Looking Back at UN Week II — and that mysterious blond
No matter what your first grade teacher told you, UN General Assembly week is proof that some people are just more important than others.
This is primarily evident in traffic; as the Assembly convened and recessed, or just everytime a big wig wanted to go back to their hotel or to a restaurant, traffic was cleared and haulted. The East Side was a nightmare. Monday evening, I was out when Bush returned to his hotel, stopping both vehicular and foot traffic up and across Park Ave. I was stuck on the west side of Park Ave, ironically trying to get to the east side to see Afghan President Karzai give a lecture. The next day, Pakistani President Musharraf drove by me gazing out the window of his limo.
But the strangest encounter was along 23rd St at around 8PM. I was driving east and traffic was flowing normally until some black SUVs approached with their sirens blaring. Everyone pulled over, but after they passed I turned my wheel to re-enter the street. Suddenly, another SUV came roaring, with a Secret Service guy literally hanging out the window, screaming over the sirens to everyone “STOP!! Stay where you are! Don’t Move!!” Finally a black limo roared down, and through the back window I could see a woman with long blond hair shielding her profile. Whoever this woman was, I knew she had to be important. But what world leader has long blond hair?
Next week I’m returning home to Bangkok. As you may know, Thailand has just gone through a coup d’etat and is now under a strict military dictatorship. Check out bangkok.metblogs.com for an insiders’ view!
I know this is a stupid question. But why does UN coverage always boil down to a traffic report?
This question is rediculous on at least two levels, a) you DROVE into Manhattan? b) Of course nothing of international importance happened, but can’t we at least get some decent page 6 gossip?
BDT, no need to be rude to the poster. Feel free to add any facts/tidbits that you would like to report on.
The conference not surprisingly didn’t seem to bring about any great new policies or revelations, so traffic is apparently the lasting memory that this meeting will recall. Iran and the US still hate each other and the rest of the world thinks the US is a bastard. Also, Hugo Chavez apparently doesn’t care for George Bush… who knew?
Actually, the UNGA really played out like a Jerry Springer episode this year. It could have been on Page 6
Hmm… Angela Merkel (Germany) springs to mind… but her hair is short, isn’t it?
I thought of Angie too, but her hair is way too short. It could have been an escort being raced to someone’s chambers for a quickie. But I think it was probably Nane Annan. She’d sure fit the VIP treatment, although she’s kinda old.