My Digital World

Last weekend I was busy with preparing for my re-takes. I told to myself that next year I want to graduate. So, that means that I will have a very busy year. A year with very few social life. A year with lots of focus on my research. And a year with lots of retakes. Today, I talk to a friend Patrick. We know each other from our first year of U. We used to study together for exams. There were years where we worked very hard and there were years we didn't want to spend time on our study. In our Master, we split up. He chooses Computer Engineering and me go for the die-hard micro-electronics. Also he aims later on financial stuff and my aim is helping people.
Realising that this will be my final year of school, I have a weird feeling. My life will probably change when I work. To be quite honest, I am not ready for working. I am a bit addicted to going to school. But i don't like the Dutch education system because it is really bad in some respects. To be quite honest, I don't know what I am up to. I want to work in oversea, especially in Singapore. Why Singapore? I really like the living there. There I can find life. But I don't know if I ever can get a chance to work there.

Anyway, let me continue with my story of the Europe trip:

13July07
Dit is het hoogtepunt van mijn vakantie. Ik wil daarmee zeggen dat dit mijn slechtste ervaring is van al mn vakanties ooit. De ochtend begint goed. We gingen langs alle werken van Dali. Sommige van zijn werken heb ik zelf niet eens gezien, ondanks dat ik daar al 2 keer geweest ben. Hieronder zijn er reeks foto's te zien:


Onze eerste Dali bezoek. Het is een klein huisje.


Dit is de meest bekende van alle Dali gebouwen. Ik heb daar 1,5uur
gewacht op de dames omdat ze in dat gebouw een bezoekje
brachten. Ik had niet geweten dat ze daarin zolang konden of
wilden blijven. Het zou wel zo fijn zijn om dat van te voren te
zeggen, zodat ik in die tussen tijd andere dingen kon doen.
Terwijl zij binnen waren en na bijna 1,5 uur gewacht te hebben,
kwam ik Celeste met haar familie tegen.


Ohja, dit is het tweede gebouw. De foto daarvoor was later genomen.


Sixiu en Cindy. Jaja, onze derde Dali :P


Dit was een van de dingen die ze wilden zien. Vandaar deze foto.


Vanuit deze hoek kan je beter het gebouw zien, dat zeer veel
toeristen bezoek trekt.


En we trokken gewoon verder.


De laatste Dali.

Nadat we op de Ramblas apart gelunched te hebben, was ik de dames kwijt. Ik was zeer pis, omdat ze mij dat niet eens lieten weten. Ze waren ook niet telefonisch te bereiken. Later kwam ik pas achter dat twee ervan de trein moest halen voor Parijs, terwijl de andere twee druk aan het winkelen waren. Mijn idee van samen op vakantie gaan was blijkbaar heel anders dan zij.


Toen ik alleen was, bleef ik steeds in de buurt van Ramblas rondhangen,
want ik was bang dat ze mij kwamen opzoeken. Maar na uren en uren
gewacht te hebben, ging ik foto's maken. Deze foto is gemaakt bij
de haven.


Een andere shot.


Als laatste een nightshot.

Het meest belachelijk is niet het feit dat ik uren moest wachten, maar dat ze opeens mij opbelden om te vragen wat ik aan het doen was, terwijl ik al in de rij stond voor een dinner. Ik had toen Celeste over gehaald om samen met haar en haar familie te dineren. Helaas ging dat uiteindelijk niet door omdat de ober moeilijk deed om voor zoveel personen een tafel te reserveren. Maar ja, laat ik hier niet meer verder op ingaan.

I dunno what happens with my eyes. I am not able to see things sharp. I did a check up today, but they also do not have any idea what happened. Because I am kind of out-of focus, I am not able to edit my pics. Next week, I want to visit the doctor.

Besides this, I have had a good week. The week starts with meeting Airin and Nancy. When I saw Airin, I notice that her hair is cut. I didn't know that nancy cut her hair as well and she was kind of complaining. :P Well, I am very glad to see them and have a dinner with them. They are my true friends :)

The other days of teh week was just working and going to U. I met alot of good classmates. Of course, I talked to them for a while. Mainly discussing about how to survive of the coming retakes :P

Well, I don't want to write more stuff since my eyes become worse now. I copy down the things I wrote when I was in the train, writing about my Europe trip:


12Jul07
Today we start exploring Barcelona by ourself, withou my friend
Celeste. Well, I have been to Barcelona twice and this is my third
time. I have visted all the touristique things.

The day starts with visiting Park Guell. The park becomes less big
as when I visit it for the first time. But one thing is very clear:
it is crowded. Especially when the waether turns to good: sunny and
nice temperature.

I notice thar Cindy and Yian Ling can be very "girls". What I mean
with typical girls is for you to guess. It is nothing negative, but
it is a description I use.

Anyway, let's continue with my story.
We have spot Park Guell from the bottom to the top. Starting with
climbing up to the park to lcimbing up in the mountain of the park.
The worst thing is that the weather was not good: cloudy. Here are
the shots of Park Guell:


This is one of the towerw of Park Guell. It is at the entrance.


Sixiu and Cindy in front of the sign.


Groupphoto of the ladies in big long seat of the Park Guell.


A picture of Sixiu and Yan Ling.


They pretend being king, princess and maid. Guess who acts who.


A groupphoto of the ladies again, but in front of Gaudi's house.


We were finally on the top of the "lowest" mountain in Barcelona.


Behind, it is the city view of Barcelona.


What are they doing?


Somewhere in the park.


At the begin of the park.


The ladies again.


I am told by the ladies that at this corner the drama "Meteor Garden"
was filmed. So, Cindy and Yian Ling wanna be on photo.


Cindy and Yian Ling in action!


Just a snap.


Gaudi museum in the middle of the parc.

We spent the whole morning in the park. Our next target is the
very well known cathedral Sagrada Famillia. I didn't want to
climb up the cathedral, but the ladies do. While I am waiting for
them outside, I use all my lenses to shoot. Those shots will be
put in my multiply account later. Let me show you the
groupphoto of the ladies in front of Sagrada Familia:


Posing in front of the very well-known Sagrada Familia

After the ladies have visited Sagrada Famillia, we take the dinner.
We cannot spend too long on enjoying the dinner since we have to
rush to the mountain show that will start one hour later. You have
to be there early to get a good view to see the fountain. Altough
we are early, the best seat is taken by a guy who like making movies.
I talk to him when the ladies are walking around the fountain.

I cannot believe myself how many pics I took of the fountain when
the lightshow starts. The bad thing is, is that it is not dark enough.
It is also a great challenge for me to shoot well. Here are two shots:


We arrive there early. So there aren't many people. But at that time,
there is nothing special to see.


Notice that the place of the fountain is full crowded! Second,
the show starts and the fountain gets light plus they play
classic songs. It is very romantic if you go there with your
loved one.

I used to like the fountain alot. It was/is one of the must thing
you should visit when you go to Barcelona. But when I go there for
the second time, the wow and nice feeling are gone. But I still will
recommend people to visit since it is really interesting. I hope that
Cindy, Sixiu, Yan Ling and Yian Ling had enjoyed the show as much
as I did when I watched it for the first time.

The bad thing is that the day ends with feet filled with blisters!

This week, I have talked to professor French about the Msc. projects.
One of the projects is about removing cancer in brain's tissues. But that
has already been taken by other student. So, I have to choose other
project.

After almost an hour of talking about the available projects, I have
made my potential choice. The new project is about developping a chemical
sensor with which we can measure the carbondioxide concentration in
tissues that are in a solution. With this sensor, we are able to measure
the CO2 in intestine since with the help of measusing the oxygen, oxygen
saturation, the temperature and the pH value, we can say something about
the condition of the tissues. This project is in cooperation with TNO
(the Dutch national research centre) and with Erasmus Medical Centre
(hospital in Rotterdam) and with my university.

Professor invites me to attend at the meeting next day since I can
meet one of the project starters from TNO. He can provide me more
information about the project. So the next day I attend the meeting
and the first thing that I notice, is that he talks in a "scienctific"
language. I am glad that I took Chemics at my secondary school. Else
I think I can forget this project because I don't understand him.

Anyway, this project is very though. It is mainly chemics and I
personally think that my skill is not good enough. I really don't
want to disappoint people who trust me. This year I have disappointed
many people, including myself. I also I lost the confidence I always
had in myself...

Overall, I am invited by TNO to take a look at their research centre
that is located in Zeist. The head of that project will inform me
in more details about the work I have to do. I am ready for that day
and I also hope that I can gain confidence I had in the past since
I was the one who can bring wonders for people...

That is the main thing of this week. This week I have also met many
good friends of me. Yesterday, Lynette treated Lili and me for a
Japanese dinner because we both have had our birthday. It was a big
surprise and hereby I want to thank Lynette again for the delicious
dinner.

Let me continue with my story of the 18days trip in Europe. Here
starts part2:


09Jul07
The day before I almost have visited all the highlights. Cindy suggests
to go to Pisa. Sixiu and me agree and we leave in the begin of the
afternoon. In the morning we go to some places in Florence and after
that we take the train to Pisa.

Pisa is a very small town. The most outstanding thing is the Pisa
tower. It is very funny to see how many tourists do the same pose
in front of the Pisa tower. The weather was good in the few minutes,
but it turns bad when we almost leave. I manage to take some interesting
shots. Here you can see them:


In the early morning we climb up in the Duomo Belltower of
Florence. It is nothing special actually.


In the afternoon we go to Pisa. It is very crowded there.


This is one of the shots that I like. The cloud might be a little
overexposed.


Many people there do the same pose as this.


This is the cathedral of Pisa.

When we go bak to Florence, we check out at the hostel and after that
we seperate since Cindy and Sixiu go back to Turin and me go to Milan.
While we are on our way to Florence, we try to contact Yan Ling and
Yian Ling to let them inform their housemates about my coming in Milan.
However, they finally didn't contact their housemates which me and their
housemates are in a situation of don't-know-what-to-do situation.

Anyway, the next day I go to do vist Milan alone.

10Jul07
After having breakfast, I go to explore Milan. I go to the palace
first to take some IRs. Surprisely, I receive my lugagge back yesterday'
night.

The color pics turn out nothing special, but my IRs turn out good.
Here are some shots:


I tried to do HDR since at this part, the sun-direction is not good.


After shooting color pics, I shoot some IR. This is inside the castle.


This is the park outside the castle.


This is the castle itself.


The last shot of the castle.

After the castle I walk to the Duomo. Duomo is (I think) the biggest
church in Europe. It is a beatiful church but the ads make it very
ugly! Let me show you what I mean:


After visiting the castle, I move to see Duomo. The ads in front of
the Duomo, makes it so ugly.

I walk around the Duomo and I try to find a good angle. These are some
of the shots of the Duomo that I like the most:


I challenge myself to shoot Duomo from another perspective
where the sun is shining to me.


I personally like this statue very much.


This is one of the shots of Duomo that I like the most. It is a great
pity to see the lamp in front of Duomo.

After shooting, I go back to both YL's house.


11Jul07
In the early morning we are leaving for Barcelona. Both YL and me are
in the plane. It is my first time to fly with Vueling. I don't like
this airplane since pilot is not careful enough when he drives the
plane.

Anyway, the start in Barcelona is horrible. I lost my lugagge for the
second time! This time, I am able to get my tripod, but the bag with
my clothes etc are for an unknown reason lost. I was mad at the services
in all the airport since no one can provide me any useful information
about my lugagge.

So, in Barcelona I have to do some shopping.

Arriving in Barcelona, I call my good friend Celeste. She is still there
for doing her exchange. I am very glad to see her again. She turns out
more brown. She is even more brown than me, altough I become more brown
too.

Well, Celeste brings my friends and me to good place to eat and to sight
seeing. I really have to thank her. This time in Barcelona, Celeste take
pics of us only. Unfortunately I don't receive any pics of her of us. So,
I cannot show. But I have other pics that you all can look at.


Ta ta, Celeste in Barcelona. We meet each other again after not
see each other for half a year.


Look how satisfied Sixiu is with the delicious lunch that Celeste
introduces us.


Cindy got it how nice the food is. Ichiban!


Walking at the Ramblas, you should take a pic with the
'umbrellas' on the wall.


We climb up in the tower to see the port. It is too bad that we are
behind the glass.


I need to do shopping for clothes since I lost my lugagge. This is
the shopping mall where I bought my clothes in Barcelona.


A groupphoto at the port. Celeste was not there because she was
with her boyfriend.


This is the restaurant where Celeste regular eats. Look at the
desserts!


Finally, this is one of the shots I like. It is a waste to be behind
the glass.