Tuesday 1st November 2016

Here we are, back in Oostende, working away. And in truth, each day here is very much the same as any other. Somethimes the challenges may be different, sometimes they're the same.

As it happens, Tuesday was very different indeed, and shows that a place so near to home can be so different.

Growing up, Halloween was something seen on American TV shows, and meant nothing else to us. No one did trick or treating, no one dressed up, and no one explained what it was. And it wasn't until I was posted to Germany that I became aware that the day after Halloween is All Saints Day. The neighbouring two to us in Germany, had a shrine, and so was a place of pilgrimage, and as my wife was Catholic, a not very good one I grant you, we did go to mass there a few times, and All Saints Day was almost as important as Christmas of Easter.

So to Belgium, and All Saints Day is a public holiday, and the whole week is celebrated, and Oostende has been filled with a fair for two weeks now, building up to the 1st. So being a public holiday, when I drove to the offices, the roads were empty. I mean there was almost nothing else on them, even at the crazy big roundabout, no other cars, so I could arrive at the office with no real issues, and no traffic scares.

During the morning, bells from all over the town rung out for half an hour from half nine, clearly heard through the fog that had risen at dawn. We worked on of course.

Another day of training for the others here, and for me, more admin. Every day there is admin, filing pictures and reports, sending and receiving mails with more pictures and reports.

There is always coffee to drink, rolls to eat at lunchtime, then notice as the sun tracks from east to west in the sky, setting late in the afternoon and getting dark by the time work finishes just after five. Another day done, and wondering if any of us makes a difference.

As a colleague had arrived, we arranged a team meal at Den Artiest again, what better way to celebrate work and life but with huge amounts of bbq'd meat? And beer. I say huge, no one really drinks huge amounts of beer here, as the best brews are 7 or 8%, and so two small bottles are usually enough. Steak, fries and lots of mayo go down well, but we ate late in the evening, as everywhere is so full due to the holiday, it is ten by the time we leave and walk along to where the bars are.

Another beer?

We all agree we should, and all was good until a bloke with a tashe and one tooth came to talk. He was interested in my views on Brexit, and we agreed on most things. But who will win the election in the US he asked. HRC I replay without hesitation. He was shocked, and asked why, Trump is a racist, misogynist, serial business failure and would be a danger to the world I replied. He could not believe my reply, and after I blanked him when he tried to engage, he walked off, so I could concentrate on my beer.