Much travelling in the last few days, over for now thank goodness.
Monday last week in the Hague, seeing various foreign policy players. It was rather amusing because it was the day their foreign minister was appointed the new head of NATO and there was a certain consequent buzz of excitement in the ministry (and also a most un-Dutch level of minor confusion about who was attending our meetings).
Tuesday back in Brussels for a meeting with a shadowy Balkan organisation of the kind I wouldn’t normally mention in a semi-public forum – except that they then put out a press release describing what I had thought was a confidential meeting! Luckily none of the media picked it up. Apart from the obvious problem that it’s written in a language nobody else can read, I think “leader of obscure organisation meets with minor NGO official” doesn’t make a very good headline.
Wednesday to Montenegro for two days, where nice Euro-finance people had invited me as their only external speaker at an internal retreat; my hosts have a surprisingly high proportion of actual Balkan people and also of women among their staff, so get good marks for that (as well as for paying my plane fare business class both ways and then to Dublin and back). Sveti Stefan is a lovely resort; unfortunately I had a rotten cold and couldn’t make the most of it.
Friday to Dublin, via long stop-over at Belgrade airport, for P-Con which was excellent;
Two more Balkan-related meetings in Dublin yesterday, and then back today to find the Macedonia report still hasn’t gone away and has now been joined by a Georgia report. I’d better get on with them, I suppose.
I read Over Sea as a book at school, and have seen the film of Dark is Rising.
They don’t appear to be linked that closely, only one character transfers (who is reintroduced anyway), but the three kids from OSUS appear to be in book three.
I keep meaning to read the whole sequence, but never get around to ordering the books.