Blogs from Chengdu, Sichuan, China, Asia

Chengdu, China (May 22, 2019) Each year we come over, there is a major regional ophthalmology conference where now about 200 ophthalmologists from Sichuan attend. It has grown substantially from the first years, and the venues have become increasingly impressive. This year it was held at Sichuan University campus, where they have a five star hotel and an amazing conference center. Was blown away with the size of the screen for presentation - just shy of Texas Stadium's! It must have been 40 ft high. Some leading ophthalmologists and researchers from other parts of China participated in the first day and the two talks preceding mine were a perfect set up for my topic on artificial intelligence in ophthalmology. Our hosts arranged a speaker's lunch at an exquisite restaurant inside the hotel where a charming hostess ... read more

Chengdu, China (May 17, 2019) After a reasonably restful night I got up at sunrise to go for a walk and explore a park near the hotel. The Huanhuaxi Park has beautiful flower, lush vegetation, a river and large pond with plenty of egrets and ducks. A nice peaceful place where quite a few people came out for walks, runs and tai chi exercising. The morning temperatures are in the mid 60's with some humidity as it rained last night, but quite comfortable even working up a sweat. Its quick packing, another adventurous breakfast and off to the airport to meet our colleagues from Kaiser and the Chinese ophthalmologists and we'll fly south to Xichang. More from there!... read more

Chengdu, China (May 16, 2019) Hainan Dreamliner flight 7966 couldn’t have gone any smoother. Boarding on time, leaving JFK on time and getting to our destination about an hour earlier than projected - a 14 for flight. My original seat wasn’t working and wouldn’t recline so they promptly re-seated me. I was able to sleep about 7 hours. Sat next to an interesting man - the former head of R&D for Regeneron (maker of Eyelea - a blockbuster drug in ophthalmology). He’s young, but retired now and mostly travels for enjoyment. It is early morning here and trying to get checked into the Tien Chen Lou hotel - you all know the fire drill. I think 5 am is before check-in time! One of the residents (Vincent) is working the phones... read more

Chengdu, China (May 16, 2019) Those who've been here know it well, picking through the buffet of exotic dishes to find something familiar for breakfast. Here's my foray into the culinary delights of the Tian Chen Lou menu this morning: boiled chicken eggs (not to be confused with duck eggs), peas, a 1/4 duck egg in soya sauce, peanuts, lentils, pickled lotus root, mushrooms (or "fungus" as they call it here) and a steamed bun. I found some coffee - strong enough to keep me up the whole day! And true to Sichuan form, the got me with the hot peppers tucked in among the lentils! Bit right into them...Hot!! Welcome to Chengdu!... read more

Chengdu, China (May 16, 2019) Still feeling foggy brained after a good nap this afternoon, I was invited across town to have dinner at what my body believes is morning with a Chinese colleague who has helped our team in many ways since our earliest days here. I took a Didi (Chinese version of ride-share that acquired Uber China ) across town to the University district to meet Dr. Sophia Zuoqiu (PhD in environmental health from Harvard School of Public Health) and her mother for a traditional (read spicy hot) Sichuan meal of eggplant, tofu, duck, sticky rice and "green beans" (hot peppers). Sophia is doing her post-doctorate work in air quality - very relevant here in China - at Sichuan University. On many of our previo... read more