My 'Hood

Since my days here are rapidly winding down, I wanted to make sure to take pictures of my surroundings. I actually meant to do this my first week, but my helter-skelter lifestyle which lacked toilet paper and the ability to order food took over. But I have not forgotten, so without further ado, I present my academic home away from home.

View of Academia Sinica entrance across the street.

Main Academia Sinica sign.

Quite possibly the coolest thing ever. This is looking down from the fourth floor, where my lab is located. The lines you see are outlines of a badminton court. A few nights that I have stayed light, I have come out to see folks who brought their own net engaging in an intense match. UCSD, take note, we need this.

The Academia Sinica motorcycle parking lot. You will find a lot more of these than cars, as virtuall every student has one. They're cheaper to fuel, park, and maintain, and it's a lot easier to zip around town than with a car.

The special lane leading from the aforementioned motorcycle parking lot to the main street, Academia Sinica Rd.

The Biomedical Sciences Building, home of the stem cell lab and many others.

The entrance to my lab.

The Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology (I think). This is where John's office is located and is next door to the Biomedical Sciences Building.

A view of a lane on campus leading up to the gym and activities center.

A tai chi sculture that is prominently displayed in the park.

More sculptures, this time two tin men sitting on a bench in a pond. I don't know why, but I like it.

Zoomed-out view of above.

View down the street with back to the activities center, as if I am heading home.

Not to be stereotypical, but these look like rice paddies. I'm not sure though, since it's in the middle of campus.

Lotus pond on campus, which gives a slightly serene touch. Not like the ones at the Xiaonanmen Botanical Gardens, though.

And just for laughs, apparently not everyone in China gets the traditional ancient wisdom passed down thousands of years from their ancestors.