Je regarde la librairie

Meetings at the European Commission's offices were interesting. The focus was on wildlife trafficking, with a partial focus on conflict zones. The main aim was to gather EC delegation reps from as wide as Afghanistan to Mauritius and Vietnam to Colombia to discuss the EC's strategy on wildlife trafficking, with practitioners like me there to avoid it being a room full of diplomats. Having dealt with the EC in a few countries it was fascinating to see some of the internal politics of such a colossal organisation. Lots of the offices are seeking extra funds to carry out centrally determined strategies, pretty much as the likes of me are doing at the country level. A huge EC exercise in resource allocation and I was left wondering what global ramifications there will be after the UK's EU exit when its budget drops sharply. It'll mean less money on bureaucratic offices but it will certainly mean less development aid in some of the neediest situations. But, you know, as long as we've 'gorr-our country back' and all that. And that the excess money will be diverted to the woefully under-resourced NHS. Oh. Wait....

Brussels is not a rip-roaring city. I almost missed food as I left it too long to seek some. Luckily I found a chips and mayo takeout so I could be found munching away late on the streets, huddled over my cone to keep out the icy chill.

A Belgian bookshop as I walked back from the meetings.