Guilin

The south-eastern region of Guangxi corresponds more to the cliches one has about Asia and China. Rice fields are all around and people still make use of animals to help them.
Guilin is mostly known for its fantastic landscapes of karst peaks along the river Li. The scenery is unbeliavable and the cruise on the river was a highlight of the trip.
It is also one of the last place in China where fishermen still use cormorans to fish. At night, I must say it is quite feeric to watch these birds dive and catch fish. I might have even found it romantic, where I not thinking in economics terms. And indeed, this way of fishing is only kept alive thanks to the tourists.And then there is the local market, where one can buy many live things. The most frightening though is that doctors and dentists have stands! So patients open their mouth and get treated at the market. Good luck to them!

Hong Kong

First landing in Asia, as long as Hong Kong can still be called "Asian". They have this "one country - two system" with China, meaning that they use their own currency (the Hong Kong dollar), they drive on the other side of the road, there is a real border with a sanitary control (fear of the swine flu).
There is an interesting mix between a world city very much involved in global trade and some signs of asian culture, such as Buddhas, tiny markets and well-keeped parks.But the main trademark of Hong Kong is its 7500 skyscapers best viewed at night.

New York

The main purpose to go to New York was to attend a Conference at the United Nations. The member countries had agreed to a declaration just before the start of the conference, so the atmosphere was pretty relaxed.
There were many speeches, mostly delivered by officials, which means not made by Presidents nor Ministers. The only president who decided to attend, the one from Ecuador, use 10 times his allocated time. He thought he really had much to say.
So with these long speeches, there was not much time to explore. Still I went to visit the area around "Ground Zero", where the two towers of the World Trade Centre collapsed after the terrorist attack of 11 september 2001. The most striking is the huge empty space in this neighbourhood of skyscrapers. There is an audio guided tour and an information center.
Further in this area, there is Wall Street. It seems that neither the terrorist attacks nor the financial crisis did damage it at the core. It is most certainly right that they system has to be retained but there is indeed potential to improve it.
Further south, the "bull" as symbol of optimism on the stock market. In the four days I was there, the stock market climbed by 2.1 percent. Is this a causality or just a correlation? The best way to know would be for shareholders to invite me time and again to New York!

Mont Blanc

Another must see in the vicinity of Geneva: the Mont Blanc! the highest mountain in Europe. What best way to climb is on foot. Can you spot me there...? Look carefully.
OK, fine. I did take the cable car...
Finally, a close-up view of the top. Not even chilly there.

real tennis

Another year, another pilgrimage to Roland Garros. There are old faces and new ones. As every year, there are surprises and confirmations. Will Federer finally come into the light? We will know shortly. Will the swiss "number 2" - Wawrinka - manage to win a big match?


Will Del Potro be the next main challenger?Or will it be Verdasco?

tennis

With the long week-end of Ascension, the temperature reached record levels here in Geneva with 33.8 degrees. At the club, we got some tough games and a lot of sweat. The tournaments so far went really well for me with a semi-final and a quarter-final. Am I ready for Roland Garros?

I am certainly ready to watch it. It started today on TV. And then on Friday, I am off to Paris. Hopefully, I will carry high the swiss flag. More about this in my next entry. And hold your thumbs!

Athens

Time for a little excursion? What about simply catching a flight to Athens? Indeed a great idea. Two hours later: a hotel by the sea, nice weather. The only problem is that on this May 1, the trams are not running...The city has had a major lifting since my last visit. It has become a nice capital far from the previous chaos and smog. The town center is made of a maze of little pedestrian streets dotted with numerous little shops. The buildings have been renovated and are bright white. The public transport system is also much improved with a modern subway. The stray cats have almost disappeared from the streets, but there are now more dogs.
But more seriously, Athens is known as the birthplace of democracy. So a little stop by the national Parliament is a must. However, there one cannot smiling at the guards and their attire. Look at their shoes... A huge pompom on the shoes.
For the tourists, it is certainly the Acropolis and the Parthenon that caracterise Athens the most. It is indeed very impressive to climb this hill and to walk around this magnificient building. The most celebrated monument of this civilisation. We can be proud to have part of our culture originating from here.