My current travels

I'm sitting in the Microsoft office in Brussels, Belgium where I just finished talking to a customer about the product my team is building. It was an interesting discussion as usual. There are so many variables to consider and in the end sometimes, when we both understand each other, we realize the product my team built isn't necessarily the product they need. Ultimately, when we say something like, you know this probably isn't a good fit, customers seem to appreciate that honesty. They don't always get it from vendors.
Anyway, I'm sitting here, 2 hours away from Paris, with 18 hours left before my flight wondering if I shouldn't go a little further and make my way down. I don't get to Europe very often (2 times in the last 35 years), so I'm wondering if I might just take a quick jaunt down to see it. Might cut pretty close for my flight home.
So, anyway, I had an interesting discussion with the Belgian Microsoft consultant here after the presentation. We got to talking politics and how Europeans view Americans. All the usual stuff, especially about the Iraqi war etc. He said that they think that what we did was wrong because we did it alone. I asked if he thought it was similar at all to what the Americans did in WWII. He said no. Well, this isn't a political blog, but I find it interesting how the perceptions differ based on your context. I recently read a web site that was put up by the Iraqis in Kurdistan thanking the Americans for liberating them from the rule of Saddam. I recall during the early stages and even now that the popularly elected government asked the American military to stay so that there would be continued stability and an opportunity to rebuild before the Americans left.
Well, it was a fun discussion and we were able to agree to disagree. We talked about the differences in America and Europe. Some of the things that were better in America than Europe and visa versa. He likes America because of all the space and is returning again this year to attend burning man. I told him how much I like all the old stuff in Europe. Some of the buildings are hundreds of years old. Some of the buildings in Bremen, Amsterdam and Brussels were built in 1100, 1200, 1400. I find that astonishing. Some of the buildings in Amsterdam have the names of the original owners. That's so cool.
I've been enjoying this trip on a lot of different fronts. While I thought I'd have mor time to do some sight seeing, that really hasn't materialized except for Sunday when I went to Bremen. I'm too wiped out after meeting with customers and the travel to and from the sites to really be interested in hopping a bike for the center of Amsterdam. But, I've enjoyed the association with some quality people, the different sites, I've discovered a new favorite food and learned a little more about this part of Europe. I've renewed my appreciation for Google maps and the need to study a map very closely before embarking on a trip anywhere in Europe. There is one thing to be sure about, "There are _no_ straight roads in Europe!"
Tomorrow I fly back. I'm looking forward to getting home. I think I'll pass on Paris tonight. I'm feeling pretty tired and it's a very long drive.