We've just wrapped up another fantastic ten days in Berck sur Mer. As I explained last week, I led a team of nine Americans to this largest spring European event. It's Monday now and I'm flying home. Susie will meet me at the airport and then Sunday, I head out to China. Crazy life.... By-the-way, I have an extra bag full of Codys, Schwiemann Pyro Deltas, Grimsel Kites, and Martin Lester's Legs and Divers. Phil Broder has promised a full report in the next issue of KiteLife.com, so I don't want to steal his thunder here. I'll just share a few photos. On the other hand, I've told publisher Gillard that I will never write another column for him if I don't get to see Broder's piece before it is printed. There are too many reputation-bashing stories to tell, and our rule is "what happens on the road - stays on the road". Too bad too, because you should have seen Sam Ritter standing on a table dancing to "YMCA"...

The newspapers report that over 300,000 visitors attended the ten day event. And I beleive it too. Can you imagine how long the lines were for the bathrooms?? Wednesday was kids day. About 3,000 little ones came to the huge beach and completely filled it with kites, string, sand holes, lost shoes, and questions that none of us understood. How do you explain to a seven year old French kid that kites fly *down*wind?? The European events are really into banners and ground displays. Sometimes they are a bit more artistic than the onces we have here in the States. Check out these very cool delta variants from Jos Valke of Belgium. And of course, no festival would be complete without a few self-serving photos of the Gomberg Crowns.. Pillow Tubes by Frank Schweimann were on display. These are the longer version. If you want bigger pillows like these, we can make them for you. And they don't have to be green... And again, we do have those Schwiemann Pyro Deltas in stock. Like I said, I'm off to China at the end of the week but will try to keep the Weekly Update online even from there. I've already bought my Chinese telephone adaptor. Wish me luck... Talk soon!!!

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