Arriving a Groningen, Nederlands for the European Go Congress

One quick flight, four trains, two taxis and a forty-five minute walk later I'm sitting in the Hampshire Plaza Hotel on the outskirts of Groningen in the Netherlands, watching two dudes play:


I watched the opening ceremony, which included a 'waking the dragon' dance, which was a Chinese dragon which I'd never seen before. Here he is asleep:

Afterwards I played Richard Mullens in the hotel bar, where there beer was SO expensive. Like 1/4 pint cost two euros or something - insane! Also another mad thing was that you had to queue up at reception to buy tokens - you could not pay in cash! How nuts is that?! Anyhow, at reception, who should I bump into but my occasional teacher, Mr Slimstone otherwise known as Alexander Dinnerstein! I offered to buy him a drink and he accepts. Next thing he is watching my game against Richard. Here it looks reasonable:


I have just invaded the corner as black and cross-cut. I got a reasonable position out of this, then for some reason (travel tiredness, shock of beer price, beer, pressure of being watched by pro, whatever) I misread and messed up. After messing up a second time I called it a day and said my fairwells.