view from a hotel window

I took the train down from Porto to Lisbon last night.  Having managed to avoid all the train strikes in the UK so far, I fell foul of one in Portugal, and the train I had booked wasn't running.  My hosts went online to book me on a later one that was running (so I had more time with them: great!)  They very worriedly said they could only get me a first class ticket, however.  I asked how much it would be. 33 Euros. For a three-hour journey most of the length of the country.  I nearly fell off my chair laughing.  I reassured them that would be fine.

Because I arrived late, it was too dark to take the traditional photo from the window, so here it is from this morning:

I'm here in Lisbon at The Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference, GECCO 2023, as I'm co-chair of the Complex Systems track.

At registration, I got the usual bits of paper, plus a nice conference bag.  However, I am using a bag I got at an earlier GECCO conference:

the tote bag I got at GECCO 2003, Chicago

Today (yes, the conference runs Saturday to Wednesday) I went to great tutorials on Quality-Diversity Optimisation and on Lexicase Selection, plus a couple of interesting workshops.  It's been a great start to what promises to be a very interesting conference.

Porto bookshop and station

I'm visiting some friends near Porto, Portugal for a couple of days before going down to Lisbon for a conference.  They came to pick me up from the airport, so we could do a bit of tourism before going to their place.

First lunch, then a walk around a park, with great views.

a view over the river

Then to a famous bookshop (they know me so well), the Livraria Lello.  It is such a tourist attraction that you have to buy a ticket to go in!  I bought a book about the bookshop.

the staircase at the Livraria Lello; the place was packed

Then afternoon tea, a bit more walking around, then off to the train station with its amazing tiles.

A short train ride later, and a short walk, we arrive at their place.  They have a fantastic view over the sea:

Then dinner and lots of good conversation.