Opening of the 18th Alzheimer Europe Conference

I have fallen in love with Oslo, and it's not just because there are 620 people here from all over the world to talk about dementia. The picture shows one of about 20 women in Norwegian dress who led us from the Radisson where the opening speeches occurred to City Hall where we had a reception and a marvelous, informative tour. At the reception, I talked with people from Denmark, Norway, Poland, Hong Kong, and the Faroe Islands. I had to ask where they are -- somewhere by Iceland.

I got here by the express train from the airport. I only had to walk about two blocks to the hotel which was built in 1896. The room is small but just fine -- single bed but they gave me (free I think, since there's other stuff in the fridge) a small bottle of white and one of red plus some snacks. I love the neighborhood -- it's right on the main boulevard of the city and it's gorgeous with lots of enticing restaurants, cafes, and shops plus beautiful flowers everywhere. Everywhere I've walked, there's been the scent of lilacs.

The conference is so exciting -- out of 620, there are only 8 people from the US! The opening program was great -- the theme of the conference is "breaking barriers" and they had four very talented break dancers (white guys) dancing to hip hop plus an old guy who was pretty good too. The main speech was excellent -- tying together world concerns like food, water, war/conflict, and urbanization/migration with the growing aging population and growing numbers of persons with dementia.

After the speeches, we all were wearing backpacks from the conference, following these Norwegian women with their signs about "breaking barriers". I felt like I was in a global dementia consciousness raising exercise in the middle of Oslo. At City Hall, there was a special reception for us and then people led groups of about 20 around in the various rooms with have amazing old tapestries and marvelous paintings. I am ashamed to say how little I knew of Norwegian history but now I feel a bit more informed. I am having one of those "instant fall in love with a country" experiences.