Category: big cities

  • Langham Place Hotel, NYC

    In January, a last minute business trip to NYC landed me this room in the Langham Place Hotel – a chain of hotels owned by a Chinese group, I think. With a stovetop, I made tea every morning. There was so much space which is rare in a NY hotel. The bedroom was located in…

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  • Vila Madalena, Sao Paulo

    Before posting on our latest trip, we thought it is best to put up the remaining Brazilian posts first. Vila Madalena is an upper middle class neighborhood in the Pinheiros district on the west side of Sao Paulo. It is known for its bohemian lifestyle, galleries, funky shops, and night life.  I cannot judge its nightlife…

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  • Camp Nou, Barcelona

    Camp Nou (“New Field”) is the home of Barça  – FC Barcelona (Futbol Club Barcelona), Barcelona’s football team. The stadium is open to the public and is a major tourist attraction of the city. I went with my colleagues on the last day of our conference in Barcelona. The camp is located not far from the city…

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  • Parque da Luz, São Paulo

    Parque da Luz (or Jardim da Luz) is one of two big parks in the center of São Paulo. The other one – Ibirapuera – is much more famous for its design and the location of several cultural institutions. I came here primarily because the Museum of the State of Sao Paulo (Pinacoteca do Estado) is…

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  • Views from W Barcelona

    The W Barcelona is located at the western end of Barcelona’s artificial beachfront. It is one of the taller buildings in the city and certainly the tallest and most recognizable in the downtown waterfront area. The architect, Ricardo Bofil, created a nearly 30-story tall building that is shaped like a sail. I had a room on the…

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  • São Paulo: Traffic & Helicopter

    I was on a business trip to the south of Brazil including São Paulo. Out of Zurich, it was a 12-hour non-stop overnight flight. Arrived at GRU, Sao Paulo’s international airport from the 70’s. São Paulo is notorious for several things – one of which is the traffic jam. I walked around the city and can…

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