Refashioning of the village square began in early March. It was supposed to be finished by end-August. Six months. It isn’t finished.
Even so, some of what has been accomplished is mighty interesting.
Take the pavement area next to the noodle shop. Where once there were cobble stones (laid about five years ago), there is now a raised flowerbed, signage posts, and a long bench made of synthetic faux-wood.
For reasons best known to whoever planned and approved this, anyone sitting on this new bench will have their backs turned against the vibrancy and movement in the square. Instead, they will be looking at a concrete wall.
Anyway, it gets even more curious.
One can only speculate that whoever “planned” this new seating never bothered to visit the site before or after they fired up their laptop. If they had taken a look around, they’d have seen that the planned public bench abuts onto a noodle shop. This shop has a (probably illegal) awning, beneath which are tables and stools, customers, cooks and cooking from late afternoon.
Thus, afternoon flaneurs sitting on this new public seating are going to be up close and real personal with the noodle gourmets.
But, wait.
The noodle people often drop a thick plastic curtain wall down the front and sides of their awning, so anyone sitting on the bench won’t be too up close and personal. Nor able to see too clearly, either.
Better yet! When the thick plastic curtain is in place, the only way to get to this new bench will be by trampling across the flowerbed. . .
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