Ok, so some of the readers of my earlier posts have formed a rather negative view of Aspen. Some of this is my fault. I actually love Aspen. I don't come here for the charming people (and there are several here) - I just ignore the people I don't like (and they me); nor do I come to look at stuff like the chandelier to the right, characteristic of a lot of the decor here! (Some people do come for this sort of thing; this is precisely what you find in a lot of those aforementioned tat-shops. Good for them: live and let live.) I come for the wonderful physics that gets done here at the Aspen Center for Physics (some of which I've already reported on in a few recent posts) and the fact that I'm welcome to come and contribute. I come here for the music that I've already told you about. I also come here for things that a lot of other people come here for: - Let me just shut up and show you what I saw on the hike today:
And, oh! The flowers and trees on the hike were wonderful (the latter give the town its name, by the way):
So I hope this helps you to understand why the area is a pretty good place to visit, and why it is a great place to come and think hard about physics problems with a clear head. Some amazing physics has been done here and long may that continue. -cvj
