Cambridge!

Every year for Mark's study abroad program we spend two - three weeks in Cambridge.  This year, it will be two weeks.  I will be taking photos of the students, but for now, here are some of the sites at Clare College where we are staying.

Our dorms at Memorial Court

Our dorm door - we are in "Q"

Looking back at Memorial Court and the Porter's Office

Mark's class sign!

Mark on the Clare Bridge

View from Clare Bridge - see the flocks of ducks?

Other side view from Clare Bridge -

it's very early, so there are no punts in the water yet.

On our way from the dorms to Clare Bridge is Fellows Garden

We walk down the stone steps into this large English Garden

I'm glad that the sun is shining right now - we've had a lot of rain this year.

In the distance is the Cam River, which the Clare Bridge crosses.

One of the prettiest areas in the Fellows Garden is this water feature,

which has lilies and other water-growing and colorful plants

In this area and below, you'll see color-block groupings of yellow and red flowers.

This is the view from King's Parade after leaving Clare College

and walking through the Senate Passage Way.

 

Last Day in Vienna

On our last evening in Vienna, we took the UBAN to St. Stephansplatz and walked through Old Vienna to Schwarzen Camel, an old café dating back to the 1600's. We ordered their "ham plate" which had thinly sliced ham with a serving of grated horseradish, paired with a glass of Riesling - it was delicious!

Later, as we made our way back to the public transit system in St. Stephansplatz, we took a photo of inside the cathedral, St. Stephans:

Tomorrow, we leave for Cambridge!

Olomouc!

Very early on rainy Wednesday morning, August 19^th, we boarded a bus to travel for three hours to the Czech Republic to visit the Center of Plant Structural and Functional Genomics at the Institute of Experimental Botany in the beautiful old city of Olomouc, where Mendel also studied. 

 

Too early!

 

No, it's not!

We're almost there!

We were greeted by the director of the Institute, Jaraslov Dolezel, Jan Bartos, Jan Safra, and Hana Simkova. 

 

They offered us beverages and delicious Czech pastries to enjoy before Jan and Hana began their separate lectures.

 

Before the lectures, the Institute’s new public relations employee interviewed Mark and a couple of the students (Michael and Nepheli) for their website.

Jan Bartos began the morning’s activities with a lecture covering the Institute’s strategies for genome sequencing.

Hana’s lecture addressed the process of sequencing wheat genome and the use of optical gene mapping.

 

Afterwards, the students toured the Institute’s various genome-related laboratories, led by Jan Bartos and Jan Safra:

 

It was lunch time so we reboarded the bus with Jan Safra as our guide (Jaraslov drove in a separate car) and we rode into the square in the middle of Olomouc to walk to our restaurant, which printed special menus for our group luncheon!  Mark and I, upon Jaraslov’s recommendation, ordered the duck breast and dumplings because he said it was a traditional Czech entrée. It was delicious!  Jaraslov went around to the students’ tables to let them know about the duck breast which I believe became a popular choice for a lot of the students. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 After lunch, the students went on a tour with a guide and Jan to visit older sites in Olomouc, fountains and statues, while Mark and I strolled with Jaraslov as our guide through streets of old Olomouc until we reached the square and even stopped for ice cream!

 

By 5 p.m., it was time to reboard the bus and head for home – this was a great visit!

 

 
On Saturday, we say goodbye to Vienna and fly to Heathrow on our journey to Cambridge.