Equestrian Climate Protection in Style

Don”t you wish the Slovenian horse sculpture (by Oskar Kogoj) on the meadow between the WTO and the lake would come to life? Then it could finally nibble some of those lovely roses that it constantly is having an eye on 24/7. More importantly, majestically riding a horse to work guarantees you a way better CO2-balance in terms of prestige per gram of emissions than those inefficient gas-guzzlers parked in front of the WTO. And no matter how hard you tried to make sure that your car is diplomatic-black-coloured – it will never come close to the shining black beauty of your horse, making you look good as well, as you gallop along the shore of the lake on a lazy sunny afternoon (thus, coming pretty close to your usual work routine). Also, while contemplating upon just how fabulous you in fact really are looking on that horse, you can also recall the words of Dale Carnegie, who explained: “One reason why birds and horses are happy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses.”

But alas, in lack of a horse (In reminiscence of last week”s Shakespeare: “A horse, a horse – my kingdom for a horse!”), thankfully there are alternative ways to boost your ego: One of the world”s few true global superstars is coming to Geneva on the 27th of June: pianist Lang Lang. (By the way, note the close correlation between the nationalities of today”s superstars and emerging major exporters: Shah Rukh Khan – India, Lang Lang – China, and….Shakira – who knows, perhaps the impact of the World Cup in South Africa upon the exports of Colombia are being completely underestimated!)

In case you are tired of lying to your loved ones at home when they nag you to convey to them the alleged “cosmopolitan feel” of the “global” city Geneva, for a change you can tell them a real story: Just say that Lang Lang (whom you most certainly heard about in small-talk conversations among diplomats) performed in the Victoria Hall (don”t worry, the name of the concert venue is sufficiently close to “Carnegie Hall” so that you can be sure to garner the kudos to re-assure you that fashion-conscious sunglasses-wearing Bono is right: it indeed is possible to save the world in style – proven by the fact that your office appears to be located in a venue where the hotshots of the world feel at home. Also, in defense of Genève: Victoria Hall actually is much more pretty than the New York concert venue).

And if you”re really, really lucky, Lang Lang will even solve your horse-problem. Here is his world-famous Carnegie Hall rendition of “Competing Horses”, with his father on the Ar-Hu:

The final seconds of the piece, from around minute 3.50 onwards are most amazing…that”s when Lang Lang”s father skilfully reminds you that “Horses are poetry in motion”(author unknown), rekindling your desire to feel “The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse”s ears” (Arabian proverb).

Lang Lang, Vicoria Hall, 7pm, 27 June 2010, remaining tickets around 100CHF.

Eric
PS: I feel a bit sorry for Australia after their 4:0 defeat against Germany on Sunday. To show that you speaka their language, how about you smile and bite into a Vegemite sandwich in solidarity? Men at Work – “Down Under”:

(Having troubles getting your hands on Vegemite in “international” Geneva?  – The Swiss variation on Marmite/Vegemite is called “Cenovis”: