Finally the weather has stopped being temperamental in October, and is giving us as many fine days as we ask for. The increasing chilliness in the morning air, however, is a reminder that beautiful autumn days like these don't necessarily last long!
The weather was still rather warm for the first few days of the month. On 1st October, my colleagues and I took an early finish at work and went for the Oktoberfest. While it was not as jam-packed and crazy as the opening day, it was still not easy to find a table. We sat outside during the day time and switched indoors in the beer tent after dark. The atmosphere inside was simply infectious. We all entered a state of exhilaration in no time, as we saw a sea of people standing on the benches, dancing and chanting to the music of the band. It finally dawned on me how people could spend a whole day at the Oktoberfest. Beer, it seems, is the best form ecstasy for many people in Western societies!
The cooler weather in the following weekend proved to be the best thing for a short trip in the countryside. I went on a trip with a few friends of mine to the Kloster Andechs (Andechs Monastery) in the outer region of Munich. After a train trip, we had to take an uphill hike for an hour and a bit. The hike was quite easy and enjoyable, as autumn was displaying its best mix of colours along the whole way. We were in a way pleasantly surprised by the scenery, as some of the trees back in the Munich city area have already shed so many of their leaves. I wonder if that was perhaps related to the slower pace of life in the countryside! After wandering at the 'monastery' on the top of the hill (well, we could not really find the monastery, and it turns out that the monastery is not open to the public), we went downhill again, headed towards the Ammersee lake for a casual stroll and enjoyed some leisurely time there.
Back in the lab, everything changes subtly but steadily day by day. Last week, a PhD student from Australia came for an interview for a post-doc position. Happily he was accepted and would start his post next February. It seems that the 'Australian invasion' that my boss joked about is gathering steam again! Next Monday comes another student from Britain for job interview, and I'll have to play host to her for some time in the afternoon. Time will tell if she will be our next future colleague.
踏入十月，天氣也暫時不跟我們賭氣，晴天要多少就有多少，不過每早上班，但覺寒氣漸深，提醒人們，要享受好時光就得及時！
月初天氣還暖，10月1日便和同事提早下班往啤酒節，那天不像開幕日那般人山人海、那般誇張，但找座位一點也不易，我們坐在室外，到黃昏過後轉陣至啤酒館內，室內的氣氛，令人自動進入興奮狀態，不少酒客都站在板凳上，隨場內樂隊的奏樂載歌載舞，我也終於明白為何不少人能在啤酒節磨蹭一整天了。啤酒，果然是西方社會最有效的迷幻藥！
到了週末，天氣稍涼，最宜遠足郊遊，我和幾個朋友便相約到市郊的安迪克斯修道院（Kloster Andechs），坐過一程火車後，得遠足一句多鐘，翻過一段山路才到達，山路並不艱難，沿途還可感受斑斕秋色，令人心情愉快。說來奇怪，郊外的步伐固然比市區慢，但是不是連換季也慢一步，不然為甚麼正當市區不少樹木初見禿頭時，在郊外仍可見到漫山一片片的紅、黃交替？在山上的「修道院」流連一會後（其實我們並找不到真正的修道院，後來才知道是不對外開放的），便到山腳的亞瑪湖（Ammersee），在湖畔閒逛，輕鬆地消磨時間。
我的實驗室，就像秋天一樣，隨着時間悄悄在變，上星期一有個澳洲的準博士畢業生前來洽談畢業後前來工作，結果一談即合，明年2月中上工，似乎我上司從前說的澳洲人「入侵潮」再度掀起！下星期一又有個英國準畢業生來面談，下午有段時間還要我負責招侍，究竟她會不會成為另一個新同事？
Oktoberfest 啤酒節
The challange of Oktoberfest: to down beer one litre after another!
啤酒節的啤酒祇有一升裝，正考驗大家的酒量！
The beer tent is a place to stand up and let your hair down!
啤酒館內的氣氛令人忘形！
Andechs and Ammersee 安迪克斯及亞瑪湖
One of the mansions on the hills
山路上其中一家豪宅
The best show that autumn can put on
漫山無邊的秋色
A small waterfall close to the monastery 離修道院不遠的小瀑布
The small village just before the final ascend to the monastery
快要上山到修道院前的村莊
The church that is part of the monastery 屬於修道院的教堂
The interior of the church 教堂內貌
The meadows surrounding the monastery
修道院週邊的田野
More autumnal scenery to enjoy at Ammersee
亞瑪湖的秋色也很怡人
The weather was still rather warm for the first few days of the month. On 1st October, my colleagues and I took an early finish at work and went for the Oktoberfest. While it was not as jam-packed and crazy as the opening day, it was still not easy to find a table. We sat outside during the day time and switched indoors in the beer tent after dark. The atmosphere inside was simply infectious. We all entered a state of exhilaration in no time, as we saw a sea of people standing on the benches, dancing and chanting to the music of the band. It finally dawned on me how people could spend a whole day at the Oktoberfest. Beer, it seems, is the best form ecstasy for many people in Western societies!
The cooler weather in the following weekend proved to be the best thing for a short trip in the countryside. I went on a trip with a few friends of mine to the Kloster Andechs (Andechs Monastery) in the outer region of Munich. After a train trip, we had to take an uphill hike for an hour and a bit. The hike was quite easy and enjoyable, as autumn was displaying its best mix of colours along the whole way. We were in a way pleasantly surprised by the scenery, as some of the trees back in the Munich city area have already shed so many of their leaves. I wonder if that was perhaps related to the slower pace of life in the countryside! After wandering at the 'monastery' on the top of the hill (well, we could not really find the monastery, and it turns out that the monastery is not open to the public), we went downhill again, headed towards the Ammersee lake for a casual stroll and enjoyed some leisurely time there.
Back in the lab, everything changes subtly but steadily day by day. Last week, a PhD student from Australia came for an interview for a post-doc position. Happily he was accepted and would start his post next February. It seems that the 'Australian invasion' that my boss joked about is gathering steam again! Next Monday comes another student from Britain for job interview, and I'll have to play host to her for some time in the afternoon. Time will tell if she will be our next future colleague.
踏入十月，天氣也暫時不跟我們賭氣，晴天要多少就有多少，不過每早上班，但覺寒氣漸深，提醒人們，要享受好時光就得及時！
月初天氣還暖，10月1日便和同事提早下班往啤酒節，那天不像開幕日那般人山人海、那般誇張，但找座位一點也不易，我們坐在室外，到黃昏過後轉陣至啤酒館內，室內的氣氛，令人自動進入興奮狀態，不少酒客都站在板凳上，隨場內樂隊的奏樂載歌載舞，我也終於明白為何不少人能在啤酒節磨蹭一整天了。啤酒，果然是西方社會最有效的迷幻藥！
到了週末，天氣稍涼，最宜遠足郊遊，我和幾個朋友便相約到市郊的安迪克斯修道院（Kloster Andechs），坐過一程火車後，得遠足一句多鐘，翻過一段山路才到達，山路並不艱難，沿途還可感受斑斕秋色，令人心情愉快。說來奇怪，郊外的步伐固然比市區慢，但是不是連換季也慢一步，不然為甚麼正當市區不少樹木初見禿頭時，在郊外仍可見到漫山一片片的紅、黃交替？在山上的「修道院」流連一會後（其實我們並找不到真正的修道院，後來才知道是不對外開放的），便到山腳的亞瑪湖（Ammersee），在湖畔閒逛，輕鬆地消磨時間。
我的實驗室，就像秋天一樣，隨着時間悄悄在變，上星期一有個澳洲的準博士畢業生前來洽談畢業後前來工作，結果一談即合，明年2月中上工，似乎我上司從前說的澳洲人「入侵潮」再度掀起！下星期一又有個英國準畢業生來面談，下午有段時間還要我負責招侍，究竟她會不會成為另一個新同事？
Oktoberfest 啤酒節
The challange of Oktoberfest: to down beer one litre after another!
啤酒節的啤酒祇有一升裝，正考驗大家的酒量！
The beer tent is a place to stand up and let your hair down!
啤酒館內的氣氛令人忘形！
Andechs and Ammersee 安迪克斯及亞瑪湖
One of the mansions on the hills
山路上其中一家豪宅
The best show that autumn can put on
漫山無邊的秋色
A small waterfall close to the monastery 離修道院不遠的小瀑布
The small village just before the final ascend to the monastery
快要上山到修道院前的村莊
The church that is part of the monastery 屬於修道院的教堂
The interior of the church 教堂內貌
The meadows surrounding the monastery
修道院週邊的田野
More autumnal scenery to enjoy at Ammersee
亞瑪湖的秋色也很怡人
Comments
My name is Alex and from HK too. After 2 weeks, I will come to Munich and work. As I don't know anyone there and I used to read you blog. So I would like to ask you some questions.
Is it ok to leave your e-mail address here so I may send you a mail?
Thanks,
Alex Ho
Well, someone told me that Munich has nothing to eat. The food there is expensive. Also most of the person will go home and eat. They suggested me to buy a case of instant noodle and a rice cooker. Is it true? How do you solve your dinner?
Also about the doctor, is it difficult to find a doctor here? Have you even visited the doctor and how is their charges?
Anything that I must bring to Munich from HK?
Thanks,
Alex Ho