AvatarMeet 2013 - As it happens

Started by Alan, July 21, 2013, 04:00:27 PM

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Alan

Kaltxì ma ayeylan,

Being as AvatarMeet 2013 is upon us, I though I would start a thread to enable aysmuke sì aystmukan to share the event with those who can't make it so they can be a part of it...in a way.

Some have already arrived in Washington DC and started lapping up the sights and sounds of AvatarMeet 2013.  Others are on their way.  As for me, well, I've started my journey and I'm now in a hotel waiting to get on my Ikran tomorrow to join the clan.  Hopefully we will be able to keep you up to date with the adventure to Hell's Gate and the expedition into the Pandoran forest later in the week.

Eywa ngahu and safe journeys,

Alan

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

#1
Well, I'll be the first to jump in, then!

First of sll, I hope the stewardess doesn't look at you strange when you ask where the tsaheylu port is at your seat aboard the nawma ikran lefngap!

Yesterday was spent at the Dulles portion of the Air and Space museum. An SR-71, a space shuttle and a Concorde. You can't ask for  too much more. But there is much more! (The downtown portion has Apollo 11's command module, the Spirit of St. Louis, moon rocks, pieces of the Hubble Space Telescope, a Cray 1 supercomputer, and other cool stuff.)

Today, a friend of mine who happened to be in town at the same time as I (but not in Na'vi business!) and I did the Catholic Basilca and the Washington National Cathedral. We did these places both spiritually (to attend services) and as tourists. At National, we attended Choral Evensong, and got to sit in the chancel with the choir, and the great organ on either side of us (and the console to our back). It was wonderful, both spiritually and musically! I then went back to the Catholic basilica to catch an organ recital given on a very interesting German classical design pipe organ in the church's undercroft. After that, I ended up doing some shopping that took me far longer than it should have. I ended up driving through downtown DC in the dark, not exactly sure where I was ::) But I made it back to the hotel safely.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Culpepr, VA to visit the Library of Congress Packard Media Center. A friend of mine runs the archival recovery labs there, and has promised me a 'cook's tour' (He also wants me to move out here and work for him, but I am not willing to give up my leoine friends!). I'm hoping by the evening that enough fellow blueskins are in town that we can get togehter that evening, or plan stuff for Tuesday morning!

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

Ikxeru

Yesterday we arrived in Washington by Amtrak and, after experiencing the East Coast heatwave in New York with temperatures reaching record highs it still was very humid and hot over here as well. We went to the Harrington hotel, the selected inofficial hotel and we were shocked. This is a shady flophouse.
There wer balls of hairs in the shower, something that looked like either puke of at least a dropped chocolate on the never vacuumed carped. The linen on the bed were and had smudes on it - some were greyish spotted and of some I very well know that they glow under blacklight! Fine to know that someone else had fun in the bed. A strong allergic reaction against dust mites made it impossible to stay there.
I always be very very alerted if a poster on a hotel says "The Tourist Hotel".

So we immediately checked out and went to the TOPAZ hotel on 1733 N St, N.W., Dupont Circle district.

Compute for a greater good! Join LN's folding@home-team!



Krro tsayun oe 'ivefu nìftxavang nìmun.
Krro oeri txe'lan tìsraw ke sasyi nulkrr ulte tsun oe rivun tìme'emit nìmun.
Krro fra'u lasyatem.
Krro a lu pxiye'rìn, pxiswaway, pxiset, set.
Krro lu krrpe? Ke omum nìno, tì'eyngmungwrr a'aw a lu oer.
Krro layu...

Toruk Makto

Good heavens. I hope the other hotel is a lot better than that!

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

Netrìp~Oetsyìp

Man, sorry about the crumby hotel visit Ikxeru. Have a better time at the other place at least and be glad you got to attend this year, eh? It'd be awesome if I could make it to even one of these gatherings someday.. 'Nuff my moping though, have a great time everyone! Looks like it'll be a good one this year.

Ftiafpi

Yikes, that's a pretty scary hotel story. Glad you found better accommodations.

Alan

Well, I've arrived - worn out!

I'm in the Harrington too!  Yeah, it could do with a make over for sure.  Sorry you found it so bad in your room ma Ikxeru.  My room doesn't seem as bad as you found yours.  Maybe I got luckier!

Looking forward to meeting up with folks tomorrow - YAY!

Alan

Alan

#7
Just a quick update...

I managed to meet up with Sarah, Mikko and Ali and we had Pizza - Irayo Mikko.  Om, yom, yom.

I also managed to hand over the Meet Up Survival Guides and badges.  So hopefully a few of them now have them.

On the way back I found a large screen erected on the Mall and a shed...no stadium load of people sat on the grass.  So I hung around to see what they were waiting for.  Turns out it was an open air cinema!  I ended up watching Bugs Bunny and the first bit of ET, which they were showing.

For some reason that I have not been able to figure out yet, everyone got to their feet and started waving there arms in the air when the HBO Logo came up! Maybe it is a locals custom?

Alan

 

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

#8
What a small world! My friend who is also in town is staying at the Topaz! I know where that is now, from having dropped him off there twice. It is also close to the headquarters for the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). The NAB uses this hotel, so that is a very strong positive endorsement for it.

I have an open bed here if someone else wants to leave the Harrington.

Before my visit to the media archive, I had some free time to visit a Civil War battlefield near Culpeper. There are lots of these battlefields in this are, and I suspect we will pass one or more on the way to Shendoah National park on Thursday.

My day at the Library of Congress Audio Video preservation center was very successful. I got to see more film (much of it in refrigerated vaults), videotape, audio tape, and recording and playback devices of every type and description. they also have the newest and most modern (and probably the last ever to be built) motion picture film processing lab in the world. They also have a massive dubbing and quality control center, and one of the worlds largest data archive systems. They have enough media of various sorts on hand to be processing it for the next sixty years! Last but not least, they have a very nice small theater that can screen any type of film ever made, including Nitrate film. They have movies there every weekend, so if you don't want to see 'Avatar' for some reason Saturday night, you can go over to Culpeper and see what's playing there ;)

Afterwards, I had a nice dinner with the center's technical manager, and some of the best payoang I have had in many years! (I also discovered a East African restaurant, that serves goat meat and other good things from my favorite part of 'Rrta. Its a bit of a drive, but if anyone is interested, it is a possibility tomorrow night or Wednesday.)

Is there an official plan for tomorrow? Mikko, I discovered PBS NOC is a 7 minute walk from my hotel!

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

Ikxeru

I am so much looking forward to meet-up with the clan tomorrow.

And yes, the NAB is just a few feet away from the Topaz - now I know where all the standards are made for my recording equipment, besides from the IEC.

Well, tomorrow - or, in a few hours so to speak - at least our plans are to visit the
Museum of the Native American Indian and some of the other museums. Too bad that there is no official schedule and no precise meeting point and date for a first meeting to organize what to do during the next days together.

Now it is 3 am - I will go to to bed in around half an hour and sleep until, meh, maybe 10am - I guess are ready to leave at 11 and could be at the Harrington at 11:30.

Please, could anybody shoot us a message about where we can meet?
Compute for a greater good! Join LN's folding@home-team!



Krro tsayun oe 'ivefu nìftxavang nìmun.
Krro oeri txe'lan tìsraw ke sasyi nulkrr ulte tsun oe rivun tìme'emit nìmun.
Krro fra'u lasyatem.
Krro a lu pxiye'rìn, pxiswaway, pxiset, set.
Krro lu krrpe? Ke omum nìno, tì'eyngmungwrr a'aw a lu oer.
Krro layu...

Alan

Kaltxì ma Ikxeru,

Looking forward to meet up. :). I've sent you a message with where we are looking to be today...funnily enough, at the Native American Museum!   You may not have seen it, as I don't think a few others have, but a newsletter was sent out on Saturday with some info on meeting up at the meet up.  Here's a links to the newsletters if anyone wants to view them:

http://www.avatarmeet.com/?m=4&p=5

Basically the loose plan today is to meet up at 10:00 at the Space & Flight Museum.  The badges and Meet Up Survival Guides will be handed out.  After lunch the intention is to go next door to the Museum of the Native American.  There is a guided tour at 14:00 if people want to join that.  I think it lasts an hour.  Then we venture next door again to the Botanical Gardens before arriving at Capitol Hill and perhaps a clan photo shoot maybe.

On Wednesday, we go to the zooooo!  YAY!  Remember to bring some insect repellent if you tend to get bit, as I did last year ....hmmmm...they say flies go for bad meet!  HAHAHAHA. ;D.

Anyway, hope to see you all later :D

Alan

`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

#11
I have some unplanned business to deal with. So, I will try and meet up with you at one of the museums. The tour at 1400 at the Native American museum might be where I catch up with everyone. I may also try and hit the natural history museum as well.

I plan to spend the entire day at the zoo tomorrow as well. But around noon, I plan to go to the relatively nearby Nationalo Cathedral for a demonstration of its immense pipe organ. Anyone else interested in welcome to tag along.

I will be wearing a shirt with two lions on it that says 'The Man Eaters of Tsavo'.

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]

chc2149

Hi All,

I am coming to this year's Avatarmeet from New York (you may have seen Richard/Taronyu's post about it earlier...) and need a ride from DC to the park on Thursday and then a lift back Monday. I am in DC at midday on Thursday, and would really appreciate a space in a car. Please let me know if you are able to accommodate me. I am unable to drive myself, as it is difficult for young foreign people to rent cars in the States.

Any assistance is appreciated. Shoot me an email at [email protected] if you can!

Looking forward to meeting you all. I have many greetings and hellos to pass on from Richard.

Yours,

Claire

AketuanNavi

Hey everyone. I know I've been absent for a long time, and I'm still kicking myself for being too busy to interact with the awesome people here.  :(

I hope everyone has a great time at the meetup, and I look forward to seeing the pictures (and possibly Alan's famous video logs?   ;)  ) afterwards.

I intend to be more active here once the dust settles after the meetup.

Have fun everyone!


mikkowilson

We miss you Aketuan!

Wish you were here.

- Mikko (& Sarah & Yasu)
Mikko Wilson
Juneau, Alaska, USA
[email protected] - www.mikkowilson.com - +1 (907) 321-8387

Ftiafpi

Quote from: chc2149 on July 23, 2013, 10:33:12 AM
Hi All,

I am coming to this year's Avatarmeet from New York (you may have seen Richard/Taronyu's post about it earlier...) and need a ride from DC to the park on Thursday and then a lift back Monday. I am in DC at midday on Thursday, and would really appreciate a space in a car. Please let me know if you are able to accommodate me. I am unable to drive myself, as it is difficult for young foreign people to rent cars in the States.

Any assistance is appreciated. Shoot me an email at [email protected] if you can!

Looking forward to meeting you all. I have many greetings and hellos to pass on from Richard.

Yours,

Claire

Got you covered. :)

Alan

Aketu-who?  ;D. Great to hear from you.  Thought you had got lost up in the mountains,...waaaaaay up in the mountains.  Hey no need to kick yourself we can do the for you -  hehehe.  Well, you'll definitely have to come to the next one....right ;)

As for what we got upto on Tuesday?  Well it all kinda started in a leisurely manner at the space and flight museum.  Some of Meet Up Survival Guides were handed out with the badges to those who joined us.  We started in the Space section which was fascinating.  My favourite bit was the Space Shuttle exhibition.  They showed a video of the final launch of Discovery.  I never tire of watching that.  The violent control explosive force to get it into space is...txantsan!

After seeing the space side of things we launched ourselves over to the flight side of the museum.  Some of us took a bit of a breather.  Poor old DJ Makto pulled a muscle,  but that wasn't going to ruin his whole day.  At lunch to clan split up a little with some staying a while, whilst the rest of us took a walk over to the Museum of the Native American.

Just as we were about to enter, our three German aysmukan strolled up - YAY! More MSGs and badges were handed out.  After introduction all round, we made our way into the museum which has a txantsan building, and made our way up to the top. We met Raiden and Sarah their as we made our way up to the top floor.

Up there they had like a planetarium type theatre which gave a a good overview of native people and their culture from all over the Americas.  Afterwards we gradually worked our way down and the floors.  As time was getting a bit tight to visit the Botanical Gardens some of us made our way over there as they had this smelly plant that only flowers once in a blue moon (raiders going to kill me for not know what it is called - hehehe)

We all met up again after that and made our way over to Capitol Hill for a group photo, before heading over to the Natural History Museum.  We were only managed to see a small proportion there as it is soooo huuuge!  But by now we were all needing some om, yom, yom!  So enter stage left DJ Makto, still hobbling along, who sorted out a place for us all to eat together.

We had to wait a while for the restaurant to clear a table for us.  The meal itself was an interesting experience in that you got given a meal ticket and then walked upto a meat counter to choose your meat which got wrapped in paper.  Then there was a side order stand.  With your meal ticket marked up you went back to your table and filled your face - HA!  Water was sieved copiously...mostly over the table.  It's the first time I've drank out of a jam jar!  But it was all very good and filled the spot.

By now we were all warn out and so it was time for some shut eye.  Wednesday will be a trip to the zoo.  I'm going to make sure I get some DEET on because I got bit by flies multiple times the last time I went!

And that ma ayeylan was Tuesday at AvatarMeet 2013.

Alan

Alan

#17
Well, time for another update on the gathering of the clans in Washington. So if you are sitting comfortably, then I shall begin.

The concept was to meet at the zoo entrance between 10:30 and 11:00.  Well myself and our German tsmukan arrived and we found a bench to wait for the rest of the clan.  We eventually go a message saying that they had just started out.  So we thought it prudent to get into the action and start exploring the zoo.

Now normally in a zoo you expect to see animals.  So we made our way through the rabbit warren of trails.  Sloth Bear...nope.  Otters....nope.  Fish cats...nope...Ooo!  There's one!  Quick photograph it!  Yay!  We were beginning to wonder if some of the animals had gone on their summer vacation!

We made our way further into the zoo, past the elephant, gorillas through the small mammal building and towards the invertebrate enclosure.  In here there was a bit of an aquarium and a few other animals and inserts.  I saw my German Tsmukan exit the building and tried to catch up with them, but by the time I stepped out I could not see them!  I waited for a bit.  They were probably looking for me.  So I went off looking for them...only probably in the opposite direction as I never caught up with them.

So I had a little sit down and thought I would wonder up the main path.  However, I ended up meeting the rest of the clan at the bird exhibit.  And off we went.  This was round two for me, but that was ok as I could video them too.  MOWHAHAHA....*cough, cough.

Gradually we worked our way down through the zoo, we did not come across out German aysmukan.  But it is hardly surprising as the zoo is so huge!  We saw seals, reptiles, pandas, turtles, crocks, spiders, snakes, otters and shed load of other animals.  Sarah and Mikko were met later on and we managed to see some red pandas too!  'Eylan Palalulukana joined us too as he had been looking at the big cats.

Now we were running on vapours and in need of a set of spare feet each we made our way to a tacco/macho (?) food place to get something to eat.  This was followed by a trip next door to the ice cream parlour.  Boy was that nice ice cream.  I certainly enjoyed filling my face there!

Thoroughly worn out by with our bellies full, we joined the Metro back to our respective hotels.

Tomorrow we head out into the Pandoran forest for the next part of the Avatar driver training!  Consequently we might be off grid, especially with me being on a UK phone and probably out of sight of a Wi-Fi connection.  But we will update as soon as we can.  Ooo,  I've realised I have not posted any piccies.  But rest assured that copious photos and video has been taken and will be published.  In the meantime here are a couple off my iPhone:
A couple of piccie from the Museum of the Native American:



Feeding time for the blue monkeys at Macho/tacco(?) place:


Well that is all I have so far...

Irayo ulte Eywae Ngahu,

Alan



Tìtstewan

A Palulukan should eat people who post so large images.... ::)
Use this codes:
[img width=723 height=968]http://imageshack.us/a/img838/5035/t4kv.jpg[/img]
[img width=723 height=540]http://imageshack.us/a/img825/1851/7z2g.jpg[/img]
[img width=723 height=540]http://imageshack.us/a/img541/444/z43q.jpg[/img]

-->





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`Eylan Ayfalulukanä

Here;s my update for the last couple of days!

Tuesday got off to an interesting start, as I had to 'find' the Metro, and then proceed to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to return a CD I had purchased, that was missing one of its two CD's (It is the best organ recording I have heard in a number of years, so it was disappointing that half of it was missing!) Then, with all due haste, I took the subway to the National Mall. With some effort, I located everyone. They were trying to do lunch in the Air and Space museum, so I got in line. Just about the moment I was to get into the building, they changed their mind, and all that waiting in line was in Vain ;)

We ended up having a nice lunch at the Museum of the American Indian. They had a number of authentic Native American dishes available, so I had a good feed of American Bison. Yom! Yom! Yom!

A few of us who were a lot more interested in Botany then anthropology (Raiden, DJ Makto and myself for starters) went off and explored the Botanical Gardens while the rest explored the Native American museum (which also looked very interesting). Later, the rest of the group joined us, so we explored the Botanical Gardens again! (The stinky flower was a Titan Arum Amorphophallus titanum, which blooms once every 7-10 years with a six foot tall flower that lasts for only 24-36 hours. It smells like rotting flesh to attract its pollinators, the same flies that lay eggs on dead animals. We were very lucky to see this immense flower! Pictures will eventually follow.)

After the Botanical Gardens, and a group photo near the RDA headquarters (Capital), we explored the Smithsonian Natural history museum. This was a 'split up and meet back at X time' operation. There was much to see here, and no one person saw everything. One of the most interesting exhibits I saw was multi-panel presentation showing how we developed language skills. Later, I found a really nice selection of books on linguistics in the gift shop, and availed myself of one of them.

After the museums, our tired group descended on a traditional Southwestern BBQ house, where you bought BBQ meat by the pound! Needless to say, Palulukan poan a 'Eylan lu fpom nìtxan ulte yolom txana tsnganit!

We all then took the subway back to our hotels and got a good night's rest.

The next day was zoo day! We all agreed to meet at the zoo between  10:30 and 11 AM. raring to go, I was there first, and waited for others to arrive. During the wait, I examined (and photographed) two enormous bronze lions that flank the entrance to the zoo (which is on a very ordinary city street). When no one seemed to show up (they were grouping up just out of my sight), I checked out the gift shop. Much to my dismay, they no longer carried scholarly zoology books. I learned that I was not the only disappointed customer. I will certainly let the management know that I was disappointed.  As it turns out, I spent nothing in any zoo gift shop, quite a rarity for me. This was more  chance than design. (Most zoos make about half their revenue on the gift shop, so shopping at the gift shop is a good way to support your zoo!)

When everyone arrived, we started exploring the Asian animal exhibit. As reported elsewhere, than animals were conspicuous by their absence (IMHO, a real problem at some modern zoos with (too) naturalistic habitats). Eventually, we did see the fishing cat (who ended up being visible all day), but the sloth bear and clouded leopard never made an appearance (and I passed by at least four times during the day).

I then took a break from the zoo, to make a pilgrimage to nearby Washington National Cathedral to hear a demonstration of their immense, 10,000+ pipe, pipe organ. I thought this was going to be a long, difficult walk, mainly uphill (the Cathedral sits on the highest point in Washington). But when I thought I was about halfway there, I happened to look up a side street, and there it was, just a couple blocks away! I got there in time to participate in a church service, and then the organ demonstration. When the demonstration was over (I really enjoyed it), I spent some time (more than I should have!) exploring the parts of the Cathedral I had missed on Sunday. I then started to walk back to the zoo, via a different route (and a better one for future visits).

On the way back to the zoo, I realized I was just a couple blocks away from the US Naval Observatory. Being an astronomer and a user of many of their services including GPS, which I was using to navigate my way back to the zoo at the time, this was a no-brainer. As it turns out, the observatory was not open for any kind of visit (at least from that entrance, which was really the back entrance). But there was a big digital clock there, displaying the exact time!

After I got back to the zoo, I had problems  finding the others (who were apparently coming and going, from Alan's account). Being a little later in the afternoon than I had planned, I made my way down to the big cats (who are way at the back of the zoo). The big cat exhibit is built like a big wedding layer cake, with three segments each about a third of the 'cake'. It took a while to find the cats, but one section contained a tiger, another a male lion, and the third, two lionesses. I ended up spending a lot more time than I had planned there, as the cats were just active enough to keep my interest up. By the end of the afternoon, I ended up with a bunch if interesting cat activity recorded in my camera. The male lion also roared with a full roaring 'song', which he then repeated periodically. This is a bit uncommon, so not only did I enjoy it, but so did everyone else present (Lions usually do not roar if people are present - They don't roar because they don't feel a need to).

Eventually, I 'tore myself away from the falulukan so I could spend some time looking at other things. I called Mikko to see if I could figure out what the others were up to. It turns out I called at just the right time, when Mikko had just determined what was going on. Eventually, we all converged (again!) in the Asian animal exhibit where we all  got a good look at both red and giant pandas. (It was late afternoon, and the long lines to see the pandas, had dissipated.)

We ended our day at a Mexican fast food place that was actually quite  good (I am not a big Mexican food fan,  so this was a good endorsement for me). On the way back, we did some shopping for needed supplies at a couple of malls near 'Pentagon City' (Knowing about this will make future trips to Washington MUCH easier!). It turned out that this was close enough to our hotels that we walked back to them, rather than using the subway.

We all gathered in (I think) Mikko Wilson's room to work out logistics  for tomorrows 'trip into the flux vortex'. Once we had everything arranged, we all went our separate ways. A shower felt REALLY good after all that walking (much of it uphill) in the heat.

In any case, this will be my last 'log entry' until our return from the 'floating mountains' (Shenandoah National Park). I am sure there will be much to report when we return. 'Taronyu', my ikran is ready for the adventure as well!

Yawey ngahu!
pamrel si ro [email protected]