26.7.08

The AA - in Winter time...

Addis Ababa July 2008: from the Paris of Europe to the Paris of Africa ( The double A)...
Checked-in at the Sheraton Addis left- This Pasha is suppose to be one of the 11 "Luxury Collection" Hotels of Starwood, which we are again grateful for having it as a result of out famous and wealthy Ethio-Saudi investor Shiek Al Amoudi. A patron since its construction over 9 years ago, I actually decided to stay there cause the Hiton's Gym was under construction. Unfortunately not having a Gym at one at this hotel (shame for its standard), they managed to get me a cycling machine in my room. Off I go in and out, noting service excellence, like santa who is good and who is bad during my stay:-) I assure you I get critical of this when I travel in Africa, cause I feel embarrassed when it is substandard .... depends on mgmt perception... complaint or input.
The rest was business and pleasure as usual (right). Luggage delay for 4 days is a Lufthansa experience one prays not to happen, especially in Addis, where I find it shopping challenged, so I was roaming around the Pasaha with the same clothes for 4 days...
Weekend is at the famous Kurifu Resort left, 2 hr away from town, an amazing exercises in brain and body renewal... food and Ethiopian with (Guder) is amazing!
My come back to Sheraton was an interesting series of accidents, as I was told. I had a check-out notice earlier than when I should, my inroom safe was open and my personal voicemail was reset. Did the hotel handle it properly? No ....even worst, I learned after I checked-out that I have been robbed of 1800USD out of my hand luggage inside zipper sealed in a while envelop..., which only can find out if they searched closely in my property...what an invitation of privacy?? that is that for the "Luxury collection"...management reaction was pretty standard..defend the hotel...well I am going to have a u-tube on you when I finish this blog I tell u.... glad that it went to my people, yet, this hotel needs a face lift in mgmt, which had taken down its service to a 2* level in my opinion, equal to mgmt complacency.

21.7.08

Birthdays in June Paris ..

Paris in June: Here we come.. the Sophie invasion!! Too anxious to meet my old time friend Sophie, after we decided to celebrate our B-Days in Europe this year...so we chose Paris. Two Sophies, myself and Sophie traveling from Irland and 2 other Irish girlfriends of her living in Paris...
Left ..Starbucks in Paris...so chic looking...
My Hotel -Westin Paris , also the chic address, not far from the Buddah Bar and Carton Hotel, hip hangouts; taxis take over 25 minutes to catch, must be so you admire the city while waiting, yes, we have checked out Hemingway Bar, Maxim's, Le Cab by Pl du Palais Royal, and the amazing Libresens Cognac bar and dinner at Perision Hall is a fantastic end!

Yes, I wanted to stop over and pay my Salute to my also old colleagues in ICANN - as the 32nd International Public ICANN Meeting was happening on 22-26 June 2008. Glad to have retired from the Council, and be a regular citizen of ICANN, I also got to announced our dot.africa initiative at the public forum.

Other times, just touring around the beautiful city that seem endlessly glamorous was fun and playing 'pose' as a model is a must, especially the same place that I used to be photographed over 10 years ago!!! 'Strike a pose';-)

Le saine