Distractions, reflections

Air Canada FRA. Boeing 777 arrived at Terminal B at Frankfurt, on a cloudy day. Flight delay at outset meant 3 hour connection became a 1 hour connection. Changing to Terminal A and then Gate 36 at the far end was a really long walk to Helsinki leg (20120407 0840) Frankfurt, Germany

Ice and drainspouts, Hameenlinna. Field work more as art than science, as @minlii emerges a theme in thawing temperatures. Curated as a collage on Facebook photos (Hameenlinna, Finland) 20120408 1340

Takajarvi docks well. Unexpected Easter snow after thaw. Docks still stacked up for the winter. Too early to prime the well head in the forest. Cottage will be more welcoming when the temperature rises. (Takajarvi, Finland) 20100409

TUAS party. Spring break for Aalto U. engineering students, jousting at party in Tuas house parking lot. Hot tub in background, naked engineers but no females participating. Sunny day, temperature above freezing isn’t like Daytona Beach. (Espoo, Finland) 20120410 1635

Vantaa Design Gallery. An invitation to enjoy Finnish design at Helsinki Vantaa Airport leads to an installation of chairs designed by Finns, with biographies on display. Directions to “wear hearing protectors” a typically playful Finnish style, enabling greater enjoyment of design in “seizing the moment” (Vantaa) 20120411 1309

Mariahilfer Vienna. Airline waylaid luggage, got suggestion to shop along Mariahilfer, outside the ring road. Found C&A. Browsing underwear led mindset shift, as American white briefs nowhere to be seen, nearest alternative in color with no fly. Luggage fortunately delivered later in the evening. so prior conception of foundation clothes can remain undisturbed (Vienna, Austria) 20120412 1901

ArsElectronica BitFlow. Installation by Julius Popp, associated with myth of Ariadne’s thread in which chaos is vanquished by order. First exhibited in 2008, now at @ArsElectronica. (Linz, Austria) 20120418 1448

ArsElectronica FabLab. 3D stylus, screen and visors still requires talent, to design to make in Fab Lab at Ars Electronica. Polygons have to be closed so that 3D printers will work. (Linz, Austria) 20120417 1604

Mountains behind Salzburg. Approaching Salzburg from the east on the train, the mountains are impressive. Brief stop on the Railjet from Linz to Munich (Austria) 20120419 1058

Blossoms UHull. Pink blossoms having a tough time flourishing in early British springtime, by the U. of Hull. More warmth and sunshine might help. (Hull, UK) 20120420 1251

Ferens Gallery Upstairs. Second floor of the Ferens Art Gallery recently renovated, opens up with beautiful skylight. With @jmwilby, enjoyed the Precious Cargo exhibition of contemporary works by local artists more than the pre-21st century works in most of the galleries. (Hull, UK) 20120421 1307

UIC view east. John Hancock tower in background behind Lecture Centre, on plaza outside Richard J. Daley Library. Beautiful spring day could make one forget that winters on the west coast of Lake Michigan can be bitter. Visited Annalenna for lunch (Chicago) 20120427 1241

Kellogg Reunion 2012. Under tent on Deering Meadow, Kellogg School Class of 1982 convening as 30th year alumni. Noisy, with deejay calling people to make more noise encouraged us to decamp to private party earlier (Evanston, IL) 20120427 1722

McCarran Airport gates, Immediately on arrival as Las Vegas Airport, there are slot machines nearby. Casinos don’t like cameras on their floors, but the attendants at the airport don’t seem to care (Las Vegas, NV) 20120429 1136

SandsExpo breakfast. Feeding 8500 #ibmimpact attendees for breakfast in Las Vegas presents an industrial scale challenge. There’s disglamour in the Sands Expo self-service buffet and tables on the concrete floor. The style follows fast food protocols, unlike lunches served in ballrooms with carpets, and dinners hosted in onsite hotel restaurants. Maybe late Vegas evenings encourage rudimentary service early in the day. (Las Vegas, NV) 20120430 0759

Treasure Island Sirens. Almost trampled by Asian women tourists recoiling from the heat in performance of Sirens of Treasure Island on humid Las Vegas evening. Performers might have been more emotive if they weren’t lipsynching, and actually sang, instead. (Las Vegas, NV) 20120430 2032