IAA: mass of humanity with a few cars

Went to the IAA in Frankfurt last Sunday. Once we found the place, the crowds didn't look too bad, and we got a parking place pretty easily. Heh. Very efficient ticket sales counter and we got into the main complex with no problems.

The IAA is held in a big convention center with about 7 large multi-story buildings and a large outside plaza where BMW builds a new display every year (I think). We decided to go see Mercedes' exhibit since it was the closest. That was when the saga began. Mercedes' building is a large rotunda, and they funneled us to a couple of very long escalators like so many cows to the very top. Then you spiral down, down, down four or five levels to the floor, passing a car here and there along the way. All of this is in a mass of humanity that was, in Tom's words, overwhelming. I didn't even try to get anywhere on the bottom floor. By the time we made it down there we needed a drink and some food, and were just hoping for an exit.

It didn't get any better. Pass outside for a breath of fresh air, and then head over to the Ferrari area. I was hoping to sit in a Ferrari. Not. There they were, roped off and surrounded by hundreds of people. There was no way to push to the front, so I got up on tiptoes and snapped pictures wildly. Ditto Porsche. And Mini. And the Dodge Viper. About the only cars you could actually see were the Daewoos. Woo.

So we left. It was an experience, to be sure. I can say I've been to the biggest car show in the world now, and I even saw a few cars. I liked Dayton's auto show better. They may not have Ferrari, but at least you can sit in the cars.