At Random

Finally, here I am again, after a long period of silence. Not much news this time. But there are a few things that I would like to discuss.

Sports
A returning item on my weblog. Quite a few highlights this last week: Roger Federer finally claiming the Roland Garros crown. The Boston Red Sox beating the New York Yankees for the 8th time (in 8 matches) this season (for a Red Sox fan like me, this is highly significant). Valentino Rossi´s win in yesterday´s Grand Prix of Catalunya (No. 46 made a miraculous pass in the last corner of the last lap to beat his rival Jorge Lorenzo, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9kQrUWW18Q with very funny Italian commentary).

As always, I have also participated in some sports myself: running and fitness. I am really upset that the Sports Center (I am a regular customer there) will close for renovations in July. What will I do without the Sports Center?? I might register at another gym for just one month, but that is probably going to be very expensive :(

Visits
Quite a few people came to visit me the past couple of weeks. Of course, I greatly enjoyed all those visits. It is something to look forward to. And I do not get tired of touring around Brussels, a very nice city. There are always new things to see. For example: the fruit market Rianne, Jesse and I went to yesterday. Wonderful, the fruit looked so good and was so cheap (the fruit in the grocery store tends to be ridicuously overprized). Hmmm!! I returned home with half a kilo of cherries and peaches, four bananas and one melon.

European Elections
I was at the Parliament on election night, which was June 7 (most countries, unlike the Netherlands or England, voted on that Sunday). I was hoping to become a real part of the bedlam on election night. But unfortunately, our (the other trainees and I) help was not needed. So, I followed the latest election results. I also walked past the newsstand of the NOS quite a few times. I actually got some screentime :), you could see me walking past when presenter Paul Sneijder interviewed a Dutch MEP. At the end, the Christian Democrats were still -by far- the biggest group in Parliament. This means that the new President (of Parliament) will also be a Christian Democrat.
Either Jerzy Buzek (Poland) or Mario Mauro (Italy). Or maybe a dark horse candidate?? You never know (if some of the other groups join forces and nominate another candidate, very unlikely that they will get a majority, but still..). The new President will be chosen during the next plenary session in Strasbourg (probably on July 15).

President Pöttering
But if you ask me, I wouldn´t mind the current President, Hans-Gert Pöttering (Christian Democrat from Germany) to stay on for another 2.5 years. But alas, a President can only have a 2.5 year term. During the past (almost) four months, I have come to like Pöttering. As far as I know, the only MEP that has been in the parliament since 1979 (for 29 years, I was minus two at that time haha!!). And he is going to be an "ordinary" MEP again after his term as President ends in July. In my opinon, Europe would be in better shape if there were more Pötterings in the Parliament. A very level-headed, capable and honest politician. Not many of those left in the 21th century.

Anyway, we (all the current trainees in the Parliament, including me of course :D) got a chance to meet President Pöttering last Thursday. The President, although on a tight schedule, took his time. We had our (group) picture taken with the President. And he gave a very gracious speech, with one particularly interesting anecdote. When he met the Emperor of Japan, he had to courtesy (buigen) a few times.

Interestingly, just the day before I was watching the excellent miniseries John Adams (about the great American revolutionary). At one point, Adams (as American ambassador in Britain) went to meet King George. He had to courtesy three times: when he entered, when he was in the middle of the room and when he was in front of the King. At that point I thought: surely that is not happening anymore!! How wrong I was!!

Paris
Nicole and I will be leaving for Paris this Wednesday. In all honesty I cannot wait!! Must sees for me: Versailles, Eiffeltower, Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and so much more. I will also be able to explore a new running route, since our hotel is located closely to the Jardin du Luxembourg (in case you are wondering, yes, if possible, I tend to pick a hotel which has a decent running route in the vicinity).

Another post hopefully in a week or so, when I return from Paris.

I haven´t planned much for July yet, so if anybody wants to visit, you are very welcome!!

Suzanne