My stay in Shanghai, London, Milan and Hong Kong

Last note before The Netherlands

This is just a short note before I will fly to the Netherlands early Monday morning. However, since I don't have any internet access from home, you won't hear from me until Friday next week.

Perhaps I will have the opportunity to get internet access from the place I am going to stay next week in the Netherlands. Then, I would be able to post some entries on how I am doing over there.

Happy Weekend...

Our friend and flatmate "Gerda"

Now it's time to introduce you to "Gerda". Gerda is female and she is sharing the flat together with me and my student roommate.

She is in fact a very shy creature and seemed to have been living in this appartment for quite a long time, even long before we moved into this flat.

Unfortunately she seemed to have been suffering from loneliness for quite a long time and it seems furthermore that she is very happy having met two nice roommates like us since she is flourishing unexpected well in recent days.

If you are interested in getting to know how Gerda looks like, please feel free to follow the link below.

Improving weather condition

Finally! Weather seems to change in the end...

Studying as usual

Nothing special happened the past days....university courses are back to normal although I must admit that I am not in the right mood for studying at present.

Weekend trip to Florence

Since the cold weather condition didn't change the past days, we suddenly decided to spend this weekend in Florence, Italian's city of culture and art located in the heart of Tuscany.

We were very lucky as we had great and sunny weather on Saturday. Hence we descovered the city by having walked at least 49038249738290 km...gosh!..how I was crushed in the evening.

Nevertheless we did enjoy our stay 100%. After going out for dinner in a lovely tuscanian restaurant we decided to have some additional cocktails in a cocktail bar nearby our hotel.

On Sunday, weather did change again into a rainy and cold environment. Thus we decided to leave Florence again early in the afternoon.

It's been a great experience and an unforgotten memory! Here are some selected pictures I took during our stay...aren't they awesome?!?!

Internship in Hong Kong (UPDATE)

....a never-ending story continues....

I just received another e-mail from my contact in Honkie. Things seem to change positively although I didn't receive a confirmation yet.

Anyway, my contact person did speak to the Head of the department I shall work with, and he seemed to be favourable regarding an internship engagement.

Hopefully I will get any kind of confirmation by the next days....fingers crossed!!!

Philips European Financial Business Course (UPDATE)

Today I received my travel details and the conference information for the one week business course where I was invited by Pihilips, the host of this venue.

Together with 35 other European students I will be part of an exciting business case. During the one week get-together I will get to know members of Philips Management Board and I will listen to interesting lecturers as well.

I am looking forward to this event although at the moment I have no idea how to reach Milan airport early in the morning since my flight to Amsterdam was scheduled for 6:45 AM....gosh!

Shanghai's Maglev train track is sinking

Relating to an current article published on the "Tagesschau" website, the Shanghai Maglev train track which links the Shanghai Pudong Airport with the city's east side seem to sink in its own due to the swampy consistency of the landscape around Shanghai!

For more information read this article (German)!

UPDATE 14.04.04:
Shanghai Daily indicates that fares for a ride on Shanghai's maglev train will decrease by at least 33% due to demand decrease in the past.

Read more (German)!

Back in Milan

After having had some days off, I finally arrived back in Milan where the university lectures will restart again tomorrow.

Wish me good luck for the rest of the semester!

Loving for Living

This entry was already written before this day of publishment:

This is just a typical day in one's own life where you keep thinking about yourself, your goals, the purpose of life, the importance of love...well thinking about the reason for human existence.

While writing these lines I am listening to Sabrina Setlur's most recent song "Liebe" which is a great track in my opinion.

After years of difficulties, obstacles, reorientation, stress, seeking career opportunities, I think I refound something valuable, intangible, almost a forgotten part of one's life....Being able to love and having the great occasion of being loved in the same time may be without any doubts a, perhaps the reason for human life.

Quite often we take such circumstances for granted! In fact it's furthermore a gift with a invaluable treasure.

I am thankful for having found this feeling again. I am thankful for the person who did open my eyes again.

Happy Easter!

Although Easter is still to come, I want to use this opportunity to wish all diary reader a Happy Easter!

I will drive back to Italy today, thus I won't be able to add this entry on Easter sunday.

Failed the exam...

...I knew it! Today I received the notice that I failed the last mid-term exam...argh!
Good start of the day ....!

Shanghai Live Webcam (Update)

Finally...long after the outbreak of SARS last year the webcam showing Shanghai Pudong's skyline is back on air....

On the left side you'll see the Oriental Pearl Tower and on the right side you'll discover the tower building called "Jinmao" where I worked last year.

Picture is refreshing every 20 minutes....enjoy!

Live Webcam temporarily reactived!

Being back at home in Germany, I am able to reactivate my webcam transmission.

Click here, for the Video broadcast!

April Fool!

Arg! The news about the Hong Kong Euro has been a great April Fool's joke from Christian...well done! ;-)

It sounded so realistic....

Student badge

Clubbing in Munich!

Here are some pictures I took last night in Munich's clubbing nest "Barcode"...

My former Shanghai flatmate in the press

Amazing! My former Shanghai roommate and friend Florian is on the way to be a German celebrity in Shanghai....

The German magazine "MAX" published an article about Shanghai involving Florian's experience as a young architect.... I am very proud of him!

Here is the link to the MAX article!

Hong Kong Euro ???

This is really a strange news, which Christian, a friend of mine who I met in Hong Kong last year published on his blog.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority will declare the future dependency of the HK dollar towards the European EURO by next Monday.

For further information read this official press statement, which I simply copied from Christian's webpage....

During a speech held at the Hong Kong Foreign Bank Representatives Association Luncheon, Joseph Yam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), announced a major shift in HKMA's Linked Exchange Rate System. Mr. Yam announced that the fixed exchange rate of the Hong Kong dollar to the U.S. dollar will be changed in favour of the Euro. "This is to reflect our strong economical relationship to Europe," Mr. Yam said. Hong Kong's exports to Europe make up about 50 percent of the total exports (without China), representing a value of over HK$ 230 million in 2003. According to HKMA sources, fixing the Hong Kong dollar to the Euro should boost this numbers up by at least 80 percent.
"The dependency on the U.S. dollar has posed some threats to local economy over the past decades," Mr. Yam explained. "The Euro system has proved to be a strong counterweight to U.S. financial policy." In an effort to reduce U.S. influence on the ASEAN area, Hong Kong's plan might have a knock-on effect for other regions as well, Mr. Henry Tang, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region added.

By January 1, 2006, even consumers shall be able to pay with Euro banknotes and coins in the HKSAR. While there is no plan to replace Hong Kong banknotes, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority will issue a new series of coins that meets Euro standards.

Mr. Yam unveiled three phases for the plan that has been negotiated in talks with the European Central Bank (www.ecb.int) over the last five years:

1. Switch to fixed exchange rate of EUR1 to HK$7.50 by January 1, 2005
2. Accepting the Euro as valid concurrent currency in the HKSAR by January 1, 2006
3. Issue of new coins in the HKSAR by January 1, 2006

Mr. Yam made it clear that the name of the HK dollar will not be changed to "HK Euro". Furthermore, he said that this plan has been prepared over several years and it is not a response to current U.S. foreign policy.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Jasmin Fung, Manager (Press), at 2878 8246 or
Thomas Chan, Senior Manager (Press), at 2878 1480

Hong Kong Monetary Authority
April 5, 2004

Easter break

After having finished all my mid-term exams I took the train from Milan to Munich today early in the morning.

I just arrived about an hour ago. I am looking forward to seeing all my buddies the next few days.