I've always found that, after a conference, I need a little down time. Given that I'm not overburdened with self-confidence, mingling with other delegates requires effort to relax on my part. It's not because they are intimidating - far from it - but because they are high fliers, and I don't really picture myself like that. It does get easier though, as I have learned over time that it is much easier to be myself than to try too hard. Apparently, I'm quite good at being me...
So, Council finished, I have come into Pula by bus and am having a gentle explore on what has become a rather nice afternoon. The railway station, to the north of the town centre, is in a state of genteel decay, especially now that it is at one end of a completely isolated piece of track connected to a series of small towns and villages across the centre of Istria - the last through train ran in December.
Next stop, the Roman amphitheatre, which held up to 20,000 people in its heyday, and the walls of which are mostly intact. It was, as one might expect, a venue for gladiator fights. Nowadays, it hosts a film festival and pop and classical music contests. The terracing provides a sun lounge for dozens of small lizards who seemed to grow comfortable with my presence.
The Adriatic is just yards away, and is millpond flat, the sun is warm, and I'm slightly more active than the lizards (but only slightly).
Pula also has free public wi-fi in various parts of the city. This means that I can blog whilst sitting at a cafe in a square with a glass of biska (a mistletoe grappa). This I highly approve of, and it is something that I should seek for Creeting St Peter in due course.
I head for home tomorrow, in time to hurl myself back into my studies and be (hopefully) reunited with my Kindle Fire. But there are a few things that I ought to do besides...
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