Cape Peninsula in Pictures

Flowers at Cape Point, South Africa. April 2011.

I'm working late tonight running samples on the mass spectrometer. I've been in lab since 8:30am and really should go home, but I've decided it's better to stay up all night and run samples. Okay, maybe not all night. But probably until 2am or 3am. Actually, I'm happy about this long lab day. I spent a good four hours tuning the machine (which is a bit tempestuous, like many mass spectrometers) this morning, and the mass spectrometer is running beautifully right now. The machine is very stable, and the data quality is very high. So, rather than shut the machine down and return in the morning, I'm going to run as many samples as possible. As many of you know, I'm sure, mass spectrometers are usually happiest when they're constantly being run. So, I don't want to risk coming in tomorrow and losing all of the tuning and stability. Besides, I've been working on difficult chemistry for months, and the mass spectrometry is the final step. With every passing minute I am gathering more data that can be used in my thesis. Very exciting! I can sleep tomorrow.

Fortunately, now that the machine is tuned and running I only need to keep an eye on it and change something every few minutes. So, I have some time to post some more pictures of my recent trip to South Africa.

Munich in Pictures

Because of mechanical problems with an airplane, I took an unexpected route to South Africa. Travel is often this way; you have to be prepared for the unexpected. Often, the unexpected makes for the best travel stories. Now that I've recovered from jetlag and travel exhaustion, I have a good story... even if still I don't have my luggage four days after my arrival.

As a result of my changed travel schedule, I had a seven hour layover in beautiful Munich, Germany on April 21st.  Fortunately, the airport was not very busy, and I had enough time to make my way through customs, take the hour long train ride into the city, walk around the Marienplatz area for a few hours, and take the train back to the airport to check in for my flight to Cape Town. While I was having an early lunch in the Marienplatz, I was lucky enough to see the remarkable animation and music of the Rathaus-Glockenspiel.

Below are some pictures of my few hours in Munich. Click on any of the pictures to enlarge.

Statue man. If you come too close he threatens you with his sword!

Horse mural 1.

Cederberg in Pictures

Contemplative in the Cederberg.

It's been awhile since I've done an "...in Pictures" post, so I thought I'd put up some pretty geology pictures today.

Exactly one week from today I fly to Cape Town, South Africa to visit my fiance and have a bit of a vacation after 4 1/2 months of hard work. I've only taken a weekend or two off since Christmas, so I'm definitely feeling tired and in need of some rejuvenation. This trip to South Africa is also an exciting one because I'm starting to make plans for my upcoming wedding and move; I plan to move to Cape Town permanently later this year.

I am really looking forward to doing some hiking and spending some time outdoors on my upcoming trip. My fiance and I plan to spend several days hiking in the Cederberg Mountains, which are a couple of hours drive from Cape Town. I've been to the Cederberg twice before-- once in January 2008 and again in September 2010-- but there is much to explore there. You could spend weeks hiking in the Cederberg and not see everything. I find the Cederberg a magical, wonderful, relaxing place. I'm very much looking forward to returning there.

I'll post some pictures of my upcoming trip to South Africa upon my return. Meanwhile, here are some pictures of my trip to the Cederberg in September 2010. Click on any of the pictures to enlarge.

Mini rock arch.

Hands.

Cape Agulhas in Pictures

Yesterday I blogged a little about visiting "extreme" locations on the globe and about my visit to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of the African continent. Here are a few more pictures from my visit to Cape Agulhas. My fiance and I spent a long weekend in Agulhas in March 2009. We visited the lighthouse and went on a few beachside hikes. On this overcast weekend, the tip of Africa looked mysteriously beautiful and quiet, like a calm before a storm or an eye of a hurricane. Click on any of the pictures below to view larger.

Agulhas Lighthouse 1, South Africa, March 2009.

Wadi Rum in Pictures

Lunch in the shade of a rock arch, Jordan, August 2007.

The Middle East is near and dear to my heart. When I was fifteen, I lived with a Palestinian refugee family in Jordan for five months as an exchange student. The experience opened my eyes to the wider world and no doubt changed the course of my life. Ever since, I have been drawn to the Arabic language, the Middle East, and to deserts. I studied Arabic for four years back in undergrad, but I unfortunately have never had the opportunity to study Arabic abroad and truly gain fluency in the language. The Middle East is a tumultuous region, and the semester abroad programs I signed up for kept being canceled because of safety concerns. Also, I had to balance my Arabic studies with a heavy science courseload.

However, I had the good fortune to have several Arab friends in high school and college. I was also adopted by a wonderful Iranian family (who are Persians, not Arabs) which hired me as a part-time nanny for their three wonderful children. I am still very close with the Iranian family; just the other day, the oldest daughter-- who is now in Middle School-- called me up to ask me questions for a science report she was writing on Plate Tectonics. She told me yesterday that she received a perfect score on her report, and I couldn't be prouder.

In graduate school, I have had the opportunity to carry out my thesis research in the deserts of northern Oman. I hope to always do some geology research-- and perhaps even teach one day-- in the Middle East. There is certainly some fantastic geology in the region.

The recent turmoil in Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern countries worries me, but I am hopeful for the region. The deaths of protesters and policemen sadden me greatly. I have great respect for all those on the street, fighting and marching and shouting for a better life. I hope there is soon a peaceful transition of government in the protesting countries, though I know the struggle will continue long after the streets are empty. In general, I think the biggest problem the Middle East must overcome is a very young population with few job opportunities. This is a problem that will take many years to work through. Again, I am hopeful.

In honor of all of those in the Middle East who are currently struggling in the midst of turmoil, here are a few peaceful pictures of the beautiful desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan. I took these photos when I briefly visited Wadi Rum in August 2007. Note that my blog header picture and my profile picture were both taken at Wadi Rum. Click on any of the photos below to view a larger version.

Wadi Rum Cliff 1, Jordan, August 2007.

Petra in Pictures

Petra is my favorite place in the whole world. When I was fifteen, I lived in Amman, Jordan for five months as part of a high school exchange program. I lived with a Palestinian refugee family and attended a school where I was the only foreigner. My five months in Jordan were eye-opening and full of wonder, but one experience stood high above all others: my first visit to Petra, the red-rose sandstone city.

Petra is an amazingly beautiful place. The towering, glittering sandstone cliffs are awe-inspiring, but what really takes your breath away is the widespread evidence of ancient civilization: facades carved into the sandstone cliffs, water-channels lining the walkways, and windswept remnants of sculpture everywhere.

I visited Petra twice more during my high school exchange. For years I longed to return to Jordan and especially to Petra. In 2007 I managed to return to Jordan for a week. I had been on a research cruise in the Indian Ocean, and the end port was Singapore. I booked my ticket home via Amman (for just a little extra), and my old high school connections lined up a place for me to stay for a week. I paid far too much money for a driver to take me down to Petra and Wadi Rum, but as a single female staying with a conservative muslim family, I felt obligated to pay for a proper driver/escort. However, I long to return (with a friend this time), stay in a backpacker lodge, and wander the desert, exploring Petra for days.

Below are some pictures I took during my 2007 visit to Petra. I hope you enjoy! I encourage all of you to visit Petra, though a part of me wishes Petra were still a lost (to Westerners, anyway) city. Petra is now weathering faster as a result of so much tourism. Hopefully, a balance can be struck between encouraging tourism (which helps Jordan's economy immensely) and protecting these incredible ruins from the devastation of millions of foreign footprints.

Click on any of the images below for a larger version. 

Roadstop on the way to Petra from Amman 1, August 2007.

Roadstop on the way to Petra from Amman 2, August 2007.