Guangzhou, July 4, 2013 Though probably dead tired after landing in Guangzhou from Sydney at 6AM, our Guangzhou host would not take no for an answer when extending his dinner invitation tonight. Since Guangzhou is super famous for its Cantonese cuisine, it is Cantonese food tonight by no mistake. We walk in leisure to the restaurant which offers no common dining area apart from various themed VIP rooms. Exclusivity by all means is here to service this important trading province of Guangdong. We are first seated at one sofa corner of the room where a tea ceremony is initiated. Being a very health-conscious person, our host orders a herbal tea, supposedly good for the liver, especially when alcohol is about to flow through one’s body. While the tea fragrance fills the room, an expensive bottle of red wine is being decanted at the main table. The bottle is then brought over to the host who passionately shares his tasting notes for this 1000-dollar bottle of 2005 Domaines Barons de Rothschild Chateau Lafite “So you must be a French-wine fan?” I ask. “Definitely!” answers Vincent. “What are your thoughts on Australian and American wines that have made headlines in recent years then?” Without a flash of hesitation, Vincent explains his philosophy about wine, “French wine is like a charming, elegant lady who comes from a noble and educated family heritage while Australian and American wines can be referred to as young, energetic, entertaining ladies who can be a lot of fun but won’tbe able to walk a journey with you.” What a description! Though i am not sure if he has actually been sold the concept at one of the roadshows promoted by the Wine Association of France. The host then apologizes that he could not make us wait for an hour while our Lafite needs to breathe, and unfortunately that we have to start dinner sooner, knowing we need to rest early after a hard-working day. Without any prejudice on the 1000-dollar tag, Lafite tastes perfect to me, distinctively flowery though I am supposed to pick up flower, oak, fruit, and orange, all in all a very sophisticated combination. Pairing with fine Cantonese dishes of five-spiced tofu, Cantonese roast pork, roasted baby duck, pan-fried estuary fish, and an unusual Western cousin lobster thermidor on a bed of Chinese noodle, the dinner ends on a fine note with snowy custard dumpling for dessert. As we walk back to the hotel that night, I can, for the first time in my life, feel the expensive gap between the social classes in China. One country, same city, yet it is heaven and hell intertwining in this rough city of Guangzhou. #sophistication #lafite #perspective #cantonese #guangdong #life #france #wine #Guangzhou

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

Casa, June 20, 2013 It’s our last day today. The three friendly Tunisians are heading home tomorrow while I am staying over another day to explore Casablanca. Voilà! It’s been 5 days on the road. The once strangers have become good friends. Isn’t it that amazing how we are all connected while living in totally different parts of the world! French cuisine it is. To Tunisians and Moroccans, French is wired in their system and French cuisine obviously is the preferred choice for any celebration. That explains why all the haute couture bakery cafes in Casa have been thriving among the upcoming middle class in this fast-paced country. That’s where we have our farewell dinner, Le Relais de Paris. French offerings with a refined touch, rough Moroccan wine with some personality, the once strangers toast to friendship. The night evolves around world arts, music, movies, philosophy, which to my Tunisian friends pretty unusual topics. These days, people tend to discuss opportunities, real estate, hot destinations, and cool fashion. It certainly does not stop there! As the night deepens into the murmurs of the Atlantic ocean, a hot debate is brought out into the open. “What is the purpose of life?” Different religions, different views. Different backgrounds, different views. Different age groups, different views. Yet we end the night on a beautiful note. We may travel to life’s different destinations. We do, however, share the same journey, a journey from the hearts…. #philosophy #beautifulnote #music #friends #perspectives #arts #life #lifepurpose #strangers #Casablanca

City of Carthage, June 18, 2013 It’s not everyday that one gets to see a UNESCO World Heritage such as The Roman Ruins in Carthage. I know I’ve spent 17 hours in 3 different airports to get here. What do you know? The people in Tunis are living with the ruins every day of their life. It’s on the way to work in Les Berges du Lac. It’s on the way home to Manouba. It’s on the way to their favorite wine bars in Sidi Bou Said. It’s in your neighborhood. What’s new? It’s in your own backyard in the city of Carthage. New rulers tend to destroy the formers’ legends. That’s OK. The people of Tunisia continue to build their future on top of the ruins. Life goes on. History is not only alive in their heads. It’s physically alive in their homes! “We are not Arabs. We are not African. We are simply Tunisian. And we are lost.” That seems to be the common concept of identity in this country. After all people here speak their own dialect, French arabic, that is not understood by any other Middle Eastern arabs, and a whole lot of other languages – French, Spanish, Italian…. So what’s next? Will the revolution of 2010/2011 helps define the identity of this country and its hospitable people? No one knows. Tunisia is on hold waiting for the next election which needs to be figured out in a country where dictatorship has kept it under control until someone set himself on fire. “We have to work out how to run an election first” says a Tunisian friend of mine. Until then, life is still thriving along the coastline, the upcoming European-lifestyle suburbs of Tunis. One thing for sure, history will continue to have its share in the backyards of this amazingly beautiful country. #carthage #sidibousaid #tunis #romanruins #Tunisia #Unesco #lesbergesdulac

Casablanca, June 21, 2013 It’s on the water. It’s the landmark of this town. It’s a cannot-miss-it for anyone coming to Casablanca. Hassan II Mosque, the pride of Casablanca, the pride of Morocco. 100 dirhams to get in and you get a tourguide in your language of choice. My Arabic is zero. My Spanish is yet to be learned in the next lifetime. My French is at street level. English sounds good. Groups and groups of people flock into the mosque, eager to admire the much-talked about legend of this architectural landmark by the Atlantic ocean. No one wants English today, so I get a private tour. Shoes in the plastic bag, I walk in to the late King’s vision for the future that took the contribution of 10,000 artists and craftsmen, and obviously thousands of workers to build. Grandiose is the word. The whole mosque appears before one’s eyes like a royal castle in any of the 1001-Arabian-nights folk tales. The best of Moroccan decor and art have found their home here in Grande Mosquée Hassan II. What can one say? For a moment there, it’s getting personal. It’s me and the monument. I drop the tourguide and seat myself down at a quiet corner. Space and time is irrelevant. My tiny self is insignificant. I can feel the energy of 25,000 people being here today, all heading East, all in sync in their prayers for a better world. It happens every Ramadan and it’s happening soon this July. A few pigeons flap past. Grey shadows gently touch the hand-crafted white marble floor. I look up. The sky is blue. Isn’t that mad? You can open up the roof of this massive mosque! Reality suddenly churns in. People are still struggling to makes ends meet out there. Beggars are on the streets. How can one justify the estimated US$800 million spent on such a project? How does one justify the 56 Venecian Chandeliers and a luxurious hammam underneath that’s never been used? Grandeur will forever be admired. The King will forever be remembered. My heart-felt moment for the people of Morocco will forever stay forgotten. #HassanII #grandiose #casa #morroco #grandeur #Casablanca #mosque

KL, November 28, 2013 He’s a 27-year-old Malay guy with a shy-looking face and smiling eyes. As he took on the mission to drive me to KL International airport today, little did he know that he would soon face with the toughest questions in his life…. “What does 1000 Dinar mean?” I ask while pointing at the brass-looking medallion dangling from the mirror. Apart from the word 1000 Dinar that I could recognize, the rest are in arabic. “I don’t know exactly the translation of the arabic words but basically this is to give happiness, health, and safety on the road” said the guy with a shy smile. “Did you get it from a temple?” “No I bought it a while ago” “What about these beads?” “Oh my friend gave this string to me. I use it every time I pray.” “So how many times do you pray per day?” “5 times” “Really?” “Uh, sometimes not when I am busy.” Fleeting guilt was spotted. “So what do you do when you pray?” “I ask for forgiveness of all my sins” “What’s your biggest sin ever?” Shocked by a direct question, he gave a nervous laugh and said that he would not be able to tell me who he only got to know for the last 24 hours. “Only my best friends know.” “Fair enough!” “So what about you? What’s your biggest sin?”, asked he in a counter-attack manner. ” Well, I ran away from home when I was 16 and broke my mother’s heart.” The guy was kinda caught by surprise to seeing it flowing out of my mouth. “So I guess you’ve never confessed your biggest sin to God before?” “No, not yet.” “How come?” Nervous laugh again. Silence fell as he tried to look through the blurry car shield kept alive by the non-stopping water handles trying to sweep away the heavy raindrops and probably the windmill of his mind…. “You know why it is easy for me to tell anyone about my sins?” “Why?” “Once I know I’ve made a mistake, I accept it and go and change it. That way, it’s become a lesson and no longer a sin.” “True”, said the guy in contemplation. “Don’t try and commit it again though!” Laughters filled the air as we approached the airport…. “Can I tell you about my biggest sin?”, asked he all of a sudden as I was was getting ready to be dropped off.” I stopped, and looked at him. “Sure, only if you are ready!” “I slept with a few girls before” “Is that all? That’s pretty normal for a 27-year old single guy right?” “Yeah but it’s prohibited in Islamic law” ” I see. I’m sure God will forgive you for that, unless you sleep with someone while having a relationship with another.” “It’s called double sin and yes I have committed it. “Ohhh….” We said goodbye as “purple rain” came out from the car stereo, seemingly poking through the grey & thick curtain of a melancholic KL evening. “Don’t forget to pray and confess tonight” “I sure will” #happiness #philosophy #forgiveness #perspective #life #religion #malaysia #kualalumpur #sin

Sydney, October 27, 2013 Sydney’s No. 1 Health & Wellness Expo – that sounds just right for a Sunday afternoon, specifically for someone who is totally head over heels with this subject. With a dear Singaporean friend of mine, I set out to explore the updated world of health & wellness. What would you expect from such an expo? Aroma therapy? Natural bath and body products? Organic food & drinks? Well, that’s a no brainer! What I am blown away by is a new business opportunity in this trendy sector, spiritual solution. Mind you! I’ve made it up. Bet no one likes to be labelled as providing a “spiritual solution”. “Helping one get back in touch with one’s spiritual self” is probably a better marketing approach. After all, what can one do to get back in touch with one’s spiritual self? 2/3 of the booths are totally set up just to cater to the lost souls. Need a glimpse to your past or a sneak peak to the future? Try the various styles of reading! The traditional palm reading, the Arabian-night crystal ball reading, the new-age psychic reading, or the avant-garde colorful wax reading…. If you determine to focus on the present, however, here’s the deal. Check out your aura with an auro image camera, heal your soul with quantum vortex energy (!?!) or simply embrace the energy from your dedicated healers. I gotta warn you though. Everything comes with a cost. And it’s any where from 25 to 75 dollars per session from 15 to 45 minutes. My favourite? Karma clearing, $25 for 15 minutes. What a bargain! For all the sins that I’ve committed over the years, I wouldn’t even think twice! Would you? I am a beginner when it comes to the spiritual journey. One thing I know, however, is that one could never find oneself by looking outward for solutions. It is, after all, an inward journey that costs no more than courage…. Hang on! The colorful feathers look pretty cool! I may need them for the next charity ball. #health #spiritual #wellness #happiness #soul #finding #lost #outward #perspective #life #inward

Sydney, October 29, 2013 It’s Sunday morning. And just like any other Sunday morning for the last 10 years, he is having his “breakfast by the balcony”. Set on the second floor, amongst nature, with a magnificent view of the moody river, time and space often seem irrelevant…. And as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons fill the air with its magical touch, one would think how beautiful life could be in such a perfect setting. “The white stork is still alone.” Having shared a breakfast by the balcony with him once, I could almost picture his lonely shadow reading the message. We used to spot a single white stork on the other side of the river…. “Maybe it’s time for the white stork to stop fighting and start embracing the world around.” Silence remains for the rest of the day. The response is not responded. He thinks his life is a wreck. His wife’s left him for a delivery guy. His kids keep forgetting his birthday. The girls that he’s dated over the years all lie to him. And even though people pay him a lot of money to be their lawyer, he’s got absolutely no joy out of work. The government to him is corrupted. The people are consumed by greed. All of which, in one way or another, constantly feed his anger. The more he gets angry, the less people would want to be any where near him, and understandably the lonelier he becomes. He declares enemy of the whole wild world. Nothing, and no one on earth could ever bring him the happiness he deserves…. “You know what? If happiness is seeked from the outside world, it’s my absolute guarantee that you would never find it. Try seeking it from within…..” Silence fills the conversation as I patiently await his reaction. I could hear nothing but the vague background noises on the other side of the line. Could one of those be the sound of the white stork flapping away in search for his flock? #happiness #within #perspective #journey #life #stork #outsideworld #search

Saigon, June 7, 2013 In a country where you are judged by the clothing brands you wear, the accessories brands you carry, the branded bikes or cars you possess, or the net earnings you take home every month…, it is quite predictable that you get to meet plenty of well-wrapped zombies along the way. Out of their living boxes they walk, every day, towards the most powerful unit of measurement, the $. “What is that used to measure?” Who would ask such a question? But then again, no question is ever a silly one, said once by my primary school teacher. For almost 40 years now in Vietnam, success has been widely defined as getting ahead of others in the race towards wealth, power, and fame. There is no room for being self-content, no room for showing true colors, no room whatsoever for random kindness. I once asked some expat friends for their objective view about Vietnamese, having served their years in the country. The responses are remarkably aligned. “They can fight!” That to me can be a good trait, if rightly used of course. What do they fight for? Somehow group thinking coupled with the efficiency of mass media has created this huge monster called “success”. It obviously has everything to do with how you look, what you possess, how much money you make, how popular you are, who you know…. And the zombies continue to walk, in and out of their living boxes, into the most fierce & brutal fight for that almighty unit of measurement, with the absolute absence of trust. What if I don’t take part in that fight? What if I have my own set of values? As human beings, everyone longs for kindness and warmth from others. What if I offer it, even to strangers? Are you serious? Are you nuts? Are you ready to be a Purple Cow?” Because in this society, one will stick out like a sore thumb and may be boycotted from the “success” circle of zombies. ARE YOU READY? Purple is my color. I love it! #success #purple #kindness #cow #trust #massmedia #brand #vietnam #colors #warmth #perspective #life #fight #earning #zombie #power #saigon #purplecow

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

Nanjing, July 05, 2013 Leaving Guangzhou in the Lafite setting, we board the 10AM China Southern Airlines flight for our next meeting in Nanjing, the ancient capital of the Ming Dynasty. The Dynasty was actually founded here, throwing over 150 years of Mongolian domination and lasted for an impressive 300-year period. As usual, the flight is delayed for 40 minutes, which, to me, is exceptionally reasonable. What’s new? I’ve never been fortunate enough to board a plane on time in China for the last 2 years any way. I am happy , therefore, to line up even when the check-in guy yells out the boarding order with an annoyingly loud voice. As usual, people step on to each other fighting for a cabin space. People elbow through the aisle in search for that non-refundable seat they have paid in full with their hard-earned money. The whole demeaner depicts an absolute fear of losing out on some self-worthy benefits. I’ve learned to make quick moves to avoid invasions into my own personal space in China. Either that or I have to quickly learn to use some four-letter word. All betls buckled, plane taxiying towards the run-way as my mind wanders about the schedule for Nanjing. Suddenly we stop, and without any announcement, everything stands still. No one seems surprised. No one wants to know what the issue is. Some sleeping, some reading newspapers, it is as though life is carried on as normal no matter what. In a way, that’s pretty cool…. An hour passes by. The lady behind starts getting uneasy and calls for a stewardess to check on departure time. “We don’t know. Please stay where you are until further notice” replies the stewardess. It is then that the lady gets all ticked off. She yells cross the whole cabin with probably the most threatening voice she could ever employ in a worthy fight. “You people, you are too used to ordering others what to do. I am all sick of this.” As she goes on, juices and water get served. Thanks, granny! 2 hours later, we take off and stay up in the air for another half an hour circling around at the other end before landing. We arrive in Nanjing at 4 PM on a gloomy, miserable, rainy evening. China, as one travels across its amazing ancient treasures, is simply found to be the perfect place for real-life meditation. Every encounter, every activity here does call for an enormous amount of patience and forgiveness. After all, isn’t that what all religions on earth are out to teach us? Hang on! if you are looking for something more tangible & fashionable, welcome to the New Age Religion of China! #delay #nanjing #philosophy #china #meditation #perspective #life #religion #Guangzhou

Nanjing, July 5, 2013 Leaving lobster themidor and the hustle bustle of Guangzhou, we set off for Nanjing. Nanjing has always been my favorite city in China, simply because of the warmth and the heart-felt hospitality from my local friends. After the 4-hour delay, we walk out to rainy Nanjing where our 2 Nanjing friends have been waiting patiently for 6 hours. Not a single frown on their faces, we head to Xinjiekou, the center of center of Nanjing to check in. Not sure if it is built in their DNA but the locals here do enjoy eating & drinking and they refuse to pass any occasion without making it a feast. Surprise, surprise! It is dinner that we head out to after checking in. A bunch of local friends already gather around at a local restaurant, ready to have that welcoming beer on us. That, is Nanjing hospitality! Snow beer from Beijing, Tsingtao beer from Qingdao, and a feast of more than 10 dishes including yellow eel, dragon shrimp, pig jelly, pig intestines, frog, and what have you. The night starts on a high note. Beer is served Nanjing way, one cold and one hot beer being poured at the same time into the same glass. I could never tell the difference but according to the locals, it obviously tastes better that way!?! As ganbei (bottoms up) being made one glass after another, whether to the whole group or one on one, the restaurant manager appears with his special of the day to pay respect to his loyal customers. Super proud of his special of the day, the manager asks us all to guess what type of veggie is used as key ingredient for the dish. Guess it wrong and you have to drink up your beer. Guess it right and he will punish himself with a full glass. That does not turn me on, but who cares? When in Rome…. The locals take turn but none gets it right. What do you know? It obviously is not a local specialty. “It’s your turn, Miss.” says the manager, getting all cocky with his veggie of mystery. All eyes are on me. No pressure! I take one bite, look around, and raise my eyebrows…. “Sauerkraut!” No one seems to get it. “It’s pickled cabbage, German style.” I announce in victory. It goes without saying, the whole room is filled with joy and laughters as the manager gobbles down his freshly poured beer. We continue on through the night with a drinking game called “Wo ai ni – I love you” or “bu yao lian – sorry” (select a direction from your left or right and either say “I love you” or “sorry” and the next person either passes it on via the same direction or says the opposite to the one on the opposite direction). It strikes me, however, for the first time how much international influence has made it to China, even here in a local eel & frog restaurant in Nanjing…. #nanjing #china #travel #perspective #saukraut #life #internationalinfluence