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Nanjing, May 15, 2013 “How would you describe Nanjing people?” I asked Yibin, my Nanjing’s friend. “I would say people here are more hospitable, friendly and honest” said Yibin. Though I know Nanjing used to be the capital of the Ming Dynasty, I would not take anything for granted and expect too much from modern China. Glorious history and admirable ancient arts and culture never seem to prosper in today’s material world. 2 days in Nanjing is simply not enough especially when the meetings are back-to-back. Yibin insists however that I visit Confucius Temple. “You can’t say you’ve been to Nanjing without visiting Confucius”, said Yibin. That makes perfect sense and I’ve always been eager to pay respect to the great man who a few thousand years later still spreads his profound knowledge around the world. That is called Greatness. When we leave this world, how many of us can be remembered? It’s never been the wealth, the power, nor the struggles to get to the top. It’s always been the knowledge, the love, the kindness willingly shared. Success is what one achieves for oneself but greatness is what one achieves for others. The walk-way to Confucius Temple is masked with earthly desires, food, drinks, clothing, accessories, gifts, dry goods, even dry salted ducks on display racks along the walk-way. Man I was thinking more of literature and culture related stuff like books, brushes, calligraphy, Chinese paintings…. “Do you think it hurts Confucius to see this?” I asked Yibin. “Definitely” answered Yibin without a blink. “But there are a lot of Chinese people here, and they need to eat, drink, and shop. Simple as that!”. Fair enough! Being a great man, I am sure he wouldn’t mind the little things. The actual examination site of the Ming Dynasty is closed today, so we only get to enter the small newly-built museum in the area. There is no one here except myself and a few old Chinese couples sitting along the resting area. People are obviously busy shopping outside, millions of them. I notice a minibar display of sodas, iced tea, water, and soymilk outside the Great Emperor Kangxi’s calligraphy display though there is no service staff. Have a coke on him if that makes you stop and appreciate the Emperor’s philosophy. I am sure he wouldn’t mind either. There is very little to see, so I make my way out after 20 minutes. The walk-way is still packed. People are still eating, drinking, and shopping…. Yibin makes me stop for stinky tofu which I have learned to accept as I travel across China. This whole destination looks and feels more like a night market than anything. I walk on, feeling for Confucius. He must have been all lonely like I am now amidst the sea of people coming here every day to take photos, shopping, and getting a tick on their travel list. We learn to love them any way. “Wherever you go, go with all your heart”. #mingdynasty #confucius #nanjing #culture #china #travel #perspective #love #arts #life #knowledge

Tokyo, May 08, 2013 10Am: out of the hotel walking to the conference center. Hardly see anyone on the street. Once in a while I spot a man in black. 12:30PM: out of the conference center walking down the street looking for a lunch spot. Groups of men in black are on the way to or from their lunch venues. I notice that most restaurants in the area are set up for a in-and-out lunch fix. 1PM we get into a Japanese noodle house. Groups of men in black fill the tables. The menu looks fantastic but I am told it’s not for lunch. Lunch is a quick fix and you can either choose from 2 mains or 4 noodles. Soba it is then. 1:30PM: back to the conference center. I ask Ichiro why he thinks a group setting is better for our introduction tomorrow. “Japanese like group energy”, says Ichiro. “we do badly at the olympics in any single competition and always do significantly better in any team competition. Don’t you notice that?”. “So all these men will turn up in black tomorrow I guess?”, I ask. “Definitely!”, Ichiro answers. “No one wants to stand out.” 4PM we go down to Tully’s coffee. Men in black either sit by themselves working on their computers or sit in groups discussing business. The place is full. 6PM I walk past a Star Bucks on the way back to the hotel. Men in black fill the place. 8PM I take the Ginza subway line to Ginza. Tons of men in black are on-board. They must be the early batch leaving the office. 9:30PM I take the Ginza line back to the hotel. Men in black hurry on and off at very station. Every single one of them is on their smart phone. No one looks up. Wonder if any of them spot a smile on my face?!? 9:39PM I get off at Ginza station. Surprise, surprise! Men in black pour in from every exit hurrying somewhere. Spring is in the air, but black seems to put Japan in the right order…. #people #energy #meninblack #Tokyo #life #ginza #japan #group

Macao, May 27, 2013 After landing in Hongkong, I proceed to the Macao Ferry ticket counter. A friend has told me that it’s easy enough to get ferry tickets at Hongkong airport, so I did not bother to check for online ticket reservation. After all, a bit of the un-known always makes a trip more exciting. I have learned to embrace new experiences as I travel the world instead of being the old control freak me. Like everyone else, I stand in line waiting for my turn. “One way to Macau, please!” I say it out loud. One can never go wrong if one knows the destination for sure. “Taipa or Macau city?”, asks the ticket agent. “Oh….,” I find myself taken aback. “Macau city I guess…” Definitely sounds safer and easier making a city choice I think to myself. Besides, I have absolutely no idea where Taipa is. I have not done my homework. Such a small island. Who needs a map? That’s a lesson learned today. You don’t know what you don’t know…. 4:30 and it’s boarding time. Should be piece of cake now boarding the ferry across. There is one ferry heading to Macau and I can’t miss it. After a short shuttle train ride and a long elevator ride up, I reach the ferry terminal. All of a sudden, there are 6 gates with people lining up in front. Oops! Which gate is it? I walk back looking for the announcement board. Another lesson learned. Don’t take anything for granted! I found my gate any way, number 5 to Macau city. I’ve bought the super class ticket as it sounds better and the price difference is not that huge. I learn as I board that super class means upper deck. Not sure if it makes any difference. The guy behind complains to his wife “More than 300 HK dollars for this?”. Macao, the casino of Asia, appears as we approach the terminal. It’s an easy one-hour boat ride. The overall feeling is dark and tired…. Don’t ask me why! As I walk out of the ferry terminal, my first experiences of Macau blossom. Lines and lines of hotel and casino representatives are waiting outside, pointing you to their shuttle buse locations at the exit. Having not reserved hotel pick-up, I still want to try my luck. There it is! The Venetian Macao Hotel & Resorts. The girl spots me as I look at the board and before I open my mouth, she already directs me down the stairs towards the bus terminal. I probably walk past 20 hotel/casino boards before reaching one that says Venetian. On I board and the bus fills up pretty quickly. Within 5 minutes we leave the terminal. As an island, Macao is surrounded with water and water is to me the calming agent. I can live here! But then again, apart from water, what else can you find apart from massive casino hotels? Flashing signboards strike the eyes as the message is in your face “City of Dreams”. I wonder how many people have bought in this dream and how many have been knocked out by the lack of it…. It is an easy ride and I get to the hotel without any drama. As I enter the casino hotel, however, I immediately got overwhelmed by the happenings of this place. Loads of people walk in all directions, young couples, old couples, families with kids, solo gamblers by the look of their eyes….. Shops, poker machines, show ticket counters line up…. After struggling a while to find the hotel lobby, I get checked in. South Wing, level 14 and a series of instructions on what is where and for that I could not locate which way to get to the room. Man! For the first time in my life, I am totally lost. One has to be lost in that maze, lost in the constant movements in every direction of the people there, lost amongst the lights and the noises, lost in the bold merchandising of the casinos…. Wonder if anyone has found their dreams while I am getting lost…. #dreams #casino #lost #perspective #Macao #life

Chengdu, July 14, 2013 My most favorite documentary series have always been “Mankind: The Story of All of Us”. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve glued my eyes on the flat screen, attention undivided, to learn about the events and periods in history that have drastically changed the destiny of mankind. From gold, gun powder, to the printing press; from Africa’s Golden Age, China’s red turban revolution, to the European Renaissance; it is amazing how the world’s power has simply been re-shuffled by some events and people. One thing for sure though, I’ve never felft the effect of these grand events on my daily life…. The last 15 days in China, however, has taught me a practical lesson on the effect of Facebook upon mankind. Mind you! I am hopeless at social media and FB is more of a channel for me to keep my family & friends informed of my whereabouts. With the average amount of 3 weeks per month on the road, this virtual broadcasting channel does work out pretty well for this restless traveller. What do you know? FB is exclusive in China. There are certainly no shortages of such luxury brands as Gucci, LV, Ferrari, Armani, Massimo Dutti…. Ad no where else in the world have I seen such massive showrooms of the iconic Apple brand like they are here in every tier 1 and 2 cities in China. Capitalism has definitely been slotted into a giant red hongbao (Chinese lucky money packet) of this country. Freedom is in the air! Everyone rushes out to shop. Sales is always on. From Huahai Road in Shanghai to Wangfujing in Beijing; from Xinjiekou in Nanjing to Zongfu Street in Chengdu, all one can see are people selling, buying, eating, and buzzing around under flashy neon lights. What’s there for me, the solo traveller in my beloved land of ancient wisdom, except for the need to feel connected and to share my experiences with family and friends? If only I could exchange that high-end, noise-polluted shopping alley with a comment from my sister! Once and still a huge fan of hand-written letters, greeting cards, postcards, and personal notes, I do find it beyond comprehension how such a basic needs of belonging in the digital age gets taken away amidst the flourishing of Chinese consumerism. What’s there to hide? Don’t you get it? Life is never the same after facebook…. #mankind #capitalism #china #perspective #socialmedia #facebook #life #consumerism

Tunis, June 16, 2013 Nothing beats the feeling of having arrived at the hotel after a long flight, a warm bath, a comfy bed, soft pillows, and an un-disturbed afternoon nap…. Well, all that for a day dream! The receptionist could not find my booking. With enough confidence I take out my Ipad and show him the confirmation email in my inbox. The guy looks perplexed. I can see the frown on his face. Then he looks up with the broadest smile ever. “I am sorry, miss. You’ve booked in for July and not June.” Oh dear, for all the mistakes I’ve ever made in life, why this when I am totally bruised after such a long trip? “Silly me!”, say I. “You have rooms available though?”. With smiling eyes, the guy calmly responds “Unfortunately not. We are fully booked until the 23rd.” There goes my warm bath! I reach for my phone. Battery is at 9% to death. I quickly call Farida, and ask if she could help organize another hotel for me. Farida laughs as hard as ever listening to my little incident, and says she would check a few hotels in town. 5 minutes later, the message comes in. “I will pick you up in 15. The Novotel has rooms available.” Oh well, if I can survive a 17-hour trip, 15 minutes does not sound too bad. “You save my life, Farida!”…. But my phone is dead and I need an adaptor. I hit the bar of the Sheraton and ask the bartender for help. The guys seems enlightened to be asked for help and after taking me to on a hotel tour around the various departments to look for an adaptor, we finally land at the business center where the lady is more than happy to lend us one. We walk back to the bar and have my phone charged at the counter. Meher his name is and he is a local Tunisian. Meher seems to have a lot of fun on his job as a cashier at this lobby bar. I am surprised to see a few guests stop by to give him a warm hello as he gets me a glass of water without me having to ask for it. As I concentrate on my deep breath to bring my body and mind back to balance, a guy walks up to the counter and asks for a beer. He looks Middle Eastern. The beer is quickly poured into a hi-ball glass. The guy pays for it, leaves some tip, and within 30 seconds gobbles down his beer. “Wow, he must be super thirsty” I think to myself. Meher laughs as he sees the look on my face. “That’s the Arabic way of drinking beer” explains Meher, “All in one shot.” Now I need a drink! But with my present condition of exhaustion, I wouldn’t dare to take that shot. And so I ask for a Campari and lemonade just to quench my thirst. While Meher is busy punching my order into the POS, a dark guy comes out from behind the bar and starts mixing my drink. “His name is Sofienne” Meher introduces his colleague. “His Mom is Jamaican and his Dad is Tunisian. He is a dark chocolate.” Sofienne does not seem to be bothered with Meher’s joke on his dark complexion. With the most contented smile he adds “Not just a chocolate. I am a hot chocolate!” My heart melts to see such enlightening attitudes at work. I wonder how many people could appear so content and happy going through their normal work days…. Random kindness, an enlightening attitude and a few light-hearted words can help make someone’s day. It certainly washes away my exhaustion and sends me off in a sunny mood in search for that warm bath and comfy bed in a strange city that has taken me in as one of its own…. #randomkindness #tunis #happiness #Tunisia #attitude #perspective #content #life #lighthearted #enlightening

Heathrow Airport, September 08, 2013 At times, one’s chosen path must be walked alone…. It’s the hustle bustle London airport, and yes I am waiting for my next flight out to Florence, it all sounds like the making of a fabulous vacation ahead, at least to most. Little would be known why I am here. Little would be understood why I’m here. The whole world rushes by, leaving my tiny self on suspension mode…. I have a purpose in life, and I am walking on my chosen path, little by little, day by day, nothing spoken, little understood…. “Lonely the path you have chosen…”, I told my brother Patrick as he quit his most admired day job as a regional team leader to pursue his ever-lasting dream to become an artist. “I don’t know if I would one day become an artist. It doesn’t matter. I am following my heart.” Well-said, Patrick! When dollars and cents stop making its mark in one’s life, when revelation surfaces from the thick layers of delussional fame, possession, desires, and greed, such decisions become obvious. Poor Patrick! The obvious is too hard to be seen. Just like his sis, he is walking the lonely path. At times, knowledge is acquired through silence. At times, understanding is naturally absorbed through the absence of thoughts. At times, one’s chosen path is to be walked alone. Walk on, Patrick! Knowing that your sis is waiting right around the corner…. #art #absence #illusion #happiness #fame #purpose #perspective #silence #wealth #thoughts #life #dellusion

It was a burning hot afternoon when my little brother Patrick and I took on the mission to find Melaka Art Gallery where there are supposed to be 150 excellent paintings of all ages. It shows on the tourist map that the gallery is only a stone’s throw away from Xavier church. Under the brutal sunlight of Melaka, we walk, bare-headed. The further we walk, the more desserted it becomes. “That does not feel right”, I told Patrick. “We either took the wrong turn or art is dead in this quaint little town”. To mark my words, a sign appears in grafitti right before our eyes and it says “Art Gallery”, with a little crooked arrow pointing upwards. We both stop, look up and stand there motionless for a while. It’s a long, lonely, narrow stairway leading up to no where. And so up we walk, without a distant idea of what we may find. There is a weather-beaten, moss-covered wall on the right and to the left a few miserable looking old tombs. As we walk along the stairway up onto the un-known, the picture paints an eery, trapped, and vulnerable atmosphere to the place. We stood right there at the entrance where it says “Art Gallery” in grafitti, No one is around. Lying carelessly are bags of garbage, a few damaged chairs and piles of dead leaves. Dust of memories calls it home. Lime-light of the bygone can hardly be seen. Nothing is permanent in this world. As we walk down the stairway back to the un-known, a few words come to my mind: I walk the endless road To look for nowhere And so the shadows found Up along the stairs… #art #melaka #mallaca #gallery #perspective

Nó là ổ bánh mỳ duy nhất còn sót lại trong sọt. Mới có 10g sáng mà trông nó đã bèo nhèo xơ xác. Ừa mà từ lúc ra lò đến giờ cũng đã 6, 7 tiếng rồi chứ ít gì. Nằm đây một mình ngoài bờ tường bụi bặm của bến xe, dưới cái nóng hầm hập tháng 5 của Sài gòn, xung quanh mấy thứ rác rửi, nước thải vương vãi vô tội vạ thì ai mà chải chuốt cho được? Bến xe khách Chợ Lớn sáng thứ 7 thôi thì tấp nập, người ra kẻ vào ì xèo đến mà phát chóng mặt. Chẳng ai thèm quan tâm đến nó. Cái đồ bánh mỳ ế! Nó cũng chẳng hiểu tại sao nó còn ở lại. Cả đám ra lò cùng một lúc. Hồi đó, em nào cũng tươi mơn mởn, thơm phưng phức. Cậu Hùng Giòn, nghe ông chủ lò gọi vậy, vác cả đám ra bến xe từ tờ mờ sáng. Nó là đứa có chút mã nên cậu Hùng cho ăn trên nằm trước. Chả cần học marketing cậu cũng hiểu phải nhá hàng đẹp thì mới câu khách được. Cả đám còn lại bị cậu nhốt vào cái sọt mây phủ kín bằng một lớp vải bố gai. Nó cảm thấy hãnh diện vô cùng. Đằng nào nó cũng được tiếng là show girl chứ ít gì. Cậu Hùng còn phết thêm cho nó một lớp dầu ma-ki-dê. Bóng loáng và chảnh chọe, nó lim dim tận hưởng cảm giác đỉnh cao của sự nghiệp bamyshow. Huỵch! Một ai đó vô tâm quẹt chân vào cái sọt làm nó lăn lông lốc ra mặt đường. Chưa kịp hoàng hồn thì ào một cái, bà Năm bán hủ tíu bên lề đường lại tạt cho một chậu nước rửa chén vào đầu. Giấc mơ showbiz tuyệt vời của nó thoáng chốc đã mềm nhũn ra trong cái mớ nước lem nhem, lều phều đó. Tất cả bỗng dưng chỉ còn là ảo giác, ảo giác về sự hoành tráng tạm bợ, ảo giác về một giấc vỗ tay sặc mùi đố kỵ, ảo giác về những ánh mắt ngưỡng mộ đầy gian dối, ảo giác, ảo giác…. Chương cuối cùng của cuộc đời không còn chỗ cho sự hối hận. Giá mà nó được làm lại từ đầu. Nó xin làm một ổ bánh mỳ bình dị, sinh ra đơn giản chỉ để yêu thương và giúp đỡ mọi người, dù chỉ là một người khách qua đường không quen biết, trong cuộc đời ngắn ngủi này của nó. #Hạnhphúc #show #ảogiác #sựnghiệp #cuộcsống #đơngiản #yêuthương #showbiz #bánhmỳ

Antaturk International Airport, June 15, 2013 It’s never fun taking a long overnight flight especially when one arrives at 5:30AM and yet having to wait for another flight to catch. At least I feel a lot better now that I can breathe after having been suffocated for the last 10 hours on the plane by the boldest & most confronting fragrance of eau de toilette coming from my next door neighbor. I guess sensual attraction works differently in different parts of the world but is definitely based on the universal foundation that we human beings forever long for others’ care and attention. That explains why we spend much time making sure we always look our best be it with the clothing, the make-up, the accessories, the fragrances, or the hairstyles…. What is there, however, behind that shiny & gorgeous packaging? Do people really care? In a world where packaging plays such an important part, it is no doubt challenging to bank on one’s inner values to make things work. What lasts in the long run, however, is definitely not that shiny & gorgeous can of emptiness!!! Breathing and smiling, I board my next flight to Tunis…. #shiny #packaging #makeup #innervalues #perspective #emptiness #clothing #life #eaudetoilette #accessories #gorgeous

Manila, August 24, 2013 After 10 days on the road, this is the first day I have time to sip my morning coffee in silence, without any concept of space and time, reflecting on those encounters across the cities I’ve been to. 10 days, 3 cities, seeing thousands of people hurrying towards their destinations, having conversational exchanges with close to 100 people, having intentional conversations with almost 40 people; and here I am feeling so blessed to be able to stop, re-wind, and reflect on the emotional complexity of human beings. Every day, a day starts with the sun coming up and ends with the sun going down. Every day the same thing happens. Every day! What lies between seems to be our choice of how we want to live it…. Shanghai – he was shaky to un-lie his lies… Hongkong – she was annoyed and snappy to be asked for help… Manila – he was proud to showcase his collection of pets. I would never forget that monkey’s face, seemingly accepting fate as it was presented within that tiny cage and inside the gloomy toilet… Shanghai – he seemed determined to find a better-paying job so that he could afford a simple life. Simplicity was defined as making enough money to buy some own time… Shanghai – hope was in the air that fortune would bring people together; though doubt was sneaking in that the same would take them apart… Manila – feeling lost & vulnerable, she was trapped in between the past and the future. The present became a distant concept… We all walk through life every day carrying bags of wants, needs, desires, and expectation. The world itself revolves around billions of personal axes. Disappointment, pride, ego, sadness, anger, hatred, fear, confusion, vulnerability…, they all have a part to play in building that complex entity called self. When would the concept of selflessness be perceived or simply practiced? When would happiness be achieved simply by letting go? The sun is coming up today as I sip my coffee in silence. The sun will eventually go down as I touch down in Saigon tonight. What lies between? #future #present #selflessness #self #Lies #lost #disappointment #vulnerability #wants #anger #doubt #silence #hatred #expectation #simplicity #past #needs #desire

Saigon, June 11, 2013 Most often I got asked which country, which city, and at times which journey pops out as my top favourite. What to say? The cities start looking alike. The sceneries stay on as great memories. The people all tend to become good friends. What then is THE ONE? I know for sure what one of my most favourite movies is though, Journey to the Center of the Earth, released 2008, directed by Eric Brevig based on the same novel written by Jules Verne. Wouldn’t it be marvelous to be on such a journey to explore the very core of what creating our perceived everyday phenomena? Some people call me a dreamer. I never seem to work very well with today’s practical world…. 2009, Year of the Ox, the dreamer finally took on that marvelous journey to the very core, though it’s not to the center of the Earth as Brendan Fraser may have wished. It is, after all, the once-in-a-lifetime journey to the very core of her heart and soul. “How do we find that intact core, unpolluted by the ugliness of life, uncorrupted by compromise, not weighed down by worry, nor weakened by fear?” There is obviously no one formula for the whole wild world. This dreamer was lucky to have packed some simple tools for her journey; honesty, an open mind, and the zest for change. Rough is the descriptive nature of the trip! Waiting patiently on the other side, however, is the transcient beauty of simplicity where one happily traverses space and time with seed of mindfulness, and towards fruit of the unknown. It is, by far, the most glorious adventure…. #worry #glorious #fruit #seed #trip #unknown #openmind #beauty #ugliness #change #perspective #space #journey #mindfulness #life #compromise #time #core #simplicity #adventure #fear #honesty

Guangzhou, July 4, 2013 Guangzhou has never been my city of choice due to previous bad experiences. If there is one thing I love about this city, it is the magnificent Cantonese cuisine setting out to capture even the most critical foodie. The variety of offerings is amazing and the tatses are just heavenly. With that in mind, I return to Guangzhou, hoping to get quickly through the days with frozen-faced business meetings and a few great meals as a bonus. Loud, noisy, rude, and always on-the-go are the things stuck in my mind after my last Guangzhou visit about the people here. Why does one have to shout across a one-meter distance just to deliver a simple message such as “It’s boarding time”? That I could never comprehend. But then again, it may simply be an ingrained habit that one grows up with in this short-breathed city. Well-prepared for a typical buzzing Guangzhou day ahead, I calmly step into Mr. Li’s office. Taken aback by the zen-filled posture and attitude of the host, I do start wondering if I am in the wrong Guangzhou. The office is well-arranged with trees, flowers, a beautiful Chinese ink-washed painting and a nice calligraphy piece. I once thought ink-washed painting and calligraphy were dying in this motherland of such historical arts. Underneath the table, there is a beautifully-carved wooden box of weiqi, the ancient game of Chinese chess on warfare, which one can only come across in Chinese movies about ancient dynasties. A humble wooden tea table sits quiety at one corner, looking all set for a tea ceremony. The whole setting together with its host brings about the nostalgic & much-appreciated Greatness of Chinese heritage values, ones that can hardly be found in today’s material world. If one has to fight to get a better graveyard spot, who cares about Greatness in the kingdom of humanitarian values? Time flies when one enjoys the company. What an unusually calm and peaceful day it is in this buzzing city of trade! Though one rare encounter may not change one’s perception about the whole place, it certainly helps project soothing thoughts on future returns…. #weiqi #calligraphy #inkwashedpainting #teaceremony #zen #travel #perspective #guangdong #arts #life #Guangzhou