These are the last few pictures that I've just pulled off the camera. Korea seems an awfully long way away now, even though it is really less than a week.
On the way to the airport. Not sure what the red stuff is
Lottery burgers. Guess which one is for the Microsoft person....
My biggish camera can take pictures in RAW format. This means that rather than compressing and processing the image data when it takes a picture, the camera simply dumps the output of the photo sensor into a file. It results in rather large files (around 14Mb in my case) for each picture but it does represent the epitome of quality, as you get all the data from the picture. It also means that you can do things like white balance compensation (making sure that things don't look yellow, or blue or whatever) after taking the picture, rather than at the time.
I was taking pictures of Seoul at night, and unsure about the white balance, so I took a few RAW pictures as well. The bad news was that when I got home, I now had to convert them into proper images. Fuji, who made my camera, supply a truly horrid set of programs to do this. They don't work very well on Vista, and I've lost the disks, so I thought I was stuffed. Until I found this.
These folks have written an image decoder for Finepix cameras that does everything I want. It is free and it works. If you want to play with RAW images and get the maximum quality from your camera, you should download the program and have a play.
Raw Seoul
I feel rather bad about this. Rather than attend the World Fair part of the Imagine Cup awards I instead snuck out and took a trip round Seoul. I'd checked that I wouldn't be needed for anything, and it is rather unlikely that I will get to this wonderful city again in a long while, so it was into a taxi and off to the shopping district.
Taxis in Seoul are ace. They are very inexpensive and very efficient. Some of their drivers can speak English too, which is nice. And they have air conditioning, which is all important.
So, all we had was two bits of paper. One had the name of the shopping district written on it, and the other had the name of the hotel written on it. Both of them contained the only Korean language that we had on us. But at no point did this seem a problem. The sun was out, the people were friendly, and away we went. Of course I had both cameras, and of course I took loads of pictures. Most of them will be up on Flickr later, for now here are a few choice snaps.
We found this little market square area. This is the layout of the stalls.
Then we found ourselves in a video game arcade. This was tucked away in a side street. Even so there were plenty of machines.
Single player
This guy was seriously good
Draw your picture, take a call. That's multi-skilled...
The old and the new
Side street
After spending a few hours happily wandering around and steadily accumulating bits and bobs we found another taxi, gave the driver the other piece of paper and headed back to the hotel. I've got some pictures of the trip, which will appear later.
By the time we got back it was pretty dark, but the air was clear and so it was time to take some night views.
The view from the 11th floor
...and another.
Seoul is wonderful. If you get the chance to go, just go. And take me along too...
I've been thinking about this post. I'm wondering if it makes me seem more brave/stupid than I actually am. We did go off without much backup, but we had made sure that people back at the hotel knew where we were going and when we were due back. We also made sure that all the taxis that we took were proper ones, stayed in sight of each other and never strayed too far off the main streets. My impression is that Seoul is no more dangerous than any big city, but that is not a reason for taking undue chances.
I'd never heard of W hotels before I came to Korea. I have now. This place is amazing. I could (and probably will) devote an entire post to my room. I've no idea how I managed to merit such lavish accommodation, but since it will probably never happen again, I'm making the most of it.
On the way to breakfast you pass this "wooden video wall". A camera in the middle grabs a video frame which is then used to orient thousands of little wooden blocks to show the picture. It does work, and the blocks make a super trickling noise as people walk past and the picture changes. I want to build one.
This is the view from the hotel restaurant. I suspect it looks even better by night. Say hello to Dennis and Nannette.
These are made of logs which have been sliced and fitted together to make art. Amazing.
Sometimes it feels like you've strayed onto the set of a sixties spy movie.
The lift has these amazing hanging lights. They are red when you are going down....
...and green when you are going up.
I'm sure I could get tired of living here. Maybe in 100 years.
Today was the day that the top six contestants in the Imagine Cup Software Development Challenge got to strut their stuff in front of hundreds of students, a bunch of VIP judges and press from all around the world.
And by gum they were good. I was very pleased that a few of the teams that I thought were excellent had made it through to the final. Frankly, I wish they could all get first prize.
Rogerio gets things going
They guy in front of me was certainly on message.....
All the top teams at the end of the auditorium.
Very well done people. Your lives just changed a little bit....
After lunch, and an ice cream, we set off on the next stage of our trip, which was a cruise on the Han river.
All aboard
Apartments
The captain, looking cool in white gloves
This bridge has a name, but I've forgotten it
Do I get any marks for composition?
Once we got off the boat we headed for a market street.
The pastel umbrellas are Imagine Cup students. Bless.
At this point I'm ashamed to say that I deviated a little from the enlightened path of culture when someone mentioned leaving the tour and heading for the electronics district. I'm afraid that I weakened and we headed off for the nearest subway station.
Route Planning
Hmm. Or we could just buy at the window...
Thank heavens I didn't pack my heels..
Not our train.
Tube travel
branded handrail
Now this is what I call a subway station
On the way to the mart
Mobile phones anyone?
Pink is the new black
Component heaven
Gadget happy team
People in Seoul are very obliging. I got the camera out and the guy in the booth instantly struck a pose.
Indeed it is
There is a Marks and Spencer coming soon...
Obligatory taxi shot
... and when we arrived
We found this amazing Italian place for tea. With the most wonderful artwork on the walls.
..and the calzone was wonderful too
Finally we got a taxi back to the hotel (taxis are amazing value here) and staggered into bed.
(This is a very graphics heavy post. And there are literally hundreds more pictures on Flicker if you want to see them)
Today was culture day. So early in the morning we headed off to the Seoul Museum of History in a bus with very funky ceiling
Rather sadly it was raining heavily, but fortunately we had each been provided with an umbrella. When we got to the museum they had set up a super little machine which provides you with a little bag to put your wet umbrella in, which was very cute.
Students in search of culture (shurely shome mishtake?)
The museum was great, although we didn't really have time to do it justice. In Europe we like to lord it over our American cousins, because we have stuff which is hundreds, nay thousands of years older than most of the history that they've got. Well, the Koreans have got us beat hands down. On the evidence of the museum they were building rich and complex civilizations whilst us brits were living in caves and running around painted blue.
Next stop was Gyeong Bok Gung. This is a royal palace of the Jaseon Dynasty (it says here). All I know is that it was fantastic, and I got some lovely pictures.
Mist on the mountains
The team with their new best friend
Courtyard
Perhaps my favourite picture so far
I don't know what they are, but they look nice
After the palace we moved on to Bibimbob Olympic Stadium for lunch.
Big place....
The food was prepared in an enormous wok, big enough for the chef to actually get into.
I cooking with a step ladder...
Then some of the competitors were invited to have a stir with the biggest wooden spoons I've ever seen.
Stirring stuff
While we waited for the food too cook the Egyptian team managed amazing feats of balance...
Big Wok Lunch
Now, anyone who knows me well will have encountered my massive conservatism where food is concerned. I'm just not adventurous when it comes to eating habits. Steak and chips is about as exotic as I get most of the time. Having said that, I did my best and Matt Steeples from our team managed to excel himself by just about clearing his plate. Then it was on to the boat trip.
It is now Wednesday morning. Except that it isn't where you are reading this. Probably. Because of the time difference thingy I find that I'm in tomorrow, whereas the readers of this might blog not be. Until you catch up of course.
Very confusing, and yet somehow appropriate for Korea. I've had time to take a few happy snaps around the place.
Korean ganja fizzy grape juice.....
...with Korean ingredients (I wonder which one is sugar?)
the longest bar in South Korea. So they say.
Future phone, and a more traditional one
What we are here for
We are going out today (or is that tomorrow) for some culture. I hope that too much doesn't rub off on me. I'll post some more pictures from the future later.
Korea is an amazing place. I know we are getting 90% posh hotel and 10% Korea, but it is still amazing. Tomorrow we take a break from the competition and go for a look around Seoul, so that will be a chance to try and see what the real place is like.
For me, formal involvement in the Imagine Cup 2007 is pretty much over. Today, after a very intense but hugely enjoyable set of judging rounds I've completed my duties. In all I've sat through 22 team presentations, and I've enjoyed every one. I've a whole bunch of comments for each team and I plan to go round and try to have a chat with each at the World Fair at the end of the week.
Sadly,"The Seedlings" are also out of the competition. I've not seen their final presentation but I do know how hard they have worked and how much they put into their entry. Very well done guys for getting this far. It is a perhaps a bit of a cliche to say that "Nobody leaves the competition empty handed" but, in terms of the value of the experience and the way that having taken part in will change their lives, I reckon that for the Imagine Cup it is definitely true.
"The Seedlings" - Master of Complications all
I've got a garden shed full of respect for you guys, and your mentor from Black Marble, Robert Hogg. (You must come round and get it soon - I can't reach the lawn mower).
I feel a bit of a fraud. I'm here at the Imagine Cup Finals in Seoul, in the poshest hotel I've ever stayed in (the room itself is worthy of a whole bunch of pictures - and it will get them) and all I have to do is watch some student presentations and write down how good I think they are.
I was lucky enough to go to the world finals last year in India, and they were incredible. The place and the people combined to give a once in a lifetime experience. And here I am again in the same position, but as a judge this time. I wonder if this means I'm getting two lifetimes?
We given a warm welcome when we arrived and that has continued right through the day. The organization has been faultless and, like last year, everyone you meet is determined to do everything they can to make this a special occasion.
Imagine Cup 2007 Welcome Reception
Things got formally under way with a welcome reception. Joe and the rest of the team set the scene for the next few days. Wednesday looks like a particular highlight, with all kinds of cultural events planned, ending with dinner with the mayor.
Joe Wilson gets the party started...
When a student competition is invited to eat with the mayor of a city of over 10 million you know you are in the middle of something special.
Competition proper starts tomorrow, with teams from the 100 countries taking part getting down to the serious stuff. The Seedlings will begin their progress through the Software Development Challenge with a presentation tomorrow.
What do you do if you are in a strange city thousands of miles from home, you've had two hours sleep over the last day and you take twenty seconds to answer a hard question like "How are you?"
Well, we went gadget shopping. Having checked in, grabbed some food (in the most amazing place - pictures tomorrow) and sorted out a few bits and bobs we boarded bus "B" to the Techno-Mart. Apparently this is not the biggest one - only 10 floors of hardware - but it is pretty darned huge. Think Harrods but with technology and you are about there. Although, unlike Harrods, there are actually lots of individual traders in there - we saw a huge number of somewhat identical displays of hundreds of cameras.
The place to be
10 floors.
After a while we found two solid floors of computer stuff; including brand new, original copies of Windows 98. I wonder how many of them they sell a day...
These girls were outside. No idea what they were selling, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Sculpture
Seoul street
View from Bus B
Street corner
After an hour the jetlag was really getting to everyone and we staggered out onto the bus again. And I had bought nothing. I'm so proud of myself. Lots of tempting toys and and the credit card stayed firmly in the wallet.
But we are here for the next few days. And I know where it is.....
(For the next few days you are going to get some graphics heavy posts. But I hope you like the pictures people...... There are even more on Flickr.
We took off from Heathrow on time, which was nice.
Name that town, and win a prize
Leaving the White Cliffs of Dover behind...
La Belle France. Look closely to spot cars driving on the wrong side of the road....
The team make some last minute changes
Very cute airport terminal at Paris
Cactus at Seoul airport
We all wanted a go on this
Boarding the bus
The team on the poshest bus I've ever been on
Nice Bridge
Amusements
Riverside
Shiny building
Why we are here. I'm off for lunch now, more later
Went out with the UK Imagine Cup team this evening. Good food, good company, good stuff.
"The Seedlings": James Alexander, Matthew Steele, Matthew Steeples and their mentor Robert Hogg.
Then back to work for some finishing touches.
Donut powered programming....
Oooh. Nice sunset over Heathrow
We get up at 5:00 am tomorrow. Wish us luck....
Well, I'm sitting at the Crowne Plaza in Heathrow typing on the teeny tiny keyboard on the teeny tiny machine and marveling at my little Smartphone. It is the best phone I've ever had (of course it should be, it is also the newest phone I've ever had - but I have been known to go backwards)
It can make phone calls, send sms, send mms, send email, receive active push email (like a Blackberry, but better). It has two movies and season one of Spaced on it, along with several hundred music tracks. I can browse the web, get maps, send pictures to Flickr, all kinds of stuff. In short it is pretty much everything I want in a mobile device.
As I write this it is providing a very useable Internet connection which just worked. Just worked! When I recall the grief I used to have trying to get on line with my phone I just can't believe how easy it was. Vista and Windows Mobile 6.0 really do get on well in this respect. I've had three hours of high quality music on the train on the way here too.
It is the HTC S710. And it rocks.
Very posh hotel room desk. But Internet at eight pounds an hour? I don't think so...
I'm setting off for Korea later today. So it was off to Cottingham to get a few travel essentials.
One of these items is not going to Korea....
Number one daughter got me an uber-Boggle for my birthday. It does 5x5 puzzles. Wonderful.
How many words can you make?
Spent today recovering from the London day trip. We got up bright and early and were in London by 9:30.
Kings X
We drifted over to Tate Modern, had a look round and a coffee and took in the view over the river.
St. Paul's, wobbly bridge and boat
Then we wandered down to Covent Garden
St. Paul's rear entrance (so to speak)
Badges and bangles
Then it was on to Harrods for coffee and donuts.
Oh goody, they have a sale on....
And then back to Hull and a lovely sunset
The train wot brought us home.
I've been spending some time scanning old photographs and loading them up onto the computer. It helps to pass the time whilst watching dross TV and I've found some gems in amongst the albums. The thing that has impressed me most is the quality of the results though. Using a fairly modest Canon scanner and 6x4 inch prints I've been able to get some very nice looking results, even when viewed on the big screen telly.
Today I used the Vista Media Centre option to burn a whole bunch of pictures onto a DVD. This is wonderful. It gives you a lovely, ever changing slide show of pictures which works in any DVD player. I've been dishing these out to family members, who have been very impressed. Even though the images include one of me wearing shorts.
Had a BBQ today to celebrate my upcoming annual event. Most surprisingly the weather was very good to me, with a break in the rain just long enough for Tim to cook some burgers and sausages, and us to sit in the garden and drink beer whilst solving the problems of the world.
Colourful cutlery
Folks turned up with presents and cards and I was supplied with a special T shirt to wear, celebrating the fact that tomorrow I'm very old. Unfortunately no photographs were taken of this.. Good stuff and thanks to all.
A great time was had, even though I was beaten at Mario Strikers on the Wii by someone less than a seventh of my age...
Did the Scarborough degree ceremony today. Lovely. The weather was a bit brisk, but it never actually rained. I took the bigish camera and the wide angle lens. And had some fun taking photographs.
Fun on the beach
Grass
Graduand's Lunch
Funfair
View from the stage...
..and from the back.
There are a bunch more on my Flickr site.
Rob Miles is technology author and educator who spent many years as a lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Hull. He is also a Microsoft Developer Technologies MVP. He is into technology, teaching and photography. He is the author of the World Famous C# Yellow Book and almost as handsome as he thinks he is.
