Presentation for trustees

Today morning we had to give our presentations about our POGO research projects to the BIOS board of trustees and staff members. Presentations were short, only 8 minutes and not very scientific considering that a lot of trustees are not-scientists. Everything started at 9 o'clock. All the presentations were very good and in the end people gave us "standing applause" which gave us a lot of satisfaction.

From the left: Chunli, Ousmane, Anna, Me, Mara, Gerry Plumley, Pri, Elisee, Yuna and Gerry 

Nonsuch Island

As a part our POGO program, BIOS in particular JP and the Education Department, organize the trip to Nonsuch Island. Island that has been constituted as a natural reserve. Normally people doesn't have an access to this island and BIOS as a research institute is one of the few that can enter. One can get there only by boat since it's an island. And it is special because all the vegetation and animals are endemic for Bermuda. There are no invaded species like at all the other places in Bermuda. Being there we could experience true nature of the original Bermuda. This is also the only place on the rock that keeps the last couples of the 'cahow', bird that was nearly extinct because of the colonization of the island.
Here are some pictures from our trip.

"groupen" photo

Bermuda long tail

Trip to USA

Last weekend I went to visit a friend, Monika who temporarily lives in Solomons Island, Maryland. This was a short and very intense visit. I went to US on Thursday, 12th and came back on Monday, 16th. But in the mean time we went to see old city Annapolis, Washington DC and Baltimore.
The flights were very nice and fast with AirTran from Bermuda to Baltimore. I must say the feeling while leaving Bermuda was not pleasant, cause it made me realize how badly I will miss this place when I leave home in May!!

Bermuda and the reef

Sky above Baltimore

...while waiting for Monika

However the trip itself was fantastic and I am really happy that I could see the spring which has a lot in common with polish one. Surprisingly the weather was great. On the weekend temperatures reached 30 degrees and I wished I had taken shorts with me, but I hadn't.

On Friday I walked around the Solomons and admired the area. Later I went to Monika's work and met some of her colleagues. Afterwards we went to Annapolis. One of the oldest cities in the US, and the capital  in 18th century.

Solomons Island

Monika's work

Lighthouse

...view from the lighthouse

Annapolis

The State House

On Saturday we went to Washington, DC.
There must have been some kind of holiday or so cause there was a million people!! We went along the Washington Mall, which is an alley with all the famous monuments such as Unites States Congress, Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian Institution or Washington Monument.

United States Congress

Smithsonian

Washington Monument

The White House

The Lincoln Memorial

War in Korea monument

On Sunday we went to Baltimore. But first we stopped to see the Calvert Cliffs. The weather was fantastic it was around 30 degrees.

ssssssnake

Apparently, if you look carefully you can find shark tooth on the beach. Unfortunately i didn't find any...

shellstone

  Baltimore

National Aquarium in Baltimore

View from the "Top of the World"
27th floor

Dolphin show in the National Aquarium