Event - Strasbourg Trip

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Shirley Late Knights visit to Strasbourg 41 Club and the European Parliament:-

On Saturday 10th January twenty one members of Shirley Late knights left Birmingham International Airport for the first leg of our international trip. This is an annual event that in recent years has taken us to a number of European destinations including Riga, Gdansk, Munich and Hamburg. Our destination this year was Strasbourg and the European Parliament.

Having flown to Paris the next leg of our journey involved a two hour train journey to Strasbourg on the French TGV. This is in itself a fascinating experience; travelling effortlessly over the French countryside at almost 200m.p.h.is an eye opener. If only Dr. Beeching could have seen us?

We were met by three members of Strasbourg 41 club who excelled themselves with their hospitality. They acted as our guides and hosts, and we were given a most enjoyable and informative walking tour of Strasbourg, which naturally included visits to some of the best hostelries in the city. Strasbourg is the capital of the Alsace region of France: it is a beautiful medieval city with a plethora of attractive half timbered houses built around and dominated by a very impressive cathedral.

In the evening our hosts were joined by their wives and partners and they treated us to a most enjoyable evening of friendship centred around a typically Alsatian menu for dinner followed by the inevitable exchange of banners; altogether a very rewarding experience.

The next part of our weekend was an opportunity to observe the European Parliament in action. In this we were met and hosted by Malcolm Harbour who is one of three Conservative members of the European Parliament representing the West Midlands. Malcolm was ably supported by a number of colleagues including Phillip Bushill – Matthews, also a conservative MEP from the West Midlands. Phillip is a former Round Tabler and has declared and interest in joining 41 club when he reties from European politics. Their task (which they achieved with a series of commendably didactic speeches) was to explain how the Parliament works and why it will become increasingly important to us and to our children in the future.

We were then invited to sit in the public gallery and observe the parliament in action by listening to a debate about the success of the common currency in its first ten years.
Celebrated speakers such as Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Jaque Delors were among the protagonists.

As an interesting and informative weekend this was unsurpassed. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all who went. We would wholeheartedly recommend it to other 41 clubs, and we offer our thanks to all those who took so much time and trouble to organise it for us.


Report by:
Roland Robson (Journal - Shirley Late Knights)

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