Written by no one on 01.07.2023 at 10:42

Short hike today

To describe your pictures of those ancient, imposing trees, one would call that forest in German: ein uriger Wald!

^Stunning photos! Very lush and green, ideal for a hiking adventure.

Quote:

Written by F3ynman on 04.07.2023 at 16:00

To describe your pictures of those ancient, imposing trees, one would call that forest in German: ein uriger Wald!

I like that description, it also looks like it could be the name of a black metal album.

A lot of snow on the mountain lately, a peaceful way to end a friday.

Sorry this is the last time ill post on here for a while

Written by no one on 12.08.2023 at 22:21

Sorry this is the last time ill post on here for a while

Nature is so beautiful. Don't stop posting.

Yeah n post your face, no one.

Hey, I'm back in Germany after spending the last 10 days in Japan! I had traveled there for a 1-week-long particle physics summer school at the Nagoya University. I used the occasion to explore Nagoya, Tokyo, and Kyoto too.

I flew for 12-and-a-half hours from Germany to Tokyo (going over Turkey, Kazakhstan, China, and South Korea to go around Russia). My original plan was to take the Shinkansen (bullet train) on that day directly to Nagoya. But, due to a typhoon that was approaching from the south, the trains were canceled, and I was stuck in Tokyo for a couple of days. This wasn't so bad, though, since I used the chance to do site-seeing in Tokyo. I visited the Hachiko statue and “scramble crossing” at Shibuya Station. I saw the great Senso-ji Temple and hid under it during some seriously heavy rain and thunder. But my favorite place in Tokyo was Ueno Park, which was calmer as it had less tourists and more local people. It offers museums, a zoo, several shrines hidden amongst thick foliage, and several big ponds.


Sporadic raining in Ueno Park

After that, I took the Shinkansen down to Nagoya and made it just in time for my summer school. It was an intensive schedule, with classes going from 9 to 19 o'clock. But, on Wednesday, the afternoon was free for excursion. Most of the students went to the Toyota Museum, but I used the opportunity to explore the beautiful Nagoya Castle with its impressive architecture and a neighboring palace of the Tokugawa Shogun that houses magnificent golden wall paintings of tigers and various birds.


Me in front of the Nagoya Castle

After my work week in Nagoya, I took the Shinkansen further south to check out Kyoto, famous for its hundreds of shrines and temples. I walked up through the iconic red gates of Fushimi Inari Taisha, and I hiked up to Kiyomizu-dera to see a magnificent view of the city. My favorite spot in Kyoto was Ginkaku-ji (the silver pavilion), which offers the most beautiful, tranquil, carefully constructed and maintained garden I have ever seen.


Kiyomizu-dera

After Kyoto, I went back north to get my flight from Tokyo back to Frankfurt—but not before I made a stop in Nagoya to visit the Tokugawa Art Museum, which displays incredible samurai armor, weaponry, paintings, and much more.


Me in front of samurai armor in the Tokugawa Art Museum

My return flight actually took a different route than my arrival flight. Instead of going south of Russia, we flew north and further east: over Alaska, over the North Pole and Greenland, past Iceland and England, and back into Germany. I even got to see the Northern Lights for the first time!


Northern Lights seen from my plane window

In preparation for my trip, I had learned Japanese for 100 days on Duolingo—and it paid off! I was able to order food, ask for directions, greet, and thank. While sitting in the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagoya, I was even able to barely hold a 1-hour-long conversation with a woman from Kitakyushu, who spoke almost no English.

I dare say Japan might just be the pinnacle of human civilization. Everyone I saw treated each other with respect and kindness. Everyone I asked for help felt determined to provide me with the best assistance they could give. The transportation system is punctual and well organized despite the 10s of millions of people using train, subway, and bus every minute. The streets, buildings, and even the underside of bridges are clean and look brand-new. No graffiti, no discarded cigarettes or gum. There was absolutely no sign of any crime. It's a country of advanced technology and a safe, reliable society. But it has even more to offer: beautiful nature, diverse climates (although, at 37°C and 80+% humidity, I don't recommend visiting central Japan at the height of summer like I did), a rich culture, an aesthetically pleasing language, great food (and sake!), … the list goes on.

My cousin who's been to Japan 6 times already told me before my trip that I'll love it so much I'll never want to leave. And that is exactly how I feel. I miss it already. I'll definitely plan to visit Japan regularly, and, who knows, maybe I'll move there one day to stay!

^Great photos, and looks like a great trip! I'm not sure I remember going to Ginkaku-ji in Kyoto, but there's so many great places to see in that city that I was more than satisfied with my trip there (I went in late November/early December, during a brief period in the year where they light up a bunch of the temples and allow you to explore them at night, which was rad!). Commendable effort on learning Japanese as well - we were typical Brits abroad and got by with mainly pointing at stuff in the menus lol

Great trip, F3ynman! Japan is one of these countries that feel so remote to what I know and am familiar with. Definitely want to visit one day. Very nice photos too, and I cannot believe you got to see the Northern Lights from the plane!

Dear Feynman Metalstormers, with your ideal Feynman the physicist as well as you will become now student first, by the trip and good photos in Japan, the homeland of great samurai spirit, I wish you best getting with warrior spirit that helping you someday to be great physicist winning Nobel Prize. Hehe

Written by TOUGHEST MEMBER on 18.09.2024 at 15:49

Dear Feynman Metalstormers, with your ideal Feynman the physicist as well as you will become now student first, by the trip and good photos in Japan, the homeland of great samurai spirit, I wish you best getting with warrior spirit that helping you someday to be great physicist winning Nobel Prize. Hehe

Thanks! That's the plan!

Written by F3ynman on 10.09.2024 at 09:24




Northern Lights seen from my plane window

How was sake, sushi and other cool food and did you practice ai ki do

Anway nice aurora picture, to be honest seen those million times last few years I stop to care and watch when they are up

Written by Bad English on 20.09.2024 at 07:50


, to be honest seen those million times last few years I stop to care and watch when they are up

Don't discount his experience, it would have been amazing especially seeing it unexpectedly from a plane.

Written by no one on 20.09.2024 at 08:10

Written by Bad English on 20.09.2024 at 07:50


, to be honest seen those million times last few years I stop to care and watch when they are up

Don't discount his experience, it would have been amazing especially seeing it unexpectedly from a plane.

My idea one was a hire private helicopter and in summer fly high to see midnight sun, but I checked my wallet.
I fly maybe once per 5 years
Sad there no direct flys from like London, Milano, to Kiruna but it would be cool fly at summer when there night in Europe to north, to light
I have experience fly at winter when in south Sweden has daylight and night comes hmmm 16:00 but in north its polar night. It was weird experience.

Written by Bad English on 20.09.2024 at 07:50

How was sake, sushi and other cool food and did you practice ai ki do

The food was generally very good—and one actually rarely sees sushi. There's more rice, noodles, chicken, pork, and beef.
The sake was great! I tried a couple of varieties. The best is "pure", non-sparkling sake. Gives you that pleasantly warm feeling in the chest and tastes very good.