This time I made it to China. I was there on business for a big conference. It was really nice although the city is really different from what I am used to...some 22 million people live there. Traffic and pollution are at a different level even of what I am used to be here in the Middle East. The whole Kingdom of Jordan does not have as many people ;-) I arrived early morning and took advantage to go and visit the forbidden city and tien amen square right after having checked in a hotel in walking distance from those sites. The hotel we staid for the conference was more outside, in front of the olympic city.
Between the square and my hotel I had to cross one of the main shopping streets :-) They simply have freakin' everything there! It is not away from any other big city...
I even managed to find some shoes :-) Even nicer that they were on sale :-)
After a good night of sleep I checked out and moved to the hotel where I would stay for the conference. I arrived early morning as I had appointment with my German colleagues to go and see the Great Wall. We met our guide at the lobby on time and off we were. After an hour she told us that we had to stop to visit a pottery. Was a traditional chinese pottery where they paint the copper pots with colors made of stones. Very interesting. We then made it to the Wall after half an hour or so. We took a small lift that took us up to the Wall where you can spend the rest of your life walking as it was originally over 6500 kilometers long. Two hours were enough for us and then we decided to ride down on a tobogan :-) That was really fun except that some did not let the break go and so we literally bumed into each other although we started with a distance between us...
On the way back to the hotel we visited a tea shop and a foot massge clinic where we got a nice foot massage for free :-) That was the exact right thing after a long day of sightseeing the day before and a day at the wall...
We finally got back to the hotel in the late afternoon at 4ish. The weather was still the same. Grey and cloudy but warm. I decided to take advantage of being in the hotel right in front of the Olympic Village to grab my stuff an go for a run. I don't want to come across too sentimental but believe it or not, but it was something of the most inspiring I've done. Running around the Birds Nest, a beautiful stadium built by architects from my hometown and between all the other buildings and stadiums let me feel like one of the athletes who competed here during the olympic games in 2008. Another highlight is the swimming stadium right next to the Birds Nest. It is a square building and the facade looks like bubbles. At night the area is even nicer as everything is illuminated which gives a real magic touch to the area...
The conference ended after two days at noon time so I had another afternoon to go out and hang out. I met my Swiss colleagues and we entered the stadium which was really interesting from an architectural point of view. Look at the pictures... They explain what I am trying to describe...
Facade of the swimming stadium
I finally went back to the hotel where I got ready for my trip back. I met a lovely colleague who was flying back home the same night too. Some staid for another couple days to enjoy sightseeing. She invited me to meet her colleagues for dinner which I did. So before I left I met with my colleagues from the Eastern European part and enjoyed a great dinner and their lovely company. I finally took a taxi to the airport where the airplane took me home to Jordan where the most beautiful weather welcomed me!
After a very short "weekend" during which I had to catch up on e-mails as I was not able to access my inbox in China I packed my luggage again to get ready for the next conference in Madrid. Actually that's where I am wrinting you folks from... Sitting in the airplane over the Mediterranean Sea right between Greece and Sicily. Looks cloudy outside... I am obviously not in AlUrdun anymore ;-)
Well...that was my busy week during which I met many lovely new colleagues, caught up with lovely old colleagues who I would even consider friends in the meantime... It was really lovely to see you all!
Back in Amman my wife is getting ready to receive her best friend (she also is a repeat "offender";-) Like Katja's brother she liked it very much and came back the second time. @ NC: looking forward seeing you when I am back next weekend!! Enjoy and take care! Big hug!!
After her another friend and former colleague of my wife will visit us... But she will not be the last one... There are still some more to go... ;-)
Oh btw... Now it is the moment to reveal the " secret"... I signed up for a running event in Amman which will take place during the Amman Marathon. I run for charity and will be supporting the River Jordan Foundation. For who have already been here, it is the foundatikn in the beautiful restaurant with the terrific terrace downtown (Wild Jordan). I never run before and I am not the running type of guy but hey...we'll see how it goes. I am practicing hard as I want to finish it running. Guess the biggest challenge will be running in the streets in Amman where you either run up or down... However it goes, I am sure it will be a great experience. I will keep you posted here of course ;-)
Take good care wherever you are in this world. We all miss you here. A big hug from Jordan! Ma' Salaama!
I walked around and both sites are really impressive. An absolute "must see"! The pictures explain in a better way than I ever could.
Between the square and my hotel I had to cross one of the main shopping streets :-) They simply have freakin' everything there! It is not away from any other big city...
I even managed to find some shoes :-) Even nicer that they were on sale :-)
After a good night of sleep I checked out and moved to the hotel where I would stay for the conference. I arrived early morning as I had appointment with my German colleagues to go and see the Great Wall. We met our guide at the lobby on time and off we were. After an hour she told us that we had to stop to visit a pottery. Was a traditional chinese pottery where they paint the copper pots with colors made of stones. Very interesting. We then made it to the Wall after half an hour or so. We took a small lift that took us up to the Wall where you can spend the rest of your life walking as it was originally over 6500 kilometers long. Two hours were enough for us and then we decided to ride down on a tobogan :-) That was really fun except that some did not let the break go and so we literally bumed into each other although we started with a distance between us...
On the way back to the hotel we visited a tea shop and a foot massge clinic where we got a nice foot massage for free :-) That was the exact right thing after a long day of sightseeing the day before and a day at the wall...
We finally got back to the hotel in the late afternoon at 4ish. The weather was still the same. Grey and cloudy but warm. I decided to take advantage of being in the hotel right in front of the Olympic Village to grab my stuff an go for a run. I don't want to come across too sentimental but believe it or not, but it was something of the most inspiring I've done. Running around the Birds Nest, a beautiful stadium built by architects from my hometown and between all the other buildings and stadiums let me feel like one of the athletes who competed here during the olympic games in 2008. Another highlight is the swimming stadium right next to the Birds Nest. It is a square building and the facade looks like bubbles. At night the area is even nicer as everything is illuminated which gives a real magic touch to the area...
The conference ended after two days at noon time so I had another afternoon to go out and hang out. I met my Swiss colleagues and we entered the stadium which was really interesting from an architectural point of view. Look at the pictures... They explain what I am trying to describe...
Facade of the swimming stadium
I finally went back to the hotel where I got ready for my trip back. I met a lovely colleague who was flying back home the same night too. Some staid for another couple days to enjoy sightseeing. She invited me to meet her colleagues for dinner which I did. So before I left I met with my colleagues from the Eastern European part and enjoyed a great dinner and their lovely company. I finally took a taxi to the airport where the airplane took me home to Jordan where the most beautiful weather welcomed me!
After a very short "weekend" during which I had to catch up on e-mails as I was not able to access my inbox in China I packed my luggage again to get ready for the next conference in Madrid. Actually that's where I am wrinting you folks from... Sitting in the airplane over the Mediterranean Sea right between Greece and Sicily. Looks cloudy outside... I am obviously not in AlUrdun anymore ;-)
Well...that was my busy week during which I met many lovely new colleagues, caught up with lovely old colleagues who I would even consider friends in the meantime... It was really lovely to see you all!
Back in Amman my wife is getting ready to receive her best friend (she also is a repeat "offender";-) Like Katja's brother she liked it very much and came back the second time. @ NC: looking forward seeing you when I am back next weekend!! Enjoy and take care! Big hug!!
After her another friend and former colleague of my wife will visit us... But she will not be the last one... There are still some more to go... ;-)
Oh btw... Now it is the moment to reveal the " secret"... I signed up for a running event in Amman which will take place during the Amman Marathon. I run for charity and will be supporting the River Jordan Foundation. For who have already been here, it is the foundatikn in the beautiful restaurant with the terrific terrace downtown (Wild Jordan). I never run before and I am not the running type of guy but hey...we'll see how it goes. I am practicing hard as I want to finish it running. Guess the biggest challenge will be running in the streets in Amman where you either run up or down... However it goes, I am sure it will be a great experience. I will keep you posted here of course ;-)
Take good care wherever you are in this world. We all miss you here. A big hug from Jordan! Ma' Salaama!
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