not an option, so we went into the room to get a cup of coffee and make other plans, all the while very curious about the hub-bub outside.

Hubby decided that we were out of milk for our coffee so he could go to the office and ask what was happening. He got the milk but the receptionist wouldn't tell him anything. So he decided to see what the internet had to say (he's clever like that!) and paid $1 for 7 minutes of internet. Yes, you read that right, a dollar for seven minutes on the internet! [Note to self: buy laptop for next trip!]

He found out that the Israeli ambassador was making a speech there. Of course, since the city owned the recreational park, it made perfect sense that it was the venue for a visiting dignitary, but it certainly interrupted our dinner plans!

We went back to town and got fish and chips from a take-away place and headed back to the room. Apparently, the police and the ambulance were not necessary for the night and we headed out the next morning from the quiet of an off-season holiday park.

16 comments:

Mersad said...

Wow, what a big fuss they made over nothing. I'm sure that scared a lot of visitors. Glad you got your dinner in the end. :)

bj said...

Oh, my....an exciting time. I love trying to guess what's going on when excitement is in the air.
Glad you got your fish and chips and probably had a good evening.
xo

Amy said...

sounds like it could have potentially been exciting!

Hetty said...

Dear Betty, never a dull moment!
Groetjes,

hetty

Linda Kay said...

My first visit to your blog. I'm from the midwest as well, transported to Texas, so not so far. All the police presence was probably really curious and a bit scary. Glad you made it to the fish and chips.

Cynthia said...

What a lot of secrecy - for what reason? Probably a fish and chips meal you won't forget! :-)

EG CameraGirl said...

Oh your husband really is a smart one, isn't he? The locals won't tell you anything, but the Internet will!

Seven minutes for a dollar? Someone is making a hefty profit.

Jenn Jilks said...

What an event! A trying time for you. What a lot of foo feraw!
(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

Jenn Jilks said...

I keep on wanting to whack that bug in your sidebar!

Anonymous said...

Internet knows everything. It has become hard protecting secrets. :P
Great read.

Marja said...

An interesting experience and clever to check the internet

Jennifer said...

I am glad that it was nothing more than a visiting dignitary. It must have been odd to find out about the situation on the internet while you were experiencing the whole scene in person.

Hannah said...

Exciting times, Betty, I hope the rest of your trip went well.

Kenneth Cole Schneider said...

Totally weird and unsettling experience! Sounds like a nice place otherwise.

Breathtaking said...

Can't be too careful these days with security when Israeli dignitaries, visit,... sorry it spoilt your plans for dinner.
Best Regards.

Glennis said...

Alot of excitement over nearly nothing. Odd that the only way to find out what was happening was from the internet. At least you got your fish and chips.