Transitions

We started in Pontaubert, drove for an hour or two then stopped in Gien and had moules for lunch. Then we drove on to Blois were we stayed at a Mercure and went for a swim. Finally we had dinner at the hotel.

When we got to CERN we waited a bit then started the tour. We first saw the first collider built at CERN in the 1950s and how it works. Basically it ionizes it, strips the electrons, and then sends it to the Collider. Protons are positive and are attracted to negative so they have two magnets and swap the  polarity to increase its speed when it’s between them. Finally it’s launched into a stone to create collisions.

At the LHC they don’t increase the speed they add energy. The LHC has a 1cm turn every 15m. To turn the protons they use an electromagnetic line. As the protons wizz around, the LHC tightens the beam with electromagnetic fields which pulls them to the middle. Copper isn’t the best conductor but titanium niobium is at 1.9 kelvin (very cold) and the only liquid at that temperature is helium and it loses all friction. Their are trying to make room temperature superconductors.

After all that there are only about 20 collisions out of 1,000,000 protons. Scientists want better collisions so they have to make better magnets. There have been a few problems like the wire losing it’s superconductivity and then it heats up from the 1100 amps that melted the wire. Currently they are trying to find out why there isn’t any anti matter and dark matter.

When we got to CERN we looked at the exhibitions and then bought some stuff. Next we went to a church and its chapel. The chapel had a archeological site under it, it was  very interesting. While walking back to the car it started to rain so we went to a food court and had astoundingly expensive sushi for dinner.

Today we drove from Lucerne to Geneva.When we got to the first view point we saw a lake. Next we got to a mountain area and my ear started to hurt.  Finally we reached a lake and walked a round.We had lunch in Interlaken and saw some parachutists. When we reached the hotel we had dinner and sat a round a bit.

When we got here we walked to an ATM and then to another cathedral. Next we had a drink and found dinner. Afterwards we went to the wall and up the tower. We walked past a a water power station and it had a fountain to show you how much energy it made. Finally we had dinner and walked back to the room.

When we were ready to go Dad went to bring the car but instead of backing up the street he drove round the block, which took a very long time [ed – including driving up a hill out of town…] . On the drive we saw a dozen castles. In Heidelberg we had lunch then went to the castle and learnt about the medecine through the ages. Then I bought a flail. Soon we went to a wine place in the castle. Finally we had a Italian dinner.

This  morrning we left Cologne and drove  to Boppard. When we reached the castle at Braubach we went inside. The interesting part about the castle is that no part of it was destroyed since the middle ages. Luckily we got a full english group because  you have to go on a tour. Then we came to Boppard, we had dinner and then went on a little walk.

Our first stop was the point were Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands meet and we had lunch there. When we got to Cologne we went to the cathedral, it was massive. Before we got there we went to a museum.

Finally we had dinner at a Vietnamese place.

We began our travel from Bruges in Belgium to Aachen in Germany and soon came to a picnic site and had lunch. Next we drove through the Netherlands to Germany. In Aachen we walked to a beautiful church. The first meal I had in Germany was a salad but then had schnitzel.

 

 

The first thing we did was go to the market and bought some strawberries. Then we went to a chocolate museum and learnt that Belgian chocolate is so delicious because it has to be other wise it can’t be called chocolate. Next we went to the Basilica of the Holy Blood. Finally we bought some chocolate.