O’zapft is – The Oktoberfest has started! It’s been quite some time since I’ve been at the Oktoberfest. But living in Munich now, I guess it’s kind of an obligation to go at least once. Today’s the day … and it was … loud, expensive, crowded, dirty … well Oktoberfest.
Yesterday, we had another PopScience BYOPD event in Geneva. While it was a bit calm in the morning it ended up quite nice with a decent number of visitors/participants in the afternoon. In fact, I had Jorge Cham, creator of PhD Comics, joining the competition. Unfortunately, I missed his talk and the showing of the PhD Movie sequel the day before. Luckily, I could make it up with a nice autograph from him (see below).
For the actual European researchers’ night, there were discussion of the physics in movies such as Gravity, Interstellar, Star Trek or Angels & Demons as well as a screening of Particle Fever and a discussion with some of physics cast.
Staying at Maria Laach – not as a student – apparently implies having one very nice dinner in a very nice restaurant. Supposedly, it’s been a tradition for more than 15 years now, which started with good old Father Athanasius, who was a known connoisseur.
So last Wednesday, all organiser, speakers and group leaders went to Gourmet Wagner in Mayen, to eat a special “13 TeV dinner”. According to the menu, it should have featured 13 courses, one for each TeV in centre-of-mass energy in the LHC, though it seems we were still in 2012, as we only got 8 courses!?
The staff seemed a bit unrelaxed, especially after I asked them about a juice menu (yes it exists, e.g. at Noma), and also the interior was quite posh … anyways, it was really nice food :)
Since I’m at it … the weekend before I had a very nice late lunch at the Hammesmühle, close to Mayen. Not as pricy and posh, but extremely nice food … I had escargots, venison steak and a lovely desert composition.
Eight years ago I’ve been at Maria Laach as a student, it’s about time to return as a tutor ;)
Let’s see if I can have a equally nice experience this time around.
I just arrived yesterday and the school started today, so I might add updates over the next few days …
… has been quite fun recently!
It was about time my advanced geocaching equipment really got used this summer.
And there is more planned in the near future :)
