It’s been a seriously hot summer in Asia, and time to leave the broiling streets of Beijing behind and look for pastures new. Although I’ve traveled extensively across Asia, I’ve never visited Indochina – that quaintly named section of South-East that was colonized by the French. Heading off to Vietnam, where my firm also has two offices I would visit for the first time – was the summer holiday for me for the year.

Flying into Hanoi, I was immediately struck by how much the administrative infrastructure was very similar to China’s – of course, another Communist country, and at first glance it seemed almost to be a Chinese Province. Driving downtown, one passes Chinese temples and Chinese stylized buildings aplenty. China’s cultural influence is strong here, and especially that of the Cantonese, who have been settling into Vietnam for centuries. Yet those first impressions are misleading – the French, as always, left a strong cultural marker here, and no more so than the cuisine, architecture, language, and a certain aspect of elegance and style that the Chinese just do not possess.

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I hit my 50th birthday in New York on 8th May, where a bunch of my friends all flew in to greet me and celebrate reaching half a century. This mainly involved hanging out at the legendary Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan, and drinking a case each of 1960 Chateau Margaux and Chateau Latour at USD1,000 a bottle.  The Rossini opera Armida was taken in at the Met, with Renee Fleming in fine voice, while we also caught Valery Gergiev conducting the New York Philharmonic with Stravinsky’s masterwork "The Rite Of Spring".

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One of the great added benefits of running around Asia from literally, top to bottom is the variety of places I get to visit in between and the good friends I’ve made over the years. En route to Hong Kong from Mumbai lies Sri Lanka, a beautiful island nation I often hang out at en route – my good friend Simon Lazenbatt lives there and its always a relaxing place to visit – usually cooler than Mumbai and with the benefit of great food, fantastic beaches and that important, yet homely, faded British colonial ambience. Via reciprocal membership of the Royal Overseas League I am able to stay at the Colombo Swimming Club, built in 1938 and still a local institution.

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India has a love-spiritual relationship with snakes, somewhat different to the Chinese who just eat them. Both feared and revered, they are often to be seen at markets, touted by Charmers who will play a melody to get the snake to ‘dance’. In reality, the snake moves in relation to the swaying of the snake charmer, but that doesn’t hide the fact that the Indian Cobra used is one of the most deadly snakes on earth. It is the most dangerous of the Big Four, the four snake species responsible for most fatal snakebites in India for which a single polyvalent antivenom has been created. Like other cobras, Naja.naja is famous for its threat display involving raising the front part of its body and spreading its hood.
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It’s always good to back in Bombay, and on this occasion I thought I’d share a few of the evening sights that those familiar with the area will recognize, and those not may feel somehow exotic. The Apollo Bunder was the principal pier for embarkation and disembarkation of passengers and goods in Bombay in the late 19th century. Immense activity was to be witnessed in the Pier in the months of April and May of each year, when thousands of docras of cotton, (pressed bales were yet to come) used to be landed. Today it has been renamed, however no-one uses the Maharastran alternative. It is still “Apollo Bunder”. The basic area is the sea front that extends from the Gateway to India north for about 2km. It encompasses the Taj Hotel, which is on the waterfront, and in my photo essay I have included streets and lanes just one block behind. I took my time in taking this tour, but it would be possible to circumnavigate it in 20 minutes. But why would you want to? Here then, is the trip. All these photos were taken within 100 yards of each other. :

Apollo Bunder is home to prime residential property. A 150sqm apartment in this building is about USD5million.

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Much of this winter I’ve been in Mongolia, attending various Government related meetings and dealing with personal issues. The Mongolian Government has relaxed the regulations for investing in mining projects, and I’m also purchasing an apartment in Ulaan Baatar. My Mongolia Expat magazine will also be re-launched in Spring. But what is there to do in a country so frigid it regularly dips below minus 40 and its lakes freeze six feet solid ?

Plenty actually. I’m OK with the cold – I know when it’s minus 20 or below because my moustache freezes. Minus 40 is a bit severe however, and water based moisturizers are not a good idea. But decent thermal underwear, hat, gloves and of course natural Mongolian cashmere – the best in the world – will generally keep you as warm as toast. Plus the Gers are set up to be roasting inside. In fact mine was so hot I had to open the door to let some of the heat out! But here’s a few snaps of what a Mongolian – Siberian – winter looks like.   

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With Coco Chanel being the subject matter of a number of recent films, and Russia being very much on the up and coming cultural radar under Valery Gergiev’s guidance, it is no surprise to learn that Chanel has reintroduced a famous scent from their past – 1927’s Cuir de Russe. Legend has it that Cuir de Russie was born when a Cossack warrior rubbed birch fat into his fine leather boots on the Russian steppes. Whoever did it first, it is certain that tanneries of the area cured skins in such a way, and the scent produced inspired perfumers in France. It is a very physical fragrance, evoking warriors riding in wide open spaces.

Guerlain produced a Cuir de Russie fragrance in 1875, and Creed created one for Errol Flynn in 1938. Chanel created hers in 1924, and it is still highly regarded today. Luca Turin, the fragrance biophysicist, describes it as ‘a striking hologram of luxury bygone: its scent like running the hand over the pearl grey banquette of an Isotta Frashini while forests of birch silently pass by.’ In the early twentieth century Paris was heavily influenced by Russian culture. Many Russians emigrated to the city after the 1917 revolution and their culture became very fashionable.

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Has to be at the Algonquin, where the hotel has a resident , prize winning cat named Matilda. It’s a major attraction in managing to keep a jetlagged 13 year old quiet for a while. Last minute shopping was conducted on 5th Avenue of course, with Bergdorf Goodman, Saks and Juicy Couture all successfully raided. The picture is a way too early Christmas morning in the hotel lounge with a huge assorted wrapping bonanza, a special bright red Christmas bow tie lovingly given to me by the family dog, Charles, and various left overs from Christmas stockings (Santa was generous; everything from models of New York taxis to Chanel’s new Cuir de Russie fragrance, tins of Obama candies and Lady Gaga remix CD’s amongst much, much more…) For presents, I was given two rare out of print books, one a compendium of Dorothy Parker stories (she used to stay at the Algonquin) and the other a 1920’s biography of Nijinsky (see previous thread about Les Ballets Russe).

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Having been watching an excellent documentary on the life of Stravinsky this past weekend, I was taken (and surprised) by how much of his work was theatrically inspired. Indeed, the man wrote many ballets, and with leading choreographers of the time – Diaghilev, Nijinsky and so on. Stravinsky’s music, often when listened to on its own, can appear jagged, discordant and overly sonic. Not for nothing was there a riot at the 1913 premiere at the Theatre des Champs Elysee of his “Rite of Spring” – a ballet featuring primitive rhythms; the story of a spring maiden who dances herself to death. However, when paired together with dance, his ballets especially take on a marvelous quality of grace, humor and incredible sophistication. Stravinsky’s biography lead to researching the primary foil for his ballet compositions – Les Ballets Russe.

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The sixth race of the Kings Cup proved a step too far for China Briefing as the high winds caused problems for crew and control, and a ‘safety first’ conservative racing attitude was adopted to get the yacht through the tough conditions. With winds to 30 knots, and the yacht only insured to go out in up to 25 knot winds, the smaller size of China Briefing’s Jeanneau 32 was no match for the larger, more powerful boats, some of them up to 18 feet longer and with considerably larger and more powerful sails. The yacht finished 12th, still a credible performance given several entrants were unable to finish and retired. The result means the China Briefing team finished eight overall, dropping down two places from sixth on the final day. Over 110 yachts competed, including teams from Coca-Cola, Bentley, IFC Bank, Neil Pryde, and Monte Cristo.  

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