It’s just a name!
Hi All,
This is the last post for this trip, unless something interesting happens on my trip back to the states. I just checked in and am waiting to board the plane in a little over two hours.
Yesterday was fun. I finally found Serap when she was over at the CDC to get her clothing. Evidently her hotel didn’t do a very good job with the messages I left (and saying she hadn’t checked in) because she was there, and checked in and all. I have no idea why they were so messed up. Anyways, I found her, and we had a very productive time going through her analysis of the data that I took from the 2001 tank when I was at the pole. I’m glad she did the analysis, because she knows a lot more about it than I do. But, now I have a good idea of what I need to do in further work, so I’m really glad we met up. While reading email and such at the computer lab at the CDC, Steffen Richter, one of the winterovers from last year (and two previous years). Serap knows him well, and I had heard about him while I was at the pole, so it was nice to meet him. Afterwards, Serap and I went out for turkish food, which was very good. After that, we met up with Steffen while having a couple drinks at Dux de Lux and we talked a bit. It’s always interesting to hear about the history of AMANDA and SPASE (which is the history of IceCube and IceTop). As places shut down, we found new places, and eventually everything was closed, and we went our seperate ways around two in the morning (about two hours before Serap needed to be up, so she could get to her plane to McMurdo). They’re a fun bunch.
This morning, I got all my stuff packed up and headed down to the city square for coffee and to watch the chess game. I got into another political discussion with a couple of guys from town. They always seem happy to talk to americans who feel the same way about Bush that they do. It’s interesting how the world responds to our politics. I’ve seen some posters around town advertising a protest against the New Zealand government’s support of the US. One of the specific issues mentioned on the poster was US bases in New Zealand, which hit home, because the planes that we take to Antarctica are based out of here and this is where we fly in and out of. Now, no one that I’ve talked to (other than one of two french girls that I met) down here has anything against the american people, just our current administration. I just hope that, in a year, I don’t have explain why we reelected him. (I suppose I should mention that the political views posted here are solely my own, and don’t necessarily reflect the views of anyone or anything else that I’m associated with.)
For lunch, I took a walk around down town to see what I could find. On Manchester St, I saw a red sign with white lettering for a place called “Burger Wisconsin.” Figuring that they had something to do with Wisconsin, I figured I’d stop by. Unfortunately, the walls weren’t covered with posters of Buckey or big W’s or anything like that, but the place looked new, so I figured they hadn’t gotten around to it. The two girls that worked there looked like they might be from Wisconsin, but when they said “Hi,” their accents were clearly New Zealand. Oh well, I still held out hope. I figured I’d get the real flavor of the place by getting the most popular burger, so I asked what that was. “Chicken…” something or other, I stopped paying attention at the word Chicken. At that point, I had pretty much lost all hope that it had anything to do with Wisconsin, so I just asked what it had to do with the great state which I call home. The girl said that it didn’t have anything to do with the state, and that their slogan is “Sinfully good”, emphasizing the “sin” at the end of Wisconsin. That was very disappointing. I ordered the Blue Cheese burger, and while I waited, I tried to educate them. I told them about Seymour, WI, the home of the Hamburger, and how it was invented in 1880s (or thereabouts) at a county fair. One of them reiterated that there really wasn’t any connection and that it was just the name. Not to be put down, (or take a hint) I figured I’d really impress them with the fact that Seymour also made the world’s largest hamburger a few years ago. I guess they didn’t really care, but at that point, I had my hamburger, which was fine, but not as good as Burger Night at Dick’s in Hudson with my friends (who have a real appreciation for Wisconsin burgers).
Well, I think that’s it for now, I need to go get on my flight. Looking forward to seeing everyone when I get home.
-Jonathan