And one more thing — FOOTBALL IS BACK!!!

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

Where in the world is Ben? Part 2: Spain

Yes, this was my actual hotel.  Barcelona?  No.  Madrid?  Nope.  I was in the beautiful port city of Vigo, a city of about 300,000 located not too far from the edge of Portugal and built apparently on the side of a mountain rising up from the shoreline.  It’s a good thing I kept in Lehigh-walking shape (look it up, frosh), because every place we walked seemed to be straight up the steep streets.  I was here on business, on the company dime, so no chance to hop on one of the frequent European cruise ships that dock here and sail away, but it was interesting to tour through the city with my colleagues from Mumbai in search of the only Indian restaurant in Vigo.  It was a great three days — fresh fish, a cool sea breeze, you just can’t beat it.  Want to learn more?  (Of course you do.)  Here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigo 

Where in the world is Ben? Part 1: Switzerland

Zürich, a strangely odd city, yet one of my favorites.  On one hand, you have the clockwork-precision trains, the high-finance banks, the hugely expensive jewelry shops with watches that cost more than my house.  On the other hand, you have the mix of Swiss, British and Spanish pubs, the hotels with kegs offering free Swiss apple juice, the posters advertising all sorts of rock concerts.  Ah, but I will not be back any time soon as I have transferred responsibility for our partnership with a Swiss actives company to one of my colleagues, so for now, I will have to get my fondue fix elsewhere.