Travel Notes: Heidelberg Castle, Germany (October 15, 2008)

. The famous Castle Ruins of Heidelberg, Germany (Source: http://www.wikipedia.org/)

Photo taken by Raffy Saldaña on October 15, 2008.

Photo taken by Raffy Saldaña on October 15, 2008.

View from the Heidelberg Castle, Germany. Photo taken on October 15, 2008. From the photo collection of Raffy Saldaña (http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/)

Note: On October 15, 2008 I visited the famous Castle in Heidelberg, Germany.

Click on the following links to view photos and video clips taken during my visit to the Heidelberg Castle:

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/197/Heidelberg_Castle_Heidelberg_Germany_October_2008

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/video/item/46/Video_Part_1_Heidelberg_Castle_Germany_October_2008

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/video/item/47/Video_Part_2_Heidelberg_Castle_Germany_October_2008

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Excerpts from Wikipedia:

• The Heidelberg Castle (in German language named: Heidelberger Schloss) is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps.


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  The castle has only been partially rebuilt since its demolition in the 17th & 18th centuries. It is located 80 m (262 ft) up the northern part of the Königstuhl hillside, and thereby dominates the view of the old downtown. It is served by an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway that runs from Heidelberg's Kornmarkt to the summit of the Königstuhl.


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  The earliest castle structure was built before AD 1214 and later expanded into 2 castles circa 1294; however, in 1537, a lightning-bolt destroyed the upper castle. The present structures had been expanded by 1650, before damage by later wars and fires. In 1764, another lightning-bolt destroyed some rebuilt sections.
  

More information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_Castle

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Travel Notes: Koblenz, Germany (October 2008)

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Koblenz, Germany

Date Visited: October 20 -21, 2008
How I got there: From Heidelberg, I took a slow train to Binge via Worms (2 hours). From Binge, I took the slow train to Koblenz (1 hour) passing along the Rhine.

Interesting Sights Visited/Seen:

1. Deutsches Eck
2. Kaiser Wilhelm monument
3. St. Kastor Church
4. St. Florian’s Church
5. St. Mary’s Church
6. Ehrenbreiststein Fortress

Interesting Facts About Koblenz:

“Ad confluences” (at the flowing together) was what the Romans called the earth castel they built here on the Mosel ford of the Rhine road linking Mainz, Cologne and Xanten shortly after the birth of Christ. From the completion of the Lime Walls (from 82 A.D.), there was here a Mosel bridge and a Rhine bridege, over which ran right through the town, the important military road between Cologne and Mainz. Around 260 AD he Romans built a wall with 19 round towers, which remained the town fortification until into the Middle Ages. A royal palatinate was created in the age of the Franks. The town was “immediately under the empire” (not subject to any prince) until 1018, when it was donated by Empereor Henreich II to the elector of Trier. It did not undergo any particularly troubled times during the Reformation. However, it suffered all the more during the wars of Ludwig XI, being almost completely destroyed by a French bombardment.

Koblenz is still characterized by the baroque style that dominated its reconstruction. It served as capital of a modest French department from 1794 – 1814. From 1815 it became capital of the Prussian Rhine province and was expanded into the largest fortress and garrison town of the Reich (“Die Wacht am Rhein”). From 1947 – 50 it served as seat of the government of the feral state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The Ehrensbreitstein Fortress, is the most recent and at the same time largest example of the classic fortress, which became useless after the invention of long-range artillery shells and explosive bombs. Ehrenbreitstein was built from 1815-33 according to plans drawn up Colonel von Aster, with support from Friedrich Schinkel. The entire complex consists of two actual fortresses Konstantin and Alexander, the rotunda on the Asterstein and the casemates. It offers a fantastic view over the Rhine-Mosel region.

Interesting Experience:

1. Climb up to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress amidst trees in autumn colors.
2. View from the Ehrenbreistrein Fortress
3. Walking along the Old Town of Koblenz

Website: http://www.koblenz.de/

Reference: The Rhine: A Guide From Mainz to Cologne, http://www.schoening-verlag.de/
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Travel Notes: Karlsruhe, Germany (October 18, 2008)

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Karlsruhe, Germany

Date Visited: October 18, 2008 (Saturday)

How I got there: From Heidelberg, I took a train ride to Karlsruhe (about 1 hour).

Interesting Sights Visited/Seen:

1. Palace
2. Town Hall
3. Market square and pyramid
4. Train station

Interesting Facts About Karlsruhe:

Legend has it that Margrave Karl Wilhelm of Baden once had a vision of a star-shaped city in a dream, which gave rise to the initial idea for Karlsruhe’s fan-shaped or radial lay-out. The oundation stone for the lavish royal residence, much loved by Voltaire, Goethe, Napoleon and Henreich von Kleist, was laid on 17 June 1715.
Karsruhe is Baden’s culture capital. It is the venue for the Euopean Days of Culture and the Handel festival.

Although not yet even 300 years old, Karlsruhe has a rich tradition as a city of science, research and high-tech. Each of the two most outstanding inventions were the brain-child of Karlsruhe citizens: Karl Benz, born in the Muhlburg district, brought us the motor car, and Baron von Drais the “Draisienne hobby horse”, the predecessor of the bicycle.

Interesting Experience:

1. Eating corn with paprika at the train station
2. Seeing a firefighting demonstration at the market square
3. Seeing rival gears worn by Karlsruhe fans and Bayen fans

Website: http://www.karlsruhe-tourism.de/

Reference: Karlsruhe Brochure, KMK Karlsruher Messe-und Kongress-GmbH Markbereich Tourismus
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Travel Notes: Frankfurt, Germany (October 2008)

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Photo Caption: The 'Romerberg' in Frankfurt, Germany. Photo taken on October 16, 2008 by Raffy Saldaña (http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/)
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Travel: City Sights of Frankfurt, Germany

Dates Visited: October 12 and 17, 2008

How I got there: 1st visit: Via car from Bensheim, Germany; 2nd visit: Via train from Heidelberg (Germany).

Interesting Sights Visited/Seen:

1. Train Station
2. Romerberg
3. Romer
4. Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen (Fountain of Justice)
5. Alte Nikolaikirche (Old church of St. Nicholas)
6. Saalhof (Romanesque palace, now Museum of History)
7. Eisener Steg (pedestrian bridge)
8. Archaeological garden
9. Kaiserdom: Imperial Cathedral of St. Bartholomaus
10. St. Paul’s Church
11. Karmelitengasse: Carmelite monastery

Interesting Facts About Frankfurt:

Brief history of Frankfurt City –

794 AD – Earliest records mention franconofurd, the “Ford of the Franks”, as the location of a Frankish Royal Council and s synod of bishops. Its geographically favorable location at the only ford across the river Main allows the town to gain rapidly in importance.
11th Century AD – Trade fairs take place for the first time on the Romemberg (Roman’s Hill)
1152 – The cream of the aristocracy meets in Frankfurt to elect Friedrich Barbarossa to be the King of Germany for the first time. Until the ‘Holy Roman Empire of the German People’ comes to an end in 1806, 33 out of a total of 52 kings and emperors are elected here.

Interesting Experience:

1. Visit to the Romerberg
2. View along the river banks of Main
3. Dinner in a Frankfurt restaurant/bar


Website:

Reference: Frankfurt: An Illustrated Guide to the Metropolis on the Main, Kraichgau Verlag, 2004.

To view photos taken during my visit in Frankfurt, Germany click on the following link:

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/198/Autumn_in_Frankfurt_Germany_October_16_2008

Suggestion: Choose the 'Slideshow' Option.

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Travel Notes: Cologne, Germany (October 9, 2008)

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Cologne, Germany

Date Visited: October 9, 2008

How I got there: From Leuven, Belgium I took a regional train to Liege (Belgium), and from

Liege (Belgium) I took a TGV train to Cologne (Germany) via Aachen (Germany).

Interesting Sights Visited/Seen:

1. Cathedral
2. Train Station

Interesting Facts About Cologne:

Cologne is said to be the Cathedral City on the Rhine. The name and plan of Cologne still show with unusual clarity the city’s importance during Roman and medieval times. The line of the ancient town wall of the colony founded in 50 AD is evident in the present road network just as much as the extensions of the Middle Ages and the course of the great semicircular wall, with whose construction Cologne began in 1180.

The medieval course of the town wall is followed by the present ring roads Cologne which had an area of 1 sq. km. in Roman times and 4 sq. km. in the 19th century, today covers over 400 sq. km.

In the second century AD the Roman Cologne already had a population of 20,000, which was exceeded only in the High Middle Ages, when it came to 40,000. The population of Cologne remained approximately the same up to the beginning of the 19th century. Today its population is put at around one million.

In Roman times the town wall already had a length of 4 km with 19 towers and 9 gates. Even without merlons, it towers almost 8 meters up – an impressive demonstration of Roman might.

Interesting Experience:

1. Visit to the Cathedral

Website: http://www.koeln.de/

Reference: The Rhine: A Guide From Mainz to Cologne, http://www.schoening-verlag.de/
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Travel Notes: The Castle of Auerbach (Bensheim, Germany)

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Photo captions: Images of the Auerbach Castle in Bensheim, Germany. Photos taken by Raffy Saldaña (http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com) using his cellphone camera (N6500). All rights reserved.

On October 11, 2008 Dr. Kilian Schwartz (my host in Germany) brought me to the castle ruins of Auerbach in Bensheim, Germany.

Below are some facts about the Auerbach Castle:

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/e_index.cfm/id/d_home

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/schloss/e_schloss.cfm

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/schloss/e_fakten.cfm

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/schloss/e_geschichte.cfm

http://www.schloss-auerbach.de/schloss/e_chronik.cfm

Excerpts:

• In the range of hills along the Bergstraße between Darmstadt and Heidelberg and in visual range of the Melibokus lies Auerbach Castle.
  
  
• From its tower the visitor enjoys sights over the Ried and the Rheinische Tiefebene, a view even to the Pfalz on clear days.


• Castle Auerbach was built in the 13th century as a powerful Fortress on the Urberge by the count of Katzenelnbogen. This towering fort was extensively altered and extended in the 14th century almost to the way it is found today.


• After the deaths of his two sons count Philipp had only his daughter Anna left to inherit. She got married to the count of Hessen the Third. This is how the huge inheritance after the death of count Philipp in 1479 became the property of the Count of Hessen.


• During the reign of the counts of Hessen in Darmstadt the castle was administered by a bailiff or a count of castle.
  
  In 1674, in the imperial war against Ludwig XIV Marshall Turenne moved down the river Rhine against the Netherlands and attacked the region of Bergstraße with his army. In vane the inhabitants of Auerbach, Hochstätten, and Balkhausen sought protection behind the walls of castle Auerbach.
  
  
• Through a subterranean walkway a group a Scottish Highlanders, which were working for the French, succeeded to invade the castle court and devastated the castle and treated the defenders very badly. Afterwards the castle buildings were abandoned and destroyed.
  
  
• In 1820 the northern tower collapsed and was rebuilt 30 years later. From then on the grand duke really took more and more care of the castle.
  


• Since 1903 the Government of Hessen took care of the property and included the castle building in their monument protection program.

Photo Link:

To view photos taken during my visit to the Auerbach Castle, please click on the following link:

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/187/Castle_of_Auerbach_in_Bensheim_Germany

Suggestion: Choose the 'Slideshow' option.

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Dr. Kilian Schartz and his family for bringing me to the Auerbach Castle.

Cheers,

Raffy

Travel Notes: Five European Countries in Three Weeks

.Figure caption: A portion of European map showing most of the cities that I have visited during the period from October 4 - 23, 2008.

Note: While we are still on semestral break (classes in Ateneo will resume on Monday, November 10, 2008) I thought that I should upload my blog entries during my recent trip in Europe before I become busy with my classes again.

I was in Europe from October 4 - 23, 2008 for a series of meetings, conferences, and laboratory visits [including some sightseeing on the side :) ].

During this period I was able to visit several cities in five European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Netherlands).

Below are some of the cities/places I have visited during this recent trip:

1. Brussels, Belgium (Oct. 4 - 7)
2. Leuven, Belgium (Oct. 7 - 9)
3. Cologne, Germany (Oct. 9)
4. Bensheim, Germany (Oct. 9 - 13)
5. Darmstadt, Germany (Oct. 10)
6. Wilhemsfeld, Germany (Oct. 11)
7. Heidelberg, Germany (Oct. 11, 13 - 20)
8. Frankfurt, Germany (Oct. 12 and 17)
9. Karsruhe, Germany (Oct. 18)
10. Strasbourg, France (Oct. 18)
11. Manheim, Germany (Oct. 18 and 19)
12. Koblenz, Germany (Oct. 19 - 20)
13. Luxembourg, Luxembourg (Oct. 20 - 21)
14. Amsterdam, Netherlands (Oct. 21 - 23)
15. Lieden, Netherlands (Oct. 22)
16. The Hauge, Netherlands (Oct. 22)
17. Ultrecht, Netherlands (Oct. 22)
18. Schipol Airport (Oct. 4, 22, 23)

In the next blog entries, I will post photos and notes of my travel in these places.

Cheers,

Raffy

Research Collaboration Meeting in the University of Heidelberg, Germany (October 13-14, 2008)

. Photo Caption: View from the 5th Floor of the Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR) of the University of Heidelberg at Im Neuenheimer Feld Campus, Heidelberg, Germany.

Photo Caption: During a meeting with Dr. Michael Winckler of the University of Heidelberg, Germany at the Insterdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR) on October 14, 2008. From the photo collection of Raffy Saldaña (http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/)

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On October 13 - 14, 2008 (Monday and Tuesday) I visited the University of Heidelberg's Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing. I met Dr. Michael Winckler and discussed possible research collaboration between the University of Heidelberg and our research group in the Ateneo de Manila University.

Related Link:

http://www.iwr.uni-heidelberg.de/

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Dinner in Frankfurt, Germany (Oct. 12, 2008)

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Today (Monday, 13 October 2008) I will leave Bensheim and will go to Heidelberg for a meeting at the University of Heidelberg (Germany).

Lst night, Dr. Kilian Schwartz (my host in GSI, Darmstadt) treated me to a dinner in Frankfurt, Germany together with his wife Annie and his colleagues at GSI (Darmstadt). I had Frankfurter (sausages) with Sauerkraft (fermented cabbage) and cider (apple wine) -- a traditional meal in Frankfurt.

Thanks to Dr. Kilian Schwartz and his family for a wonderful stay in Darmstadt/Bensheim, Germany.

Cheers,

Raffy
in Germany
13 October 2008
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Giving a Talk on Grid Computing and Visiting GSI, Darmstadt, Germany (October 10, 2008)

.Aerial view of GSI in Darmstadt, Germany
Scientists and GSI staff who listened to my presentation on Grid Computing
With Dr. Peter Malzacher of GSI, Darmstadt, Germany
With Dr. Kilian Schwarz, my host at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany
With Dr. Dieter Schardtof GSI, Darmstadt, Germany
Photo Caption: Part of the Ion Beam Radiotherapy Equipment for Cancer Treatment that was developed at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany.

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Today (Friday, October 10, 2008) I gave a talk on "Grid Computing and Applications: Philippine Initiatives and Perspective" in Gesellschaft fur Schwerrionenforschung (GSI) in Darmstadt, Germany. (See http://www.gsi.de/portrait/ueberblick_e.html). My host is Dr. Kilian Schwarz. Aside from going a talk, I visited the accelerator facilｉty for heavy ion beams, the computer center (with its large cluster system used for grid computing), and the　Laboratory for ion-beam radiotherapy in the fight against cancer. Photos from the collection of Raffy Saldana (http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com)

To see more photos, click on the following link:

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/177

(Suggestion: Choose Slideshow Option)

Notes on GSI:

Source: http://www.gsi.de/portrait/ueberblick_e.html

The goal of the scientific research conducted at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung, GSI, is to understand the structure and behavior of the world that surrounds us. In addition to broadening our understanding of the world, this knowledge also serves as a basis for technological progress in all areas of our lives.

GSI operates a large, in many aspects worldwide unique accelerator facility for heavy-ion beams. Researchers from around the world use the facility for experiments that help point the way to new and fascinating discoveries in basic research. In addition, the scientists use their findings to continually develop new and impressive applications.

The research program at GSI covers a broad range of activities extending from nuclear and atomic physics to plasma and materials research to biophysics and cancer therapy. Probably the best-known results are the discovery of six new chemical elements and the development of a new type of tumor therapy using ion beams.

What are Ions?

Ions are "charged” atoms, they are formed from neutral atoms by adding electrons to or stripping electrons from the electron shell. Due to their charge, ions can be accelerated and steered by means of electric and magnetic fields.

Facts and Figures

Foundation	1969
Associates	Federal Republic of Germany (90%), State of Hessen (10%)
Member	Helmholtz Association
Task	Construction and operation of accelerator facilities and research of heavy accelerated ions.
Budget	85 Mio Euro per year
Staff	1050 employees, including 300 scientists and engineers
Capital equipment	Linear accelerator UNILAC Heavy ion synchrotron SIS Experiment storage ring ESR Fragment separator FRS High-energy/high-efficiency laser PHELIX (being constructed) Several large systems of spectrometers and detectors Medical irradiation unit for cancer therapy
Scientific Cooperation	Users of the GSI facilities are predominantly non-resident scientists, mainly from German Universities (totalling over 1,000 scientists per year). World-wide cooperation with approximately 400 institutes from over 50 countries.