axel

I recently read Gary Marcus latest book, Kluge.

The main thesis is that, since the human mind is a product of evolution, it is not a perfect system, but rather a kludge, a surprisingly effective, yet clumsy solution that just so happens to be sufficient for living. To me, that is a neither surprising nor appalling concept. It should certainly not be for anyone who ever worked with evolutionary algorithms this is just yet another mainfestaion of the panda principle or the fact that evolutionary optimization is perfectly ok with local maxima and negative selection (the worst mutations die, all others survive).

Marcus develops a kind of composite image on the mind, portraying it as a modern mind, the (frontal) cortex, capable of logic and reasoning, atop of an heritage of older brain parts, that are mainly responsible for instinctive behavior, and, from the logical point of view, rather dumb decisions that are only useful if there is no time for reflective thought. Here it gets interesting. Beyond the time honored struggle of logic versus emotion, Marcus gives detailed and witty insight in the awkward and suboptimal function of the human mind with respect to memory, belief, choice and language. These spotlights on certain rather clumsy properties of our minds are insightful and somewhat thought-provoking, even though the state-of-the-art in neurology and psychology (Marcus' profession) allows only for more or less superficial explanations.

Marcus concludes that is is our responsibility to acknowledge and overcome out heritage of kludgey mind, the first step of course being kowning about it, i.e. by reading books like his.

Given that this is a short, popular book, it's worth the read since it made me both laugh and think.

Unscheinbar zischen dem Westfalenstadion, Parkplatz und Bahnübergang liegt das beschauliche Volksbad.

Unpretentös aber mit netter Liegewiese, etlichen Bahnen und sogar einem Sprungtrum. Prima für einen ruige Tag. Wer mag kann am Kiosk Pommes, Eis oder gekühlte Getränke kaufen.

Tageskarte 3€ , 11er 18€

On a well deserved break, I went hiking on the beautiful south coast of Crete. Since it is basically all rock, i.e. mountains up to 2500m, gorges and cliffs, Crete is perfect for Hiking. Since it is also a Mediterranean island, the sea is nearby and one can take break swimming and sunbathing. Around the main season (till early June, from September) it is ideal for backpacking, it is not too hot and there are affordable (15-30€) rooms to spend the night in every town (spending the night outdoors is also possible). I stayed for 2-3 days in a town on the coast and hiked from there, then traveling by bus, ferry or on foot to the next town.

Packing your bag
When I started the trip I had two seperate bags, however along the way my packing skills quickly evolved to get everything in or around my backpack, as shown right. Let's just say that focusing on filling all the cracks and bendable spaces rather than, say, keeping used and fresh socks apart makes packing faster and way more efficient ;-) Overall I traveled with around 12kg of luggage on my back when changing places, and hiked with around 5kg in a day-pack when hiking form a base.
I brought a 35-60l Deuter air comfort backpack and a small conference backpack that could be stacked inside, allowing me to pack everything, a larger day-pack and a small bag for short trips. Always take 3l of water, an apple and some cookies with you unless you have safe planned stops.
In general I can will now recomend to pack the follwing things, part of which I admittedly bought on the way (yes, I returned with extra stuff which still fit in my backpack, go figure) Although I am not paid to advertise, I name the brand names where I was content with the choice.

Hiking Equipment
Straw Hat shade is your friend, use some cord to fasten it, there are sudden winds
Sweat band something to stop sweat running in your eyes. be careful with sunscreen on the forehead..
Hiking Shoes light but ankle high real mountain footwear with thick soles. Have to fit perfectly. My old pair of Timberland looked like hell afterwards but better them than my feet! Bring glue and wax / nanopro to keep then afloat
Hiking Socks three pairs
Hiking Shirts Columbia short sleeve hiking shirts, light and dry fast two for changing
Hiking Shorts Columbia hiking shorts, sturdy but light and dry fast. light jeans may also work, use long trousers to avoid scratches from plants
sports Underpants   three pairs of sweatable sports underpants or more
Poles Borrowed my father's Leki poles. After browsing Pete's Pole pages and a few days trying them out, I grew fond of them quickly. They are not necessary but are good for comfort and speed.
Mobile Phone, Pocket Knife, Compass, Maps most of the time I oriented by e.g. 'keeping the sea left' and learned to read the sun quiet easily, but it is just safer to have a compass and map. Mobile phones work only partially, mostly near villages.

Regular Clothing
good Pants a regular, long pair of black pants for the evening. Some locals are not too fond of the tourists showing their bare skin
good Shirt a nice shirt to dress up for the night out
light Shoes slippers or sneakers, most importantly another pair
normal Socks and Underpants
light Leather Jacket for the trip home only, there are no cold days

Medical and Bathroom equipment
First Aid Kit small pack for emergencies, not sufficient for everyday use
Band Aids, Tape, Disinfectant for blisters and scratches
Bepanthen Cream for scratches and light sunburns. (I did not try the cooling foam spray but was told from a fellow hiker it would be worth it.)
Sunscreen 30 or 20, preferably spray with milk
Cream   after-sun or regular, also some for shoes
Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Shaver, Aftershave, Shampoo, Nail Clipper, Toilet Paper, Paper Handkerchiefs daily hygiene
Treking Soap for daily hygiene as well as laundry. Used 150ml Vaude Bio-Universal Soap in 2 weeks.
Clothespins 12 or more clothespins for laundry, some bag clips
Microfiber Towel dries fast

And do not forget
Often enough you may stop / end your hike on a beach, so jump in and cool your feet.. wonderful..
Beach Mat bought a light one for 4€, or just use a sleeping mat.
Beach Shoes or waterproof trekking sandals, there is a lot of gravel..
Pen for writing postcards and notes
Money do not rely on plastic money, there are few ATMs and fewer people accepting Credit Cards.. roughtly 50€ a day should get you by..

Nachdem sich das Kimbo Sortiment geändert hat, musste ich einmal den Aromatico dal Gusto ausprobieren. Eine runde Mischung, leicht zubereitet und angenehm im Geschmack. Meinem Standard, dem Langen Sulawesi duchraus ebenbürtig.

Name	Kimbo - Aromatico dal Gusto
Zusammensetzung	20 % Robusta, 80 % Arabica
Preis / kg	16,90 €
Geschmack	rund, weich, leicht nussig
Crema	blonde bis haselnuss crema
Mahlgrad	-1,5
Verwendung	Espresso
Bezugsquelle	aromatico.de