European Society for Comparative Legal History, Gdansk, Official Opening of the conference

The conference literally started with a "bang" -- with a ceremonial firing of a canon on one of the ships hanging in Artus Hall

The thought-provoking Plenary Session

"Constitutional Instrumentalization of Ancient Rights: From Golden Liberty to Golden Age American Constitutionalism(1764-1776) and Polish Republicanism (1573-1831)"

and the Commentator - who gave me more to think about regarding the Dutch influence on the American Revolution

I enjoyed meeting legal scholars from all over the world during the coffee breaks and the lunch and the dinner and after panel discussions.  And, of course, enjoyed learning from the research presentations during the panel sessions.

the Plenary Session in Artus Court

Artus Court

The one who lit the ceremonial ship cannon that fired to signal the opening of our conference.  Yes, I am the American who asked for a "selfie"

In the Main Hall for our coffee break.  Note the banister that is darker than the others -- that is the only original piece of that staircase.  95% of Gdnask was destroyed in the War. It is spectacular, how the town looks now, rebuilt. Extraordinary.

the Main Hall, where we had lunch

the ceilings are original - I think they were removed by the Nazis - and returned and re-installed in the Main Hall

one of the afternoon panels I attended -- "The Legal Transplant and the Building of National Legal Identities in Central Eastern Europe" -- featuring Prof. Manuel Gutan (editor of the Romanian Journal of Comparative Law) and Michal Galedek, one of the conference organizers extraordinaire)

it was a lovely walk from my hotel to the venue for Day 2 of the conference - Artus Court and the Main Hall, in the Old Town of Gdansk

I came back for a latte before heading out to the evening programming....still jet-lagged!  This is the lovely view from the cafe in my hotel (Hotel Gdansk)