Robert Fisk and Ghent

Back in February, I wrote a post about Robert Fisk. I had found two of his books, wanted them, put them back on the shelf, told Gert about them and he remembered he'd read that Fisk was being interviewed on Belgian television that night. We watched the interview, I wrote about it, Samir commented saying he was going to be on a panel with Fisk at the Adelaide Writers Festival the following month and that he'd found my link useful.
I thought that was the end of it but no ... a friend emailed on Monday, letting me know that Robert Fisk was giving a lecture at Ghent University, Thursday 24th March ... was I interested?

I was SO interested that I almost exploded with delight and panic ... and the lecture was free. Gert surprised me, taking a few hours off work to drive me there and wander a little. Ghent had other ideas, it begins closing at 4.30pm ... the Tourist Office and the castle too. We took a few photos but will have to go back another day. Ghent is different to Antwerpen and Bruges, it feels as if the university students own it which gives it a lovely atmosphere ... and the cavalier student cyclists and pedestrians made us laugh more than once with their outrageous expectations of road ownership.

But I was anxious, I knew the venue only held 700 ... entry was free, and as it was we only got in by queueing 40 minutes early. Later they told us a few hundred had been turned away.

Robert Fisk was as interesting as I imagined he might be. I wanted to write of his lecture but I've found something close to what he spoke on and so it's better that I let him speak for himself.