The glory of the empire

I was back in Amsterdam this week. I love visiting. I defy anyone to despise Amsterdam's picturesque canals lined with 17th Century merchant houses. The glory of an old sea-faring empire is still very much alive. I stayed a night in the Renaissance Hotel which sits in a quiet cobbled stone laneway, literally metres from Singel, one of Amsterdam's famous canals. The hotel has one of the city's more unusual conference centres, built in the shell of a 17th century, brick domed church.

While in town I attended a meeting inside one of the city's grand merchant homes. We met over lunch in a high-ceiling drawing room, complete with crystal chandelier and beautifully restored painted walls depicting rural landscapes from the 1600s. It was one of those moments when I'm reminded how special my job can be.

I was in town mainly as a keynote speaker for an industry event in Amersfoort, about 40 kilometres from Amsterdam. My presentation on the rise of online social networks and the immersive internet was warmly received by more than 110 industry peers. My host was Hans Appel, a delightful man, with a generous, playful spirit. With more than 30 years in the IT industry he's something of a local icon.