I'm sure most everyone that attended this year's Picnic (web 2.0) conference here in Amsterdam had a lovely time. Everywhere I looked there were smiling faces, good looking people offering you samples of something, and marketing nerds trying to look cool. (no offense marketing friends!) Anyone who's ever been anyone on the internetS was there.

But imagine you're hung over and woke up in a strange hotel room, then you arrive at Picnic with all its bling-bling and fancy people... it was a shock to the system. Also shocking would be the €400 euro plus pricetag for people (companies) to attend. Naturally I found a way in as a blogger, for free. Thought maybe I could take a nap during the European bloggers unconference... no such luck.. despite not being very inspired, I found good friends in the crowd and started chatting.

Somehow I missed both Woody Harrelson and Sir Richard Branson (king of Virgin lore) who were listed as keynote speakers. I know Woody won some award for his activism on the web, and apparently Branson was offering big money for the winner of a green invention contest. No clue who one that one, I spent my time trying to score food, visiting with my favorite French, German, and Dutch, Italian bloggers and vloggers. By the time lunch was over I decided picnic would not last all day for me, I headed home. Losing out on the booze cruise around town (I'll drive my own this weekend) and whatever else the very high profile internet conference had to offer.

Picnic 07 was probably declared a big success, but I'm here to tell you, compared to a blanket, some food and drink, and a loved one, in a park on a nice day.... Picnic the conference can't hold a candle.