Courtside Drama
We bumped into two cruisemates inside the cathedral. The same couple we first met and toured Acropolis with. We were on the way to see the Caravaggio painting and they were just starting to explore the nave. We agreed to explore the city by foot together. We set the meeting place to be outside the cathedral
Around the corner at Republic Street, the city's main thoroughfare and where most of the shopping and eating are located, is the entry to the cathedral. You enter one way and exit another so we rounded the corner and ended up at the entrance side of the cathedral. Across it stands the city's courthouse.
I wouldn't have paid too much attention to the courthouse, impressive as it may be, as I've seen many a building like this on this trip. BUT, blaring sirens from two ambulances made us curious as to what is happening inside the courtroon.
People started to gather outside and mill around the front of the courthouse and people began looking out their windows. I spotted a local reporter doing his bit a few feet from where I stood. Word of mouth was - a sensational case was getting a verdict that morning. And people were expecting a decision in favor of the prosecutor and the ambulance - one left after seeing that two of them responded to the call - was called just in case the defendant falls ill after hearing the verdict. Nothing transpired while we were standing there. I did not see someone getting loaded in a gurney. Eventually the crowd thinned out and went about their business.
Around the corner at Republic Street, the city's main thoroughfare and where most of the shopping and eating are located, is the entry to the cathedral. You enter one way and exit another so we rounded the corner and ended up at the entrance side of the cathedral. Across it stands the city's courthouse.
I wouldn't have paid too much attention to the courthouse, impressive as it may be, as I've seen many a building like this on this trip. BUT, blaring sirens from two ambulances made us curious as to what is happening inside the courtroon.
People started to gather outside and mill around the front of the courthouse and people began looking out their windows. I spotted a local reporter doing his bit a few feet from where I stood. Word of mouth was - a sensational case was getting a verdict that morning. And people were expecting a decision in favor of the prosecutor and the ambulance - one left after seeing that two of them responded to the call - was called just in case the defendant falls ill after hearing the verdict. Nothing transpired while we were standing there. I did not see someone getting loaded in a gurney. Eventually the crowd thinned out and went about their business.
your trips are always eventful. which is nice.
ReplyDeleteNice they were prepared for the worst!
ReplyDeletewhat a small world! oh so that happens there too but it is indeed unusual that i myself would be curious.
ReplyDeleteWord sure spreads quickly in crowds like that, Maria. I always think of the two cans at the end of a long piece of string and wonder if the end message sounds anything like the beginning? :) Enough excitement to last a day, for sure. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an odd thing to witness on a trip.
ReplyDeleteit's good that they are ready for an emergency. when i was in London years ago, i saw vans of CNN, BBC, police cars and ambulances near Westminster Abbey--naki-uzi din ako syempre.:p turned out, The Da Vinci Code was shooting there.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting! I wonder what the case was all about. You had lots of sunshine on your trip!
ReplyDeletelots of osyosero. what an interesting scene you covered here.
ReplyDeleteyou don't say, i'd be curious too! ^0^
ReplyDeletesomething unexpected indeed.