DF Tavern

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Wed May 29, 2002 3:54 pm

I'm very good thank you CE, thanks for asking, my exams are proceeding very well and training, though tiring, proceeds well.

I should go to sleep, I've got an exam tomorrow, but I can't be bothered.

You like the new smiley now, eh? I think it looks more confused now.

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:01 pm

Originally posted by C Elegans
@Gwally: Are you, like most people, experiening late afternoon lows as I just posted in the Old people thread?

Pity I can't send you a mail with some energy

I just saw your post there. Makes me want to live in Norway.... (can you imagine me trying to convince my warmth-loving wife?

)

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:09 pm

@Nippy: Good luck with your exams tomorrow

What exams are you doing?

The new smiley is much better - I would actually like a better eek also, one with bigger eyes like the one we had before.

@Gwally: It's cold in Norway...very cold compared to Arizona

It's extremely beautiful though, you would probably like the dramatic deep fiordlands and mountains

I've been there several times for climbing. It's perhaps the best society on earth in terms of humanitarian and social values. Now, if they only had a good neuroscience center...

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:13 pm

Originally posted by C Elegans
[BNow, if they only had a good neuroscience center... [/b]

or an Archaeology program that needed a desert archaeologist....

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:16 pm

Originally posted by Gwalchmai
or an Archaeology program that needed a desert archaeologist....

ROFL

Desert archology must be a very narrow discipline in Norway, unless you count what is called "alpine desert" in Swedish (I don't know if there is an English equivalent), ie the extremly dry, cold tundra areas on high plateaus.

There is one small desert in Scandinavia, on a little island in the sound between Denmark and Sweden

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:18 pm

I have two Information Technology exams...

If I could find one of the old eeks, I might be able to edit the colour of the gif and change it to the colour we have now. I'll have a look tomorrow and see what I can do. I'd like the return of old shakey eyes.

Anyway, now I am off to bed, I need some sleep. I will speak to you guys tomorrow. CE, get some sleep soon!

Gwal, get back to work!

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:20 pm

Good night Nippos

I will probably work late tonight - as usual

On the other hand, I never go to the lab before 10 am

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:27 pm

Any island near you sounds nice, CE.

Actually, I hope to one day become the first Martian Archaeologist. I want to figure out about the face, pyramids, and canals of Mars...

Talk about desert archaeology! I know they just found ice there, but it still must be pretty dry!

Good luck Nippy!

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:34 pm

@Gwally: You should visit some day

Have you visisted, or ever planned to visit Europe?

Martian Archelogist, that'd be great if there were something to dig after

Do you know where the full report of the ice finding is published? They announced it would be published Thursday.

When I was still active as a climber, I used to dream about ascending Olympus mons

EDIT: I just found it, the full report is going to be in Science on Friday. Strange, I'm pretty sure BBC wrote the report would be published Thursday, so I assumed it would be in Nature.

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:48 pm

I haven't been across the pond, and I used to think that there was plenty in the Western Hemisphere for me to explore. However, I would really like to introduce my kids to plenty of new experiences, so I am now thinking that a European Vacation is in order (in a few years). Unfortunately, I wouldn't feel comfortable any place where I couldn't speak the language, so I would be limited to England and Spain. I would love to tour the Pyrenees and look at the cave art and battle ground sites!

Well, you're right. In order to be a Martian Archaeologist, there would have to be some Martian Archaeology! But, as a science, we're pretty good at coming up with some very interesting reports with very little factualy basis, so I'm not worried.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed May 29, 2002 4:57 pm

@Gwally... actually English is spoken quite widely in Europe because it is part of most school curriculums, particularly in Holland (Amsterdam is really cool), and also in Scandinavia.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed May 29, 2002 5:05 pm

LMAO

In science, we can also find the best excuses to perform a study - like the aucoustic studies on penguins on Antarctica

Great that you have plans to visit Europe one day - I have the idea that it's good to visit every continent at least once

Unfortunately I have not yet been where I suppose you have spent much time, South America.

Sure you should not limit yourself to Spain, the UK and Ireland because they speak a native language you speak!

In all of Western Europe and much of Eastern Europe, a majority of people speak excellent English. We start learning English in school at around age 7-9 (differs from country to country), so there is absolutely no reason to feel hampered due to the language

The Pyrenees are beautiful, I've been there hiking and climbing, but it was a long time ago. and I suppose Spain together with France has the best preserved cave art in Europe?

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed May 29, 2002 5:09 pm

Originally posted by dragon wench
@Gwally... actually English is spoken quite widely in Europe because it is part of most school curriculums, particularly in Holland (Amsterdam is really cool), and also in Scandinavia.

DW beat me to it

Scandinavia except Iceland and Greenland, Holland, Germany and Belgium are probably the best English speakers. In urban areas and among highly educated people, everybody will speak English also in the least English speaking countries like the Balkan nations and Russia.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed May 29, 2002 5:16 pm

If you visit Europe Gwally, it's going to earn you credits that you are not going to say things like:

"What a pity they built this castle so close to the highway" or

"Wow, the Colosseum must be a thousand years old"

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Wed May 29, 2002 5:16 pm

Originally posted by dragon wench
@Gwally... actually English is spoken quite widely in Europe because it is part of most school curriculums, particularly in Holland (Amsterdam is really cool), and also in Scandinavia.

Really? They don't speak Hollandish there?

I'd still be worried about reading traffic signs and driving on the wrong side of the road.... Some of those Euorpean streets are pretty narrow for my SUV...

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Wed May 29, 2002 5:23 pm

I've only spent two weeks in South America (where my wife did her research), but I've spent much time in Central America.... not really a separate continent.... I also have only spent a few weeks in Canada, but I should probably explore there one day...

The thing is, as and archaeologist I have become very used to going someplace and staying in one spot for weeks or months at a time. You really learn about the micro-culture of the immediate area that way. I am not interested in some sort of whirlwind tour of Europe or Scandanavia. I would rather just take my family to one place for about a month, living there, and maybe working. This way, I avoid the touristy spots. But how can I work this plan out? I don't know, short of becoming independantly wealthy....

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed May 29, 2002 5:41 pm

I'm very much like you in this respect Gwally. When I was young and travelled around by myself, I was often away for many months, spending long times at one place, socialising with the local people and often living in families. This created the feeling that if I couldn't spend at least a month in a place, it was no idea to even go there. When take short holidays today, (short meaning like 2 weeks) I go to places where I've been before, mostly within Europe.

Whirlwind tours, especially with your family, is most likely not going to give as much as a longer staying. The countries and cultures in Europe can differ dramamtically from one region to another, and it's difficult to get any deeper insight and understanding from travelling around too much.

I can think of two ways to realise a travel like you wish:

One is to simply save up money, and carefully pick an area (for instance the Pyrenees) that you are interested in. When you get there and see how well you like it, you can decide to increase or decrease you planned "radius of movement". Don't book hotels and stuff for more than perhaps 2 nigths from the US, start look for something inexpensive as soon as you get to a place. When I travel, I usually live in families or at small boarding houses or hostels.

Another way is to find a shorter assignment - perhaps at some university or museum, or some specific dig? I understand from a friend of mine who's an archeologist that it's common to arrange summer courses at specific sites or in specific subjects. If you don't want to go in the summer (everybody else is touristing Europe in the summer), perhaps you could teach at some course during the ordinary semesters?

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Wed May 29, 2002 10:17 pm

I can see that DW have repented. Its good to see that despite her cutting comments she do care about me.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed May 29, 2002 10:31 pm

@Dottie
lol!

I changed my lurker setting earlier today, and forgot to change it back

Isn't it the middle of the night over there?

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Wed May 29, 2002 10:41 pm

Figures you would change it back, I tought I might influence you enough to stick with it though... Ah well, there is no harm in trying.

Actually it is morning here by now. My diurnal rhythm dosnt quite follow the normal pattern though.