DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
Hundreds of Santas brought a sea of red to a small German town over the second Advent as the annual fun run converged once again on Michendorf. PICTURE: Reuters screen grab
• Anyone dressed up in a Father Christmas costume is allowed to take part. And the red-robed and clothed participants are not only running to keep the chill out but to earn their mug of traditional mulled wine, handed out by bystanders. “I’m running the Santa run because it’s just a super nice atmosphere here in Michendorf. It’s a fun run because everyone is dressed up. There are lots of red runners around you, it just looks beautiful,” said runner Michael Schatz. According to the local municipality, this is the 14th time the run has taken place, as it always does on the 2nd Advent. The start and finish were both at the Michendorf community centre with mulled win or a chocolate Santa available for all. – Reuters.
• A dancing traffic officer has been handing out red and yellow cards to direct drivers and pedestrians at the World Cup. Kenyan traffic officer Dennis Mochu Kamau, one of thousands of workers keeping the World Cup running, says he’s using the cards to ease tension and make his job easier. “You get to argue with people, every time you stop them, they are in a hurry, maybe they are tired, but now I decided to come with a red card and a yellow card idea,” he says. “So when the person sees a red card, they are like ‘oh no, don’t give me a red card’ and he goes. And it makes people happy, it is all about World Cup.” – Reuters.
A man runs during an early morning exercise inside Warren Hills cemetery in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 24th November. PICTURE: Reuters/Philimon Bulawayo
• It is early morning at a cemetery in Zimbabwe’s Warren Park, a few miles west of central Harare, and 19-year-old Lesly Madubeko is drenched in sweat from an hour-long workout. He wakes up at 4am to join dozens of exercise fanatics jogging and joining aerobics classes in what he admits is an unusual location to try to keep fit. Many Zimbabweans are taking to working out after being cooped up during the COVID pandemic. But due to lack of facilities in the townships, residents have had to improvise and the leafy, multi-faith Warren Hills cemetery is proving a popular venue for some, if a bit worrying for others. “People are uncomfortable about the graveyard, but I see nothing wrong with coming here. Our rural folk are always superstitious but we are not afraid,” Madubeko tells Reuters. A few paces from where Madubeko is training, footballer Tichaona Macheka, 19, is holding an aerobics class. “We have more space and it is peaceful here. Training at home means noise for our neighbours,” Macheka says.”The Muslim section of the cemetery was gracious to let us train here and I am glad more people are joining the class.” Social work student Agnes Chigunde says the workouts have become part of her daily routine. “I am not even afraid to walk here alone,” she says. “I realised I was overweight, so I decided to come here so that I can do something about it. I am happy with the progress so far.” – NYASHA CHINGONO/Reuters.
