June 2010 Cote d"ivore, Abidjan was a lot of fun.

Abidjan, Core d'ivore: Place where I have never been,but anxious due to its history of the Paris of Africa. Of course
African Development Bank( ADB) to
which I was going as a delegate, was headquartered in the city years back.

ADB annual meeting is all about seeing Bankers in suits, now real suits I say. The ones from Paris are amazingly chick. It is certainly a place of money and finance. Beats silicon valley in "appearance":). I was at the hotel exchange window when I was struggling to cash my Kenya shillings to dollar and then to the local again,when a Banker volunteers to just give me the exact change in local currency. he was faster to calculate than the women at the front desk, and left swiftly,when the women confirmed it was correct, he said he was going to Kenya next week sohe will need a shilling anyway. There you go, no need to take worry about exchnage issues when you are around Bankers. Reminded me of my days in Wall Street.

May 2010 - Tripoly, Libya

Tripoli, Libya: Wow, it was hot...my first time. Was an interesting drive
from airport ..long, not quite polished as I expected, is like watching sort of a desert...wondered what the hotel I will stay in. Passed thrugh uptown where we passed the Parliament and city hall, brother Leaders Mommar Qaddafi's pictures all over the roads, shows the old and new city.

Arrived and indeed, was received with warm African hospitality, Hotel Raddison. Asked for a room with a view as usual and I got it...everything was meticulously arranged. Went straight for the Gym, then health spa, message and facials and all bit. I did not wake up til next day...conference few days and back to touring Tripoli , beaches our of town and city tours which has the modern shopping centers and coffee shops by the beach..
Country looks ready to develop,integrate and embrasse the outside world and people.

Great place and food, where one wants to enjy beach and great service. I hear women are treaed real well, as I was. speaking Arabic helps!

Far right picture is with Volkswagen that Leader Qaddafi's used to drive during the struggle, which now is kept at the local Museum.

May 2010 - A Glimps of Qatar

Qatar Air was amazing....i took note of the Arabic writing on the airline head screen. Known to be one of the richest cities in the world, and its Formula 1 hosting, I looked forward to seeing the glitz.
Although one night, the city is really planned such as this, and there i an amazing level of building developments like most who did before the financial crises. The architectures were many and of different verities.

I met an airline hostess during the inbound flight while stretching my legs during flight whom I spent the many hrs chatting. She was a very beautiful girl originally from Morocco. She told me she was off to marry one of the rich royalties who had proposed to her and will set her up with her own business etc...she spoke of a boutique when I asked.

I congratulated her , although it made me relflect on how things in the rich world still take an old fashioned form. Hoping for a fairly tell marriage for her,I wished her well and went bk to my seat. She later gave me her contact for Qatar in case I visit in the future.

There is a pic of women at immigration that was willing to give me her pose.Bless her.It was fascinating to see that at the immigration.

April 2010- Lagos Nigeria

Lagos Nigeria: . My first trip to Lagos. Too Excited to arrive there. Took KQ-Kenya Airways. nearly 7 hrs flight. Was a crowded plane yet comfortable, food was great and so was service. I started wonder there are planes wow especially in Africa that are aspire as good as my favorite Lufthansa. Hardly I ever took African plane in the past or traveled in inter-africa much. Airport went well, got picked up by AITEC driver. Went directly to Eco Hotel, one of the best in Nigeria. Beautiful lagoon view from view.

Pictures from event of the next days, below.

The Miss Nigeria beauty context was held at the hotel, a week's worth of delight and traffic made our stay much glamorous than a speaking event I had.

March ICANN Nairobi

ICANN Nairobi: What an even.Nairobi was definitely ready for it. Despite terrorism warnings by US media, enough people participated, maybe 400-500. Certainly it attracted a lot of local audience.

DCA also got an opportunity to flaunt its blueprint of map of Africa (Picture with map is katim Toure), obtain a lot of support, and also iinvited the CEO of ICANN Rob Beckstrom to our local office in Nairobi (far left).


While no major decisions took place on new gTLDs, there was certainly the decision to go to the gala party which tuned out to be a much more warm and eventful and memorable time.

Nov 2009- At the Double A

Addis Ababa Highlights: Lives, People, Events, Encounters:

Celebrating my B-Day, June 6 at the Hilton;
Our Family building, and a view from the Penthouse at the Top where I was staying this round!; Coffee.com;

....and some photo opps with Obama's US Trade Representative at the AA US Chamber of Commerce; also w/ President of CCA;

Isn't she lovely, Sis's daughter?

With Rotarian Yohannis Kifle! below

Alan Broamhead, one of

prominent Art Collectors

and co. at Sheraton Addis

Art Exhibition by Ethiopian Artists.

At the Double A- July 2009

Addis Ababa- Lives, People and Events:

May 2009 - Geneva Switzerland

Ok It is always fun to see Joe Butler and hang out with her family and friends!

We have gone many places from the city to Paris by the lake and back at friend's place. Here sharing some pics...

25 April 2009- I don't know to CEO

It was a great occasion to meet the who is who of Silicon Valley at the "I dont know to" CEO conference, hosted by Stanford Women In Business (SWIB) conference: It was a lesson learned on how I as a CEO was disconnected from my career vs. the company I keep building ...we all had a great time and the organizers were fabulous.
Here was the press release from SWIB: View From The Top: Changing the Face of Technology -Featuring people that have made great impact! Each of the outstanding panelists has changed the way we think about the Internet and beyond. With its revolutionary technology, Pandora has taken music by storm; YouTube has altered online video and sharing all around the world; Friendfeed is transforming how we learn from our friends' online discoveries; Gmail and Adsense shattered old conceptions of email and online advertising; Shmoop is putting education on a whole new platform; Yahoo! brought the Internet into the hands of the average Joe; and CBS International brings powerful advanced information technology to the developing world, with long-standing initiatives to bring the internet to Africa. How does one little start-up end improving so many millions of lives? What makes these people passionate about what they do? Learn how you can be one of these people whose lives affect the face of technology. Press by SWIB more

16 April 2009 - Vellamora Spain- BURN THE FLOOR!!

Went to see Burn the Floor at the Post Street Theater in SF!, organized by A-list, indeed an amazing dance sensation. So much energy, talent, beauty and enthusiasm with all the dancers!

I thought I was in Vellamora Spain, a casino/dance show. Burn the Floor is an international sensation! No cameras allowed, so I have noting to share with you. So here is the 2007 versing of the show from You Tube....

In fact the costumes here was the same, although they change almost 7-8 times throughout a 2hr show.

Cheers!

27 March 2009 - Bowling Tournament in San Francisco with GGU

My team and the missed score... we had fun! go GGU!

23 March 2009- SFBay ISOC reception at Hilton Tavern

Yes, we did it! Feb 16, 2009 - The San Francisco Bay Chapter of Internet Society. Celebrating with the ISOC International, IETF folks and ICANN Chairman, who graced us with his presence and said few words for us.
Left - Zaid (our President/Chair and Peter, ICANN Chairman) Right - Sophia Board Secretary start from left, then Franck Board Member from Fiji also on ISOC International Board of Trustees and Annalisa far right SFBay Vice Chair.

Go see more and join us on Facebbook...

SanFrancisco - Classical Tango meets Jazz

Saturday, Mar 21 8:00p at San Francisco War Memorial Opera House: Herbst Theatre, San Francisco, CA. Tango, Passion & Swing” featuring the Grammy-Award winning pianist and composer Pablo Ziegler with his Quartet in an unique pairing with special guest, Latin Grammy-Award winning flautist Nestor Torres!
I hear Paulo has his legacy from his role model Astor Piazolla, a who revolutionized the traditional tango into, incorporated Jazz and Classical music.


Tango music to me is a story of the unrequited love, boy meets girl and she always leave him.. it has no conclusion...because of that there is always a new beginning...

18 March 2009- Alamo, CA - Rotary Club

Ok, always a pleasure to visit my Rotarian friends at the RoundHill Country Club in Alamo. Brian D. Thiessen, far right, a popular Lawyer and former District Governor, who has been my long time friend now and one who has inagurated me with the Paul Harris Fellow award and his wife Ms. Thiessen at far left.
I stand in between the former Rotary International President Cliff Dochterman, the best loved Rotarian in the world and probably the most famous, who was the guest speaker today and entertained us with stories of his experience from Ethiopia to India and his wife Mary Elena. Always great to hear stories of well traveled people.