The 'lay low' and recuperate part of the year is officially over, it got kicked off with my quarterly team meeting in New Delhi. Which, I must admit, was pretty interesting. I really like the people I work with, and working in our New Delhi office really feels like standing in the vortex of globalization. We would pass snake charmers, tractors tugging cages full of chickens andbicycle rickshaws on our 200 meter walk from the corporate apartment to the office building. Once inside the tower it was all starbucks, and business as usual, one could just as easily be in London, Frankfurt or New York. I was lucky enough to participate in a couple of team event nights in the local Diskotheks, those young, upwardly mobile Indians really like to party...
I returned home for a week or two and then it was off to California for what I called my 'Bay Area one Night Only Tour'. I visited loved ones from Pleasanton, to Sonora, to San Jose, Rockridge and San Francisco, as well as pow-wowed with family (established and new) at my Cousin's wedding near Yosemite - a happy and joyful event. California is just the bomb, the land of plenty. I vowed to spend at least a month there next year (now that I can, in theory, work from anywhere). See pictures of wedding, family and a fabulous day in SF where I ate some really good meals (I forgot how one can eat in SF) with dearly loved homies. Thanks again Sarah for flowing us all at the Basque restaurant.
Made it back to Munich without incidenct (except for a luggage mix-up), and was there for almost a full 24 hours before Armin and I flew out for a long weekend in Mallorca for - another - wedding. Incredible. Much of the island has a bad reputation as it is haven for package tours catering to Brits and Germans - and they were certainly there in throngs. However one can quickly get away from all that and head into the hills, which resemble Mexico and find many local, non touristy beaches complete with clear Mediteranean waters and quaint seaside towns. After the (very lovely) wedding we spent a day at the beach and as we enjoyed the sun and swam in the beautiful sea, I felt really, really grateful to be happy and healthy. Armin and I hatched a scheme over a pitcher of Sangria and a view of the sunset as to how we could live there next summer in a Finca...think good thoughts and make plans to visit.
Came back home (and reluctantly back to work, ugh) to this shocking news: In a recent International Herald Tribune study, Munich is the world's most livable city! I encourage you to read the article, here is the lead paragraph :
"After much tire-kicking, data-sifting and deliberation, Munich emerged as Monocle's most liveable city in the world. A winning combination of investment in infrastructure, high-quality housing, low crime, liberal politics, strong media and general feeling of Gemütlichkeit make it a city that should inspire others..."
I certainly know this, as we have been thoroughly enjoying it for the last few months - The long night of Music where all cafes and restaurants have live music until 4 a.m., The Auer Dult - the hoakey neighborhood fair with loads of good (bad for you) food and cleaning supplies (don't ask), A really great Documentary film festival and of course the river, the parks and the wonderfully warm weather we've been having. I have accepted, however, that it will never be a sexy enough location to lure as many friends and family as I'd like (as Charlie and Michelle did when they lived in Paris). So I thought of a new slogan for the city: "Munich, a great place to live, but not to visit"
In any case, I'm a very, very lucky girl to know the people I know, visit all these great places and live in a such a lovely, liveable city.
Stay Tuned for: West Coast Wedding Extravaganza, A tour of Southern Califronia, Canada, Seattle and Tahoe for two more weddings starting July 20!
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