When autumn falls 秋來‧秋去

Autumn is a season full of fluctuations, changes and transitions.

The weather this September fluctuates from one extreme to another. Bright sunny days are lovely, cosy and last for a few days. But when it's the turn of gloomy rainy days, they last just as long and come with a bite. The dark clouds and chilly air are certainly taking their time and are not leaving this place in a hurry. But they don't really need to now - in the coming few months, they can stay here and linger on as long as they wish ... (I don't want to think what it will be like ...)

The sustained spell of rain at the start of month brought about some new colours to the land. The maple trees on the streets put on a mixed palette with different shades of red, yellow and green which look especially brilliant and lively under glorious sunshine. The second bout of rain, however, has undone the good job of the previous one. The green colour is hastened into yellow and the red is fading fast, as the red leaves turn brown and the yellow leaves had no chance to turn red before falling off with the brown ones.

The lab is quite busy recently, not only with work, but also with one farewell after another. Among those leaving the place are a few Chinese friends who have made it through their PhD studies, a lab group in my department in the process of disbanding, as well as my neighbour in my office who is leaving for a new career in Paris. A new chapter in life awaits each of them - who of scientists isn't full of these chapters, anyway.

In the mean time, we also welcomed a new 'member' to the lab. Everyone has been awaiting its arrival for a long time, and this brand-new electron microscope finally called our department home on Tuesday 25th September. This microscope has presented many technical challenges since its manufacture in the Netherlands, and is only ready for delivery this week after overcoming the problems one by one. Now it's the time to put those issues behind, look forward to the research possibilities the microscope opens up - and to celebrate, of course!

Alcohol comes in handy whether it's for farewell or celebrations, and there won't be any shortage of it in Munich during this time of the year. This year's Oktoberfest beer festival opened on 22nd September, and it was people, people everywhere from the parade in the city streets all the way to the Oktoberfest venue. Drinkers were all waiting for the mayor of Munich to open the first keg at midday when they could finally start devouring beer litre by litre (in a special glass called the maß)! My colleagues are organising an outing to Oktoberfest next week. Time for me to down my autumnal thoughts and feelings, by the litre.

秋季，是充滿交替的時候。

這個九月，天氣很是飄忽，溫暖的晴天讓人舒服好幾天後，一下雨卻會連續幾天都不歇，烏雲和陰寒氣，似是對此地依戀不捨，要多留一會才施施然再上路——其實現在有何捨不得，以後幾個月，要留多久都無任歡迎也……（唉……）

月初一場長長的秋雨後，樹木漸次換上新顏色，特別是滿街的楓葉，披上了紅、黃、綠三色，在朗日下份外鮮明，大地的色彩頓然活潑起來，可惜近日第二場秋雨，一淋在樹上就變成催老劑，綠葉匆匆變黃，而黃葉還沒來得及變紅，便連同紅透變啡的葉，掉得遍地都是。

最近上班，除了忙工作，就是忙於各式各樣的送別，好幾個是熬過數年博士生涯的中國人朋友，自己系內也有個小組逐步解散，而在辦公室坐在我隔鄰的同事就到巴黎開展新事業，總之就是各奔前程——實驗室，本來就是這麼樣的地方。

在這片歡送潮中，也有新「成員」落戶，一眾同事望穿秋水，終於在中秋日有幸歡迎一台全新的電子顯微鏡進駐實驗室，這台儀器在荷蘭的廠房時，一直都有不同的技術問題，經過多番改良，到本週終於附運，現在正是忘記過往總總問題、展望將來如何好好利用新儀器的時候，當然值得慶祝一下。

無論是歡送或慶祝，「酒」這東西都合適不過，每年這個時候，正是一年一度的啤酒節，總吸引不少人光顧，開幕那天（9月22日），由市區街道的巡遊，到啤酒節整個場館都水洩不通，一待正午由慕尼黑市長打開第一桶酒後，酒客便會逐公升逐公升的喝下去！下星期跟同事往啤酒節，正好把這個秋天的各種思緒，跟啤酒骨碌骨碌下肚消化消化。