W Warszawy - Ost Blog

Chapter IV - EU Delegate

[Tue, Mar 26th] The 6th EU-RTN

Here is the Marie Curie Research Training Network in all its glory. We met for a few days in Giessen, Germany to discuss current projects and future directions. Splendid organization by Jasmina (2nd from left) Michele (2nd from right). OK, we did not spent all the time working, as you can see from the picture taken in Marburg.

[Sun, Apr 1st] As we remember Zion

Palm sunday. Attended the mass at the small brick church 50m from my front door. Several hundred people of all ages were gathered. Most of them were waving 'palm leaves', bushels made of rye and grass. The service started by the clerical staff carrying a cross and some standards around the church twice, everyone following. They also carried a speaker for casting some chants above the crowd. Then, the people filled the hall to the max, with another fifty listening outside.
I was impressed by the manifold small rituals the catholic tradition had developed: psalms, prayers, kneeling, rising etc. Everybody knew what to do when. They also had at least six people performing the rites. And they seemed really serious about it. Being happy with my own share of the god business, i leave interpretation to my believing readers. At least i finally found out that the name Aleja Jerozolimskie, the main road of Warsaw i use each week to get to the train station, is not by chance similar to Yerushalaim.

[Sun, Apr 15th] Life ends with 30

Celebrated my birthday in Mokotov. Thanks to Monika we had a garden and with Gorans help we even had BBQ. Several people had brought poems in Polish, Croatian and Spanish. Michal also brought his guitar and some pieces of music. The rest of the party got cushioned by the soft clouds of memory loss.
The next day, we took a walk through Stare Miasto. Near the city gate some guy grabbed me at the neck, pulled me over to a piece of wood and was about to cut me in half with an axe. Fortunately, Monika could get me free by a bribe.

[Fri, Apr 27th 18.00] The treasures of Poland ..

.. are said to lie in its fields. I came to the outskirts of Poznan by tram, in the middle of nowhere. After asking for directions, i turnt neither to the condo blocks to the left, nor to the ones to the right. Instead, i headed straight for the forest before me. Crossed a kilometer of field, to reach the faculty of Biology. Huge, new buildings, obviously built for a future of great science. A big foyer with banana trees welcomed me, and a maze of bright corridors and laboratories. Looked like a good place to work. The institute was not fully occupied yet, so that the usual litter, posters and notes that scientists usually place on corridors was missing.
I met my students i will teach in may there. What a bright bunch!

[Fri, Apr 27th 24.00] My declaration of love to Berlin

Sie lächelt mich an
An jedem Platz ein guter Tag
Ersatzverkehr

[Sat, May 12th] Advanced Python

Came to Poznan for just 55 hours. I spent about 25 hours giving programming classes plus 5 on preparations. Another 5 driving around, 5 eating. Both me and the students had our first course in a foreign language. Took some time and trouble at the beginning, After the first day i adjusted my plans. I dissected some exercises into smaller, easier parts, and threw Powerpoint into the trashbin. Worked. I was impressed by the devotion of the students to their studies. Next week, we will do the second half of the course. Produced some recipes on giving lessons.

[Mon, May 28th] Unplugged

I am writing these lines on a paper pad, using my laptop as a desk. Got to save my battery for the presentation tomorrow. Found my high-tech equipment grounded by the American power plugs. Shops are closed due to the memorial day for the fallen.
Last night i arrived in Madison, Wisconsin. Badly jetlagged. The US homeland security officer in Chicago was the only unfriendly person i met so far. The Chicago airport was a surreal Sci-Fi settin, me drifting alone through mile-long, clean, empty corridors on sunday evening. My connecting flight had been rescheduled, so i learned to know terminals 1,2 and 5. The security was tight. I got seized of my toothpaste and deodorant. Before departure, the entire plane to Madison was unboarded, checked and boarded again.
Madison itself turnt out to be more European than i had thought: lots of bicycles, familiar architecture, nice pubs. On the other hand, i noticed lots of elevator music everywhere, and no cigarettes. The city housing 50,000 students boiled with energy. In front of my hotel window, someone had written "Bring back the troops" on the pavvement. The two Afghan and Arab restaurants round the corner also were not exactly what i had expected to see in the first place.

[Sun, Jun 3rd, 22.30] Walking in Madison

Spent the week in Madison mostly with people from the RNA Ontology consortium. Ontology is science that deals with things that exist. Apart from starting some promising projects, the project leader took us to the nearby Arboretum. A variety of trees and animals unfolded there, we saw even a nest-based pair of cranes. I learned these American scientists had a deep admiration for nature (the real thing, not the journal you dorks). We also familiarized ourselves with the ontology of local drinks (ok, several instances don't exist any more).
Took off my shoes for x-ray as i boarded the plane. Saw the U.S. from above, the suburbs and farms all aligned neatly. Just as in Sim City. Counted at least six golf courses on a 27 minute flight. Touched down to O'Hara, Chicago in the middle of the pouring rain.

[Fri, Jun 15th] Dive into Russia

Got the official invitation documents for a conference in Suzdal last friday afternoon. Had to be in Poznan on Monday. Tuesday was a national holiday, with the Russian embassy closed (i learned this on-site, because they dont print opening times on their homepage). Wednsday the embassy was regularly closed. Thursday i queued for three hours, until an official announced "Sorry, we close now. Come back tomorrow." So i was kind of short on time today, since my flight was supposed to be on sunday. Came there one hour before the embassy opened. Several people had told me it was impossible to get a visa on the same day. The lady at the counter did not know this, however. Took me another three hours, and i received a nice, shining visum.
The proper way for anyone planning to visit Russia is to go to one of the travel offices that dwell around Russian embassies. Do it in time. They will arrange everything for you.

[Sun, Jun 18th] But the 18th is tomorrow

[Polish version of this text!]
More self-inflicted travel hazards. First, i mixed up flight dates. I was happy my brain had bought me a whole day off. Spent it on bicycle in Berlin, with Nils, much of it outside.
The next day was worse, when i landed in Moscov-Voukovo, but my wallet was traveling back to Berlin. I was left with 300 zlotys that the exchange offices at the airport had never heard of. I strolled around through a quiet, green suburban area. Found a bank (no better). Finally, i approached some youngsters on a playground between an apartment block and a forest. They did speak as much english as anyone around. I managed to explain my situation with a mixture of English, Polish and what i thought might be Russian vocabulary. Traded my old MP3 player for a bus ticket to the city center.

[Mon, Jun 18th] The Metropolis Criterion

Moscow is a Moloch! Packed with people everywhere. Dimensions overtowering all human scale and an intimidating system of subway catacombs made me feel like in a Fritz Lang nightmare. Still, it has lots of beautiful architecture in the center. Found a nice German student with a city map, explaining me the way from Red Square to my hotel. Even found a money exchange shop that gave me Russian bucks for my zlotys.
Spent another hour in the intimidating underground system, until i reached the 'Voshod' hotel. There was a lady who spoke a few words German. To my surprise, my reservation had not been paid yet. I decided to insist on staying, instead of looking for a cheaper spot in the middle of the night. Got a room on 16th floor with a sight over a train line, a huge TV tower, and an endless sea of concrete boxes.
The next morning, the reservation problem had disappeared like a bad dream. Instead, i managed to lock myself out of my room dressed in my underpants. Found time to write some nice software. This is what i'm here, after all.

[Wen, Jun 20th] Suzdal

Suzdal is a small village with green meadows and every second building a historical church. Many of them are in a little bad shape, which spells an enchantment over the entire place. Being overtaken by horse riders on a walk contributes to that feeling of authencity.
The room i am in has a size that would easily fit two billard tables. The walls are covered by a random arrangement of yellow and blue squares. The furniture consists of a big pancake-shaped cushion, two yellow sacks filled with some grainy material, two glass tables, a mirror and a flatscreen TV. Feels empty now matter how many stars the hotel has.

Our last evening in Suzdal after days packed with science surprised us with what no one had hoped for. PyMOL lecture. Diner. Poster session. A Russian Folklore group. Banja/sauna. Fireworks and jumping a midsummer bonfire. Disco. The people from Giessen and the Moscow university rocked the house. Needless to say it made not much sense to go sleeping.
Got back to Moscow by the 5 a.m. regular line bus from the town of Vladimir. Remember one of the german scientists complaining about the nice climatized & cushioned bus having little shock compensators. I think he was wrong.
At the airport i got back my wallet almost immediately. Made the days in Russia feel like a fading dream.