Many thoughts come to mind related to that.

I think about the crazy and broken health system in the US that is helping spread this pandemic. I don't know exactly how much of it is responsible for the eventual infection of Conway though, but it certainly seems much worse than in basically any other first-world country.

I'm also reminded of when Martin Gardner died 10 years ago. It was shocking news to me, since I had such a big appreciation for him. At the time I wanted to create a game in his honor, but never actually got to do it. And my appreciation for Conway is very similar. Unsurprisingly, they were good friends and collaborators during their lives.

The first time that I learned about Conway was, like many did, through the Game of Life. It was amazing that such complex behavior could emerge from simple rules. It was also playful, and visual. It made you feel how complexity was emerging in front of your own eyes. Despite Conway's getting upset with it due to becoming so famous because of it, I still think about it very dearly. With time I've come to appreciate it even more, and had fun using it as an example in arguments related to evolution — no need for a designer/god or anything here to get emergent complex behavior!

Of the many other things he did, I particularly like the surreal numbers. When I learned about them I was already familiarized with the hyperreals and nonstandard analysis, which I found fascinating. They felt just right and gave the satisfaction of revisiting old straitjacketed concepts in calculus with a new fresh light. The existence of the hyperreals hinted at the simplicity that can be achieved when looking at things at the right angle, or so it looked to me. After their discovery, a natural question would be, what other similar number systems are there? How far can you go on that game? The answer, by Conway: the surreals. Such beautiful numbers and with such a fitting name. And I also love the fact that his discovery/invention came by studying the game of Go.

Another Conway-related thing I entertained myself with in the past is the doomsday algorithm. It is fun to find out quickly which day of the week any random day is, and also to see the pattern behind. Since I haven't used it for years, I have forgotten it now though.

Conway has the amusing record of having written one of the shortest papers in history. To me it is one of the many examples that reflects the bright and playful spirit that he was.

A few years ago I read a great article about Conway by Siobhan Roberts in The Guardian. One of the things that surprised me was to know that he had suffered depression in several occasions and that he once even attempted suicide. It is all very human, I think, but my bias told me things like, how can a person like that want to commit suicide? As if being so brilliant would make you necessarily always happy. In a way, knowing that someone of his talent and freshness can host such thoughts makes it more acceptable that one would too.

I like the colorful description that the very Siobhan Roberts gave of him. Conway was “Archimedes, Mick Jagger, Salvador Dali, and Richard Feynman all rolled into one — a singular mathematician, with a rock star's charisma, a sly sense of humor, a polymath's promiscuous curiosity, and a burning desire to explain everything about the world to everyone in it.” It's sad that such a person leaves us. But, very especially, thanks for all the fun you've left us with.

#life #maths

Tonight I went to a charity dinner for Setem. They are one of the best NGOs that I know. And to my surprise I met my cousins Colette and Boro and Sebas. 😊

It was in a vegetarian restaurant, which is a nice touch (Ecocentro, around Cuatro Caminos in Madrid). A very enjoyable evening.

Anyway, let's see if this takes off.

#silly #life

This morning we escaped early from Tak, which we didn't find quite exciting —though certainly hot! And after a short while, a completely different world opened.

Beautiful views, super-nice people and a place that feels like you are being continuously pampered. Plus, historical places that makes you feel in an Indiana Jones's movie.

So glad we came. And still many temples to explore. Looking forward to the next days :)

#travel #silly #life

We are in Tak now, it's late at night, and the heat and humidity makes it uncomfortable. I don't want to imagine it tomorrow under the sun!

Maybe not three good things anymore, but let me write a few words about lately.

Today we went to an elephant's hospital in Lampang. Then to the Thai Elephant Conservation Center, but not for the show, only to see the elephants. The hospital I liked, but the other one I didn't particularly enjoy it. They had elephant rides (booh!) and also the “trainers” had a stick that ended in a hook. Disgusting.

Going back to Lampang, we found a vegetarian restaurant using google maps. It turned out to be a local one, they didn't speak english at all, and communication was hard. But we did end up eating a good vegetarian meal with drink plus buying some noodles for later, all for less than 100 bahts. Which is almost too cheap, and certainly not like the tourist prices. We didn't know what we ordered, but being vegetarian and tasting good was more than enough.

#travel #silly #life #vegetarianism

Three good things from yesterday...

Moving out of Chiang Mai and getting to see more nature when going to Pai, plus being able to walk confortably on a street (the walking street while the night market was going on).

Meeting and talking to very nice travelers while going to Pai, especially two independent girls that had traveled a lot and were planning to keep on traveling for a long time.

The very tasty mango sticky rice (though very sorry for the girl that was clearly overworked...).

And three good things from today:

Seeing the Big Buddha close to Pai and the sights from that height.

Getting my first Thai massage. They are strong!

Writing right now at the porch next to Sara, over some mat and pillows, with the quiet sounds of the river and the night.

#travel #silly #life

I had a very cute moka with the face of a bear on it.

Today we went to a special place recommended by some random person online, to have a vegetarian Khao Soi. It took as a bit to get there, but the place upstairs was worth it. Laid-back, guitars to play, lots of vegetarian plates, and the Khao Soi we had was very good. Also, we met a cuban and italian couple that had just moved to Chian Mai, he will be teaching english, and they had a very nice little guy named Pietro/Peter that was walking around and looking at us.

I took my first tuk tuk and the driver was quite funny. I think I overpaid by about 20% (120 baht for a 5-10 min ride at night), which is not bad for what it could have been. He also had his tuk tuk tuned with lights and so on.

That's three!

#travel #silly #life

Ok, just three good things.

Watching all the krathongs in the river and the lanterns in the sky. I like to see them as the wishes that people make, or the grudges that they let go with them (according to some other source I read).

Mango with sticky rice.

Making a buddhist gong hum in a loudish way with my hands.

Well, yesterday (and today too!) was the festivity of Loi Krathong and Yi Peng in Chiang Mai, which were our original excuses to come to Thailand. So they were particularly round and nice days!

#travel #silly #life

The weirdness of the White Temple, especially the big paint inside the main temple, with all the occidental pop references.

Making and lightning a krathong.

But the best thing no doubt has been discovering Khao Soi, a delicious plate from the north of Thailand, that we got in a restaurant close to the Clock Tower.

Enough to convert me into a foodie!

#travel #silly #life #vegetarianism

The ones chosen by Sara today:

Watch kids playing at the harbor, including hide and seek at an open space.

Feel like inside an aquarium while snorkeling.

See incredibly beautiful views on the cape and... cute elephants everywhere!

Mine:

Have enjoyed the cafe place (with air conditioning at a critical time!) that is also a second-hand bookshop managed by a nice and fun expat.

Snorkeling again, seeing plenty of cool fishes.

Getting a Thai massage (by Sara 🙏😊).

#travel #silly #life

First time we get into the sea in Thailand, with warm water and beautiful sights.

Had dinner in a cozy place while there is a big storm outside, with lightnings and the rain falling next to our side.

Had a bath in the big and quiet swimming pool of the hotel at night.

#travel #silly #life