And the silly shirt award goes to....

So John Key has had his first outing as PM at APEC in Lima Peru. So APEC, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is an annual get together of the heads of 21 Pacific Rim countries and over the course of a couple of days they natter about the state of the world, how they'd like to redecorate and all those pressing global issues.

Each year it's hosted by a different country and when it's your country's turn there is a whole lot of brouhaha involved. It's a bit like having the flashest relies over, the house gets tidied to within an inch of it's life and all the mess is hidden away in bottom drawers and jammed into wardrobes.

But being the shallow ditz that I am, I reckon that the most outstanding thing about APEC is when, on the final day, the country's traditional costumes are handed out for all the leaders to wear. Here's a wee sample.

This is what Chile pulled out in 2004.

The Australians dressed the leaders in drizabones and Akubra hats. Here are they sans hat. And I read a caption that accompanied this photo, 'APEC leaders get expensive raincoats while Asia Pacific people get screwed by climate change.'

And here is a shot of George in Vietnam looking like he's wondering why he's wearing Laura's dressing gown.

And I am particularly fond of men in bows, as was Korea's choice of costume in 2005.This year Peru gave out tan ponchos. Apparently, according to Kevin Rudd, they are very good at hiding guns.
And this is just so you can see just how fetching John Key looked in his poncho.

I have no idea why he is already talking about selling it off for charity.