Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Good bye NY

On my way back! Finally after all the weeks of travelling.

God I miss being home!

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Jesus playing baseball!

Just outside south san francisco city.

Heck of a painting though!

Lady with the laptop

This is why there is a market for the tablet and the UMPC.

People want to get a great computing experience wherever they are because they r using them in more and more locations for more and more things.

This is possibly the biggest reason of iPhone's success, great internet on the go capability. Ofcourse, this experienced over wifi coupled with 3G in their next version could hammer the nail in tablet and UMPC's coffins

Hillsdale

Hey look!! They have houses on the hills too!!
Sort of like a millionaire version of the hill with slums in Mumbai!

Except that these probably cost an arm, a leg and your two kidneys all at once :)

In the train

Off to san francisco.

Damn the weather. Its rainy all day today but thankfully sunny for the rest of the day!

Maybe the golden gates bridge won't be all cloudy although I do hear it looks rather dramatic that way - with the bridge disappearing into the clouds and stuff.

San francisco. The vacation begins!!

Yea!! After 2 days of near terminal meetings, I'm finally ready for some serious shopping and sightseeing!!

Just outside my hotel and damn! Its raining for the first time!!

Hopefully sfo will be better!!

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Messy carpet

Yup, and this airport won "best airport" ?

Are you kidding me?

Dirty seats

Brussels airport

Sitting waiting for my connecting flight to US.

Fortunately, travelling Jet so the experience is really good :) no one does hospitality like Indians, whether it is hotels, airlines whatever.

Strangely enough, a Jet brochure said brussels was rated as the best airport in 2006.

So far, I can see stained seats and dirty carpet making it look more like bhopal than brussels.

I guess no one bullshits like Indians too! :)

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Finally! In Dubai

Which is good because the Grand Hyatt is an infinitely better hotel than the Marriott in Paris!

Gotta get ready and go to Gitex!

Friday, September 7, 2007

Notredame

After 4 days of pure gruelling meetings which lasted 12 hours everyday, finally got some well deserved break which meant I went sightseeing in Paris

About the only 2 things I hadn't seen in Paris were the cemetery where Jim Morrison is buried and Notredame.

Now I just haven't seen the cemetery.

Notredame is famous for its artistuc stained glass which has survived despite the attack on the cathedral which almost demolished the building!

Better photos when I reach my next destination - dubai!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Dinner!!

After 12 hrs of presentations (including my own I daresay) we finally get to eat.

Dinner was at Royce, a terrific restaurant right off Champs de elysse.

Must go back when I'm not numb and tired!

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Grande Arche

The most famous monument in the district. More commonly known as Arche de la defense.

Apparently this was built by launching a design competition at some French president's whim.

A danish guy won it and so now u know why it looks more like a hollowed pastry than a "monument'

It isn't even that tall! Ust a 110 metres. Propogandists say it looks like a 4 dimensional hypercube projected in a 3dimensional world.
That's absurdity of cosmic proportions!

To its credit though, despite being almost 20 yrs old, it doesn't look its age. At all!

The two vertical sides have offices and the rooftop has an exhibition centre.

Looks right at home in La defense and u could argue its the modern version of arch de triomphe but then, la defense is so out of synch with rest of paris that this along with the whole region is a monstrosity.

10 on 10 for urban planning but minus several million for architectural beauty.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Room without a view!

Currently in La Defense. Contrary to the military sounding name, it is the new business district which sadly makes paris look like any other city.

No parisian architecture, just the regular high-rises with lots of glass so if you were to suddenly wake up here, you won't be able to tell whether this is Paris, New York or even London for that matter.

Even worse, this is the only place I have seen in Paris where the sky is grey and not the usual lovely blue.

I want to be out of here!

Monday, September 3, 2007

Touchdown in Paris!

Charles de gaulle continues to spend more space towards everything BUT passengers.

Lately though (past 2 trips) I've seen them being bitten by the "airport modernisation" bug. Perhaps we are exporting more than just silk and spices

On my way to the hotel to crash into bed. Have to go check out the la defense arch at night!

Oh and I'm famished.

Mini market at the airport

Sure, while DIA has tons of shops, it is this mini market smack in the middle that gives the place its character. A very fruitful mix of old and new.

While I don't actual figured CDG definitely seems bigger in size but most of that area is quite wasted and not really for use by passengers.

DIA on the other hand makes super use of the space available splitting the sitting and eating areas and the shops.

I wish they had somewhere to sit on the ground floor. I could sit and lust at the cars in peace without making my leg muscles give all hope of rest and aching beyond what I thought was muscularly possible..

Ok boarding time!

Travelling... Again

This time going to the same city - Paris but thankfully npt flying the dreadful Air France. An airline whose service is perhaps second best only to a prison!

On Emirates this time and MAN do they know which planes to buy. The economy seat had so much leg space that the person sitting next to me could get up and move about without actually having to wake me up. This was really good for him because this flight being a 4am flight meant I was at my sleepy and cranky best and the last thing I wanted was for someone to ask me to get up cuz he can't hold it on a 2hr flight!!

Dubai airport, much like the city never ceases to amaze me. Built out of land reclaimed from the dessert, this place is living example of man's technical genius and a sensible government's will to make things better for its citizens and visitors.

Quick trivia - 40% of world's cranes are in Dubai!

1 hour stopover till my connecting flight to Paris.

I'm going shopping!! Would be crazy not to! :)

Fancy a smoke... Or 20?