Fanwei YU is writing the report about our business trip of attending the 33rd symposium of fusion technology (SOFT) conference. The venue for SOFT conference this year was selected in the Dublin City University, Ireland from 22nd-27th. This article includes the experience during the conference and the visitation over our trip.
Conference activities：
I (Fanwei YU, D3) and Mr. Amano (M2) have introduced our study to researchers around the world through poster presentations. I am so glad that my poster number could be number 1. My presentation was on the 23rd Sep, and Amano’s presentation was on the 26th Sep.
The welcome ceremony took place at Croke Park on September 23rd, featuring lively music and captivating performances. Dinner included a delightful spread of Irish specialties, such as the renowned Irish beef stew, fish and potato (a dish resembling Japanese tempura with fried cod), and locally brewed Guinness beer. The desserts were equally impressive—though I’m unsure of the name, one stood out with a thin, crispy sugar coating and a creamy, berry-flavored ice cream filling. Lunch boxes, generously packed with Irish beef and chicken, were available for just €12, offering excellent value. Additionally, the canteen at Dublin City University provided meals with great cost-performance, further enhancing the experience.
Visitations：
The city Dublin contains many Gothic and Romanesque buildings. The designing elements of Gothic architecture is the pointed arch. Romanesque architecture can be recognized by its round arches, sturdy pillars, barrel vaults, large towers. Our hotel was near the River Liffey, a famous bridge over the river is called one penny bridge. In the past, people have to pay one penny to pass the bridge.
A board of a souvenir shop described the weather in Ireland vividly. Only one sunny day during our travel.
The building with a flag that says 'Bank' in Fig. City view, is not actually a bank but a restaurant. We had a dinner party there with QST members, and the smoked sirloin steak served was the most delicious steak I've ever had.
The SOFT committee organized a tour of the Guinness factory. I was puzzled by the fish riding a bicycle—I couldn’t figure out why it was cycling. Perhaps it’s meant to attract tourists. Since the fish seems to cycle day and night, I jokingly called it the 'Guinness workhorse' (Guinness 牛馬).
'牛馬' is a self-deprecating word in China used by laborers working the demanding '996' schedule—9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. It reflects their frustration, as their hard work doesn’t improve their own living conditions but instead benefits their bosses' lives.
Trinity College is a famous local university that attracts many tourists daily due to its library, which was one of the filming locations for Harry Potter. Visitors can purchase student tickets, and student IDs issued abroad are also accepted. The student ticket price is around 20 euros.
We looked into the cost of dining in Ireland and found that local Irish restaurants are quite expensive, with meals costing around 30 euros each. In contrast, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines offer relatively good value for money. We decided to try a Japanese restaurant, where I ordered miso ramen with Irish beef, and Amano chose a chicken wings lunch bento. The spicy miso soup, made with fresh chili, wasn’t overly hot, which I think is an improvement. However, the beef was a bit tough.
I have been certificated that I could pour a beautiful pint of GUINNESS!
FANWEI YU (D3)
兪 帆緯