The Avatar (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} saurik) wrote,@ 2004-04-05 05:58:00 |
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A Morning in Old Town Barcelona
(Local time: 15:58.) So I just ran into an example of a system that should have been run through a model checker such as SPIN (a la the conference I was just attending). I'm at an Internet cafe, and I went to buy a ticket using the little machine. I read all the instructions and futzed around in my pockets and put in two Euro. The machine showed my credit, and then a second or two later went back to the start screen. What happened is the damned thing timed out. The people who designed the system failed to make sure that all states where money was entered would eventually lead to a state where either a ticket was produced, the money is returned, or the user explicitely presses the "screw it, I'm sick of this, take my money" button (a property that would be very easy to express using simple temporal logic operators). I had absolutely no way to prove what just happened, and even if I did I don't know enough Spanish to really explain it, so I just sighed and put in another two Euro.
Today has been pretty interesting. All the little shops that I walked by with Mark were closed yesterday, it being the weekend and it being Spain and these shops being rather small. Much as Mark is treating his entire trip as a recon mission for the next visit, yesterday was my recon trip for today. I got the lay of the land and started to understand how to get around the city center (including where most of the alleys lead, as most of the transportation and most of the shops are along them).
One of the first stores I went in was this little store called Camden that was pretty much goth-central. I actually fit in quite well as I'm wearing mostly black today (my shirt isn't black, but it's mostly under my black-denim overshirt anyway). They had all the standard stuff like spiked belts and collars and little necklace trinkets and the such. The weird part, however, was there seemed to be an entire section of the store dedicated to Bob Marley merchandise. Bob Marley?!? O... K...
Note that this store was _right nextdoor to_ a shop called "Bijou Brigette", with lots of pink trimming. It's pretty much the "I'm a pretty teenager" store. It sells bracelets and little skirts and cute purses... in other words an incredible contrast to the dark... Bob Marley... shop that it neighbored.
To my friends who don't drink bottled water, I'm going to note that _everyone_ here does. If you go to a restaurant and say "agua" (or "aigua", which seems to be the Catalan variation) they come back with a little bottle of water for you. All the fancy restaurants don't come around with pitchers of water, they have large bottles of mineral water at the table (and come around bringing more if neccessary). I think if you asked for tap water everyone would think you were insane.
There are a lot of beggars hanging around the cathedral, and a rather striking number of amputees just in the general area of downtown trying to get money from people. It felt weird entering the door of a church and simultaneously ignoring someone asking for aide, but I know that that isn't the most effective way to help them anyway. I don't know, when I got inside I donated some coins to the church.
In retrospect I think I remember one person asking for money to buy water. I don't even think the bums drink tap water.
Gambling may or may not be popular. I am not sure yet. Most of the bars have slot machines here, but I haven't seen anyone actually _using_ them. They may just be for show. *Shrug.*
I ended up spending about 20 minutes today trying to catch a stray dog. My mother and I are just like this, we see a stray dog and we have to help (even though the owners often don't even care). This was actually the third day in a row that I've seen this dog. I first saw him trying to cross the street, almost getting hit by two cars, while Murat and I were walking around waiting for Lumina. I saw him again yesterday, wandering around still lost. When I saw him _again_ today I decided "ok, I'm going to try to do something". The dog _has tags_ and has a little leash attached to him as if it just got away from someone.
The dog was _much_ more maneuverable than I was through a crowd of people. I ended up coming around at him from a different direction through another set of alleys and managed to get close to him. He ran away when I tried to get his collar, though. The second time I managed to be in a position to get his tags he walked away, turned around, and started barking at me and making a scene. He really didn't want to be helped. I finally had to just let him be.
As I mentioned before, pidgeons are everywhere. Today I was looking at them overhead, thought "damned flying rodents", and not three seconds later my hand (which was in front of me almost in a "give it to me position") was covered in bird shit. I really, really hate pidgeons. My next stop was at a little restaurant where I washed my hands and had lunch.
Which actually reminds me. Yesterday, I had the best fried calimari I've ever had. To the extent thatdevilfish really need not worry about me eating any anymore when I get home as it's really ruined Santa Barbara's already rather low-end calimari for good.
(Local time: 15:58.) So I just ran into an example of a system that should have been run through a model checker such as SPIN (a la the conference I was just attending). I'm at an Internet cafe, and I went to buy a ticket using the little machine. I read all the instructions and futzed around in my pockets and put in two Euro. The machine showed my credit, and then a second or two later went back to the start screen. What happened is the damned thing timed out. The people who designed the system failed to make sure that all states where money was entered would eventually lead to a state where either a ticket was produced, the money is returned, or the user explicitely presses the "screw it, I'm sick of this, take my money" button (a property that would be very easy to express using simple temporal logic operators). I had absolutely no way to prove what just happened, and even if I did I don't know enough Spanish to really explain it, so I just sighed and put in another two Euro.
Today has been pretty interesting. All the little shops that I walked by with Mark were closed yesterday, it being the weekend and it being Spain and these shops being rather small. Much as Mark is treating his entire trip as a recon mission for the next visit, yesterday was my recon trip for today. I got the lay of the land and started to understand how to get around the city center (including where most of the alleys lead, as most of the transportation and most of the shops are along them).
One of the first stores I went in was this little store called Camden that was pretty much goth-central. I actually fit in quite well as I'm wearing mostly black today (my shirt isn't black, but it's mostly under my black-denim overshirt anyway). They had all the standard stuff like spiked belts and collars and little necklace trinkets and the such. The weird part, however, was there seemed to be an entire section of the store dedicated to Bob Marley merchandise. Bob Marley?!? O... K...
Note that this store was _right nextdoor to_ a shop called "Bijou Brigette", with lots of pink trimming. It's pretty much the "I'm a pretty teenager" store. It sells bracelets and little skirts and cute purses... in other words an incredible contrast to the dark... Bob Marley... shop that it neighbored.
To my friends who don't drink bottled water, I'm going to note that _everyone_ here does. If you go to a restaurant and say "agua" (or "aigua", which seems to be the Catalan variation) they come back with a little bottle of water for you. All the fancy restaurants don't come around with pitchers of water, they have large bottles of mineral water at the table (and come around bringing more if neccessary). I think if you asked for tap water everyone would think you were insane.
There are a lot of beggars hanging around the cathedral, and a rather striking number of amputees just in the general area of downtown trying to get money from people. It felt weird entering the door of a church and simultaneously ignoring someone asking for aide, but I know that that isn't the most effective way to help them anyway. I don't know, when I got inside I donated some coins to the church.
In retrospect I think I remember one person asking for money to buy water. I don't even think the bums drink tap water.
Gambling may or may not be popular. I am not sure yet. Most of the bars have slot machines here, but I haven't seen anyone actually _using_ them. They may just be for show. *Shrug.*
I ended up spending about 20 minutes today trying to catch a stray dog. My mother and I are just like this, we see a stray dog and we have to help (even though the owners often don't even care). This was actually the third day in a row that I've seen this dog. I first saw him trying to cross the street, almost getting hit by two cars, while Murat and I were walking around waiting for Lumina. I saw him again yesterday, wandering around still lost. When I saw him _again_ today I decided "ok, I'm going to try to do something". The dog _has tags_ and has a little leash attached to him as if it just got away from someone.
The dog was _much_ more maneuverable than I was through a crowd of people. I ended up coming around at him from a different direction through another set of alleys and managed to get close to him. He ran away when I tried to get his collar, though. The second time I managed to be in a position to get his tags he walked away, turned around, and started barking at me and making a scene. He really didn't want to be helped. I finally had to just let him be.
As I mentioned before, pidgeons are everywhere. Today I was looking at them overhead, thought "damned flying rodents", and not three seconds later my hand (which was in front of me almost in a "give it to me position") was covered in bird shit. I really, really hate pidgeons. My next stop was at a little restaurant where I washed my hands and had lunch.
Which actually reminds me. Yesterday, I had the best fried calimari I've ever had. To the extent that
devilfish really need not worry about me eating any anymore when I get home as it's really ruined Santa Barbara's already rather low-end calimari for good.
