I haven’t looked after my blog for a while now because I’ve had various important things to take care of, including a trip in which I attended a conference in the USA at the end of June and went to the lab in Munich for another work trip. Now I’ve finally found the time to pick up my writing habits again.
早一整子為了不同的事情忙，包括準備六月底往美國開會議和七月中回慕尼黑公幹做實驗，網誌也因此荒廢，但現在終於可以再寫一點點了。
Apart from the conference, my time in the US also gave me a rare chance to meet up with the Chinese friends whom I met during my years working in Munich, all at once.
在美國除了開會議外，還跟一眾當年在慕尼黑認識的中國人朋友再次聚首，真夠難得。
The conference was held at a place north of Boston, and flying there from Australia necessitates a change at the West Coast, so I decided to make San Francisco my stop-over point (23rd June) and visit a friend working at Stanford to kick-start my round-the-world trip.
會議在波士頓以北舉行，乘飛機從澳洲出發，須在西岸轉換航班，所以便決定取道三藩市（6月23日），順道到史丹褔（Stanford）探朋友，開展我的環遊世界之旅。
The San Francisco Bay Area (i.e. the metropolitan area of San Francisco and surrounds) has arguably one of the highest concentrations of technology companies in the world, including many which are now household names. My friend’s lab was located next to a rather unassuming building, which in fact was the headquarters of Facebook! My friend’s husband is a Google employee and worked in the ‘geography’ department responsible for Street View and Google Earth. We got to visit his office after hours, and it was only too obvious what the office was about with a Street View recording car and the distinctive red ‘signpost’ for pinpointing in Google Maps. Inside the office, Google Earth captured everyone’s fascination as the views were projected onto a series of vertical screens arranged in an arc and looked very realistic. It would take you on a fly-through after choosing the preset famous landmarks or entering any address in the world, and you can take control of the ‘flying’ altitude and route. It almost felt like flying a fighter jet yourself!
三藩市灣區（Bay Area，即三藩市的都會圈）科技公司雲集，不乏家傳戶曉的大企業，朋友的實驗室毗鄰，驟眼看來並不怎樣起眼，但原來是Facebook的總部！朋友的老公任職Google，負責「地理業務」，包括拍攝街景（Street View）和Google地球（Google Earth）的製作，下班時間招待我到其辦公室參觀，甫到達便看到拍攝街景的汽車和標示地點的紅標誌，進去後更可以操作投射到排成弧形的螢幕的立體Google地球，祇要選擇世界著名地標或輸入世界上任可地址，便可以轉瞬間飛到目的地，也可用控制器把玩「飛行」高度和路線，感覺真像駕戰鬥機！
Stanford University campus 史丹福大學校園
The birthplace of Google Maps
Google地圖在此誕生
A unique perspective of Paris (left), and on top of the world (right)
從難得的角度俯瞰巴黎（左）和飛越世界的最高峰（右）
The Google headquarters (left) and the original Android (right)
Google總部（左）和Android的雛型（右）
After a dinner at the canteen of Google headquarters, it was time to continue my flight to Boston. I’ve been to Boston 3 years ago, so this time the main purpose in Boston (24th to 25th June) was to meet up with my long-time friends, and there were quite a few. One was a Hong Konger whom I met at a conference a few years ago now married to a Swiss and working in Boston. Out of those who used to work at the same place in Munich, there were three who have also moved to Boston for work, and two hailing from London and Switzerland who happened to be attending other conferences near Boston about the same time as I. This can only be described as a happy coincidence! Good food is definitely in order for mass gatherings. My Munich friends and I all had a sumptuous seafood dinner in a restaurant, and some of us went to the second top floor in Prudential Center for an afternoon tea with a full birds’ eye view of Boston as a condiment. There was also time for some shopping (although I was fairly restrained on that) and a walk through the city and harbourside.
之後在Google總部的飯堂吃過晚飯，便再上飛機前往波士頓。我三年前已到過波士頓，這些舊地重遊（6月24至25日）的最主要目的是敘舊：多年前在某會議認識一個香港人，現已嫁給一個瑞士人，並在波士頓工作；在慕尼黑認識的中國朋友，有三個也在波士頓工作，另一個轉到倫敦工作的和到瑞士繼續唸博士的兩個香港朋友，湊巧也是同一時間來到波士頓開其他會議，實在太有緣了！與朋友重敘，吃喝少不免，在波士頓當然少不了一頓豐富的海鮮餐，和在Prudential Center 第二高層的餐廳邊鳥瞰全城邊品嚐下午茶了。除了吃喝，我在波士頓還有時間做點血拼（不過並沒有太出血！）和在市中心及海濱閒逛。
The Boston Public Library (left) and shopping at Newbury Street (right)
波士頓公共圖書館（左）和Newbury Street購物街（右）
Boston by its harbour 波士頓海港
Prudential Center (the left building in the left photo) commanding over Boston (right)
Prudential Center（左圖內左邊的大廈）在波士頓高高在上（右）
From Boston, I took a 2-hour coach trip on 26th June to the Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire where I would spend my next 5 days for a conference. Although it was a rather small conference with 200 or fewer attendants, everyone’s research topic made use of the same technology so we all had a common background. There were also plenty of time for discussions thanks to the long pauses in between the talks and the free time during the day, and it was very easy to get engaged in deep conversations. The conference venue was in the middle of the New England region, well known for its woods and lakes. As those places tend to be far away from where people live, they are usually best explored by car, but cycling was not a bad idea either. I rented a bike in one of the afternoons and followed those quiet roads through the woods and the lakes for some solo enjoyment of the nature and space that America had to offer!
6月26日我從波士頓坐了兩個多小時長途巴士，到了新罕布什爾州New London市的Colby-Sawyer College，開展為期五天的會議，出席人數雖然200人也不足，但勝在大家都使用同一技術做類似的研究課程，志同道合，而且每次演講後討論時間特別長，空閒時間也多，所以大家話題特別多，也可談得深入一點。會議地點位處新英格蘭地區（New England），樹林茂密，有山有湖，這些地方遠離人煙，除了開車，騎腳踏車也不錯，我便找個下午租了一輛，沿著人跡罕至的道路，繞過湖，穿過樹林，獨自享受美國廣闊的大地和自然。
The main building of Colby-Sawyer College (left) and a church nearby (right)
Colby-Sawyer College主大樓（左）和附近的教堂（右）
Little Sunapee Lake, a place for some aquatic fun
小Sunapee湖，弄潮的好地方
Mansions deep in the woods 叢林深處的大宅
After the five days of conference and a 4-day detour to Canada, I was back in the USA for a lab visit in Chicago on 5th to 6th July. I had useful discussions with a collaborating lab there, and because we had a common research interest but different approaches, it helped to broaden my views and forced me to think about issues and viewpoints that I have neglected. Speaking of Chicago, I’ve indeed visited the place two or three times in the past, but my impression and knowledge of it is rather piecemeal. Every time I could only spend an afternoon for a whirlwind tour through a small part of the city, and this time it was unfortunately no exception. The only time I had for leisure was my first evening there, when I took the opportunity to walk along the famous Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park before and after dinner with a friend in that part of the city. Only then did I finally appreciate why Chicago was famous for its architecture! I really look forward to another trip to Chicago where I can spend a few days and see the city as a whole.
開了五天會議後，轉往鄰國加拿大遊玩四天後，再返回美國，7月5和6日到芝加哥拜訪一個合作伙伴的實驗室，與他們交流研究結果和心得，由於大家研究方向和所用的技術各有不同，跟這些伙伴討論的確能夠擴闊視野、思考一些自己從沒想過的問題和觀點，獲益良多。說到芝加哥，以前的確來過兩三次，但對這個城市的認識和印象有點零碎，全因為每次都祇抽到數小時空，匆匆逛逛市區的一部分，這次也不例外，祇是第一晚趁和朋友晚膳之便，到市中心的著名大街Michigan Avenue一行，看到街道兩邊的高樓和千禧公園（Millennium Park），終於讓我見識到芝加哥建築為何有名！我很想找個機會，好好的一次過遊覽芝加哥，好讓我更全面了解這個地方。
The Univeristy of Chicago, taking architectural cues from Oxbridge
芝加哥大學，建築風格仿照英國牛津劍橋
Wrigley Building, viewing from Michigan Avenue (left) and across Chicago River (right)
從Michigan Avenue（左）和芝加哥河對岸（右）的箭牌公司大廈景觀
Some night views along Chicago River
芝加哥河夜景
Artistic flair at Millennium Park
世紀公園，藝術無邊
In the 10 days in the US, I managed to make new acquaintances while meet my long-time friends during different times and occasions. I’m looking forward to the next reunion already, but who knows when that will be.
在美國前後十天，能和舊雨新知在不同的場合聚首，是一種緣份，不知下次見面又是甚麼時候？
早一整子為了不同的事情忙，包括準備六月底往美國開會議和七月中回慕尼黑公幹做實驗，網誌也因此荒廢，但現在終於可以再寫一點點了。
Apart from the conference, my time in the US also gave me a rare chance to meet up with the Chinese friends whom I met during my years working in Munich, all at once.
在美國除了開會議外，還跟一眾當年在慕尼黑認識的中國人朋友再次聚首，真夠難得。
The conference was held at a place north of Boston, and flying there from Australia necessitates a change at the West Coast, so I decided to make San Francisco my stop-over point (23rd June) and visit a friend working at Stanford to kick-start my round-the-world trip.
會議在波士頓以北舉行，乘飛機從澳洲出發，須在西岸轉換航班，所以便決定取道三藩市（6月23日），順道到史丹褔（Stanford）探朋友，開展我的環遊世界之旅。
The San Francisco Bay Area (i.e. the metropolitan area of San Francisco and surrounds) has arguably one of the highest concentrations of technology companies in the world, including many which are now household names. My friend’s lab was located next to a rather unassuming building, which in fact was the headquarters of Facebook! My friend’s husband is a Google employee and worked in the ‘geography’ department responsible for Street View and Google Earth. We got to visit his office after hours, and it was only too obvious what the office was about with a Street View recording car and the distinctive red ‘signpost’ for pinpointing in Google Maps. Inside the office, Google Earth captured everyone’s fascination as the views were projected onto a series of vertical screens arranged in an arc and looked very realistic. It would take you on a fly-through after choosing the preset famous landmarks or entering any address in the world, and you can take control of the ‘flying’ altitude and route. It almost felt like flying a fighter jet yourself!
三藩市灣區（Bay Area，即三藩市的都會圈）科技公司雲集，不乏家傳戶曉的大企業，朋友的實驗室毗鄰，驟眼看來並不怎樣起眼，但原來是Facebook的總部！朋友的老公任職Google，負責「地理業務」，包括拍攝街景（Street View）和Google地球（Google Earth）的製作，下班時間招待我到其辦公室參觀，甫到達便看到拍攝街景的汽車和標示地點的紅標誌，進去後更可以操作投射到排成弧形的螢幕的立體Google地球，祇要選擇世界著名地標或輸入世界上任可地址，便可以轉瞬間飛到目的地，也可用控制器把玩「飛行」高度和路線，感覺真像駕戰鬥機！
Stanford University campus 史丹福大學校園
The birthplace of Google Maps
Google地圖在此誕生
A unique perspective of Paris (left), and on top of the world (right)
從難得的角度俯瞰巴黎（左）和飛越世界的最高峰（右）
The Google headquarters (left) and the original Android (right)
Google總部（左）和Android的雛型（右）
After a dinner at the canteen of Google headquarters, it was time to continue my flight to Boston. I’ve been to Boston 3 years ago, so this time the main purpose in Boston (24th to 25th June) was to meet up with my long-time friends, and there were quite a few. One was a Hong Konger whom I met at a conference a few years ago now married to a Swiss and working in Boston. Out of those who used to work at the same place in Munich, there were three who have also moved to Boston for work, and two hailing from London and Switzerland who happened to be attending other conferences near Boston about the same time as I. This can only be described as a happy coincidence! Good food is definitely in order for mass gatherings. My Munich friends and I all had a sumptuous seafood dinner in a restaurant, and some of us went to the second top floor in Prudential Center for an afternoon tea with a full birds’ eye view of Boston as a condiment. There was also time for some shopping (although I was fairly restrained on that) and a walk through the city and harbourside.
之後在Google總部的飯堂吃過晚飯，便再上飛機前往波士頓。我三年前已到過波士頓，這些舊地重遊（6月24至25日）的最主要目的是敘舊：多年前在某會議認識一個香港人，現已嫁給一個瑞士人，並在波士頓工作；在慕尼黑認識的中國朋友，有三個也在波士頓工作，另一個轉到倫敦工作的和到瑞士繼續唸博士的兩個香港朋友，湊巧也是同一時間來到波士頓開其他會議，實在太有緣了！與朋友重敘，吃喝少不免，在波士頓當然少不了一頓豐富的海鮮餐，和在Prudential Center 第二高層的餐廳邊鳥瞰全城邊品嚐下午茶了。除了吃喝，我在波士頓還有時間做點血拼（不過並沒有太出血！）和在市中心及海濱閒逛。
The Boston Public Library (left) and shopping at Newbury Street (right)
波士頓公共圖書館（左）和Newbury Street購物街（右）
Boston by its harbour 波士頓海港
Prudential Center (the left building in the left photo) commanding over Boston (right)
Prudential Center（左圖內左邊的大廈）在波士頓高高在上（右）
From Boston, I took a 2-hour coach trip on 26th June to the Colby-Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire where I would spend my next 5 days for a conference. Although it was a rather small conference with 200 or fewer attendants, everyone’s research topic made use of the same technology so we all had a common background. There were also plenty of time for discussions thanks to the long pauses in between the talks and the free time during the day, and it was very easy to get engaged in deep conversations. The conference venue was in the middle of the New England region, well known for its woods and lakes. As those places tend to be far away from where people live, they are usually best explored by car, but cycling was not a bad idea either. I rented a bike in one of the afternoons and followed those quiet roads through the woods and the lakes for some solo enjoyment of the nature and space that America had to offer!
6月26日我從波士頓坐了兩個多小時長途巴士，到了新罕布什爾州New London市的Colby-Sawyer College，開展為期五天的會議，出席人數雖然200人也不足，但勝在大家都使用同一技術做類似的研究課程，志同道合，而且每次演講後討論時間特別長，空閒時間也多，所以大家話題特別多，也可談得深入一點。會議地點位處新英格蘭地區（New England），樹林茂密，有山有湖，這些地方遠離人煙，除了開車，騎腳踏車也不錯，我便找個下午租了一輛，沿著人跡罕至的道路，繞過湖，穿過樹林，獨自享受美國廣闊的大地和自然。
The main building of Colby-Sawyer College (left) and a church nearby (right)
Colby-Sawyer College主大樓（左）和附近的教堂（右）
Little Sunapee Lake, a place for some aquatic fun
小Sunapee湖，弄潮的好地方
Mansions deep in the woods 叢林深處的大宅
After the five days of conference and a 4-day detour to Canada, I was back in the USA for a lab visit in Chicago on 5th to 6th July. I had useful discussions with a collaborating lab there, and because we had a common research interest but different approaches, it helped to broaden my views and forced me to think about issues and viewpoints that I have neglected. Speaking of Chicago, I’ve indeed visited the place two or three times in the past, but my impression and knowledge of it is rather piecemeal. Every time I could only spend an afternoon for a whirlwind tour through a small part of the city, and this time it was unfortunately no exception. The only time I had for leisure was my first evening there, when I took the opportunity to walk along the famous Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park before and after dinner with a friend in that part of the city. Only then did I finally appreciate why Chicago was famous for its architecture! I really look forward to another trip to Chicago where I can spend a few days and see the city as a whole.
開了五天會議後，轉往鄰國加拿大遊玩四天後，再返回美國，7月5和6日到芝加哥拜訪一個合作伙伴的實驗室，與他們交流研究結果和心得，由於大家研究方向和所用的技術各有不同，跟這些伙伴討論的確能夠擴闊視野、思考一些自己從沒想過的問題和觀點，獲益良多。說到芝加哥，以前的確來過兩三次，但對這個城市的認識和印象有點零碎，全因為每次都祇抽到數小時空，匆匆逛逛市區的一部分，這次也不例外，祇是第一晚趁和朋友晚膳之便，到市中心的著名大街Michigan Avenue一行，看到街道兩邊的高樓和千禧公園（Millennium Park），終於讓我見識到芝加哥建築為何有名！我很想找個機會，好好的一次過遊覽芝加哥，好讓我更全面了解這個地方。
The Univeristy of Chicago, taking architectural cues from Oxbridge
芝加哥大學，建築風格仿照英國牛津劍橋
Wrigley Building, viewing from Michigan Avenue (left) and across Chicago River (right)
從Michigan Avenue（左）和芝加哥河對岸（右）的箭牌公司大廈景觀
Some night views along Chicago River
芝加哥河夜景
Artistic flair at Millennium Park
世紀公園，藝術無邊
In the 10 days in the US, I managed to make new acquaintances while meet my long-time friends during different times and occasions. I’m looking forward to the next reunion already, but who knows when that will be.
在美國前後十天，能和舊雨新知在不同的場合聚首，是一種緣份，不知下次見面又是甚麼時候？
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