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Here's the The Lowdown from DN Journal,
updated daily
to fill you in on the latest buzz going around the domain name industry. 

The Lowdown is compiled by DN Journal Editor & Publisher Ron Jackson.

Pre-Show Photos & Highlights From Domaining Europe 2012 in Valencia, Spain

Diana and I arrived in Valencia, Spain Tuesday evening (April 24) a little after 6pm local time to get ready for the Domaining Europe 2012 conference that will be held here Thursday through Saturday (April 26-28) at the Sorolla Palace Hotel. Show founder Dietmar Stefitz, who, with the help of veteran conference organizer Jodi Chamberlain,  is staging his fourth industry event here, surprised us by appearing at the airport to personally welcome us and drive us to the sleek Sorolla Palace where we were ushered into a top floor suite overlooking this beautiful city on Spain's Mediterranean coast. 

Knowing this would be our first visit to Domaining Europe, the keynote speakers from Dietmar's last conference, Michael and David Castello, had told us to be prepared to be wowed by the city, its friendly people and the hospitality shown by Dietmar, the show host who runs Inverdom.com. They were certainly right on all counts.

The Sorolla Palace Hotel - Valencia, Spain
Site of Domaining Europe 2012 

Shortly after we checked in we rendezvouzed for dinner with Jodi and two of the show's earliest arrivals, veteran domain investor Hennie Groot Lippman (who came in from Germany) and Daniel Eisenhut, the Chief Strategy Officer at Luxembourg based EuroDNS

(L to R): Ron and Diana Jackson (DNJournal.com), Jodi Chamberlain (Co-Producer, 
Domaining Europe 2012), Hennie Groot Lippman and Daniel Eisenhut (EuroDNS) at the 
El Timenol Restaurant in Valencia, Spain Tuesday night (April 24, 2012). 

One of Valencia's many claims to fame is that it is the birthplace of the famous Spanish dish paella. So, all of us but Daniel (who opted for octopus!) ordered the local favorite. After the very enjoyable  dinner (that followed an all night flight from Tampa to Atlanta to Paris to Valencia) we headed back to the hotel for a much need good night's sleep.

With a free day today (Wednesday, April 25), we took Dietmar's advice to get onboard one of the Valencia Bus Turistic double decker hop on hop off buses to best see the city's many attractions. 

When the bus arrived at the famed Santa Maria Cathedral at Plaza de la Reina, we hopped off to tour the indescribably beautiful 13th century landmark that is home to a chalice that many believe is the Holy Grail (the cup that Jesus and his disciples drank from at the Last Supper). 

We saw the impressive vessel along with the  countless works of priceless art, statuary and architecture that make this one of the most breath-taking buildings on the planet.

After touring the cathedral and enjoying a diet busting lunch on the plaza (gelato and a giant  chocolate filled croissant) we jumped on another bus to continue the city tour. We enjoyed it so much we are going to return tomorrow morning for a second circuit. The one we took today was a historic route. The other offering is a tour of the waterfront and the futuristic architectural gems in that district.

We'll get back in time for the official opening of the conference at 4pm Thursday when DomainHoldings.com CEO Jason Boshoff will speak at the first session. I'll be on stage at 7pm to moderate the day's closing session on New gTLDs.

The stunning Santa Maria Cathedral towering over 
Plaza de la Reina
in Valencia, Spain (April 25, 2012)

An inside view of the Santa Maria Cathedral

Domaining Europe 2012 Founder Dietmar Stefitz 
and Diana Jackson at tonight's impromptu dinner at 
La Piazza
in Valencia, Spain (April 25, 2012)

By the time we got back to the hotel this evening many more attendees had arrived at the Sorolla Palace to check in early for the start of the show tomorrow afternoon. About two dozen of those guests met in the hotel lobby at 8pm for some informal networking that morphed into an impromptu dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant - La Piazza.

Led by Dietmar and Jodi, the group walked in unannounced, transforming an otherwise slow weekday night into a bonanza for the delighted restaurant owner. In keeping with the "domain family" nature of the gathering, Dietmar arranged to have a wide variety of dishes brought out to each table to be shared family style. 

(L tor R) PPX International Chairman Gregg McNair, Melissa Gabriel (wife of 
DomainAdvisors.com President Jeff Gabriel) and NameDrive.com Director of Business 
Development Kamila Sekiewicz were among those in the Italian dinner "flash mob" 
Wednesday night (April 25, 2012) at La Piazza in Valencia, Spain.

The only problem was that this unplanned dinner was not part of the original conference agenda (nor its budget). That left the restaurant staff facing the unwelcome task of compiling a huge stack of individual checks. Toby Clements of TobyClements.com instantly became their hero (and the winner of a hearty round of applause from his dining companions) when he decided on the spot to make his company the sponsor of the dinner (an honorific accompanied by both widespread appreciation and a stiff tab!) 

Domaining Europe 2012 Pre-Show Dinner Sponsor Toby Clements and his wife Stephanie 
at Wednesday night's impromptu event at La Piazza in Valencia, Spain (April 25, 2012).

Toby will also be a featured member of the show's first panel discussion - Sell Your Domain: A Broker's Roundtable - Thursday afternoon at 4:30pm. I'll have photos and highlights from that session and all of the other opening day events in my next post from Spain.

((Posted April 25, 2012) To refer others to the post above only you can use this URL:
http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2012/dailyposts/20120425.htm


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