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.All Trips / Europe / Italy
Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a beautiful shopping arcade in Milan near the Duomo, is the oldest shopping mall in Milan and one of the oldest in Europe.
In 1860 the government of Milan held a competition for the redevelopment of the area between the Duomo and the Scala Opera House. The winning design was submitted by Bolognese architect, Giuseppe Mengoni. The first stone of the mall was laid in 1865 by King Victor Emmanuel II, after whom the arcade is named. The Gallerie was opened for business about 2 years later, but work on the structure continued for another decade, especially on the grand entrance from Piazza del Duomo. In a sad note of irony, Mengoni fell to his …
Tagged arcade, Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, glass, piazza del Duomo, shopping
.All Trips / Belgium / Europe
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, Brussels
Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert is a shopping arcade notable for its innovative architecture. It preceded other famous 19th-century European shopping arcades, like Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The Galerie has glazed shopfronts and two upper floors, all under an arched glass roof overlying a cast-iron framework.
The gallery consists of two major sections, each more than 100 meters in length. Construction started on May 6, 1846. and lasted for 18 months. The Galerie was inaugurated on June 20, 1847 by King Leopold.
It is a bright pleasant and cheery place in which to escape a brisk Brussels day and has excellent (and warm) coffee shops and some wonderful chocolate outlets.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, right arrow to advance slideshow)
Tagged arcade, Brussels, Galeries Royales, Saint-Hubert, shopping
.All Trips / Asia / Dubai
A Day in the Dubai Mall
On my last day in Dubai I thought I’d connect with a few world records. I visited the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building and with the world’s highest observation deck, and the Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping mall (by total area). These two structures adjoin each other, so it’s quite easy to see both in one day. I’ll soon publish a separate post on the Burj Khalifi, but today I’d like to focus on some of the sights and activities of the Dubai Mall.
Generally speaking, I’m not much of shopper and definitely not a Mall guy, but the Dubai Mall was an interesting and pleasant place to visit, especially as the outside temperature soared to 40oC (105oF), and …
Tagged Dubai, Mall, shopping, world's largest
.All Trips / Asia / Dubai
Visiting the Mall of the Emirates
Where does one go on a hot summer day in Dubai when the temperature is up around 40oC? It seems everyone goes to the mall!
Dubai has many beautiful (and wonderfully air-conditioned!) shopping malls, most filled with the kind of shops you find on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Among the first of these built was the Mall of the Emirates which has more than 560 shops selling most everything you could possibly need or want. There is a large theater complex, a massive food court and many restaurants scattered around the mall as well. There are two adjoining five-star hotels — Kempinski Mall of the Emirates and Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel — very convenient if you’re a …
Tagged Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, shopping, Ski Dubai
“Pic of the Week”, February 2, 2018: Shopping in San Telmo
San Telmo is one of the more popular neighborhoods for shopping and dining in Buenos Aires. The city, at its prime in the late 19th century, is now in what could most kindly be called a state of “elegant decay”. There are a lot of old shops in San Telmo, which is especially well known for its antique market.
My favorite store was one that sold these unusual leg lamps (see above), which brought a smile to my face as I remembered the famous scenes involving a similar lamp from the classic film, “A Christmas Story“. A small craft market surrounded around one of San Telmo’s squares, great coffee shops and produce stands.
My wife and I spent the better part …
Feb 1, 2018
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