December 7, 2007 – 10:33 pm | Written by KiwiPulse
These pictures below are the magnificent views of the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière, France. The Roman Catholic have dedicated this basilica to its patron saint; the Virgin Mary. The development of Lyon’s basilica started in 1972 by the architect Pierre Bossan. Its unusual design draws from a variety of architectural influences such as the Gothic cathedrals, the Romanesque architecture and naturalism. From the floor to the ceiling the basilica is richly decorated with gold to show the Church’s wealth and power. At that time whether the Roman Catholic is rich or powerful is another question! It took 4 years to build this richly decorated basilica.
At certain times, members of the public may access the basilica’s northern tower for a spectacular 180-degree view of Lyon and its suburbs. Eating in one of the restaurants in Lyon is a reason enough to come to this French city. Bon Appétit! (French for ‘Enjoy your meal!’)
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November 28, 2007 – 6:07 pm | Written by KiwiPulse
Yotel is the hotel of the future, opened in July 2007 in London Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal building. This luxurious cabin hotel has 46 cabins: 8 premium and 38 standard. Yotel is the brainchild of Simon Woodroffe, 55, a British entrepreneur and founder of the Yo! Sushi chain of Japanese fast-food restaurants in London, Paris and the Middle East. A second Yotel is taking bookings now in Heathrow, London.
The Standard cabins (7 square meters) feature a large single bed (2 meters-by-1-meter ) with full sitting height, a hand layered organic coir, latex and lambswool mattress for the best sleep ever with percale cotton sheets pillows and duvet. A 20” flat screen TV system with huge choice of films, TV, radio and games & internet. The fold out work desk and stool, doubles for unpacking and there is overhead hand luggage storage, suit bag hanging and storage areas for small pieces. A complete range of power and connectivity including free internet access and cosy local lighting. The bathroom includes a shower, revitalising all in one body wash, heated mirror and soft towels.
The Premium cabins (10 square meters) feature a double bed that deploys to a sofa at the touch of a button (think first class airline cabins), a hand layered organic coir, latex and lambswool mattress for the best sleep ever with percale cotton sheets pillows and duvet and a huge cushion for lounging. The study desk folds out of the techno wall with its own stow able chair and a complete range of power and connectivity including free internet access and cosy local lighting. Suit and dress hanging and storage for everything from your smalls to the loose change provide a place for everything and everything a place. A 23”flat screen TV system with huge choice of films, TV, radio, and internet. The luxury bathroom includes overhead rain shower, a hand shower, revitalising all in one body wash, heated mirror and soft towels .
You can take an order from a cabin service menu on screen or visit the galley where your cabin crew are on duty 24 hours a day.
Premium cabins cost from £40 for four hours (and from £7 per hour thereafter); standard cabins cost from £25 for four hours (and from £5 per hour thereafter).
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October 28, 2007 – 5:49 pm | Written by KiwiPulse
If you get the chance to spend some time in Buenos Aires, Argentina. You could visit this well-known bookstore, El Ateneo Grand Splendid. What makes this bookstore so special is the fact that it was installed in a luxury theatre. The theatre was build in 1919 by the empresario Max Glücksman and have a capacity of 1050 seats. Many artists have performed in his new theatre until they converted it into a cinema in 1929 and have presented the first movie ever with sound.
By the end of the twenty century, for commercial purposes, the theatre was partially renovated into a book and music shop. The seats were removed but the painted ceiling, ornate carvings, crimson stage curtains, auditorium lighting and many architectural details remained. We can still feel the atmosphere of the grand theatre after all. The bookstore have only a small selection of English books. I guess you are not the kind of customer they are looking for. If the cashier look at you strangely, you will know why.
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September 3, 2007 – 1:31 am | Written by KiwiPulse
I fall on something very weird today. Did you know that the world’s tallest Hotel could be in North Korea? The Ryugyong Hotel, the 105 Building, is a concrete skyscraper that was once intended for use as a hotel. The construction of the hotel has began in 1987 and has been ceased in 1992. Still today, nobody knows exactly why. Maybe due of the lack of funding, the Japanese newspapers estimated the cost of construction was US$750 million. The North Korean government is trying to invite foreign investment of US$300 million to improve and finish the hotel. In the meantime, it has removed the Ryugyong from maps. If it had it been completed, it would have been the world’s tallest hotel. The Ryugyong’s hotel planned 3,000 rooms and 7 restaurants. The fact that it is so huge, so strange, and incomplete make my mind boggle. I ‘d like to have a look inside myself.
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September 1, 2007 – 3:36 am | Written by KiwiPulse
Today, I was attracted by the architecture of the Free University of Berlin. The university is the largest university in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on humanities, social sciences, health and natural science. One of the newest components on the campus is the Philological Library. Opened in 2005, the library holds more than 700,000 volumes. The library was designed by Norman Robert Foster, one of the leading British architects of the United Kingdom and in the world. It’s the kind of library that I will go regularly and do some blogging. I hope you will enjoy your visit.
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