EXHIBITION AND EUROPEAN BUFFET
Each year the same question comes up: what will the exhibition be like – this exhibition intended to represent in the best light the school, the region and its traditions? Sometimes the stand of a given country might closely follow the parameters set out in the guidelines. Sometimes the stand might deviate from the guidelines to a greater or lesser degree, looking more like a tourist office exhibition stand. 2010 was a good year from this point of view, with the stands conforming to what was required.
The enormous hall of the Pavilhao do Mar which housed this exhibition was exceptionally well suited to the event, with the stands arranged along each side with the stage at the far end.
Clockwise from left to right we can see: The Czech Republic (Znojmo), France (Bonneville), Italy (Reggio Emilia), Slovenia (Maribor), Sweden (Lund), Luxembourg (Diekirch), Italy (Senigallia), Austria (Semmering), Portugal (Azorean tasting) and Portugal (Ponta Delgada) On the right: Croatia (Zagreb), Greece (Rhodes), Latvia (Riga), Sweden (Orebro), Slovenia (Bled), Portugal (Algarve-Lamego).
A student from the Maribor school took it on himself to provide ambiance music at the exhibition on his accordion, and even managed to get some people dancing. A Portuguese army quintet joined in, performing some jazz tunes!
In addition to the VIPs and the 200 school children mentioned in the account of the opening ceremony, there was a surge of visitors after the inaugural parade through the old town. We should point out that publicity on the television and radio as well as in the press was extremely well done, as indeed were the advertisements in town, with flags and posters.
VISITING CHAMPIONS
And then a big surprise: an unexpected visit from two international champions, Luc Alphand (former world skiing champion) and Marc Thiercelin, a skipper with a list of prizes as along as your arm! They were on their way back from Guadeloupe, and their impressive monohull was moored at the Amphitheatro quayside when they heard people speaking French. Without more ado they were invited by the mountaineers from Bonneville to visit the exhibition where they didn’t need to be asked to pose for photographs with a number of the participants, while kissing and shaking hands right and left. A nice pair of champions they were!
8795 – A crew member, Marc Thiercelin, Filipe Rocha and Luc Alphand visited most of the stands!
A FIVE-STAR EUROPEAN BUFFET
On the third day, December 4th, came the European buffet, one of the three main components of Christmas in Europe, and this year also very much up to scratch. Part of the hall was arranged as a restaurant with the buffet where each delegation’s prepared dishes were displayed. A true feast for the eyes! And we should emphasise that several delegations – the Czechs, the Slovenians and the Latvians – had gone to the trouble of displaying their recipes, thus making the event into a real pedagogical exercise, while the old hands have somewhat lost this (good) habit.
Filipe Rocha and Klaus Enengl spoke briefly to the guests to thank the delegations for their know-how and skills in preparing the dishes. And of course, to thank the Oporto school!
Views of the dishes on the buffet and on the official table
Several of the sponsors were present at the feast, headed by Luisa Schanderl, representing the Vice-President of SATA, the airline which serves the Azores.
