It’s 5:48 PM and my last meeting is over for the day. That’s actually not a bad time to begin the evening, but it’s not a normal Sunday evening because I’m in the Netherlands looking out over the North Sea. (At least that’s what they tell me this beautiful body of water is outside my window.)
Actually, the meetings started as soon as we landed on Friday morning and, except for some down time yesterday, will be nonstop until we fly home Tuesday morning. (This was one of those week-ends where it was great to be me.)
For those of you who are younger, this date may not be particularly meaningful, but my last trip here was in 1969. In fact, it was December of 1969, and we actually stayed on The Continent to celebrate the beginning of the 1970’s. Who could have known that it would take this long to get back to the Netherlands, but it has been well worth the wait.
I liked the Netherlands on my first trip, in fact, it was F-U-N for a 22 year old recent college graduate, but this time, I can honestly say that I have loved it here. The people have been wonderful. They are honest, straightforward, and very accommodating, and the towns: Utrecht, Rotterdam, The Hague have all been absolutely charming.
We are here to consummate our research partnerships with the various medical centers, and to establish a foot-hold in Europe.
In the past 50 hours, I have been exposed to art, antiques, museums, music and business as casually as I’m normally exposed to fresh air and mountain breezes back home. Each city has produced a special type of “drive by” entertainment that only a native of Western Pennsylvania can truly appreciate. The parks are filled with incredible musicians and the galleries are bursting with challenging new exhibits. The canals are lined with the most interesting and creative sculptures, and there is live music everywhere. The real beauty of it all is that it is just part of the landscape here, not a special event or a special week-end.
We’ve been meeting with our representatives from Taskforce Europe, with members of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, with leadership from Erasmus Medical Center, and TNO. So, Ron, Steef, Conchita, Emmie, Ronald, et al… thanks for the beginning of a wonderful scientific and business relationship.
And Jude and Nina, if you’re reading this, I’ve got the “magic shoes.”
awesome post i loved it thanks
Great post about this. I am sure many visitors will find this very useful.
The report is bright and clear, without the additional worthless
details or else. The language is both brilliant and vibrant, so the more I read, the more I do enjoy it!