[cmath] Fwd: ICME-11 postcard

[Peter Taylor]

>Bill Barton and David Clarke have just returned 
>from a visit to the site of ICME-11 and send 
>this "Postcard from Monterrey."  It's good to 
>have some personal impressions such as this.
>*******************************************************************************
>POSTCARD from MONTERREY
>We have just returned from watching “The Sleeping Giant” come to life.
>This is a show at the Steel Museum in Monterrey, situated in the old mill,
>and where the furnace comes to life with light, sparks and noise. It is a
>great museum, different from anything I’ve seen before.
>This is the last day of four in this great city. We have been meeting the
>ICME-11 people, and visited the ICME-11 site, and stayed in one of the
>city hotels where many of you will stay. We were bussed to the site, but
>it will be quicker and easier to go on the (safe) metro: ten minutes, no
>changes. Then a short stroll through trees to a spacious and cool
>university. It is all air-conditioned (which will be necessary—bring your
>hat in July), and the rooms, especially the larger auditoriums, are state
>of the art. In fact the plenary will be in a large (again air-conditioned)
>marquee—when we say large, we mean large.
>The organisation is well-advanced, so much so that we are already looking
>forward to a smooth conference with everything we could want as
>participants. Computer access, gathering spaces, projection facilities,
>efficient catering,...
>But this is a postcard from Monterrey, and it is really that which we want
>to communicate. The city is spread out amongst tall craggy peaks that make
>it pleasing on the eye. It is a city known for its museums and art
>galleries (as well as the Steel Museum, we are told that the Glass Museum
>is also very special). Many of them (e.g. the Museum of Modern Art) are
>close downtown to where most participants will stay, two or three blocks,
>which even in July heat is accessible. And in another direction the same
>distance is a major pedestrian shopping street (mall in the old sense),
>City Hall, squares and parks. We are very taken with this aspect of
>Monterrey. This is not the second largest Mexican city for nothing. It is
>clear also that Monterrey is the centre of natural beauty and conservation
>areas.
>
>Yes, getting here was easy, but the other thing is that we have found
>everything (from hotels to transport to food to drink) relatively cheap. A
>taxi from the airport is about $US 22 which compares well with both
>Auckland and Melbourne for example. Taxis are safe (unlike Mexico City),
>walking around is safe, the hospitality we have been given is just great.
>The food is fabulous: those who have never been to Mexico will not have
>tasted Mexican food like you get here.
>
>We think that, so far, Monterrey has been undersold as a destination. We
>are sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised, and we both have several things
>already on our minds to do when we return.
>
>See you here in July.
>Regards
>Bill & David
>
>Bill Barton, Auckland
>David Clarke, Melbourne

Peter Taylor,
Professor
Dept. Math&Stats
Queen's University
Kingston ON
613-533-2434  
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