[OreoCookie]

Looks like this is going the be a very booooring weekend here. You can do exactly nothing in Munich, you are supposed to avoid any for of public transportation, you are not allowed to lock bikes anywhere in the city … 

Oh, you wonder why? Are the Germans on strike again? Nope, not this time, the Pope is visiting. Hence there are tons of people in town to see him and security measures are strict. If you want to celebrate the Mass with him tomorrow morning, you have to get to the Trade Fair Center at 2 am. No chairs, not even a thermos is allowed (I hope not too many people will collapse …).

I'm glad when all this is over and city life returns to normal

[cszar2001]

You guys are the lucky ones actually.
He's coming here next - that's during a normal workweek!
The BMW plant has to close for two days, most offices are also closed for at least one day since nobody can get to work.
The only thing that makes this thing worthwhile is that I can take loads of pictures of the whole mess. ;-)

[OreoCookie]

Actually, the BMW plant in Munich has been shut down as well

[Judge_Fire]

Heh, Helsinki is right now hosting Asem 6, which gives the police an excuse to open up the riot/special-gear room and feel all counterstrikey ... while what typically happens is a few radical extremists maybe throw some bottles at them.

Well, we'll see.

[OreoCookie]

Oh yeah, that reminds me of the Security Conference that takes place each year at a hotel in the city center of Munich. Last time I was near, the police outnumbered some peaceful leftist punks by something like 5 to 1 (They were basically laughing at them, drinking beer, eating )

[angelmb]

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Actually, the BMW plant in Munich has been shut down as well

Maybe they got some envy due to the Popemobile being a ML Class.

[OreoCookie]

AFAIK it's a competition between the big German auto makers: all of them want to build the Papa Mobil (as it is called here). The Vatican doesn't have to pay for it. Neither does it pay for all the security arrangements (the costs are estimated to be somewhere between 60 and 70 million Euros!). Since most of Bavaria is predominantly Catholic, there's not much criticism to be heard here, though.

[TETENAL]

Did any head of state ever have to pay for security arrangements during their visit?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by TETENAL

Did any head of state ever have to pay for security arrangements during their visit?

No. The head of households pay - via tax.

-t

[OreoCookie]

Well, there's also another point people need to consider: is the state (in this case Bavaria) or are the feds (der Bund) paying for it? Mecklenburg-Vorpommern complained, because they had to pay for the security arrangements during Bush's visit (some 14 million Euros I seem to remember). They argue the feds (i. e. someone else) should pay for it.

[C.A.T.S. CEO]

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

Looks like this is going the be a very booooring weekend here. You can do exactly nothing in Munich, you are supposed to avoid any for of public transportation, you are not allowed to lock bikes anywhere in the city … 

Oh, you wonder why? Are the Germans on strike again? Nope, not this time, the Pope is visiting. Hence there are tons of people in town to see him and security measures are strict. If you want to celebrate the Mass with him tomorrow morning, you have to get to the Trade Fair Center at 2 am. No chairs, not even a thermos is allowed (I hope not too many people will collapse …).

I'm glad when all this is over and city life returns to normal

That sucks

[Dark Helmet]

That is retarded.