New Zealand II: Arthur's Pass

New Zealand is a wild place. As far as we know humans only settled in New Zealand in the 13th century AD. They were Polynesians who came in canoes from small Pacific islands far away to the East. There were no land mammals except for some small bats. The Polynesians brought with them rats and dogs and various crops, some of which grew in New Zealand and became staple foods (including, famously, kūmara, the sweet potato, a major historical puzzle).

July 20, 2025

New Zealand I: Christchurch

It’s now about two weeks since I arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand. I am here as an Erskine Fellow teaching the first half of an undergraduate course on Coding Theory at the University of Canterbury. The city is quite large and very spread out. It reminds me in different ways of both the UK and the US. Not having a car is fairly limiting though the bus system is good. Everyone gives a big “Thank you!

February 4, 2025

Belluno

En Belluno para el bendito PET. Casi cuatro horas de tren desde Trieste. Lindo paisaje de montaña, nieve en las cimas a lo lejos. Belluno bonita en el sol brillante y el aire límpido. Claramente del Veneto, extraño Venezia en las montañas. Piazza dei Martiri antes fuera delle mura de la ciudad. Un cono de nieve sucia a la sombra de unos árboles en la plaza. Piazza arcuata, edificios en curva a 92 m de la muralla, dos metros mas que el alcance de los arcabuses de la época.