Search for stuff on this site here:
Or search by topic:
Krugman’s Substack
Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman, my favourite economist (and a great beacon of moral clarity in the times of MAGA) left the New York Times in 2024. HIs substack, where you can read him unedited and without going through a paywall is a great thing to follow.
Hiking up Jebel Jais
A travel note about Jebel Jais and the hike to the highest peak in the UAE, for those who claim everything is “artificial” in this part of the world.
Sobre Alpe d’Huez
Esta es una reseña de Alpe d’Huez, la penúltima novela de Ricardo Silva Romero que se ocupa de la colombianidad a través de la hazaña de Lucho Herrera en la “etapa reina” del tour de Francia.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
A quick travel note with my favorite pictures of Sheikh Zayed’s Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
Owner’s Review: The Speedmaster Moonphase Co-Axial Master Chronometer with Blue Dial
This is my honest review of the blue dial Speedmaster Moonphase Co-Axial Master Chronometer after owning it for 8 years. In a nutshell: One of my favorite speedies ever (bar the Platinum 321), one of the coolest moon phase displays you can get and perhaps the watch that I would keep if I could only keep one.
The View from Lion’s Head
A brief travel note about my second and finally successful attempt to get to the top of Lion’s Head, Cape Town, just to be rewarded with one of the most beautiful sunsets I can remember.
El Problema con Juanpis González
Siempre me ha parecido que Juanpis Gonzales, el personaje de Alejandro Riaño, es una oportunidad perdida, una sátira más bien tonta. Acá explico por qué.
The ECJ’s Betaal Garant Decision: Good Outcome, Problematic Reasoning
On July 16th, the European Court of Justice weighed in on the critical question of what constitutes a payment service under EU Law. The ruling examined penalties imposed by the Dutch Central Bank to Betaal Garant, a firm that issues deposit guarantees in the context of construction projects without a payments license. In this brief article, I argue that the court achieved the right outcome for the case at hand, but also that its reasoning may reopen a number of previously settled questions about activity-based-regulation that create uncertainty about the scope of PSD2.
Key takeaways (for fintech firms) from the CBUAE’s new Operational Risk Management Regulation
The Central Bank of the UAE recently issued a new Operational Risk Management Regulation (C 1/2026 - issued through public Notice No. 4047-2026) that materially raises operational risk management and resilience expectations for all licensed financial institutions (the previous regulation applied only to banks). It enters into force in one month, so here are some non-AI generated takeaways (Copilot was used for a light proofread) that may be helpful for fintech firms in a rush to comply.
Any Given Sunday at Pike Place Market
A brief travel note about a Sunday at Pike Place Market, Seattle. This is my first photo series completely shot with my then new Leica M11P and the Summilux 35mm 1.4.
Los Relojes de Lafaurie
Este es mi “review” de la colección de relojes de Juan José Lafaurie, el hijo de Jose Félix Lafaurie (célebre presidente de Fedegán) y Maria Fernanda Cabal (senadora de Ultra'-derecha) a quien el próximo ministro de agricultura avaló como “pequeño productor”, elegible para ser beneficiario de un crédito blando por 400 millones y un subsidio de 95 millones para repagarlo.
Reseña:“Contra el Fanatismo”: Ensayos de Una Colombia Posible o el Reformismo Trágico de Alejandro Gaviria
Reseña critica de “Contra el Fanatismo: ensayos de una Colombia posible”, el último libro de Alejandro Gaviria.
Votar por la decencia
Tiene que decirse con claridad: Votar por Abelardo de la Espriella es indecente, es una equivocación moral.
Una Consolación para despedir a Julieta
Estas fueron las palabras para mi mamita en el día en que la despedimos.
The Spheres in Seattle
The contrast between the many shades of green and the metallic surfaces at the Spheres is quite cool.
Owner’s Review: The JLC Polaris Date with Green Dial
An owner’s review (after more than 100 days of wear) of the JLC Polaris Date with the amazing green dial. Basically: The choice for the watch guy who would prefer his timekeeper to spark conversations that have nothing to do with silly spy fiction.
Gatsbyesque Eclecticism and The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Villa Vizcaya is made of the kind of architectural theatricality that old money bought when it was still new money. The Gatsbyesque eclecticism that seems to be the motif of the estate and the blissful color of its gardens are great reasons to visit the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami.
Sobre Por Favor Oiga esto
Sobre la curaduría musical de Por Favor Oiga esto en Instagram.
Open Finance in the UAE - What’s new since PSD2?
The Open Finance framework of the UAE shows, as usual, that the UAE thinks very big. This piece examines the original policy goals of open banking in PSD2 and how they have evolved as they are adopted in new jurisdictions, identifying the most important innovations introduced in the UAE framework and the potential challenges ahead, drawing from the lessons learned across 9 years of PSD2 implementation in Europe.
New York City across the years
Today I finished processing the pictures of the 2024 trip to New York City. This is a selection of some the best pictures I have taken in the big apple across the years, from 2003 to that last trip now full of nostalgia in 2024.