Inside the World Customs Organisation (WCO) (7) A Day Off ... well nearly

Sunday in Brussels - hot and sunny - I didn't even take my umbrella out with me (coming from England that is a major change from norm).  I found something summery to wear and wandered out into the centre of the old town.  Even at 10am, with church bells ringing all around, people were eating and drinking in street cafes.

Shame about the people sleeping in doorways and in bus shelters, I would say I've seen more "street people" here than in London - at least the weather is ok for them at the moment.  Last night (or should I say and early this morning) police and ambulance sirens were going on regularly right upto to 4am - Saturday night was the worst night's sleep while here.

Anyway, the sun is shining and on the banks of the Canal a large stretch had been covered with sand to form a beach and there was dancing and sun-bathing.  I almost forget I was in Brussels to work.

At lunchtime I met Tommas from Sweden at a little cafe across from St Catherines Church which is closed (going to be renervated and turning into a market hall because of the demand for churches here).  We sat outside and I ordered in French - I'm pretty quick at picking up phrases/ don't know what they say to me but I'm a good mimic; Tommas was impressed until the waiter asked me a question - cover blown!  Then began the lesson on GIRs and tariff classification - yes, I am working on a Sunday.  The weird thing is I enjoyed myself. 

The sessions at the WCO were good but Tommas is new to it all and there was an assumption of knowledge - something we never try to do.  You can never be too basic - a lesson I learnt many years ago when, in an Export Documentation training course a delegate asked me, shyly, "What is an Export?"

So we ate, talked and then I walked back to my hotel to watch Andy Murray win Wimbledon.  All around a good day.  Hope I get a good night's sleep - its the first 10 hours on the International rules on Valuation tomorrow - I'm so excited!