Merry Christmas to all!

I have finally returned from Europe after a harrowing travel experience back from Amsterdam. My flight on Northwest Airlines was cancelled on Friday and they refused to give me another flight back before Sunday, so it took me over 80 hours total to get back from my Mamie's place in Bretagne. But I am back now and happy to have spent Christmas with family.

My trip began in Amsterdam, where I participated in the Vaccine Congress, a large conference. I was presenting some research on the economics of cholera vaccination in Beira, Mozambique. The conference was largely focused on virology and immunology, so my poster did not attract too much attention, but I did have a few discussions with people and heard a bit more about concerns that scientists have with this particular vaccine. It was a bit of a shock to see how little the field actually thinks about public policy implications of their work, and how one might actually use the basic research that they do in practice.
When not at the conference, I explored the canals and streets of downtown Amsterdam, either running or walking about. It’s a picturesque city, and the center is fairly compact, and most people get around on bicycles or on foot. I have never seen so many bicycles in one place! Some highlights were watching the sun rise over the canals (shown above), and walking by the house where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis during World War II. I did not have a chance to visit Amsterdam’s famous art museums. My hotel was in a square known for its nightlife, but I was so tired generally that I was able to sleep fairly well…the smell of marijuana notwithstanding. That permeates everything in Amsterdam (or at least in Rembrandt Square), it seems.

After Amsterdam, I moved on to The Hague, where I gave a presentation at the Institute of Social Sciences, a graduate education institution that aims mainly to educate students from developing countries, about developing country issues. My talk was fairly intimate, and I got some really good questions and comments. I thoroughly enjoyed the Hague, with its wide boulevards (by European, not American, standards), and its green spaces (great for running!) and the mix of modern and historic buildings in the city center, which I was able to enjoy in daylight, much more so than Amsterdam. I found The Hague more livable than Amsterdam; less crowded, and without the racy and transient side of the latter city. I also found Shu Wen some Holland cocoa there.

I then went to France to spend time with Mamie, who is in fairly good spirits these days. Marie Francoise and Antoine were there too. I enjoyed unwinding a bit over the week and chatting with them over meals and otherwise. The pace of life in Bretagne is slow when I am there, as MF takes vacation, and we do not go out too much. We help Mamie as we can, and I try to visit family and get very well fed!

I hope you are enjoying the holidays!

-Marc