Author: paulb

  • Frost in Oxford

    Frost in Oxford

    I had long assumed that Oxford has essentially two distinct weather conditions: either it is raining, or there is fog. However, it recently turned out that there is a third: Frost. Namely, when there would normally be fog, but the temperatures are blow zero, the humidity turns into beautiful ice crystals on all surfaces. This…

  • Cycling and walking statistics

    Cycling and walking statistics

    Earlier, I wrote about the general experience of cycling in Waterloo in terms of infrastructure and in terms of interesting destinations. This time, moving to my next postdoc position in a different city, let’s look back at some statistics. When I first arrived in Waterloo in February 2023, I didn’t have a bike. February is…

  • Cycling around Waterloo

    Cycling around Waterloo

    Earlier, I wrote about the general experience of cycling in Waterloo, mostly in terms of infrastructure. The next question is then: where should you go, except for your workplace and grocery stores? Here are some suggestions, which are, of course, totally subjective. A natural destination for leisure bike trips are cafés. Along the spurline trail,…

  • Geese

    Geese

    Geese are the most popular animals in Waterloo and probably in all Canada, and right so. When it comes to being perfect, geese regularly exceed even the highest expectations. They are masters of all types of locomotion, including, but not limited to, waddling. Their advanced surface design, combined with a porous insulation layer and leather…

  • Cycling in Waterloo

    Cycling in Waterloo

    When I first arrived in Waterloo, it took me a while to get a feeling for how cycling works here. Comparing to Germany, the infrastructure for cycling in Waterloo is not per se better or worse, but it works somewhat differently. The city of Waterloo provides an in-house cycling map. Alternatively, one can turn to…

  • Squirrels

    Squirrels

    Waterloo has many excellent squirrels. Sitting in the garden or a park, it is well possible to see 5 or even 10 of them at a time. They are nimble and elegant, their paths lead them over roofs and fences, up and down trees and even through gutters. Unlike their European cousins, the Waterloo squirrels…

  • How a room temperature sensor leaks your location

    One of my Raspberry Pi lies on the floor of my living room and, besides other tasks, it has a few sensors attached to it that measure room temperature. The house is heated via a central ventilation system, where the furnace is controlled by a thermostat that is set to 19°C. So I didn’t expect…