Category Archives: Cities

Man on a mission …

CERN, Geneva, Outreach

… and the mission were some special shifts at point one, just above the ATLAS control room. Unfortunately the task did not give any credits within ATLAS, but to build my third ATLAS model in plastic bricks isn’t too bad of a job either.

To be more precise it’s actually a reassembly of the second model I build in Copenhagen, though had to take apart (at least in sections) before shipping it to CERN. Another specialty of this build is the fact that – and LEGO enthusiasts please excuse – I decided to use glue this time. Since this model, after being shown at researchers night this weekend, s supposed to be driven by car to Montreux for the ATLAS week during the next five days.

So I ended up sitting in a room with twenty computers, no window to open and the smell of glue in the air … Yeah!

Anyways, once again the model tuned out nice and hopefully it will survive the trip.  I guess I’ll know tomorrow …

In the meantime I heard that also CMS managed to build a plastic brick version of their detector … I’ll post more details once I have them! Also that means LHCb will be my next mission ;)

Just Croozing and more

Copenhagen, Erik, Family & Friends

Puh … it’s been quite some time since the last post. Sorry … but I wasn’t really in the mood or didn’t have the time to write something.
But since a lot of things happend after I came back from China (last post), I’ll try to make for the silence now.

The major breakthroughs since then were probably the facts that Erik: has started eating meat (though blended), can sit by himself, got a bicycle trailer and got his third tooth. I for myself have started my parental leave in part time, meaning I am only working on three days per week and stay home the other two/four. And last but not least, the ATLAS model is becoming an even bigger success!

The bicycle trailer – a Croozer Kids for 2 btw. – was kind of a tough decision that took quite a few days/weeks to be made. After browsing a few tests and comparisons of various bike trailers and seats, we actually got more confused than enlightened. Finally it turned out that some of the tests were actually wrong and therefore not entirely helpful. Anyways … the good thing was that I finally managed to get our heating and warm water advance payment accounted for, so we could buy the trailer entirely from that. The disturbing part of this sudden income is, that the calculation is still wrong (against our favour) and I am still waiting for the final (hopefully correct) numbers.

And until February next year I spent two days per week waiting for it together with Erik. I am not yet fully sure of whether a part time parental leave is something I would recommend to others, but it’s the experiment I am currently doing. And in any case it great to be home more often and without deadlines (well with less at least).

Since I mentioned the ATLAS model above and deadlines just now. I also put a deadline for second order call and as a result of that I have ordered more than 25 large models for institutes all around the world! Also my small model is getting more and more successful. I have order about 50 pieces this time and there is plans for significantly more in the future.

More Beijing

Beijing, China, Physics

Today the SUSY2012 conference finally started! For me, once again with not being woken up by my alarm and without (my all incl.) breakfast. Anyways, I made it to the conference for the second talk … puh. The first one started already at 8:30 am.

But mainly I wanted to summarise my yesterday’s version of the Beijing marathon.
I started out with a long metro trip to the Temple of Heaven, took a big tour through the park and the various temples; made my way to the Lama Temple and the surrounding area; took a long walk in the Yuandadu Chengyuan Ruins Park (its the city wall remains park … in which I did not see any city wall remains); and finally made my way to – where else should it be for a marathon – the 2008 Olympic’s Park – the Olympic Green. Gosh … I was wasted after that day.

In terms of other stats: I seemed to have chosen the wrong path at some places which made the proud owner of 78 mosquito bites. And that’s only the ones I can see myself, I can feel more … In addition, it shows that I should have brought my hiking boots, since I got three very nice blisters walking around in my Sambas :(

Beijing

Beijing, China

It’s been two and a half days now in Beijing, so time for a first blog entry.

I am actually going to start even before Beijing, since for some reasons I ended up in the Premium Economy class on my flight from Istambul to Beijing. Nothing too special, maybe besides the wide sleeping seat and plenty of nice food (smile), but I felt like I had to share.

Anyways … Beijing! First impression: man it’s muggy! It’s been above 30 degrees and around 80% humidity. And of course Beijing has one of the nicest haze bells (thanks to smog) I ever experienced. But that all aside I found my way to the hotel, using the very nice and fairly cheap metro system, and started exploring the neighbourhood. I finished the day with a typical modern Chinese dish … chicken burger at KFC’s … I thought I gotta start easy on myself.

Yesterday, after being woken up by the cleaning staff (thanks to the apparently still present jet lag), I went into town to see the Tiananmen Square, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Forbidden City, the Jingshan Park and the Beihai Park. All quite nice and impressive sights, though especially in the Forbidden City it often seems to be quantity and not quality that counts … or better counted. In terms of food I went a little wilder and had some sort of peanut-chicken rice with a dumpling in the Forbidden City. After ordering it I noticed that it was re-heated ready-made food … anyways, we are getting there.

Today, again after being woken up by the cleaning staff, I went for the Summer Palace and the Yuan Ming Yuan Park (Old Summer Palace). Two huge parks with temples, shrines and pavilions or at least ruins of them. I certainly fulfilled my walking share today and … right, got yet again a bit more crazy on food … this time it was beef noodle soup (with thick noodles) with chopsticks, sausage on a stick (plain stick) and some fried-egg sandwhich (no stick).

Let’s see what tomorrow brings :)

Maybe one side comment on the metro system, as it has cost me some extra Yuan already: I have not been able to buy a multipass from any of the service employees so far. And I had to learn (the hard way) that it does not make sense buying multiple single tickets at once (to avoid the queues), since they are only valid on the day AND the station you buy them … luckily one ride is only 25 Euro cents.