The World Congress

or Conference, as I call it. I feel only scientific types or world leaders  are entitled to have Congresses. Don't know why, it's just a thing.

Anyway it was great. I really enjoyed it. I don't think I went to one duff panel. There was a refreshing lack of those people who ask questions simply to show off how clever they are or how much they know. My paper (the 14 minute  version) went well and at least two people have bought the book I was talking about it on the strength of it. I found some people who are working on very similar lines to me, although on different writers, which was great as I had thought I was the only person mad enough to try and tie together a ret-conned  psychological diagnosis with work and biography, and I met up with some people I have met before, who actually remembered me. It was a nice little confidence booster as well as being great fun. 

The first evening was National Aboriginal Day so we had some poetry and song from First Nation poets and singers. Of the poets, one was bad, one was good and one was totally incomprehensible. The totally incomprehensible one insisted on having all the lights switched off, and then read something through a mike that was deliberately set to give a lot of 'feedback,' to a backing track of possibly the same set of unconnected words which had been deliberately distorted. I cannot in all conscience say I enjoyed it. The singers were fun though, and I even have a picture

although as I was a long way back it's not a very good one. Those are drums they are holding which they played with a beater, and that made quite a thrilling sound. Not always loud, but quite visceral. 

Although we were in a hotel there was a lovely roof terrace thing where we could take our coffee before we started each day and during breaks

We finished on the Saturday night with a banquet 

and on the Sunday there was an optional trip to Fort Langley which had been a major centre for the Hudson's Bay Company. Sadly it is now a major centre for mosquitos and we were all well and truly bothered by them. I could have tholed this better had our guide not jocularly remarked at the beginning of the tour that 'If only we stocked mosquito repellent and after bite in the gift shop we could make a fortune' and after 90 minutes of being a walking banquet for them myself I wanted to scream 'well why on earth don't you then? at her. 

In the spirit of 'But apart from that Mrs Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?' I have to say that it was a very interesting and enjoyable trip. I learned a lot, and still retain some of it two weeks later, which is good going. 

And after one final night it was Au Revoir Vancouver

and the flight from hell ....