MareNostrum 

Not directly related with my research, but really interesting, is MareNostrum, Barcelona Supercomputing Centers' supercomputer. As of June 2011, it is at spot number 170 on top500.org, which ranks the 'fastest' supercomputers in the world. With 10,240 cpu cores, this computer can achieve a maximum of 63.83 Teraflops of computational power.

MareNostrum, roughly 'Our Sea' in english, is located in an odd building... a chapel! Well, not really a chapel anymore, as the Torre Girona chapel has been 'deconsecrated'. Unfortuntaely, I haven't been able to physically see the computer yet, but once I do I'll try to do one of those nifty 3D panoramas. For now, here's a public domain photo:

Saint Jonh's Eve

I'm puertorrican. Puerto Rico has had an interesting (caotic?) history, being a colony of Spain for 400 years (and a colony of the USA for the last 113 years, but that's another post...). This events have made puertorricans adopt many cultural customs. It was nice to see how spaniards celebrate the 'Víspera de San Juan' (Saint John's Eve). Here they go at night to the beach and do picnic and drinks, and they also make bonfires. There are fireworks everywhere too.

Back in Puerto Rico, we also go to the beach, and do the drinks, but the idea of going to the beach is to, at exactly midnight, enter the water, position yourself against the sea, and throw yourself backwards seven times. If you do, you are supposed to be washing your sins, and you'll have good luck the rest of the year.

I didn't get into the water this time. Hope Fortuna, the luck Goddess, doesn't take it personal on me. :)