Day 8 (27 October 2018) in Ahmedabad, India

Waked up at 1:30am to catch my flight back to Boston that depart at 5:30am from Ahmedabad International airport. My colleague from MIT and I took the hotel car to airport. We boarded Etihad airline and left India on time. I’ve to say, Etihad airline service onboard was great but the service crew at the gate in Abu Dhabi Airport was very cruel if I use very soft term. Other than that my trip to India was so productive and successful. I can’t wait to be home.

Pictures taken at Abu Dhabi Airport 

Day 7 (26 October 2018) in Ahmedabad, India

The last day of the conference and last day for me to see daylight in Ahmadabad. The conference concluded successfully just a few minute earlier than scheduled. In general, the meeting went out very well. One thing that made many of us unhappy (just for fun) was spending the entire week without a single drop of alcohol into our mouth. The state where we had the meeting (Gujarati state) is a dry state, and can find no alcohol in any places or restaurants. Well! We demonstrated that scientist can survive without bear for a week long. However, we had our last dinner at the nearby (from our hotel) restaurant, which looks like western style restaurant, and there we found margaritas. Yes! Don’t be happy it is non alcoholic. Here is the orange margaritas that I had at this restaurant. BTW, the food at this restaurant was the best food most of us ever had since we arrived in Ahmadabad.

 Panel discussion at the closing ceremony

 These are top young scientist winners!

 See you in three or four years somewhere on our globe!

Orange Margaretta!

Day 6 (25 October 2018) in Ahmedabad, India

It was again busy day at work and did not see anything new today, except a few of us were taken to sovinor shopping place where you can find Indian traditional clothes and scarps as well us some suvinours. 

Fully at work

One of funny commercial!

Day 5 (24 October 2018) in Ahmedabad, India

Today is the excursion tour day. We went to see two prominent historic site in Ahmadabad. The first stop was the place where Gandhiji isolated himself when he returned back from South Africa, a country where he gained knowledge about rebellion against the European colonizer is a legitimate action and must be done. It is now called Sabarmati Ashram (also known as Gandhi Ashram, Harijan Ashram, or Satyagraha Ashram) and is located in the Sabarmati suburb of Ahmadabad, adjoining the Ashram Road, on the banks of the River Sabarmati. This was one of the residences of Mahatma Gandhi who lived there for about twelve years along with his wife Kasturba Gandhi, after he returned back from South Africa. Ashram means monastery. This was the place where he trained countless Indian followers to fight against the British colonizers. It was also served as his base when he led the Dandi march (241 miles from the ashram) also known as the Salt Satyagraha on 12 March 1930, with 78 companions in protest at the British Salt Law that increased the taxes on Indian salt in an effort to promote sales of British salt in India. In recognition of this march and its significant influence for the Indian independence, the Indian government has established the ashram as a national monument.  

Gandhi perfectly knew that unless they (the Indian) do the dirty job and librate their country, no one can do it for them. He also knew that can not come without any scarification, but he was very much prepared to pay whatever price the colonizers may tag on him. While at the ashram, he formed a tertiary school that focused on manual labour, agriculture and literacy, in order to advance the awareness of Indians so that they understand his efforts for the nation's self-sufficiency. He also wrote several articles about this in which made colonizers uncomfortable. Although his eye opener articles draw unimaginable support from the Indian and even attracted massive follower into his little monastery, it costed him several scarification to pay. He was beaten, arrested, sentenced to serve longtime in Jail though it was not as long as 28 years as Mandela did to liberate South African from the ruthless Apartheid rulers. Gandhi also knew economic pressures on the rulers was the main tools to liberate India, and educated India to do just that. The economic pressures includes boycotting foreign products, such us clothes, alcohol, salts and others. He even requested Indian to burn their foreign clothes and asked them to make their clothes from domestic cotton, though most of the cotton farms are owned by the rulers. (Every time, I visited any historical place I always found some kind of similarities. For example, the equipment the Gandhi followers were using to make their clothes at the monastery looks very much similar with the equipment that the Ethiopian still use in the countryside to make the traditional clothes.) All these mass civil disobedience that he led had of course severe consequences. For example, his Salt march led to the jailing of some 60,000 freedom fighters by the British Raj over the following three weeks and losing control of his base, ashram. Since the British rulers refused to give his base back, Gandhi later disband the ashram and make his once crowded base a deserted place but local citizens decided to preserve it. Gandhi had vowed that he would not return to the ashram until India had gained independence, and he was assassinated on 30 January 1948.

The first house in ashram where Gandhi and his family lived!

The instrument that was used to make clothes from cotton!

Protest symbolism; hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil!

 Leaving Ashram with full of new culture!

The next stop was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel national memorial, which is a museum and exhibition centre dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (the first home minister of India after independence) at Moti Shahi Mahal, located in Shahibaug, Ahmedabad. Moti Shahi Mahal was constructed by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan between 1618 and 1622. The saloon is spacious and lofty as the building; the walls are covered with a white stucco, polished like the finest marble, and the ceiling is painted in small compartments with much taste. The angular recesses lead to eight small octagon rooms, four below and as many above with separate stairs to each. They are finished in the same style as the saloon. The flat roof commands a wide view; the rooms under the saloon, and a surrounding platform ornamented with small canals and fountains, form a cool retreat. Vallabhbhai Patel memorial is also located on the ground floor of the palace, covering the central hall and four adjacent rooms. Patel, as India's first home minister after independence, was very instrumental in integrating princely states into India and created a unified India that the world knows today. In short, he saved India from disintegration into pieces; because right after independence, many of the princely states intended to declare independence and consider themselves as sovereign countries. Patel protected such act with very matured diplomacy and even by force when the diplomacy failed. That is why he earned special respect by many Indians, probably the same respect as Mahatma Gandh, his comradeship.

The palace from the front end!

Finally, our excursion concluded by having the conference gala dinner at the Narayani Height hotel, Bhat, Gandhinagar. The reception was arranged outside with live Indian dance performances. It was there where we saw unbelievable performances. Until I saw it that day, I never believed that anyone can burn fire on top her head and boil a tea with it while dancing an elegant dance. It was amazing and very scary to watch actually. Here is what had happened, a young beautiful lady put some kind of towel on top of her head, put some kind of rounded head rap that was socked with fuel, then placed a jar half filed with cold milk and tea spices, then lighted the head rap with fire, and started dancing around the stage with a music while the fire is burning and cooking the tea at the top of her head. She even stepped on the nails and glasses while she was dancing. She dance as if nothing is on top of hear head for an extended time, which was until tea got well cooked. Finally she demonstrated to her audience that she really made a real tea by poring the tea on the cap and passing it to different tables. Our table got one cap and it was really well cooked tea. Incredible!!

Day 4 (23 October 2018) in Ahmedabad, India

It was completely busy working day. We had no any activities except our regular work at the meeting hall. 

At work

Day 3 (22 October 2018) in Ahmedabad, India

 Here we come, first day of ISEA 15 at PRL

 Unlike other ISEA meetings that I attended before, this one requires check-in and check-out by scanning our budge twice a day!

It was the opening ceremony of our conference. As expected it was Indian style very ceremonial with the presence of ex-chairman of ISRO (Indian Scientific Research Organization) as guest of honor. He gave us very brief impressive journey of ISRO. We (the scientific organizing committee members) were also honored at the opening ceremony and received a token of appreciation for our effort in organizing this meeting. BTW, I never seen a scientist escorted by policemen with machine gun before, except ISRO’s ex-chairman.

 In my career as a scientist, the first time I saw a scientist (ex-ISRO chair) escorted by security force with a machine gun!

 Recognition for MSO members at the opening ceremony!

 At work!

 At the PRL Director's dinner reception!

At the evening, right after the dinner hosted by the director of PRL, where we’re having the meeting, we were taken to the open amphitheater which is owned and managed by the daughter of the Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of PRL or the Indian calls him the father of Indian space science technology. His daughter and her team showed us the history of Indian dancing style with impressive depictions.

 Attending the performance directed by the daughter of the Dr Vikram Sarabhai

 Some of the performance

Daughter of the Dr Vikram Sarabhai (left side)

Day 2 (21 October 2018) in Ahmedabad, India

Good morning Ahmedabad. It look the sky is not clear enough, humm! I wonder whether anyone, who does not believe in global warming, see this and question the following. Why the sky is not blue? What makes it not to blue when there is no cloud coverage? What is the consequences? I tried to sleep until I wake up by myself, but the house keeping waked me up twice (10am and 12pm). Well the second wake up made me leave my bed. I knew I missed the breakfast time slot, so I went to the restaurant to have my breakfast and lunch together. Just to say it in a simple ward, I just finished having a big but testy lunch at the hotel restaurant. 

Since we had free afternoon, four of us (US contingent) went out to see a few sites. The first stop was at Adalaj Stepwell (or Rudabai Stepwell) is located in the village of Adalja close to Ahmedabad city. It was built in 1498 by Rana Veer Singh of the Vaghela dynasty of Dandai Desh. The Stepwell which is a cylindrical brick lined well has been constructed  to collect rain water during seasonal monsoons, and is found in more arid regions of the Indian subcontinent and Pakistan. 

Pictures at Adalaj Stepwell with strangers that we meet at the site

The next site that we visited was one of the elegant Swaminarayan Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar, 35km from Ahmedabad. It is a large Hindu temple complex inspired by Yogiji maharaj the fourth spiritual successor of Lord Swaminarayan Swaminarayan according to the denomination of Swaminarayan Hinduism, and created by Pramukh Swami, the fifth spiritual successor of Lord Swaminarayan according to the denomination of Swaminarayan Hinduism. The temple complex was built over 13 years, (completed in 1993) and is a tribute to Lord Swaminarayan and his life and teachings. Any camera is not allowed, including cellphone; so I don’t have any picture from the internal compound of the temple, but found this picture that depicted the external architecture of the temple.

Day 1 (19 October 2018) in Ahmadabad, India

My colleague from MIT and I kicked off our very long journey early afternoon on Friday (19 October). The mission is again scientific, i.e., to attend the the 15th ISEA conference in Ahmedabad, India. We’ll be hiding there for the whole week until the 27th of October. 

A little bit about our flights. Of course, the service on the American carrier, which we took from New York to Dublin, are ——. The last two flights are operated by Qatar airlines. The service is so elegant. The food is great, the crew are so friendly, just everything looks so fantastic. We transit through Doha, a city which I’ve never been before. It is very elegant airport. Anyway, the transit was very smooth and we boarded our next (last) flight of the trip on time. One thing that I noticed on Qatar Airlines is about the crew member onboard. On both of our two flights, I can say the entire crew members are either Indian or Asian (looks like Philippino or somewhere around), I did not see any one from Middle East. I wonder why? We arrived in Ahmadabad about 30min earlier than scheduled. When we steeped out of the airport we found a guy holding our name, waiting for us. He drove us to our hotel, and finally I settled in my room at about 3am on Sunday. Humm! I started my journey at 2:30pm on Friday and arrived at my destination at 3am on Sunday??? 

Day 7 (October 13, 2018) in Baku, Azerbaijan

I waked up at 1:40am to catch the bus to the airport. All my colleague were in the bus earlier waiting for me. I arrived at the bus onetime, 2am. We started driving to the airport, and after a few minute of drive someone screamed “wait! wait! wait! I forgot my wallet”, that was me. I got panicked, everyone did so but tried to calm me down. The bus stopped, and the local host called the hotel and asked them to check my room. I keep panicking but keep searching my backpack. Finally, my wallet was sticked into one small pocket of my backpack. Then I yelled back, “I found it”, of course with deep apology. Then the panicking atmosphere suddenly changed to laughter and jocks. The bus resumed its journey, the local host called back the hotel and told them that I found my wallet. The hotel crew responded back (as jock of course) and said to the local host that “since I left the hotel without saying goodbye to them this incident happened to me”. That was nice of them. Anyway, everybody made it to the airport safely and boarded our flight on time, and here I’m writing this story on the plane at 36000 ft altitude above sea level.

Day 6 (October 12, 2018) in Baku, Azerbaijan

Unfortunately, today is the last day of the conference. After concluding the conference before lunch, we’d the opportunity to visit the Azerbaijan’s aviation academy. We did visit different sections of the academy, including the simulator, class rooms with dead engines of the aircraft (helicopter and fighter jet engines that we saw), aviation museum, and some part of the academy’s compound. The president of the aviation academy gave us a tour. Well! talking about the simulator, one of my colleague    from NASA and I rushed in the Boeing simulatottir and tried to fly over Seattle. We took off with so and so but we couldn’t land the plane properly. The penguin at one of the Madagascar movie said to their passages that “we’ve good and bad news, the good news is we landed on the ground and the bad news is we crash landed”. Well my NASA colleague, acted as copilot    , and me as a pilot landed the plane to the ground but crush landed.

At the aviation academy of Azerbaijan, in the flight simulation room (on pilot seat)

Since we’ve free afternoon, a small group (the American contingent) went to the rags museum    and shop where you can find the real and original Persian rags as well as see how they make the rags. The price is not that simple. My two Bostonian colleague bought a good size rug (enough for coffee table area of the living room). When you buy the rug, they packed the rug with a suitcase and provide you a certificate that include the picture of the rug you purchased so that life will be easy at the custom.

This is how the elegant Azerbaijan made rug

This is hows the rugs are made, it takes a couple of months to do one normal size rug~

In the middle of Baku city center!

Baku's Maiden Tower is a legendary place and world-famous landmark in Baku, which listed as one of historic monuments in 2001 under the UNESCO

The Flame Towers that consist of three buildings (South, East and West), as viewed from Shirvanshahs palace. The towers costs an estimate of US$350 million for construction (construction began in 2007 and completed in 2012)

Then we headed to the old city at the center of Baku, where you can find the Shirvanshahs palace. The Shirvanshahs, who has a thousand year history, were the rulers of the state of territory that extends from the Caspian Sea to the city of Gabala north-west of Baku. The feudal kingdom of Shrivan was established in the 6th century. Even the first mention of the name Shrivan in writing dates back to the 7th century. The construction of the he Shirvanshahs palace started in the 12th century; and first modified as well as expanded by Ibrahim I in the 14th century and continue the modification by his successors until the 15th century. In the palace there is also a museum that provides insight into the history of the palace, the dynasty of the Shirvanshahs, and the culture of Azerbaijan. It is actually an interesting cite to visit for anyone who stop by at Baku. Finally, we concluded our time in Baku and went back to our hotel, and start counting the hours down for our departure time.

Day 5 (October 11, 2018) in Baku, Azerbaijan

Another busy day at work. I had to give my second lecture, this time only 30-minute long. In the evening, we went to —— restaurant for the conference’s gala dinner. It was sponsored by the Development of Science Foundation of Azerbaijan. Simply stated, it was the most entertaining fun part of the conference. I remember that in one of the NASA documentary movie, where I was a part, one professor said “Science does not have a boarder”. In deed, it does not have a boarder at all. At this specific conference dinner, everyone feels like brothers and sisters though they came from countries that do not get along politically. For example, I saw a Russian young scientist hug and dance with her Ukrainian counter part. It was really unforgettable moment. Just think for a moment, what kind of life each human being on Earth would have if political leaders trust and love each other instead of scrutinized each other. Anyway, goodnight for today.

Day 4 (October 10, 2018) in Baku, Azerbaijan

Today is the excursion day. It was to visit two space science facility located outside Baku. This actually gave me to see the countryside of Azerbaijan, a country with a population of ~10M people of which about half of the population live in Baku. On our way to the facilities, we witnessed a lot of land fragile. I was wondering why such huge lands are left uncultivated. Later, I found out that until recently the land belongs to the government. Now the government put the land on the market but remain unfordable to many of the local people to purchase the land. The government seems no interest to cultivate the land as the country has other wealth to handle, oil.

Here is the sign of Russian influence! 

Here just part of huge land fragile! 

The first stop was the Baku-Shamakhy control station, the main Satellite Ground Control Station of Azercosmos. It is located in the territory of Absheron peninsula, near the city of Baku. It is here the three Azerbaijan’s satellites are tracked and controlled. The first Azerspace-1 telecommunication satellite, which was fully built by the U.S. Orbital Sciences Corporation, was launched into geostationary orbit on February 8, 2013 by Arianespace of France with launch vehicle Ariane-5ECA from Guiana Space Centre in Kourou. The second telecommunications satellite (Azerspace-2), also known as Intelsat 38, is built by U.S.-based Space Systems Loral, was launched into geostationary orbit on 25 September 2018, from the Kourou Space center in France Guiana. The third satellite Azerbaijan has is an Earth observation LEO satellite (Azersky). I’m very impressed and even jealous with the performance of Azerbaijan, and managed to successfully launched and operate three satellites within less than 5 years from the start of its space program.

Some of the facilities found in the premises of Azercosmo compound!  

The next stop was at the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory, which is located in Sharkhi, Azerbaijan, on the south-eastern foothills of the Great Caucasus Mountain ridge about 144 km far from Baku and at an altitude of 1,435 m. The observatory was built during the Russian empire in 1964.

The Juma Mosque of Shamakhy seen from outside!

Some of the internal views inside Juma Mosque of Shamakhy

On our way to the observatory we did stop by and visited the Juma Mosque of Shamakhy. It was first constructed in 743 but seriously damaged due to natural cause (the aftermath the 1859 and 1902 Earthquakes) and foreign invasion (the Armenian invasion who set the mosque on fire in 1918). Finally, with the decree of President Ilam Aliyev, the mosque has been extensively restored and rebuilt during 2010-2013. Although I never been inside any mosque before, I found the internal part of this Mosque is so elegantly decorated. One funny thing that I experienced was that the local mosque guard (may be a kind of guid because he dis not have any weapon to be a guard) asked my local host, who was next to me, where I’m from; and  when I said Ethiopia he immediately said ‘Bilal Habesh’. I heard a lot about Bilal but was not sure he is actually so famous around the muslim world. Felt so proud, of course.
In general, it was a busy but so enjoying day. We got back to our hotel late in the evening.

From the Juma Mosque of Shamakhy all the way to the observatory we were escorted by police!

This is the front view of the observatory!

Inside the dome where the telescope is mounted!

At the top of the dome!