General Information

Travel information

Accommodation and facilities

Weather, clothing, surroundings

Social programme

Departure

Requests for extra information

General Information

The Summer school ALCCAL2000 will take place in Bulgaria, near Varna,
in the International Home of Scientists "Frederic Joliot-Curie" (at the
Black Sea resort Sts. Constantine and Helena) from 03.09 to 14.09.2000.

The main topics of the school will be: algebraic combinatorics,
computer algebra, coding theory.

The main modes of the work will be:

- short mini-courses presented by the invited speakers;
- contributed talks;
- software demonstrations;
- poster session for ad hoc presentations.

The current list of invited speakers includes the following names
(the sign * means the final confirmation of the participation of the
corresponding invited speaker):

Zvi Arad, Israel  *
Rosemary Bailey, U.K.  *
Anton Betten, Germany  *
Gareth Jones, U.K.
Leif Jorgensen, Denmark  *
Reinhard Laue, Germany  *
Brendan McKay, Australia  *
Mikhail Muzychuk, Israel  *
Gottfried Tinhofer, Germany  *
Paul-Hermann Zieschang, Germany  *

The list of the registered participants includes at this moment
the following names:

  1. Alejandro Priscila (Philippines)
  2. Altshuler Amos (Israel)
  3. Arad Zvi (Israel)
  4. Bailey Rosemary (U.K.)
  5. Betten Anton (Germany)
  6. Dodunekov Stefan (Bulgaria)
  7. Faradjev Igor (USA)
  8. Fiorenzi Franchesca (Italy)
  9. Ganchev Alexander (Bulgaria)
10. Grell Juliana (Germany)
11. Heinze Aiso (Germany)
12. Hering Christoph (Germany)
13. Hirasaka Mitsugu (Korea)
14. Hiss Gerhard (Germany)
15. Iliev Valentin (Bulgaria)
16. Jorgensen Leif (Denmark)
17. Kerber Adalbert (Germany)
18. Klin Mikhail (Israel)
19. Langfeld Barbara (Germany)
20. Laue Reinhard (Germany)
21. McKay Brendan (Australia)
22. Moshe Yossi (Israel)
23. Muzychuk Mikhail (Israel)
24. Neunhoeffer Max (Germany)
25. Nikolova Daniela (Bulgaria)
26. Spiridonova Margarita (Bulgaria)
27. Strazdins Indulis (Latvia)
28. Tinhofer Gottfried (Germany)
29. Zieschang Paul-Hermann (Germany)

Click here for a registration list with more details.

We expect some other participants, especially from Bulgaria.
(Also it may happen that 1-2 other mini-courses will be included at the
last moment.)

Sunday, September 3  is the arrival day.

Monday, September 4 - Friday, September 8  will be working days.

Saturday, September 9, Sunday, September, 10  will be devoted to
the excursions.

Monday, September 11 - Wednesday, September 13  will be other
working days.

The official program will be terminated on the afternoon of September 13.

Thursday, September 14, is the departure day.

On each working day we will have two sessions: morning and afternoon.

Approximate time for these sessions is:

Morning session:  9.00 - 12.30, including three hours of lectures.

Afternoon session:  16.30 - 19.30, including one hour lecture and 2-3
contributed talks.

The duration of the contributed talks will be between 30 and 45 minutes
depending on the final number of speakers.

The duration of an hour lecture is 60 minutes.

We suppose that at least one of the afternoon sessions
will be concerned with software demonstrations.

The time between the two sessions may be used for lunch and recreation.
Note that the sunset in September is at about 7 p.m.

There will be one coffee break during each session.

Here is the regular schedule for meals in IHS:

7.00 - 9.00 breakfast

12.00 - 14.00 lunch

19.00 - 21.30 dinner.

A more precise schedule of all sessions will be available with Announcement 3 which will be sent to all registered participants by the end of August.
 

Travel information

The International Home of Scientists (IHS) "Frederic Joliot-Curie" stands at the middle of the oldest Bulgarian Black Sea resort Sts. Constantine and Helena,  called St. Constantine for short. This resort is situated in a picturesque ecologically clean bay of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, 8 km away from  Varna, called the Bulgarian sea capital.

How to reach the IHS

• By  plane

The distance between the Varna airport and IHS is about 40 km. There is a bus (No 409) from the airport to the centre of Varna. Bus No 8 departs from the centre and goes to St. Constantine (the last stop is near to IHS). Taxi cabs are also available with prices 0.35 lv. per km during the day and 0.50 lv. per km in the night.

Transportation from Varna airport to the IHS by mini-bus can also be organized for those participants who happen to be on the same flight, provided that detailed information of the exact time of arrival at Varna airport is known in advance.

• By train

The following trains depart daily from Sofia to Varna:

- express train: 6:40 - departure from Sofia; arrival in Varna at 14:40;

the price of a tickets is 11.40 lv.

- fast trains, the price of a tickets is 10.40 lv. ::

09:30 - departure from Sofia, 17:40 - arrival in Varna;

13:00 - departure from Sofia, 21:25 - arrival in Varna;

21:20 - departure from Sofia, 05:55 - arrival in Varna;

22:00 - departure from Sofia, 06:55 - arrival in Varna;

Bus No 8 or taxi are available from the railway station to IHS.

• By bus

There are several bus travel agencies, such as: GROUP, ETAP, BIOMET. Buses are much faster than trains. They are quite comfortable and take about six hours to get from Sofia to Varna.  The departure hours of the buses of all the mentioned agencies are in the morning (at 7:30-8:00 a.m.), early in the afternoon (13:30-14:00) and late in the evening (22:30-23:00).

It is recommended to contact the Local Committee for booking bus tickets in advance.

• Bus from Istanbul

There is a bus running every day except Sunday from Istanbul (Turkey) to Varna. Departure time: 4 p.m., arrival time: about 1.30 a.m. The price is 42 lv. Contact telephone in Istanbul: 0090212-65 83 835 (Mahmud Oglu Ltd.).

• Rent a car


The prices for renting a car from Varna for at least three days are as follows: Lada 2107: 25 US $ per day, Volkswagen (Golf, Jeta, Passat): 35 US $ per day, Reno 19: 45 US $ per day, Audi 80: 45 US $ per day.
Participants are advised to contact the Local Committee for booking in advance.
 

• Border Information

Visas from the airport are no longer available. Visitors from the EU, USA, Canada, Australia, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, etc. are allowed to enter Bulgaria without any formalities. Nevertheless, participants are advised to contact the Bulgarian Embassy in order to be sure if a visa is needed. In this case, they should buy it in THEIR OWN COUNTRIES BEFORE LEAVING!
 
• Currency  Information

The Bulgarian lev is fixed to the German mark: 1 DM = 1 lv.
Credit cards are not accepted everywhere.
The IHS houses a change office and a branch of bank Biochim with the following working hours:
8.30-16.30 (Monday to Friday), lunch breaks: 12.00-12.40.
Banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Participants are advised to leave their valuables in the hotel security
office and not to bring too much cash in their pockets.

The International Home of Scientists  "Frederic Joliot-Curie" is a 3 star hotel, situated in the middle of Sts. Constantine and Helene resort, with Restaurant, Panorama cafe, Lobby bar, Day bar, Congress center. The rooms are equipped with WC, shower/bath, radio, mini-bar, phone. Some other available facilities are: money exchange, wake-up service, sea beach, garage, balneological center.

Tel.: (359 52) 361 161, (359 52) 361 162, (359 52) 361 163
Fax: (359 52) 361 187
E-mail: ihsvarna@nat.bg

Single and double rooms as well as a few apartments will be available for the participants of ALCCAL'2000 and the accompanying persons. Children under two years of age are free of charge, but they are not entitled to a supplementary bed (standard hotel procedure).

The voltage is 220 v.

The hotel restaurant is ready to offer vegetarian menu, or to fulfill any other requirements in connection with the national cuisines.
There are plenty of small food and souvenir shops and small restaurants in the surroundings.

Medical help

The IHS offers qualified medical help. The prices are as follows:
consultation with a doctor: 10 lv., medical checkup: 18 lv. For those who
have  international insurance, a document of the paid fees is issued for
their Insurance company.

Balneological Center

    Procedures:

• Medical checkup, acupuncture, curative massage and gymnastics - general, partial, underwater massage, electrical treatments, inhalations with mineral water, herbs, medicines, cosmetic, services, sauna, mineral swimming pool;

• Different kinds of baths - mineral water, herbs, pearl with herbs, hydrojet, etheric - mineral baths.

• Temperature 30-34 degrees Celsius;
• Slightly mineralized - hydrocarbonated, magnesium, contains oxydized sulfur derivatives and free sulfur hydrogen, minerals, microelements.
• In the Centre successfully are treated the following diseases: diseases of the skeletal and muscular apparatus of inflammatory, degenerative and traumatic origin in chronic stage: polyartritis rheumatoides, deartrosis deformations, spondiloartrosis, periartritis, epicondilitis, myalgia, myositis, tendovaginitis, etc.;  neurological diseases of the peripheral nervous system - neuritis, neuralgia, plexitis, radiculitis, etc.;  functional nervous diseases;  gynecological diseases - inflammatory processes in chronic stage;  stress.

The weather in Bulgaria in this time of the year is usually dry and warm. Varna has a specific sea climate:
-  fresh air rich in salts, ozone, iodine, bromium;
-  gentle wind blowing from the sea breeze;
-  the average day temperature in September is 20-25 degrees Celsius.
Nevertheless, the evenings can be cool, and it is advisable to take this into consideration.

The sea water is slightly salted, at the beach reaches maximum of 18 g/l, in
the depth - up to 22 g/l. Contents: favourable quantities of magnesium and
calcium, over 50 ions, also microelements of manganese, zinc, iodine,
copper, rich in mineral substances and vitamins.

  The time difference is one hour plus compared to the Central European
time.

Local people may speak English, German, Russian, and sometimes French.

  Some practical advice:

  Do not leave your belongings out of sight.
  Do not change money at the airport, because the rate is unfavourable.
  Do not exchange money on the street - there are enough change     offices everywhere in the town.
  Do not take a taxi from the airport without asking for the fee beforehand (usually taxi rates are about 0,30-0,50 lv. per kilometer).
  You are advised to be very careful interacting with unknown persons.

A welcome ("get together") party will take place on Monday, September 04, 2000 at 8 p.m. in the IHS restaurant. The cost is included in the registration fee.

The conference banquet will take place in the same restaurant on Monday, September 11, 2000 at 8 p.m. The cost is included in the registration fee.

The following excursions will be organized:

• The conference excursion is planned for September 10 (Sunday). The itinerary is the resort Golden Sands - the small town Balchik (visit to the botanical garden and the palace of the Rumanian queen) - cap Kaliakra (lunch). The distance between the IHS and Kaliakra is about 60 km. The cost for the excursion (including lunch, bus, tour guide and entrance fees) is included in the registration fee.
• Optional excursions are planned for September 9 (Saturday):
• By bus: the sea resorts Albena, Russalka (very nice beaches), Aladja monastery.
• By bus: to the old Bulgarian capitals Pliska, Preslav, the peculiar stone monument "the cavalier of Madara".
• By ship: the old town Nessebar (remnants of about 40 roman churches), the resort Golden sands, the resort Sunny beach (very nice beaches).


The prices will be known to the Local Committee on September 1. Please indicate on arrival whether you are interested in participating  in  some   of them (a minimum number  of tourists is needed for booking abus or a ship).

Those participants who will come for a shorter period will pay a complete registration fee. However, those who decline to take part in the above social activities will get some reduction (all prices will be clear at the last moment).

Varna is a cultural center. Information about the cultural events in
September will be given in the Third Announcement.

Departure
 

A few busses will be available to Varna airport for those who depart on
September 14.
 

Requests for extra information

Those participants who are arriving to Varna airport and who would like
to use the conference mini-bus to IHS are requested to send ASAP to local organizers exact information about their flights.
We will do our best to cover a reasonable number of arrivals with transport ordered in advance.

Those participants who arrive to Sofia and need any kind of help,
advice, etc. also need to contact the local organizers.
In particular, help with booking modest non-expensive accommodation
and bus tickets will be provided.

Those participants who need for their contributed talk more than  40 minutes should contact ASAP Mikhail Klin with their requests.
Similar requests are welcome for software demonstrations, extra contributed talks etc. All these requests should be directed to Klin.

Information for urgent contacts with the organizers at the end of August -
beginning of September will be included in the Third Announcement.

Click here for the LaTeX - version of the Second Announcement.

Link  to the First Announcement

Go at the top.

The Preliminary schedule of the School will be announced on August 29, 2000.

Last updated on August 28, 2000