China Luxury Train
Posted by Admin | Filed under Vacation
China’s first luxury train has just opened for bookings for its launch trip on September 1, 2008, offering passage into regions of China previously inaccessible to luxury travelers.
The Tangula trains travel on two routes, the Northern and the Southern, offering three - and four night journeys. Price start from US$3,300. The Northern route runs from Beijing to Lhasa and back, while the southern route runs from Beijing to Lijiang and back.
The trains are custom-built with deluxe amenities including 24/7 butler service, in-room wellness treatments, full-size beds, flat-screen TVs, gourmet cuisine, and fine wines and spirits. For bookings, contact Tangula Reservation Center at 86 10 5809 5333 or email reservations tangula@kempinski.com
License to Chill
Posted by Admin | Filed under Fun
Looking like installation art sculpted out of ice, the four railway stations of the Nordpark cable railway in Innsbruck, Austria, are a study in contradiction. Designed by Zaha Hadid, the queen of dramatic form in public spaces, these architectural marvels are at once solid and fluid, supermodern structures juxtaposed against a traditional alpine landscape.
Dispensing with conventional walls and corners, Hadid has the glass roofs gliding across in one breathtaking wave-like motion.
Ascending to the topmost station of Hungerburg on the funicular railway, which opened last December, you cannot be certain which are drawing your eye more - the stunning mountain vista or the stations themselves.
Life in Munich
Posted by Admin | Filed under Culture
Yet despite having all the accoutrements of a cosmopolitan city, Munich is surprisingly laid back. Named the most liveable city in the world by International affairs and business magazine Monocle, Munich boasts a winning combination of investment in infrastructure, high-quality housing, low crime, liberal politics, strong media and the general feeling of Gemutlichkeit that makes the city one that should inspire others.
Work-life balance seems to be the city’s mantra; its people are adept at working hard and playing hard. It’s almost impossible not to, what with the city’s picturesque lakes, fairytale castles, majestic mountains and rich cultural offerings. The architecture, music, theatre, art galleries, restaurants, shopping all contribute to making Munich an attractive place to live and work. Leading a charmed life in a top notch city, however, usually come with a hefty price tag. Apartment rentals alone are priced at one of the highest in Europe. But though the cost of living in Munich is steep, this is out-weighted by the substantive salaries of its workers, who are paid higher than elsewhere in Germany. In fact, working in Munich has been compared with working in New York City, as it brings along it status symbols, glitz and glamour.
Yes Munich continues to be incredibly down-to-earth, possessing none of the big city attitude and brashness. Much credit should go to the city’s topography. Central Munich is compact, and the best way to explore it is on foot. Long pedestrian streets run from the main railroad station and from Karlstor, one of the main city gates, to Marienplatz, the square at the heart of the Old Town. The famed River Isar, which is fed rushing water by the Alps, serves as a major attraction for both residents and visitors alike. Its key location makes it ideal for sunbathing, picnicking, fishing, rafting, studying and countless other activities, inevitably creating a convivial atmosphere throughout the city, especially during the summer months. With this, Munich can’t help but exude a village-like atmosphere with its great outdoors and pedestrian only center that gives it the easy-going feel of a Mediterranean town.
With so much going for it, don’t be surprised if Munich, Germany’s third largest city, grows to overshadow its better knows sister cities. But for now, she is happy to bask in the honor of being one of the premier business hubs in both Germany and Europe - because a strong business proposition goes a long way.
Munich: Unstoppable Success
Posted by Admin | Filed under Business
It has been recent years that Munich has gained a reputation for being the high tech capital of Germany. But economic activity within the city extends far beyond tech boundaries. The city is also hotbed of activity for the automotive engineering, aerospace, life sciences and finance industries. Other key areas that boast excellent prospects include medical engineering, environmental technology, nanotechnology, and measurement and control systems. Leading aspects of the local service industry include commercial law practices, legal and tax advertisers, and technical service providers. This attractive blend of industries alike, has led national and international corporations alike to locate their European headquarters here.
Munich’s economic strength is rooted in the diversity of its business structure. In addition to having a healthy mix of global players, a vibrant SME sector and a qualified labor force give the region its distinctive, upbeat vibe. The city’s economic prominence in Europe is also due to a variety of others factors, one of which is the city’s outstanding research and development landscape that constantly fuels the Munich’s vast potential for innovation and creativity. Add to that a forward-looking economic policy, a highly motivated workforce, excellent educational and training facilities, and you have the makings of a bona fide hotspot that everybody wants in on.
Munich: Hordes of Revellers
Posted by Admin | Filed under Business
Every year, hordes of revelers from the world over descend upon the picturesque city of munich to partake in the world’s most celebrated festivals, Oktoberfest. But beneath Munich’s party-going venner belies a serious side. Underneath all that carousing, Munich is an economic powerhouse that is still very much on the trajectory to success.
The Bavarian capital is home to some 80,000 companies - including corporate giants who employ more than 900,000 people. The Empirica research organization rates the Munich region as Germany’s strongest business location in terms of its burgeoning population. Empirica’s trend researchers also predict that, by 2015, a further 60,000 people will have been added to the region’s current active population.
Boasting a superlative transport, telecommunication and energy infrastructure, Munich is served by eight freeways, a tightly meshed network of mass transit trains, streetcars and buses, and is also an important hub for national and international rail freight and passenger transport. That it happens to have Europe’s most modern airport and a top-ranking exhibition center should also come as no surprise. After all, more than 30,000 exhibitors from over 100 countries and more than two million visitors from more than 200 countries participate in fairs and exhibitions in Munich each year.
Corporations operating from the city include some of the biggest brand names worldwide. Global players in the caliber of Allianze, BMW, EADS, General Electric, GlaxoSmithKline, Hypo Real Estate, IBM, Infineon, Intel, Microsoft, O2, Philip Morris, Siemens and Sony BMG have already set up shop in the city, and no fewer than seven of the 30 companies listed in the DAX index of Germany’s blue chip enterprises are headquartered in Munich as well. Home to the country’s biggest film studios Bavaria-Film, Munich also leads the country in other industries such as fashion, advertising, printing and publishing - making it a true Renaissance city, in every sense of the word.
Singapore New Developments
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In a bid to position Singapore as a premium destination to work, live and play in, the government has gone to huge efforts to develop premium locations on the island in the hope of attracting global investors, expatriates and visitors. Some of the newest developments can be found in the Marina Bay Area, ant they include:
The Singapore flyer
Opened in March this year, the Singapore flyer is one of the newest waterfront attractions in Singapore. Standing at 165 meters, the Singapore flyer is a giant observation wheel that was developed at the cost of S$240 million. It offers 30-minutes rides in air-conditioned and UV light-protected capsules, and allows visitors to enjoy dramatic views of the Singapore landscape.
Marina Bay Sands
The marina Bay sands is slated for completion in 2009, and will be one of the firsts casinos in Singapore. It was built with the objective of enhancing Singapore’s reputation as a must-visit destination for leisure and business visitors. When completed, Marina Bay Sands will be similar to major resorts in the Bahamas and las vegas, and will offer visitors a range of amenities from hotels, convention facilities and entertainment shows to themed attractions, luxury retail, fine dining and casino gaming.
Marina Bay Financial Center
One of the key areas to look out for is the two billion dollar Marina Bay Financial Center, which is expected to open in 2010. Set to be the Canary Whart of Singapore, it was conceived and designed by Gene Kohn of New York- based architectural firm Kohn Pederson Fox Associates (the guys responsible for the Shanghai World Financial Center and The World Bank Headquarters) and is envisioned as a “city in a garden” complete with sky gardens, landscaped public spaces and dramatic crystalline office towers and residential homes surrounded by stunning bay, city and seascape vistas.
Marina at Keppel Bay
Marina at Keppel Bay is set to become one of the most exclusive and sought after residential addresses. Located within close proximity to the CBD, recreational Island Sentosa and Maritime Port Authority, it is the only residential area in Singapore to boast a marina on its own private island. Facilities include berths for 170 yachts, including an individual pontoon berthing system for mega-yachts of up to 250 feet, a unifloat concrete pontoon system built by Bellingham marine, fixed breakwater protecting larger berths, a reticulated vacuum sewer pump-out system, and the latest security technologies designed by Oneberry Technologies. Long term business visitors to Singapore who are planning to stay at least six months can rent one of the 168 corporate units at the award-winning Caribbean at Keppel Bay, which is situated by the water.