This is very cruel. I wanted so much to go to this
conference and it sounds as if it was everything I
thought it would be. I must be a masochist as despite
being green with envy I'd love to hear more. Did
everyone enjoy it as much?
                        Geoff Thompson
--- Frank Ippolito <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi All,
>
> Returned and newly dusted off, I noticed that there
> hasn't been too much
> banter here about our last meeting abroad. I think
> there's a good
> explaination of this: over-saturation. When
> considering how one can frame
> the experience of the 2000 meeting, I immeadiately
> ran into a question of
> where to begin....
>
> Well let's see, the town of Evora was a gem of a
> 16th century city built
> within a ring of thick, ancient moorish walls.
> Soundbites? I could talk
> about the winding alleyways paved with tile
> fragments, snaking between
> crooked houses- all whitewashed and baking in the
> hot sun. And the
> wonderful jumble of thier red tile roofs, each
> sitting at every concievable
> angle and height. Or the bustling town square where
> one procures a morning
> expesso while walking to the university. Or the
> various churches and
> cathedral with heavy bells ringing. Or perhaps the
> local ancient roman
> ruins thrown into the mix for good luck. Then again
> the ancient university
> setting was unparaleled in GNSI history. Tile-lined
> rooms with hand carved
> oaken lecturns were pretty unique. And of course,
> Rita's room. Hmmmm. What
> about the reception at the Castle of Monsaraz? Well
> I suppose an awesome
> sunset over yet another ancient city is worth noting
> as we wait to enter
> into the castle courtyard. There spotlights reveal a
> long and well attended
> table of wine, cheese, breadstuff. Under the stars
> <sigh>. (Oh yeah, that's
> right, the sky was perpetually blue the entire
> trip.) Anyway cries of
> "Catch the bread, save the wine!" echo into the
> night....What else? Lisbon?
> Oh yeah! How about the reception at the Castle de S.
> Jorg? The sunset over
> this ancient capital was pretty impressive from this
> perch. And the
> reception at the US ambasador's house? And the
> Japanese Embasy!!! Geeze. I
> guess I shouldn't start with THAT one. And the
> auction? Don't go there. But
> wait wasn't there another castle in there. No a
> fort! Big white and right
> on the ends of the earth. At Sagres.... yet another
> reception replete with
> another beautiful sunset. Some of us stayed longer
> too. Four days exploring
> a scrub desert that suddenly plunges straight down
> hundreds of feet into
> unspoiled beaches. Tickling scorpions and swimming
> with octopus. Kinda
> different I guess. And wait! Don't forget about the
> actual meeting with all
> the usual GNSI magic. And the people! 12 European
> contries represented
> about a third of the 150 attendees. I don't know. I
> can't even begin to
> begin. And I wasn't even on many of the fieldtrips.
> Hmmm. Maybe I'll have a
> better handle on it tommorrow......


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