Every year in September or October, our office hosts an important 2-day meeting of our stakeholders, both public (representing EU member states) and private (basically, various pan-European business organisations). It is a nice occasion, both professionally and personally, since many of the attendees are people we have known for many years, and there is always a social aspect to those meetings. But I start with some cycling pictures from the beginning of the week.
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I cycled to Agost again (I go there almost every weekend). The usually sleepy town was teeming with people this time, as there was a fair going on:
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On the square, a fiesta was being prepared:
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Bottles on chill:
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Classic cars on display:
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Some people look at the cars:
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Others just chat:
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On Monday I met my former trainee Antanina for lunch, she was visiting from London:
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Then the plenary meeting started, and this is how I spent much of the next two days, with my colleagues at my side:
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But there is also the informal interaction, like this warm welcome to an old friend of the house:
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Eri, working during a break:
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Paloma, doing the same:
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Stephanie and Silvia:
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A conversation during a break. Most of the participants come from northern Europe, so the ability to take a break in the sunshine is one of the side benefits for them:
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The lunches during the meetings are so-called “cocktail lunches”, where we all stand around and mingle while eating, something I find exceedingly difficult, but Eri is much more proficient:
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Former colleague Charo, now with the Spanish Ministry of Culture:
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In the evening we had dinner at a local waterfront restaurant, including some traditional music. Stephanie explains something to the musicians:
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Stephanie explains to us what we are about to hear:
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The three graces–Carmen, Stephanie and Silvia:
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The view from the restaurant as darkness fell:
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The meeting continued the following day. Only one photo from that day, showing how my colleagues are used to me and my camera:
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My pre-work ride Thursday morning rewarded me with some truly beautiful light from the rising sun:
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On Friday, Eri and I went for lunch at Liberty Kitchen, an American restaurant in the centre of Alicante:
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A snap of Eri during our lunch completes the third week of October:
