More specifically, a quiet day cooped up in the hotel writing slides. I don't mind putting presentations together, but workshops are far tougher... for each set of slides there has to be written and tested code, and this takes time.
Still, I think I have the first 2-3 days comprehensively worked out, and the last day was always going to depend on how the attendees coped with the material, so I'll be happy putting that together from the plans and slides I've got as the week goes by.
I spoke with a German guy this morning at breakfast, who is over here selling construction equipment. Apparently he sold 8 cranes in one month recently, so either the economy is booming and buildings are flying up, or someone has a serious crane fetish.
Anyway, the guy tipped me off to some decent restaurants a shot taxi ride away, so I went to one of them this evening: Casa di David, an Italian restaurant. Funny on so many levels. It was pretty good food, but considering the number of waiters and waitresses (we're talking maybe 30 for a place that wasn't exactly huge), the service was somewhat lacklustre. Certainly worse than the service I got last night in the out-of-the-way place I ate (where the customer - waiter ratio was far less, too). The restaurant had the air of "the place you go to be seen to make people know you can afford to go there". Urgh. Every country has pretentious places, it seems.
The restaurant was on a lake near to the Palace of Parliament, and I just caught a glimpse of it on my way back - impressive building (the second largest building in the world). I'll try and visit it before I leave, time permitting.
Another thing that bothers me - or surprises me, at least ... I haven't made my mind up whether I should be bothered, pitying, disgusted or just to accept that it happens and ignore it. The open reference to the sex trade here. The guy this morning said "so, what are you interested in, theatres or women?", and a guy in the hotel bar this evening appeared to be on a very particular kind of holiday - he was comparing prices at various establishments with the barman. Hmm.
Oh well. I'm going to be terribly English and curl up in bed with a book now, rather than a prostitute.
One last thing - I forgot to pack tea bags. I had a weird herbal concoction masquerading as tea this morning. Damn. Poison to an Englishman abroad :-)
Currently listening to Bach - English Suite No.1, A M from the album Johann Sebastian Bach, The Eng by Glenn Gould
Posted by savs at August 22, 2004 9:11 PM