A Typical Vancouver Day in Chengdu

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This must be getting pretty monotonous for most readers. Yes, the weather is grey and cloudy again! There is also some rain. Back at the university things are quiet. Most people are still at lunch. That's what they tell me anyway. I still have some preparation for tonights lecture, but not too much. The material and subject tonight will again involve a lot of looking and less thinking. The thinking can come after.

Yesterday was busy with the morning taken up by the Sichuan Museum and their collection of approximatley 300 paintings. I saw some interesting things and one historically important inscription on the back of a painting. Apparently the painting was consecrated by none other than Kathog Tsewang Norbu the great scholar and diplomat of the 18th century. There are still many more paintings to look at in the collection, along with re-visiting some of the best pieces. Lunch was at the Shangrila Hotel with a friend who was passing through town on a quick overnight trip. I do like the Shangrila. They have fast wi-fi internet and the best grilled cheese sandwich in town. Make sure you go to the cafe on the ground floor. It is also regarded as having the best lunch buffet in town. The meal upstairs in a private dining room was very good and the conversation even better. The rest of the day was spent looking at various pieces of art on iPads and cell phones - at the favourite teashop of course!

I am looking forward to tomorrow and the weekend because I have not been able to get very much writing done, both yesterday and today, and I have a number of things to put up on the HAR website when completed. All in all I probably spend between 20 to 24 hours a week at the University. I do have my own desk and computer in an open layout office of about thirteen cubicles. There are never more than four other people here at a time by my calculation. Aside from lecturing the time is mostly spent preparing, organizing images and talking with colleagues.

Looking forward to the weekend!

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