window (un)dressing
i noticed these manequins in a clothes shop. “don’t buy our clothes and you’ll look like this” might be their moto.
or possibly “no-one’s body really looks like this. but some of our clothes and cover yours up”
September 2004
odd art thing
a strange flashing thing dangling from a shop. that’s art that is.
towers of ghent
Ghent has got loads of towers, three of which are in a row. i spotted two of them reflected in this traffic mirror with the other one in front.
and this one is just of the other one with the sun going down.
ghent city hall
the conference organisers organised (!) a trip to Ghent city hall last night. this included a neat guided tour behind the scenes.
here is the city crest and a statue of someone wearing glasses
and here is the royal ‘thrown’ in the thrown room. i guess the relevant dignatory wouldn’t have used it with his subjects watching. but it was cunningly disguised as padded stool. it’s a stool for stools:
rows of empty seats
the title of this conference is sort of related to the Internet being everywhere all the time. and that’s been my experience in Ghent. free hotspots in the hotel and the conference centre.
perhaps it’s only the UK where people try to charge you for everything ?
catering for the masses
more fine belgium cuisine. after a plate full of meat and ‘frozen boiled potatos’ (an esther phrase), we had mini sponge cake, chocolate gloop and a profitable-roll. yummy.
i’ve so far failed to eat any of my emergency Mars bars which i always take when travelling abroad.
the conference
for anyone that doubted it, here is a dreadful picture of the president of the conference organisers welcoming us all along.
he’s also appearing on the big screen behind him. it’s just like reading festival isn’t it ?
i’m speaking at 5pm on friday. chances are everyone will either have left or be asleep by then. i’m tryiing to think of whether there is anything clever/comical i could do with the big screen (in addition to my comedy powerpoint slides)
guess what this is
click for answer
the happiest dog ever ?
This is a great dog sign isn’t it ? possibly the jolliest i’ve ever seen.
and, to my great joy, the chap with his hound is at the conference again this year. i shall get an up-to-date picture before the week is out … (and here it is)
rusty bug
art outside the hotel reception
ghent by night
click for bigger
belgian workmen wear caps
compare this to the Swedish one and you’ll see these two chaps have been shovelling the same pile back and forth !
belgium cuisine
who could fail to love a country whose national dish is steak and chips accompanied by beer followed by luxury chocolate and ice-cream.
good to see they still use heinz ketchup.
