My computer, now so much.

My USFS laptop is still dead and I can’t seem to get a re-image of the machine to work.

I can only imagine all the work emails that await me when I can finally login.

My work computer needs a re-image and so I am kinda dead in the water as far as doing significant work.  Just emails and skype but that is probably enough for the moment.

What can you say after you have been around the world? (Other than I need some sleep?)

What a wonderful world

I see trees of green…….. red roses too
I see em bloom….. for me and for you
And I think to myself…. what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue….. clouds of white
Bright blessed days….dark sacred nights
And I think to myself …..what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow…..so pretty ..in the sky
Are also on the faces…..of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands…..sayin.. how do you do
Theyre really sayin……i love you.

I hear babies cry…… I watch them grow
Theyll learn much more…..than Ill never know
And I think to myself …..what a wonderful world

Here are some photos from Jonathan that you might enjoy:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jonsahib/MulanjeMarketsJune2009#
http://picasaweb.google.com/jonsahib/LandaDeoAndNkolokoti#

Time to pack and then catch the flights back to the US!

LOTS more to come!

Today I dropped by the IUFRO Headquaters and then Michael took me over to his house outside the city.  Vienna is very “green”.  Lots of parks and trees and open space, still it was great to get out of the city and see more of the country side.  I even saw the begining (or ending) of the Alps – depending on your point of view.

Gotta find some coffee to take back to Asheville.  I hear that Sanka is very popular with the locals.

OK, seriously.  I am a “black coffee” kind of guy.  Love it.  But wow…. cappuccinos are fantastic – if they are done right!

What would you do?

Vincent: you know what the funniest thing about Europe is?

Jules: What?

Vincent: It’s the little differences. I mean, they got the same shit over there that we got here, but it’s just – it’s just there it’s a little different.

Jules: Example?

Vincent: All right. Well, you can walk into a movie theater in Amsterdam and buy a beer. And I don’t mean just like in no paper cup, I’m talking about a glass of beer. And in Paris, you can buy a beer at McDonald’s. And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?

Jules: They don’t call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?

Vincent: Nah, man, they got the metric system. They wouldn’t know what the fuck a Quarter Pounder is.

Jules: What do they call it?

Vincent: They call it a “Royale with Cheese.”

Jules: “Royale with Cheese.”

Vincent: That’s right.

Jules: What do they call a Big Mac?

Vincent: A Big Mac’s a Big Mac, but they call it “Le Big Mac”.

Jules: [in mock French accent] “Le Big Mac.” [laughs] What do they call a Whopper?

Vincent: I don’t know, I didn’t go into Burger King.

Vienna Sausage

IUFRO

Project work is winding down.  This morning I went over to IUFRO and did a few small things with Michael, wrote emails that I would send once I got back to the hotel (Internet is still down at the IUFRO Headquarters) and this afternoon we had a meeting with Executive Director Peter Mayer.  (It is worth looking at the previous link so that you can see photos of some of the IUFRO folks I keep mentioning in the blog.)

The meeting with Peter went well and it was more-or-less the wrap up of the 3 weeks of travel.  The FORNIS and GFIS projects remain ongoing and there is lots to do to make sure that things stay on task but it is time for me to start backing away from so much hands on work and let the true workers of these projects do their jobs.  It will be my task to keep up with everyone over email and offer advice and help as needed.

Time has come to not make a sound
Time has come to lay my burdens down

So don’t pay me no mind, I’m walkin’ away
You’ll see me again on some other day
You’ll see me again, I’ll be ready to go
And pour out my (work) with
my heart and my soul

(This is really not my last blog post… I am just feeling spent for the moment and wanted to quote JB again.)

Hotel Kreiner

’tis a rainy afternoon in Vienna.

Previously I had been joking that I brought sunshine where ever I traveled but today the rains arrived in full force.  No sprinkles here!  The lightening strikes knocked off the Internet connection at the IUFRO headquarters so I came back to the hotel to do some emails related to FORNIS along with USFS work.

Other than not being able to get an Internet connection in my room, the hotel is great.  Of course one advantage of working in the dining area is that I am offered “gas water”.  (Yes, there are two types of water.  “Gas water” and “still water”.  Of course, still water is sometimes called flat water.)

Perhaps if the rain lets up I will walk around the neighborhood.  If not, then it could be another early night….

reading lähtevät signs

Long day on Sunday.

I started my afternoon by “reading lähtevät signs” in the Helsinki airport, flying to Vienna, taking trains, buses, and finally a taxi until I arrived at Hotel Kreiner.  There are always people that speak English but yesterday there seemed to be fewer than usual.  This proved a little challenging since, because of track construction, the train did not go all the way to Hütteldorf and i had to try to figure out the bus system.  The unexpected extra steps in transportation were not terribly difficult, it just adds a little extra challenge when you don’t speak the language.

Since there was no Internet at the hotel last night I took the opportunity to go to the restaurant across the street and watch the last set of the Wimbledon match.  I think the Austrians were pulling for Federer to win and it was a epic ending to the match.

Last night was another great night for sleep.  Perhaps being on the road for three weeks can actually make a person tired…. 

Today I am off to do a little work with Michael at the IUFRO Headquarters.  More soon! (Providing I have access to the Internet.)