Photo Adventures with Curiosity and Learning


Nonlinear Dynamics and Camping near Skutari

This year found another series of lectures at the Nonlinear Dynamics Workshop at the University of Patras followed by some serious PhD advising with Adi and Laura. Adi's project on wave propagation during ischemia is nearing completion and Laura's work on detection of coupling between two nonlinear oscillators is not only exciting, but has exposed me to a new class of problems associated with phase resetting and synchronization.

So - here is how it started and ended - flight from Munich to Athens, followed by travel via Adi to Korinthos and McDonalds and then Estia at the Univ of Patras. The tracks (dashed lines) show this, as well as the trip to Kalavrita with Andreas and our travel from Patra to Olympia to Kalamata to Stoupa to Gythio to our camp at Skutari - then to Sparti, Tripoli, Korinthos, McDonalds and Estia.

Master of Disguise, we took a trip to the far reaches of the Poloponese. With digital camera, GPS, and laptop in hand. Frank found opportunities for interesting photos, ranging from the conference, to a forest fire behind Patras, to our little camp near Skutari and finally with our new friend, Kanellos, who demonstrated his fishing skills (and cooking skills). Basically, we experienced a new dimension of wild life in the rural regions of the Peloponese (Skutari is 20 km south of Gythio).

Of course, there is nothing quite like sunset at Rio, just north of Patras - where, from the University, we can see the sun say a graceful good bye each night.

Below are scenes from the University - the DNA sculpture in front of the Math Building, the Conference center, Tassos Bountis and friends, a lecture, just to demonstrate that I was actually there, and of course, George preparing coffee, in the traditional Greek Laboratory style (GL not GS).

Tassos, ? and George

George speaking and George making coffee

And each day, we visited our favorite taverna, where was prepared the best calimari we found anywhere

Adi and Laura

I stayed in the Estia (student housing) where there was an abundant collection of wall art:

One afternoon, while sitting in the taverna, eating our usual diet of greek salad, fried potatoes and calamari, we saw smoke in the distance and decided to investigate. There was a terrible forest fire - and we were able to watch the planes and heliocopters drop water on the fire line and eventually overcome the blaze.

The next weekend, my friend Andreas (whom we rented from) came home from work in Athens. We all visited Georgia, Andreas, Irakles, little Spiros -

Dinner with Andreas, George, Adi and Laura

and later, driving to Kryoneri, we stopped for some cold water (kryo nero), we found Mama Spiros (Georgia's mom), Filipos

and the town guys feeding the fish and playing cards and a little girl riding a donkey. Kryoneri is the home place for Andreas and there, they have a very nice small home. The population must be about 200 - 300 folks and you can feel a sort of peace and calm all around. The shop keeper in the shop where the card game was progressing, offered oregano and another spice that smelled quite yummy.

And then I found the little girls playing with the donkey - and here is one of them.

Andreas and I continued to Kalavrita, then to Megaspilo and on to the coast, around by Aigion and then back to Patras. All in all it was a wonderful Saturday.

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C. Frank Starmer

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