Lesson learned

Thalys on the weekend ... crowded with tourists who bring way too much luggage.

Paris again

Good meeting with longtime WG partner Arrows ECS in Paris yesterday, they are joining up as a training partner to deliver XTM and XCS training to resellers in France, which will make Sales happy.

And happy is good!

So ... staying in Paris again tonight on my dime, because hey, it's a beautiful day in Paris, how bad is that?  Spent lunchtime reading my Kindle down on the banks of the Seine, back to the hotel for a little e-mail, and then off to Montmartre to check out the Dali exhibit there.

Train time tomorrow

That five hour drive from Paris to Amsterdam I did last weekend?
Tomorrow I'm on the Thalys and should get there in about 3:15.

He's out!

And word is Diego Maradona was only fired by Argentina because he wouldn't agree to firing many of his assistant coaches.  Can't fault the guy's loyalty.

Updated desk shot

Most of the work is getting done here.  No offense, Hague office, but my chair, desk, lighting, music, and computer setup are all better here ... so, eh, why would I be there?  Because I like working slowly?  Also, the cheap Creative speakers are way better than nothing ... big upgrade to home musical enjoyment.

Decent night shot

This worked better than I'd hoped. From the bedroom ...

Readers

I like to read by the canal, too ... of course, I do it 4 floors up and in a comfy chair ...

Formula One

German Grand Prix this weekend ... I was too cheap to try this one, but I still have my eyes on Belgium in August.

Shorn

I'd been procrastinating on finding a new place to get my hair cut, always hate to let somebody new hack on it.  But after breakfast at Cafe Nielsen I spotted a men's & women's hair place across the street and took a look.  The owner said she needed 5 minutes and didn't ever take appointments so I was next.

I had a seat and pretty soon the owner's adorable little 3-1/2 yr old daughter came over to chat away at me, not particularly bothered that I didn't speak Dutch, although mom tried to explain this to her.  She showed me her bucket full of styrofoam packing peanuts that were 'fish' to her, and when I showed her my Kindle she showed me her book, and described Nemo and his friends.  I think.  Possibly she was critiquing the author's view of fish evolution, but I kinda doubt it.  "Tessa" made those minutes fly by, then it was my turn to get cut and she toddled off to her play area.

Very happy with the job Jolanda did on my head too, so looks like I've found a decent place to get it done (for less than I paid at Alki).

Paris

Neuilly-Sur-Seine, Levallois, and the Grand Jatte island ... not too shabby a part of town.

A bit surreal

During the heavy lightning and thunder last night, a parade of carriages went up the opposite side of Singel and then came back down on my side ... poor horses couldn't have liked being soaking wet and having lightning light up the street every 30 seconds!

Weather Report

Another day where the temp will hover near 90 and humidity near 60% .... just back from a bike ride down to a breakfast place, trying to get laundry done before another trip next week (Belgium & France) .... resigned to taking 2-3 showers a day and always being sweaty.

Athens, Wednesday

Heading to the airport tomorrow.

Maybe!

(Reuters) - Greece's main labor unions called a 24-hour strike for July 8 on Thursday in protest against sweeping pension reforms and other austerity measures to help end a debt crisis.

It will be the sixth joint stoppage this year by Greece's main public and private sector unions, which together represent about 2.5 million workers, or half the Greek workforce.
Private sector union GSEE said the strike would coincide with a vote in parliament on pension reform, part of a package agreed by the socialist government in return for a 110 billion euro ($134.6 billion) bailout by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

GSEE rejects the pension bill and the labor reforms," it said in a statement, saying it would refuse "any regulation which will result once again in unfair and unbearable measures for workers and pensioners."

The main public sector union, ADEDY, will also take part, Ilias Iliopoulos, its general secretary, told Reuters. The unions had previously announced plans for a strike in July but had not fixed a date.

Turnout at rallies on strike days has fallen -- about 12,000 people marched in Athens in the last joint stoppage on June 29, against 50,000 in the biggest rally on May 5, when three people died in the fire-bombing of an Athens bank.

Weariness with strikes, summer heat and resignation to austerity may be among the factors for the lower turnout, analysts say.

Whee, can't wait.

Netherlands in World Cup Final

Well ... so much for attending North Sea Jazz on Sunday, because I'm not missing THIS event.  If it's against Germany ... wow, the hype in Holland will be unreal.  There's just a little rivalry there.

Athens: Tuesday

Well, I don't speak Greek, but I think I understand what the stripper weathergirl on channel 5 is saying.

Monday: Athens

Okay, I love The Wire, but uncensored at 6 in the morning?

That ain't right, Greece.

This one will be big

It's impossible to exaggerate the level of hype here in Holland and around Europe about the upcoming clash of Brazil and Netherlands in the World Cup tonight.  Many are looking at this as the "real finals" of the tournament (Spain isn't, I know).

Dutch manager Bert van Marwijk (who looks and dresses like a retired 00 agent) is quietly confident:

"We're not afraid of them. We know Brazil are a good strong team with a number of weapons like speed and turning around a game, but I know we can win this match."

Cable TV, Amsterdam

Nice thing about having BBC1 and BBC2 on the local cable package:  live Wimbledon all day.