Curvilinear

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can

Today’s keynote is Kent Beck, inventor of XP and poster child of the 90s. He’s changed his topic since the program was published and the new theme is .... diversity. He admits to racism and misogyny and urges us to recognise our failings and welcome the majority of the world’s population that are not white and male into the software engineering. It’s a call to action - that may, like so many, remain unacted on.

My lunchtime session is in a small room, standing room only. 30 minutes is a great session length - long enough to form complete sentences, short enough to maintain engagement.

The afternoon disappears and then the five Cukes find ourselves at the Leixoes cruise terminal. It’s an amazing structure - all curves and shiny white hexagons, glistening in the sunset, a backdrop of Atlantic sky.

We walk up the giant internal spiral walkway to the roof for drinks. Sal finds the whole experience very challenging, focusing her eyes on the floor - and expresses relief when she finds that there’s a lift as well.

Windy drinks on the roof terrace followed by a great meal - with the inevitable salt cod. We sit with friends, ignoring the organisers attempts to mix us up. We’re quite capable of networking under our own power - which we have been doing all week.

A bus takes us back to the uni. We continue discussions over a whisky in the Cucumber apartment - and then it’s back to my place. The keys are, once again, sitting under the mat.