\nI flew to Brussels on Monday morning and checked into my hotel on Place Rogier. These days, military vehicles like this one are, sadly, a common sight in Brussels. They do not add to the ambiance but the presence of the soldiers does provide a level of security:
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![\"DSF2840\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_1.jpg\")
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\nI went for a brief walk in the nearby park, Botanique:
\n![\"R002004\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_2.jpg\")
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\nAs always, when walking around the city, I look for little details, like political stickers on lamp posts. This one can be construed to represent a general anarchist sentiment:
\n![\"DSF2839\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_3.jpg\")
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\nThis one is more specific:
\n![\"DSF2838\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_4.jpg\")
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\nThe OLAF conference I was attending dealt with counterfeit fast-moving consumer goods. Here is a lady from Unilever, making a presentation about counterfeiting of their brands and how they deal with it. Due to antitrust considerations, the other companies participating in the event had to leave the room. So the audience consisted of customs officers from the EU member states, some people from the European Commission, and me:
\n![\"R002013\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_5.jpg\")
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\nIn the evening, we were treated to a dinner at La Maison du Cygne on Grand’ Place, a restaurant which I had walked past many times but where I had never eaten:
\n![\"DSF2851\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_6.jpg\")
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\nThe dining room is on the second floor, providing a different perspective on the magnificent square:
\n![\"DSF2859\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_7.jpg\")
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\nThe next day it was back to Alicante. Later in the week, I photographed this morning light in the park while walking Cheeta:
\n![\"DSF2922\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_8.jpg\")
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\nOur office is constructing a third building to complete the campus. This new building is meant to house a couple of deparments when it opens next year, including the one in which I work. So three of us were given a tour of the construction site to see our future home. Safety rules required us to wear the helmets, the high visibility vests, and special shoes:
\n![\"R002021\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_9.jpg\")
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\nThe project manager explains things:
\n![\"R002025\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_10.jpg\")
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\nDoesn’t look like much, yet:
\n![\"R002028\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_11.jpg\")
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\nNetwork component:
\n![\"R002042\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_12.jpg\")
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\nThe plans:
\n![\"R002034\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_13.jpg\")
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\nOverall view of the site. When finished, this area will be a park with padel courts, a running track and other recreational facilities:
\n![\"R002043\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_14.jpg\")
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\nView of the existing building from what will be the 3rd floor of the new building:
\n![\"R002048\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_15.jpg\")
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\nThe buildings will be connected with elevated walkways:
\n![\"R002051\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_16.jpg\")
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![\"R002063\"](\"uploads\/2017\/24_17.jpg\")
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