Last tuesday I was at a meeting in the local python-interest group in Barcelona. We discussed http://appengine.google.com/ - the new service from google that allows people who know just a bit about programming to make their own internet programs.
How is that different from the blogging service that google already offers here on blogspot? Blogspot lets you type text, and then displays the text. Appengine allows you to create a program that lets you input data (directly or indirectly) and then have those data processed and displayed in a structured manner.
Why is this great? Because "activation energy" is a dominant obstacle to creativity, and Appengine lowers the activation energy of making internet programs drastically. With Appengine, you just need to program. The easy and fun task. You don't need to buy a domain name, buy hosting or set up a server, install stuff and look out for the server.
Appengine is the kind of tool that allows the internet to run on love (see below about the internet running on love).
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Nuclear winter?
Reading mostly biology papers it is not that often I see a scientific paper with the keyword "nuclear winter".
However, here is one:
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/short/105/14/5307?rss=1
Unfortunately it is not open access and I can't find it on arXiv , but I guess the paper shows that nuclear war is an even worse idea than previously recognized.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Fun with 3D
PyMol is my favorite program for protein structure visualization. It is Free Software, and I just saw a video about how some people from the University of Toronto have used PyMol to make a module to implement "Head tracking" for giving a 3D feel to looking at the proteins.
The video doesn't give such a great impression of how it will be. But it is really nifty if the head-tracking-by-webcam works.
Here is another video that gives a great impression of how head-tracking (by Wii-mote) works.
The video doesn't give such a great impression of how it will be. But it is really nifty if the head-tracking-by-webcam works.
Here is another video that gives a great impression of how head-tracking (by Wii-mote) works.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Quote of the day
“I’ve reluctantly discarded the notion of my continuing to manage the portfolio after my death—abandoning my hope to give new meaning to the term ‘thinking outside the box.’”
Warren Buffett in his annual letter to the shareholders of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY, 2007
Link from the Economist
Monday, February 25, 2008
Organic shoes
I spent last week with Lise in Copenhagen. I usually remember to pack all important stuff for my travels, but this time I forgot my indoor-shoes. In order to avoid catching a cold I had to get some. Fortunately Lise remembered that the supermarkets were selling some inexpensive indoor shoes.
Wow. Organic!
Only when I went to the shop and had the shoes in my hand, did I discover that they were all organic. Yay.
An objection to organic farming (and products) I hear somewhat often is that "it cannot feed the world". Well a group of researchers from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor believe it can [non free link :o(]
Here is the news story http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=5936
And on the same subject - a nice story of how to make organic mango, from the Economist http://economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9468901
Wow. Organic!
Only when I went to the shop and had the shoes in my hand, did I discover that they were all organic. Yay.
An objection to organic farming (and products) I hear somewhat often is that "it cannot feed the world". Well a group of researchers from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor believe it can [non free link :o(]
Here is the news story http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=5936
And on the same subject - a nice story of how to make organic mango, from the Economist http://economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9468901
Thursday, February 14, 2008
New apartment
For the last 7 months I've been living with some very nice people in a large apartment in central Barcelona. However, my room is very small and not suited for sharing with Lise when she joins me in June.
In January Lise then started looking at the websites that advertise apartments in Barcelona: loquo.com, idealista.com etc.
The first one she found on loquo looked really good. It is in my favorite part of Barcelona; Poble Nou. And it is close to the beach, the lab, and the main street of Poble Nou. It is also a nice apartment. With a kichen/living room in one. The only thing it misses is a nice balcony with afternoon sun.
The kichen. Nice and new. And with room for a dishwasher (oh joy!)
The only other apartment we actually went to see had afternoon sun in copious amounts. But it had a small kitchen and was expensive.
So the decision was not too difficult. And I didn't even have to take it alone. I went to see the apartment the weekend of the week that I contacted the owners. Lise came for a weekend visit the next weekend, and we were given a second look.
The living room (TV not included, regrettably)
We will rent it from April, and I will move in, even though Lise arrives in July. As there is a nice guest-room visitors are welcome anytime. Yes, that means you!
In January Lise then started looking at the websites that advertise apartments in Barcelona: loquo.com, idealista.com etc.
The first one she found on loquo looked really good. It is in my favorite part of Barcelona; Poble Nou. And it is close to the beach, the lab, and the main street of Poble Nou. It is also a nice apartment. With a kichen/living room in one. The only thing it misses is a nice balcony with afternoon sun.
The kichen. Nice and new. And with room for a dishwasher (oh joy!)The only other apartment we actually went to see had afternoon sun in copious amounts. But it had a small kitchen and was expensive.
So the decision was not too difficult. And I didn't even have to take it alone. I went to see the apartment the weekend of the week that I contacted the owners. Lise came for a weekend visit the next weekend, and we were given a second look.
The living room (TV not included, regrettably)
We will rent it from April, and I will move in, even though Lise arrives in July. As there is a nice guest-room visitors are welcome anytime. Yes, that means you!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Prenzlauer Berg
Since visiting Berlin on a vacation some years ago, I have been dreaming about a flat in Prenzlauer Berg. It is just sooooo, trendy. Apparently others agree, and Henning Sußebach has written about the place and the people. "Too trendy for their own good" seems to be his sentiment. I would still love an apartment there.
(Once again a link I got from Luftskibet )
Stieg Larsson in English
Stieg Larssons crime stories, seem to have been read by half the Danes I know. And now I can mention them to English-speakers too.
The first book in his trilogy has been translated, and it gets a favorable review in the Independent.
I got this news at the blog of Information. Information is easily the best newspaper in Denmark, and "Luftskibet", the collective blog of their journalists fantastic. Is almost better than the newspaper.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Blogging advice for me
I didn't blog from September until after this new year. Or so I thought...
In this nice list of tips for new bloggers one of the original bloggers, Jorn Barger, emphasizes the idea that a blog is mostly about sharing what you find interesting on the web.
I actually did this a bit by posting links on Facebook. Which is really easy, because you can just bookmark a link in Firefox, and press it whenever you're on an interesting page, make a short comment, and then it appears in your "Facebook mini-feed"
Ok. Now I will try to post these links on this blog instead. I'm sure that somewhere there is some software that will make it easy....
In this nice list of tips for new bloggers one of the original bloggers, Jorn Barger, emphasizes the idea that a blog is mostly about sharing what you find interesting on the web.
I actually did this a bit by posting links on Facebook. Which is really easy, because you can just bookmark a link in Firefox, and press it whenever you're on an interesting page, make a short comment, and then it appears in your "Facebook mini-feed"
Ok. Now I will try to post these links on this blog instead. I'm sure that somewhere there is some software that will make it easy....
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Skiing in Masella
Saturday I went on a one day ski-trip to Masella, with a couple of colleagues from the lab.
To me, who grew up in Denmark, and therefore had to travel far to find either nice weather or (skiable) snow it is always amazing that other places it is not so. Masella is less than 2 hours drive from central Barcelona.
The skiing was fine, and so was the weather. But it was a bit expensive. Probably around 100 Euros for the day (transport, ski-rent, lift-pass etc.)
Two things I noted: 1) The car sharing scheme, we used as transport seems really cool. I need to find out more (and maybe blog about it). 2) When we got back to Barcelona, it was striking how polluted the air seemed. Yuck!
To me, who grew up in Denmark, and therefore had to travel far to find either nice weather or (skiable) snow it is always amazing that other places it is not so. Masella is less than 2 hours drive from central Barcelona.
The skiing was fine, and so was the weather. But it was a bit expensive. Probably around 100 Euros for the day (transport, ski-rent, lift-pass etc.)
Two things I noted: 1) The car sharing scheme, we used as transport seems really cool. I need to find out more (and maybe blog about it). 2) When we got back to Barcelona, it was striking how polluted the air seemed. Yuck!
Saturday, January 05, 2008
New years resolutions
This blog has been dead for a while unfortunately. But as part of my new years resolutions it will be revived. Yay!
Without further ado here are some New Years resolutions:
Without further ado here are some New Years resolutions:
- Blog at least a couple of times per month (preferably once per week)
- Run ca. 10 km once per week (in preparation for a half marathon in May)
- Get to work around 9 am instead of 10 am
- Participate in Open Science
Sunday, September 30, 2007
The little traps of Barcelona
When it has rained or when the streets have been washed, water ca accumulate under some of the sidewalk stones. This particular spot on my way to work is the most dangerous. When walking on the stones yucky muddy water splashes up on ones feet. Even when biking over the stones the splash can reach ones feet.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Translation From PR-Speak to English of Selected Portions of the "Announcing PRISM" press release
Since a large number of people I know are in science and therefore may have encountered the recent press release from a coalition of reactionary scientific publishers http://www.prismcoalition.org/press.htm - I have decided to supply a translation to plain english of the press release very close in style to the quite famous "Macrovision translation"
(see BoingBoing for context)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
New York, NY, August 23, 2007: The formation of a coalition of scholarly societies and publishers was announced today in an effort to safeguard the scientific and medical peer-review process and educate the public about the risks of proposed government interference with the scholarly communication process.
The Partnership for Research Integrity in Science and Medicine is a coalition launched with developmental support from the Professional & Scholarly Publishing Division of the Association of American Publishers (AAP) to alert Congress to the unintended consequences of government interference in scientific and scholarly publishing.
The group has launched a website at http://www.prismcoalition.org, where it articulates the PRISM Principles, an affirmation of publishers' contribution to science, research, and peer review, and an expression of support for continued private sector efforts to expand access to scientific information. (http://www.prismcoalition.org/prism/about.htm)
"We are enthusiastic about this initiative and the potential of our new website to educate policy makers and citizens about our efforts to increase access to information, to alert them to the very real threat to peer review that ill-considered government interference represents, and to explore the ways in which we can safeguard peer review as a critical component of scientific integrity," said Patricia Schroeder, president and CEO of AAP.
Mrs. Schroeder stressed that government interference in scientific publishing would force journals to give away their intellectual property and weaken the copyright protections that motivate journal publishers to make the enormous investments in content and infrastructure needed to ensure widespread access to journal articles.
"The free market of scholarly publishing is responsive to the needs of scholars and scientists and balances the interests of all stakeholders."
Critics argue that peer reviewed articles resulting from government funded research should be available at no cost. However, the expenses of peer review, promotion, distribution and archiving of articles are paid for by private sector publishers, and not with tax dollars.
Mrs. Schroeder pointed out that these expenses amount to hundreds of millions of dollars each year for non-profit and commercial publishers. "Why would a federal agency want to duplicate such expenses instead of putting the money into more research funding?" she said.
The PRISM website includes factual information and reasoned commentary designed to educate citizens and policy makers, to dispel inaccuracies and counter the rhetorical excesses indulged in by some advocates of open access, who believe that no one should have to pay for information that is peer reviewed at the expense of non-profit and commercial publishers.
Featured on the PRISM website are backgrounders on peer review, dissemination and access, preservation of the scholarly record and new approaches publishers are taking along with discussion about the risks of government intervention to the sustainability of peer review, copyright infringement, the possibility of selective bias in the record of science, federal budget uncertainties and inefficient allocation of government funding that duplicates private sector investments. Importantly, the site has information to assist the public in making their concerns known to Congress.
"We want to share as much scientific and medical information as possible with the entire world. That's why we got into this business in the first place," Mrs. Schroeder said.
Anyone who wishes to sign on to the PRISM Principles may do so on the site.
Editors: For more information, visit the PRISM website at http://www.prismcoalition.org
(see BoingBoing for context)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
New York, NY, August 23, 2007: The formation of a coalition of scholarly societies and publishers was announced today in an effort to safeguard the scientific and medical peer-review process and educate the public about the risks of proposed government interference with the scholarly communication process.
- "New York, NY, August 23, 2007: We, closed access publishers, sense that the profit from our current business model is in danger."
The Partnership for Research Integrity in Science and Medicine is a coalition launched with developmental support from the Professional & Scholarly Publishing Division of the Association of American Publishers (AAP) to alert Congress to the unintended consequences of government interference in scientific and scholarly publishing.
- "At the advice of our PR consultant we have therefore decided to spread misinformation rather than change our business model."
The group has launched a website at http://www.prismcoalition.org, where it articulates the PRISM Principles, an affirmation of publishers' contribution to science, research, and peer review, and an expression of support for continued private sector efforts to expand access to scientific information. (http://www.prismcoalition.org/prism/about.htm)
- "We have launched this website to do some astroturfing"
"We are enthusiastic about this initiative and the potential of our new website to educate policy makers and citizens about our efforts to increase access to information, to alert them to the very real threat to peer review that ill-considered government interference represents, and to explore the ways in which we can safeguard peer review as a critical component of scientific integrity," said Patricia Schroeder, president and CEO of AAP.
- "Only by associating our current business model with the method of peer review can we hope to effectively lie to policy makers and citizens about our efforts to keep access to information closed"
Mrs. Schroeder stressed that government interference in scientific publishing would force journals to give away their intellectual property and weaken the copyright protections that motivate journal publishers to make the enormous investments in content and infrastructure needed to ensure widespread access to journal articles.
- "If peope are not publishing in our closed access journals that is like the same as...uhmm...stealing from us...yeah!
"The free market of scholarly publishing is responsive to the needs of scholars and scientists and balances the interests of all stakeholders."
- "We sure smoke a lot of crack"
Critics argue that peer reviewed articles resulting from government funded research should be available at no cost. However, the expenses of peer review, promotion, distribution and archiving of articles are paid for by private sector publishers, and not with tax dollars.
- "We dont actually pay the scientists who do peer review, but let's for the sake of argument pretend we do."
Mrs. Schroeder pointed out that these expenses amount to hundreds of millions of dollars each year for non-profit and commercial publishers. "Why would a federal agency want to duplicate such expenses instead of putting the money into more research funding?" she said.
- "Why should anyone do be allowed to do something we do if they do it better and cheaper?"
The PRISM website includes factual information and reasoned commentary designed to educate citizens and policy makers, to dispel inaccuracies and counter the rhetorical excesses indulged in by some advocates of open access, who believe that no one should have to pay for information that is peer reviewed at the expense of non-profit and commercial publishers.
- "War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength."
Featured on the PRISM website are backgrounders on peer review, dissemination and access, preservation of the scholarly record and new approaches publishers are taking along with discussion about the risks of government intervention to the sustainability of peer review, copyright infringement, the possibility of selective bias in the record of science, federal budget uncertainties and inefficient allocation of government funding that duplicates private sector investments. Importantly, the site has information to assist the public in making their concerns known to Congress.
- "We wish you, the public, to lie for us - and we have supplied you with the means to do so."
"We want to share as much scientific and medical information as possible with the entire world. That's why we got into this business in the first place," Mrs. Schroeder said.
- "We want to continue to profit from restricting the access to scientific and medical information. That's why we got into this business in the first place"
Anyone who wishes to sign on to the PRISM Principles may do so on the site.
- "Gullible fools are welcome to sign"
Editors: For more information, visit the PRISM website at http://www.prismcoalition.org
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Bicing
Barcelona has very recently gotten system of "citybikes" like the "Bycykler" we know in Copenhagen. The system is different from the old system in Copenhagen in several ways however. Most of them enabled by new technology. The system is called Bicing (and here is a small comment on how it relates to similar system in other cities)
The homepage has a nice view of the bikestations (as an overlay of google maps).
The procedure for using Bicing is that one orders a plastic card from the internet or from the centrally located office. The plastic card is used to free a bike at the bikestands. The card itself costs 24 Euros and the registration requires submission of a valid credit card number. While rides shorter than 30 minutes are free, longer rides cost a small fee. And if one fails to return a bike 300Euros are withdrawn from the credit card (!).
Mostly the system works ok. In the beginning I expirienced a little paranoia and insecurity when returning bikes because of possible fines. No recipt is given when the bikes are returned.
While the system seems to work well overall, some small problems can be observed. Hopefully just starting trouble. The first installations of the system started in January 2007. For example it is a bit confidence sapping when one sees a stand like this:
And the system then says "Sorry no bikes available". Another day many stands were not working because of "Connection problems". Probably it was just start-up problems. I've used the system for almost 2 months now, and it seems to have fewer and fewer problems.
The net of roads with bike-paths is by no means complete, but it is adequate for my current use. Here is a map of current and planned bike-paths.
The homepage has a nice view of the bikestations (as an overlay of google maps).
The procedure for using Bicing is that one orders a plastic card from the internet or from the centrally located office. The plastic card is used to free a bike at the bikestands. The card itself costs 24 Euros and the registration requires submission of a valid credit card number. While rides shorter than 30 minutes are free, longer rides cost a small fee. And if one fails to return a bike 300Euros are withdrawn from the credit card (!).
Mostly the system works ok. In the beginning I expirienced a little paranoia and insecurity when returning bikes because of possible fines. No recipt is given when the bikes are returned.
While the system seems to work well overall, some small problems can be observed. Hopefully just starting trouble. The first installations of the system started in January 2007. For example it is a bit confidence sapping when one sees a stand like this:
And the system then says "Sorry no bikes available". Another day many stands were not working because of "Connection problems". Probably it was just start-up problems. I've used the system for almost 2 months now, and it seems to have fewer and fewer problems.
The net of roads with bike-paths is by no means complete, but it is adequate for my current use. Here is a map of current and planned bike-paths.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Zapatero at the lab
Today our building had a prestigious visit. Jose Luis Rodrigues Zapatero came to see it. People assembled on the balcony to see - great idea. Then Zapatero can see an entire building of non-working scientists. Maybe to compensate two group leaders who would present their labs wore labcoats (just for the visit of course).
The visit was slightly delayed so I got bored and went inside. When he came Zapatero actually went unexpectedly to our side of the building first. So while everyone were outside I was in the office which he passed. So I smiled and nodded to the prime minister. Cool. Maybe I should join the PSOE while I am here? Hmm. Maybe I should learn Spanish and Catalan first.
The visit was slightly delayed so I got bored and went inside. When he came Zapatero actually went unexpectedly to our side of the building first. So while everyone were outside I was in the office which he passed. So I smiled and nodded to the prime minister. Cool. Maybe I should join the PSOE while I am here? Hmm. Maybe I should learn Spanish and Catalan first.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Elche
I just spent a week in Elche. I was there to learn about some of the earlier work on SH3 domains. Work which my thesis hopefully will expand. The learning was good. I now see much more of the big picture of my work. And I also got to work with Estefania, a post-doc, who will also expand on the same earlier work as me (but for another protein domain). This is nice. Hopefully we can share a lot of the debugging and improvements to earlier techniques that we will both need.
5 long days of learning is tough though. Fortunately we left a little earlier wednesday to do a sightseeing of Elche. Elche seems to grow a lot. The part western part of Elche where my hotel was seems to be all new (all the buildings seem new). The center looks more like a real city, with a mix of old and new houses.
5 random observations:
1) Elche is famous for its palms. And there really is a lot of palms, and nice palm gardens. And all of the public parks seem to have palms.
Palms in front of the hotel where I stayed. I should have taken more photos of palms.
2) Whereas Barcelona has Bicing and quite extensive possiblity for biking, this is not the case in Elche. There are no bike-paths. And Estephania has a car, her boyfriend too. Anybody who wants to go somewhere has a car. What is this? Texas?
3) The trafic in roundabouts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout) is more interesting (and fast!) than what I am used to. Maybe this is a result of spanish driving mentality. However, the roundabouts are also built with curved entries that enable high speed, almost "tangential" entry to the trafic of the roundabout (as opposed to the danish version which is with entry that is orthogonal to the tangent and forces a slower, sharper right turn to enter the traffic).
4) In the summer the university of Elche allows kindergartens to use some of the university facilities. And to eat in the canteen. Wow, 50-80 kindergarten children make a lot of noise!
5) Close to the new part of Elche, where I stayed, is an old industrial zone. Many of the old factory halls have no been converted into night clubs.
Heres a nightclub with a pirate theme, yay! (maybe a Columbus theme, hmm)
5 long days of learning is tough though. Fortunately we left a little earlier wednesday to do a sightseeing of Elche. Elche seems to grow a lot. The part western part of Elche where my hotel was seems to be all new (all the buildings seem new). The center looks more like a real city, with a mix of old and new houses.
5 random observations:
1) Elche is famous for its palms. And there really is a lot of palms, and nice palm gardens. And all of the public parks seem to have palms.
Palms in front of the hotel where I stayed. I should have taken more photos of palms.
2) Whereas Barcelona has Bicing and quite extensive possiblity for biking, this is not the case in Elche. There are no bike-paths. And Estephania has a car, her boyfriend too. Anybody who wants to go somewhere has a car. What is this? Texas?
3) The trafic in roundabouts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout) is more interesting (and fast!) than what I am used to. Maybe this is a result of spanish driving mentality. However, the roundabouts are also built with curved entries that enable high speed, almost "tangential" entry to the trafic of the roundabout (as opposed to the danish version which is with entry that is orthogonal to the tangent and forces a slower, sharper right turn to enter the traffic).
4) In the summer the university of Elche allows kindergartens to use some of the university facilities. And to eat in the canteen. Wow, 50-80 kindergarten children make a lot of noise!
5) Close to the new part of Elche, where I stayed, is an old industrial zone. Many of the old factory halls have no been converted into night clubs.
Heres a nightclub with a pirate theme, yay! (maybe a Columbus theme, hmm)
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Lises visit
Last weekend Lise came to visit for the first time. Yay! She met me at the lab friday at around 15. The rest of the day we mostly spent shopping. In the evening we had dinner at the excellent organic restaurant mentioned below, and we discovered another organic restaurant close by.
Saturday we did more shopping. I actually need some new clothes, and Lise didn't mind the shopping. However, we did find some time for girls-clothes-shops also.
We also visited the lab:
Saturday evening was night of ... So the trams ran all night and everyone seemed to converge on the beach with fireworks. This sort of conflicted with our plans for a nice quiet dinner in Barceloneta. We did have the dinner, but with the background sounds of a warzone (the fireworks).
Sunday shops are closed, so we decided to go for a relaxing walk. We stated to stroll down Avinguida Diagonal. On our way we noticed a pretty street crossing Diagonal - the Rambla del Poblenou. So we went down the Rambla del Poblenou - which turned out to be a very nice street all the way. Poblenou is a nice part of Barcelona with many modernized buildings. The Rambla del Poblenou also leads straight to the beach, so we sat down and enjoyed the beach for a while.
All in all it was great. One can really enjoy just a weekend together. A long weekend is better of course, but just a weekend is surprisingly nice. I still look forward to a full week of vacation with Lise though. Just 2 weeks to go.
Saturday we did more shopping. I actually need some new clothes, and Lise didn't mind the shopping. However, we did find some time for girls-clothes-shops also.
We also visited the lab:
Saturday evening was night of ... So the trams ran all night and everyone seemed to converge on the beach with fireworks. This sort of conflicted with our plans for a nice quiet dinner in Barceloneta. We did have the dinner, but with the background sounds of a warzone (the fireworks).
Sunday shops are closed, so we decided to go for a relaxing walk. We stated to stroll down Avinguida Diagonal. On our way we noticed a pretty street crossing Diagonal - the Rambla del Poblenou. So we went down the Rambla del Poblenou - which turned out to be a very nice street all the way. Poblenou is a nice part of Barcelona with many modernized buildings. The Rambla del Poblenou also leads straight to the beach, so we sat down and enjoyed the beach for a while.
All in all it was great. One can really enjoy just a weekend together. A long weekend is better of course, but just a weekend is surprisingly nice. I still look forward to a full week of vacation with Lise though. Just 2 weeks to go.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Organics
As readers of my blog may know, I strongly prefer organic food products to industrially produced, chemically polluted products. I was a little worried that I would have to live with industry/chemistry foods here in Barcelona. On our scouting mission to Barcelona in January, Lise and I found one very small organic foods shop, and one very nice organic, vegetarian restaurant (I just googled, and it also got nice reviews on this random site).
The nearest supermarket to the apartment is a very large "Carrefour". So the first times I shopped there I scoured it for organics. I found few (but important ;o) products: Milk, Musli, chocolate (dark), tea, pasta and tomato sauce. Ok, I can live off that.
Things seem to start to move down here, however. A few weeks into the stay, I saw this stand outside the Carrefour.
In which they handed out leaflets about "how and why" organics. Inside the Carrefour there was a pretty girl handing out the leaflets. And now Carrefour has made a (very small) special section, in which they've collected most of their organic products, so they are easy to find. Great.
Later when I was walking to the central Placa Catalunya, I passed this shop:
The sign says "organic". I didn't go in, but I'm hoping for something like Egefeld (which is a fantastic shop, by the way). All in all I'm mildly optimistic for the organic aspects of my stay :o)
The nearest supermarket to the apartment is a very large "Carrefour". So the first times I shopped there I scoured it for organics. I found few (but important ;o) products: Milk, Musli, chocolate (dark), tea, pasta and tomato sauce. Ok, I can live off that.
Things seem to start to move down here, however. A few weeks into the stay, I saw this stand outside the Carrefour.
In which they handed out leaflets about "how and why" organics. Inside the Carrefour there was a pretty girl handing out the leaflets. And now Carrefour has made a (very small) special section, in which they've collected most of their organic products, so they are easy to find. Great.
Later when I was walking to the central Placa Catalunya, I passed this shop:
The sign says "organic". I didn't go in, but I'm hoping for something like Egefeld (which is a fantastic shop, by the way). All in all I'm mildly optimistic for the organic aspects of my stay :o)
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