I was travelling to New York last Saturday. You have to know that I love that city. I fell for it twenty years ago since I have worked there during a traineeship in university. Since then, I came back at least once every year.
So I was there with my first love, tried almost every hotel, stood on the WTC two months prior to 9/11, seen several Knicks and Mets games…the city always amazed me with its dynamic and growth. During these past 20 years it sure has become cleaner and safer, but also busier.
So this time I didn’t know what to expect. Would it still be the same after the past months of turbulent financial markets? A place that is the centre of financial universe? If one has read and followed the media during the past weeks, one would expect to find a dead city: no spending, no travelling, no business…. weren’t we going “down” into a financial meltdown? Recession, depression and more of these alarming statements?
Well, I found my New York still as were left it last year. Planes were full, the Ritz-Carlton was still charging 950 $ per night and was fully booked, and I had to wait in line for 15 minutes in the Apple store to be able to pay for a Ipod touch that I had to bring for a friend….
And yes it’s going to be a little “bumpy” the next months. I also expect that our economy and our business will be slow and it is going to be more of a challenge. But the world did not stop turning. We are not melting yet....
