Maunterndorf is a small town south of Salzburg, and situated at the
south end of the Tauern pass. This was a major Roman pathway between
Italy and the north. Since 1980, the Austrian Physical Society has
supported a winter school (in February of even years) there on the
subject of new concepts in condensed matter physics. I have had the
opportunity to attend many of these events.
The shrine in the town of Narita, near to the famous airport, is one of the nicer old shrines in Japan, and featured importantly throughout its history.
Nara is a small town between Kyoto and Osaka. It was the capitol of Japan off and on for many years in the distant past. It is famous for its “deer park”, a large park area on the edge of the main business district in which many deer live. These deer are quite tame, and, as may be expected, live for handouts from the tourists.
Vienna is a wonderful city. I had the opportunity to live there during my postdoc. Friends made have remained friends for life. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to visit again many times. This are some pictures from recent visits.
All of the islands of Hawaii are gorgeous in their own right. But, here I want to focus on what is called the Big Island, the island of Hawaii itself. It is the most undeveloped of the various islands, and perhaps the least populated. Plus, it is home to 3 of the 4 volcanoes that are still listed as being active (as newscasts in April-May 2018 can testify). These are Maua Loa , Kilauea, and Hualalai (which sits above Kona). The fourth is Haleakala on Maui. We have traveled to the islands often, but most of the time we have found ourselves on the big island, with its abundant beauty.