Various pictures taken during my INSA year

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This is a collection of various photos that didn't fit in the separate travel stories.

MeltINSA organised a weekend in Paris, here's our group in front of Sacre Coeur. One weekend is definitely too short to see Paris, but on the other hand I was quite happy to live in smaller and friendlier Lyon.

On Sunday I didn't go for another day of sightseeing with the others but took the subway to the science center in the North-Eastern corner of the city. The Geode (in the picture) was used for 3D movies among other things.

On Christmas I returned home in Finland. After half a year abroad it was nice to do everything in the traditional way - except for some cheese, wine and this "bûche de noël" I brought from France.

This is already Big Ben in the typical English weather just after New Year - I didn't stay in Finland for the whole Christmas holiday. In London I was with my family and in five days we saw most of the sights related to the royal family, a good number of restaurants (you can eat well in London despite the lousy reputation but it's not cheap) and the Cats musical. I went out alone just once but that was good: Escape from Samsara, picked from the Dale's London Techno Events site.

A complete model of difference engine 2 built according to Babbage's original design may not appeal to all my readers but for a computer scientist it's an important part of history. The Science museum in London also boosts a remarkable collection of working steam engines.

The Alps are one thing I miss of France, just as I miss the lakes and forests when I'm not in Finland. This is from the Chartreuse area going up towards Grand Som in December, some snow already below 2000 meters. Our best hike was in Pralognan-la-Vanoise with in January using snow shoes, but unfortunately I don't have any photos from there due to a technical problem.

Hiking is one way to see the mountains, but in many places you can take the lift too if you like. The INSA ski club organised every Saturday a trip to one of the ski centers in the area. The transport (by bus) plus the day pass was around 25 euros and this is a typical view from Clusaz. :-)

Powder, sunshine, a snowboard and good company - it's life!

Lots and lots of shiny cars in the yearly exposition in Geneva, this is just one third of the space. I went there with my roommate and a few of his friends and had also a chance to meet some of my CERN friends. Too bad none of us won the Alfa 147 in the expo lottery.

Tero Lehtonen and the house he shared with three Swiss guys in Sophia Antipolis, near the south coast. I could pretty well understand why more and more IT companies are gathering there.

The casino of Monte Carlo in Monaco, I lost two francs but Tero won nine so the total was positive. That was in the slot machines in the lobby, to really get in you have to pay a 50 francs entrance fee (about 8 euros) and more for the inner rooms, not to mention the serious cash for playing. Probably our t-shirts wouldn't have been acceptable either, but already the entrance hall is worth seeing.

Nice by night.

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Copyright Arto Teräs <ajt@iki.fi> 2001.
Redistribution of this document as a whole or any of the pictures individually is permitted in any medium provided this copyright notice is preserved.

Last update 17.8.2001.

	MeltINSA organised a weekend in Paris, here's our group in front of Sacre Coeur. One weekend is definitely too short to see Paris, but on the other hand I was quite happy to live in smaller and friendlier Lyon.
	On Sunday I didn't go for another day of sightseeing with the others but took the subway to the science center in the North-Eastern corner of the city. The Geode (in the picture) was used for 3D movies among other things.
	On Christmas I returned home in Finland. After half a year abroad it was nice to do everything in the traditional way - except for some cheese, wine and this "bûche de noël" I brought from France.
	This is already Big Ben in the typical English weather just after New Year - I didn't stay in Finland for the whole Christmas holiday. In London I was with my family and in five days we saw most of the sights related to the royal family, a good number of restaurants (you can eat well in London despite the lousy reputation but it's not cheap) and the Cats musical. I went out alone just once but that was good: Escape from Samsara, picked from the Dale's London Techno Events site.
	A complete model of difference engine 2 built according to Babbage's original design may not appeal to all my readers but for a computer scientist it's an important part of history. The Science museum in London also boosts a remarkable collection of working steam engines.
	The Alps are one thing I miss of France, just as I miss the lakes and forests when I'm not in Finland. This is from the Chartreuse area going up towards Grand Som in December, some snow already below 2000 meters. Our best hike was in Pralognan-la-Vanoise with in January using snow shoes, but unfortunately I don't have any photos from there due to a technical problem.
	Hiking is one way to see the mountains, but in many places you can take the lift too if you like. The INSA ski club organised every Saturday a trip to one of the ski centers in the area. The transport (by bus) plus the day pass was around 25 euros and this is a typical view from Clusaz. :-)
	Powder, sunshine, a snowboard and good company - it's life!
	Lots and lots of shiny cars in the yearly exposition in Geneva, this is just one third of the space. I went there with my roommate and a few of his friends and had also a chance to meet some of my CERN friends. Too bad none of us won the Alfa 147 in the expo lottery.
	Tero Lehtonen and the house he shared with three Swiss guys in Sophia Antipolis, near the south coast. I could pretty well understand why more and more IT companies are gathering there.
	The casino of Monte Carlo in Monaco, I lost two francs but Tero won nine so the total was positive. That was in the slot machines in the lobby, to really get in you have to pay a 50 francs entrance fee (about 8 euros) and more for the inner rooms, not to mention the serious cash for playing. Probably our t-shirts wouldn't have been acceptable either, but already the entrance hall is worth seeing.
	Nice by night.