Saturday

Saturday… had a stroll the zoo and biking in the beautiful village side of Bremerhaven, thanks to Michael!

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In the evening just before jumping into my train in Bremen had a stroll in the old city center, Thanks to Johanna!

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Discovery continues …

Yesterday the first day of my workshop and I finished my talk, which I was very nerves about especially in the absence of my boss and in the presence of sharks and whales of my field. Thank diatoms it all went well!The meeting was in this nice old building of the AWI, and we were welcomed by these guys, well! its a polar research institute!

After the meeting, we took a walk in the waterfront.

Of course we are in Germany it was time for a beer and I had a nice German tea! And finally, after witnessing a beautiful, informative day the sun went down very elegantly in the north sea at 10:30

Friendly people!

I got lots of warnings from my friends before this trip, In Bremerhaven the weather is always bad, and the town is very boring as it is almost only made of a tiny harbor and this marine research institute. But last few days I am having a nice time, lots of nice discussions with great professors, the real marine biologist who go into sea to collect samples etc. Another remarkable thing (which really makes me feel very jealous ) about this institute is that most of the PhD students live in house with their own garden and have their own separate room at work, and so they have the luxury of getting their dogs to work every day. That is Lucy, dog of Michael. And I told you… people and even animals here are very friendly to their guest! I always share a very good chemisty with dogs!

A voyage of discovery!

Yesterday I felt as if I was talking to the one of the most intelligent person I have ever met. Victor Smetacek, a senior oceanographer and listed in the top 1000 faculty of biology (I afraid ranking may be an underestimation of his intelligence)! He invited for dinner yesterday (thanks to a small misunderstanding) ; finally I had a very enlightening evening, we went for a long walk in his huge garden, which totally looked wild but as we walked inside I was able see how he tamed and almost knew every leaf, flower and birds by its name name , he beautifully explained the evolution, struggle for existence, survival of the fittest, biological clock , continental drift, Importance of iron for living things and of course lots on diatoms ! Finally left with so many questions, why do some organisms evolve faster? Why there are so many varieties of cow while less of buffalos, can we save the earth from global warming? Can the diatoms, the phytoplankton save us? After having delicious food for thoughts it was time for dinner, I taught him to make the south Indian Okra curry (Pulikolambu) while he made some dhal and potato bharta. Also had a chance to meet his wife and amazingly strong lady! I hope I can have more interaction with her today!

Check out this small article about him in Nature! And also his wife Karen’s website!

In pic is Victor and Karen in their garden!

Rajdhani Express!

Yesterday took the European version of Rajdhani (train which connects the capital in India) express. The most luxurious night train I have ever travelled, a separate cabin, with temperate, light intensity control and wakeup call with music, bed coffee and breakfast and more over a bathroom bigger than in my Paris apartment! All this in the train from Paris to Berlin, fortunately / unfortunately I had to get down half the way in Bremen and come to this little town Bremerhaven with a very famous Institute " Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research” ! I will be here for a week with my work desk facing the water front! So far it is very sunny (which is very rare to see in this place it seems) and warm people!