Vacation 2011 Day 4 The Shard

After Canary Wharf I still had a bit of time before my flight and as the weather was OK, which in England means it wasnt raining, I headed over to Tower Bridge to check out The Shard.

When completed it will be the tallest building in the EU at 310 meters. It was designed by Renzo Piano who also designed Kansai Airport.

Nearby is the More London complex of buildings designed by Norman Foster, including of course....

London City Hall, described by Ken Livingston as a testicle.

There is of course lots of more traditional brick architecture still left in the area......

... and then a few hours later, I was enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of Marrakesh!!

Kansai International Airport (Departures)

The terminal building at Kansai International Airport is the longest in the world,... 1.7 kilometres.

The 4-story "canyon" is part of Renzo Piano's award-winning design. Built on an artificial island at huge cost, the island sank 3 metres more than predicted and so several billion more dollars were spent.

Incredibly light and airy, it's a very comfortable airport to spend time in, partly because its not very busy.

Piano's initial sketch was of a glider landed on the island, and the departure lounges are the wings stretching out on either side of the main terminal.

Kansai Airport (check-in)

Kansai International Airport (check in)

The main terminal building at Kansai International Airport opened in 1994. Designed by Renzo Piano, its designed in the shape of a wing.

Built on a man-made island, at the staggering cost 0f 15 billion dollars, the terminal feels light and airy and spacious, and this is somewhat due to the design, but also due to the fact that it is not a very busy airport.

Landing fees are very high, and with the recent increase in fuel costs the number of flights continue to decrease. Though I don't travel often, I have spent a lot of time in airports, and KIX, is the most comfortable I've encountered yet.

Giant funnels blow air up to the roof, and the air then circulates naturally, driving giant mobiles.

I've spent several nights at KIX waiting for early morning flights, and it's been very comfortable. Everything closes down for the night except a new 24-hour Internet cafe, The Kankyu Lounge.