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Having had a more than marvellous time in Berlin, I have to record, sadly, that I didn’t get back in time to post a ‘1111 letters’ post. That will have to wait until tomorrow.

Sorry, Ammouni, Keefie and Nick!

It’s been a mad three days: a lot of meetings, greetings and sharing of knowledge and information with our friends and partners across Europe and Asia. I probably neglected to mention that I’ve been attending the Pleon Summer Academy, an annual event that brings together representatives of the agencies and offices that together make up Europe’s largest, and leading, communications consultancy. And yes, that was a plug. Oddly enough, for someone who is often (totally unfairly, of course) labelled as misanthropic, I enjoy the Academy. This year I got to score points off a powerful civil servant, which was lovely. I got to eat a load of really bad things involving cheese, pork, cream and other rich stuff. I’m not even talking about the volume of beer. I got to wander around Checkpoint Charlie again, this time in the company of friends, although Unter den Linden was closed to us because of a huge parade of gay people – we were passed on the road by enormous hairy men wearing dresses and sporting iridescent wigs, black-leathered bikers and many, many more fascinations.

Over the last few days, I’ve had the chance to talk to a lot of smart people and old friends about the stuff that we do at work that actually interests me, in a convivial and pleasant setting. I consider myself unusually lucky in being able to do that.

Anyway, business as usual tomorrow. Promise.