This was my second visit to Cologne - home of my very dear friend, Micheal Gruenberger. I first visited Cologne last year when I connected with the Varekai tour in Amsterdam. Thankfully, it was marginally warmer in Cologne than in Zurich but still not T-shirt weather like Barcelona and Sevilla. Some of you may know I spent a year in Germany back in the very early eighties where I acquired a not-so healthy attachment to a certain Bavarian white sausage called the "Bockwurst" so of course, the first thing I did while strolling through the main train station in Cologne was to stop and devour a lovery curry Bockwurst served with the obligatory roll. Mein Gott, it was good to be back in Germany!
My visit to date has, thankfully, been very relaxing. Micheal had an engagement the evening I arrived so for the first time in a few days, I was able to put some order in my collection of rags that I refer to as my "hand luggage" and to catch up on my email (I actually started this email on Saturday night). Yesterday morning (and again this morning), Michael set out a breakfast table fit for a king (or should I say, properly, two Queens!). Smoked salmon, four types of cheeses, two types of meats, French butter (JM would have been proud!), pickled herring and a million jars of jams. What more can a guy ask for?
We both did some work the rest of the day (I'm still working on my essays for my NYU application due at the end of the month. Still no news from Columbia) and then set off to see a movie (The Reader...with Cate Blanchett who won a well-deserved Oscar for her performance). We then had a quick bite to eat at, predictably, a wonderful place called the Curry Sausage Express (I'm sure you will not be surprised that I picked the restaurant) where we met a beautiful young (28yo) friend of Michael's named Peter who is just completing his PhD and who has the body of a young god. Dear me, I don't think I know anyone any more who has friends under 30....do you?!!
Monday, March 23, 2009
ZURICH
Back in the air. on Swiss Air to be exact, they served us a complimentary sandwich, a warm beverage, and wonderful Swiss chocolate in the course of a 90-minute flight - all in Economy class! It was my first experience flying Swiss Air and I must say that it was by far my favorite experience flying Economy in the last ten years.
True to form, I wasted no time after landing in Zurich. My friend Daniel (some of you know him as "Gigi's son") met me at the train station. Daniel became a close friend last year when he traveled to New York a number of times to help Gigi move-out of Minetta Lane. Some of you know that Gigi moved back to Switzerland last year after living in NYC for fifty years (the last ten on Minetta Lane) Through an unexpected turn of events, I became the owner of the apt. she lived in (6A) which for me is the most precious "keepsake" I could be have in memory of Gigi who passed away on Feb.23rd.
Daniel, for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of meeting him, is a suave Daniel Craig look-alike (with a much better body) with piercing gray-blue eyes and the demeanor of a Swiss gentleman. By day, Daniel is an elite personal trainer working in the most prestigious gym in in all of Switzerland overlooking Lake Zurich and training the moneyed elite of Swiss society. By night, Daniel attends operas at the Grand Opera House and collects art for a hobby. With this type of profile, who would ever guess that Daniel is a secret lover of techno music and has even been known to moonlight as a DJ in some of Zurich's coolest night clubs (more on this later).
Anyhow, back in Zurich, I arrived at the train station wearing my usual cargo shorts and t-shirt outfit. Needless to say, I got more than a few funny looks from both personnel and passenges on Swiss Air while the weather outside registered sub-zero temperatures! Upon greeting me, Daniel annoucned that we would be going to the Opera that night (La fedelta premiata by Haydn) with his gf - a beautiful modern dancer by the name of Sara.
First, however, Daniel had to give me a much-needed wardrobe makeover (Vlada and Muthu...you would love this guy...very elegant and understated sense of style). Thanfkully, he is six-foot tall and has the same shoe size as I so his evening jacket and shoes were a perfect fit. Though his upper body is all chiseled muscles and abs (Ken, Andi....sound familiar?!!), I was able to wear one of his beautiful designer shirts and thanks to my sagging chest and flabby waist, I managed to fill his tapered AF shirt. To my unexpected surprise, I actually enjoyed the Opera. Unlike North American operas such as the ones put on by the Metropolitan Opera which I have relunctantly attended on occasion, European operas are more often than not staged in modern or contemporary settings. So the sets and costume are modern (in this case, that of a 1960's bohemian free-love cult trying, at the instigation of a jaded and manipuliting cult leader, to separate two love-torn confused young people) and, in my opinion, much more engaging (in other words, I managed not to fall asleep). It also helped, of course, that we had the best seats in the house (center-row orchestra).
Daniel and I spent the next day touring the city by bike (he has two kick-ass mountain bikes) and ate lunch on the side of the lake (in sub-zero temperatures...seriously!) and then headed for the flagship store of Sprungli chocolate where we stuffed ourselves on chocolates and lovely little miniature dessert "hamburgers" called Luxemburgli. We then continued our tour and stopped at another chocolate shop called Teuschner (Patrick, sound familiar? remember those two pounds of chocolate you brought back for me from Basel a few years ago?)
Bike tour was followed by a visit to the gym where Daniel tought a couple of private lessons and I did some serious rowing and eliptical training to help burn off my non-stop consumption of chocolates since I have landed in Europe.
Gym was followed by a huge dinnner at an incredible Lebenese restaurant where we were entertained by a very cogquette belly-dancer. The restaurant served very authentic Lebenese cuisine and could easily give our NYC restaurants a run for their money.
Dinner was followed by a disco nap for about an hour at which time, aorund midnight, we set off for an amazing dance club created by the space vacated by the former Zurich stock exchange. If you like great tehcno and house vibes, this is the place to be in Zurich (and in Europe so I'm told) and those of you who enjoy the Black and Blue every year, you would love this club.
It was 5am by the time we crawled into bed but Daniel, drill sergeant that he is, had me up and pedalling my butt off to his gym for a private 10:45am training with Tim, the master trainer at his club. Tim hails from San Diego and has been training people from all over the world for over 30 years. I told Tim of my plans to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman in 2011 (when I turn 50) and that my main worry was my swimming as I have yet to rehabilatate my old shoulder injuries from over 15 years ago. Tim spent 45 minutes evaluating my poor posture and lack of secondary muscle strenght (in large part caused by the millions of hours that I have logged over my computer these past ten years at Mayer, Brown). Tim stated that he had seen very few people of my age and size with such weak upper body muscle groups. For my part, it was not a bit surprise because 100% of my athletic activities I do with my legs and I tend to avoid all activities involving my upper body.
Unlike most physical therapists that I have worked with in the past who have focused on having me do strenthening exercises (which have often caused me pain resulting in my not following through with their programs), Tim gave me eleven exercises to reduce the stifness and increase the flexibility in my thoracic and shoulder joints/muscles which I am to practice daily for at least four weeks before even attempting any strengthening exercises. Once I have increased the flexibility and range of movements in my shoulders and thorax and lower back, Daniel and Tim will get me started on strenthening exercises to help prepare me to competitive (masters) swimming which I plan to start in the fall. Hoorray, fiftieth b-day here we come!
So after quick lunch and a short nap, I was off to the train station where we had another quick coffee (and chocolate cake!) to catch a shuttle train to the airport for my flight to Cologne. Unsurprisingly, I stopped at every Sprungli chocolate shop at the airport and loaded up on supply of champagne truffles.
True to form, I wasted no time after landing in Zurich. My friend Daniel (some of you know him as "Gigi's son") met me at the train station. Daniel became a close friend last year when he traveled to New York a number of times to help Gigi move-out of Minetta Lane. Some of you know that Gigi moved back to Switzerland last year after living in NYC for fifty years (the last ten on Minetta Lane) Through an unexpected turn of events, I became the owner of the apt. she lived in (6A) which for me is the most precious "keepsake" I could be have in memory of Gigi who passed away on Feb.23rd.
Daniel, for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of meeting him, is a suave Daniel Craig look-alike (with a much better body) with piercing gray-blue eyes and the demeanor of a Swiss gentleman. By day, Daniel is an elite personal trainer working in the most prestigious gym in in all of Switzerland overlooking Lake Zurich and training the moneyed elite of Swiss society. By night, Daniel attends operas at the Grand Opera House and collects art for a hobby. With this type of profile, who would ever guess that Daniel is a secret lover of techno music and has even been known to moonlight as a DJ in some of Zurich's coolest night clubs (more on this later).
Anyhow, back in Zurich, I arrived at the train station wearing my usual cargo shorts and t-shirt outfit. Needless to say, I got more than a few funny looks from both personnel and passenges on Swiss Air while the weather outside registered sub-zero temperatures! Upon greeting me, Daniel annoucned that we would be going to the Opera that night (La fedelta premiata by Haydn) with his gf - a beautiful modern dancer by the name of Sara.
First, however, Daniel had to give me a much-needed wardrobe makeover (Vlada and Muthu...you would love this guy...very elegant and understated sense of style). Thanfkully, he is six-foot tall and has the same shoe size as I so his evening jacket and shoes were a perfect fit. Though his upper body is all chiseled muscles and abs (Ken, Andi....sound familiar?!!), I was able to wear one of his beautiful designer shirts and thanks to my sagging chest and flabby waist, I managed to fill his tapered AF shirt. To my unexpected surprise, I actually enjoyed the Opera. Unlike North American operas such as the ones put on by the Metropolitan Opera which I have relunctantly attended on occasion, European operas are more often than not staged in modern or contemporary settings. So the sets and costume are modern (in this case, that of a 1960's bohemian free-love cult trying, at the instigation of a jaded and manipuliting cult leader, to separate two love-torn confused young people) and, in my opinion, much more engaging (in other words, I managed not to fall asleep). It also helped, of course, that we had the best seats in the house (center-row orchestra).
Daniel and I spent the next day touring the city by bike (he has two kick-ass mountain bikes) and ate lunch on the side of the lake (in sub-zero temperatures...seriously!) and then headed for the flagship store of Sprungli chocolate where we stuffed ourselves on chocolates and lovely little miniature dessert "hamburgers" called Luxemburgli. We then continued our tour and stopped at another chocolate shop called Teuschner (Patrick, sound familiar? remember those two pounds of chocolate you brought back for me from Basel a few years ago?)
Bike tour was followed by a visit to the gym where Daniel tought a couple of private lessons and I did some serious rowing and eliptical training to help burn off my non-stop consumption of chocolates since I have landed in Europe.
Gym was followed by a huge dinnner at an incredible Lebenese restaurant where we were entertained by a very cogquette belly-dancer. The restaurant served very authentic Lebenese cuisine and could easily give our NYC restaurants a run for their money.
Dinner was followed by a disco nap for about an hour at which time, aorund midnight, we set off for an amazing dance club created by the space vacated by the former Zurich stock exchange. If you like great tehcno and house vibes, this is the place to be in Zurich (and in Europe so I'm told) and those of you who enjoy the Black and Blue every year, you would love this club.
It was 5am by the time we crawled into bed but Daniel, drill sergeant that he is, had me up and pedalling my butt off to his gym for a private 10:45am training with Tim, the master trainer at his club. Tim hails from San Diego and has been training people from all over the world for over 30 years. I told Tim of my plans to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman in 2011 (when I turn 50) and that my main worry was my swimming as I have yet to rehabilatate my old shoulder injuries from over 15 years ago. Tim spent 45 minutes evaluating my poor posture and lack of secondary muscle strenght (in large part caused by the millions of hours that I have logged over my computer these past ten years at Mayer, Brown). Tim stated that he had seen very few people of my age and size with such weak upper body muscle groups. For my part, it was not a bit surprise because 100% of my athletic activities I do with my legs and I tend to avoid all activities involving my upper body.
Unlike most physical therapists that I have worked with in the past who have focused on having me do strenthening exercises (which have often caused me pain resulting in my not following through with their programs), Tim gave me eleven exercises to reduce the stifness and increase the flexibility in my thoracic and shoulder joints/muscles which I am to practice daily for at least four weeks before even attempting any strengthening exercises. Once I have increased the flexibility and range of movements in my shoulders and thorax and lower back, Daniel and Tim will get me started on strenthening exercises to help prepare me to competitive (masters) swimming which I plan to start in the fall. Hoorray, fiftieth b-day here we come!
So after quick lunch and a short nap, I was off to the train station where we had another quick coffee (and chocolate cake!) to catch a shuttle train to the airport for my flight to Cologne. Unsurprisingly, I stopped at every Sprungli chocolate shop at the airport and loaded up on supply of champagne truffles.
MY LAST DAY IN BARCELONA
I think I told some of you after my four-hour guided city bike tour of Sevilla (where I spent five days) that I was determined to discover every other city by bike which I did in Barcelona (three days) with a five-hour guided bike tour with a very cute 26yo Texan by the name of Michael Upshaw who answered ALL of my questions including the personal ones where I discovered that his gay-friendly stance came from having a gay father (poor Michael had a number of as-of-yet unresolved issues.... to be followed up in another email...perhaps...)
Anyway, my last (half day) in Barcelona came and went in a typical Gilles frenzy. Quick sandwich on my Juliet balcony overlooking Catalunya Plaza with a nice decaf cafe con leche and some nice local chocolate. I then made a mad rush for the Picasso museum (too much to see in too little time) which was overrun with students groups and way too noisy despite the many signs asking patrons to tour in "silence". This was followed by a much longer tour of the Chocolate Museum (I'm sure this will not surprise any of you). And throughout the morning, I made a number of shopping stops at two chocolate shops and a cool clothing shop called G-Star. I had to jog back to the hotel to make the 12 o'clock check-out time. By the time I had taken a shower and packed my bags, it was 12:45 which left me just two hours to get to the airport for my 2:45pm flight to Zurich.
As luck would have it, a large student demonstration had invaded Plaza Catalunya and blocked off all traffic around the square including access to the stop for the airport shuttle. So I teamed up with Juergen, a former Lufthansa pilot now working for a Chinese airline based out of Shanghai, to share a cab to the aiport. Juergen had much to say about the American recession (all negative), was very impressed by the emergency landing made in the Hudson River by the US Airlines pilot back in January and loved living in China with his a Chinese girlfriend who is apparently more than thirty years his junior.
Anyway, my last (half day) in Barcelona came and went in a typical Gilles frenzy. Quick sandwich on my Juliet balcony overlooking Catalunya Plaza with a nice decaf cafe con leche and some nice local chocolate. I then made a mad rush for the Picasso museum (too much to see in too little time) which was overrun with students groups and way too noisy despite the many signs asking patrons to tour in "silence". This was followed by a much longer tour of the Chocolate Museum (I'm sure this will not surprise any of you). And throughout the morning, I made a number of shopping stops at two chocolate shops and a cool clothing shop called G-Star. I had to jog back to the hotel to make the 12 o'clock check-out time. By the time I had taken a shower and packed my bags, it was 12:45 which left me just two hours to get to the airport for my 2:45pm flight to Zurich.
As luck would have it, a large student demonstration had invaded Plaza Catalunya and blocked off all traffic around the square including access to the stop for the airport shuttle. So I teamed up with Juergen, a former Lufthansa pilot now working for a Chinese airline based out of Shanghai, to share a cab to the aiport. Juergen had much to say about the American recession (all negative), was very impressed by the emergency landing made in the Hudson River by the US Airlines pilot back in January and loved living in China with his a Chinese girlfriend who is apparently more than thirty years his junior.
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