Nature in Disarray, Diamonds Everywhere.

I've had just enough time to...   see diamonds everywhere.

Taken outside Surabaya, Indonesia on the way to Mount Bromo.

Nature in disarray

Diamonds every where

Gold has fallen

Greens on the rise

The waves swept everything

Off the casino table

The ball rolled and

Was snookered into the corner

It found the net

When there was no keeper

Yet the score was kept

In ticketed paper

Don’t talk in whisper

Don’t talk at all

Don’t listen to the echo

Bouncing off the wall

The wall went up

The wall came down

It went up again

Mile high off the ground

The man must be crazy

To build it on sand

It looked like a castle

Just beyond the bend

The tide won’t come in

It was stopped by the King

Who sang his last song in Neverland

Time swing on the pendulum

But who stopped the swing?

The clock paid no attention

It has its own intention

Shelter me under the umbrella

The sun is hot today

Frying eggs on the walkway

No cars on the freeway

I’m going anyway

I hitch a ride on the comet’s tail

And fell into an unknown galaxy

Where birds rule the day

But nights are not for slumber

Turning the pillow over

Upsets the universe

Spirit spirits roll the dice

If it comes out eight

The fisherman shall die

What is the use of ships?

When the sea has collapsed

Into itself with an explosion

The world reborn

Again! Again! And Again!

"Enjoy Your Life", You Said.

I've had just enough time to...   enjoy my life not yours.

Taken while walking through the main road of Yangon, Myanmar.

Enjoy Life, you said.

Well, I tried.

And I find it bitter with no means to sweeten it.

Change my attitude, you said.

Well, I did.

But there was no harmony in my singing.

Hope for the better, you said.

Well, I hoped and prayed.

Even as each day gets darker than before the day.

So now, it is my fault you said.

I think I agreed.

You with your fancy car and positive attitude.

With no need to hope for your days are bright.

And your nights are peaceful.

Go ahead and enjoy your life,

But stop telling me to enjoy mine.

It is MY LIFE!

_______

Live Your Life Feat. Rihanna 

Got Everybody Watchin What I Do 

Come Walk In My Shoes

And See The Way I'm Livin If You Really Want To 

Got My Mind On My Money 

And I'm Not Goin Nowhere 

So Keep On Gettin Your Paper 

And Keep On Climbing 

Look In The Mirror And Keep On Shining 

Till The Game Ends, Till The Clock Stops 

We Gon' Post Up On The Top Spot 

Livin The Life, The Life

The Monk & The Little Devil - Part II

I've had just enough time to...   give the little devil a whack with my not so mighty staff.

Taken at night in place where there was no one about.

There was a pious monk proud of his reputation. And he felt he needed to protect and enhanced it. All the better to serve his God, you see. If the people believe in him, they will believe in the God he served. The praises he heard got into his head and he sucked them in like a smoker sucking smoke through his smoking pipe. The smoke that he blew out intoxicated him and clouded his view.

The more religious relics he has, the more religious he believed he will appear to be and he set on the task of accumulating them. They should not be in the hands of the less devoted, he argued but in those of the more deserving hands like his. He plotted and schemed to make them all his lest they be tainted by hands unclean.

And should anyone stood in his way, he just arranged for them to be conveniently removed as if ridding the world of evil. For anyone standing in his quest for spiritual perfection is evil, aren’t they? Why should he feel remorse for the uncouth that could not understand the purity of his quest? 

“Do you think it is easy to have someone “removed”? How many prayers I had to make to regain my lost sense of peace? Who understands such agony in my breast and these sacrifices that I make?”

Then something strange happened. The more treasures he accumulated, the tighter he held on to them, the more he seemed to shrink in stature. Till one morning, the disciples went to the master’s bedroom and saw only a tiny ghoul with sharp teeth. The frightened disciples engaged a traveling monk who got rid of the little devil with one whack of his mighty staff and that is the end of him.

I Walked The Bridge Over River Kwai.

I've had just enough time to...   walk over the River Kwai.

Taken while walking on the Death Railway over River Kwai, Thailand.

When I walked the bridge over River Kwai, 

When I walked over the Railway of Death, 

Did I hear the moans of restless souls 

Fallen on the beds below? 

Did I hear the whispers in the wind 

Carried by the bamboo groves 

Whose roots entwined with their bones 

Enriched by their flesh and blood?

The lush valley hides many a bitter tales 

Of foolish men and their foolish war 

And no matter how they paint it over 

Where is the glory in that? 

If you take a quiet walk 

You may hear a curling scream 

You probably imagined it 

Or maybe you did not.

What Do You See, Dragonfly?

I've had just enough time to...   look at the dragonfly.

Taken one early morning in Ampang Hill in Selangor, Malaysia.

You must be wondering

What type of creatures am I?

Looking at me with your beautiful eyes

I am wondering

What type of creatures you see?

Looking at me verily

I am me, just me, plain me

Nothing special, just unique

But do you see me, just me

For I just know

If you see me as I am

Nothing special,

But something different

Then I know,

You are the someone different

I have been looking for

 _______

Hey Miss Dragonfly, I see you look at me with your beautiful eyes

You must be wondering, what type of creature am I?

Ziggy Marley: Dragonfly 

Part I - The Monk & The Scriptures.

I've had just enough time to...   talk to the Monk about the scriptures.

Taken of the Monk & his books one night alone in Hangzhou, China.

“All the knowledge is in the scriptures”, the monk said.

“Studied it well and you will know all there is to know.”

The disciple took it to heart and studied it day and night.

And when he has memorized and could repeat every single word.

He went back to the monk with all he had learned.

“You have learned nothing”, the monk said.

“Except for the words you have read”

“The wisdom is not in the words”

“Go back and read some more!”

And the disciple burned the scriptures

And become a rich trader.

And the monk took another disciple

Who is asked to read more and more

And then some more…

Nothing Sadder Than A Tangled Kite.

I've had just enough time to...   go fly a kite! :)

Taken in Bali of the plight of a downed kite.

..

......

I am a kite

Born to fly, to

Soar above the land

An inhabitant of the sky

But the wind I depended on was fickle

And I learned that though I was born to fly

I was not a free inhabitant of the boundless sky

And the Earth that gave me birth
waited impatiently...

To reclaim 

the one
who
fly

..

..
..

_______

Let's Go Fly a Kite (from "Mary Poppins")

When you send it flying up there,

all at once your lighter than air!

You can dance on the breeze,

over 'ouses and trees!

With your fist 'olding tight,

to the string your kite!

Let's go fly a kite

Up to the highest height

Let's go fly a kite

And send it soaring

Up through the atmosphere

Up where the air is clear

Oh, let's go fly a kite!

Lets Hug the UNITED BUDDY BEARS – Part III

I've had just enough time to...  ask for Peace.

Taken in Kuala Lumpur of the Einstein Bear

The Einstein Bear

“Peace cannot be kept by force.   It can only be achieved by understanding.”  - Albert Einstein

Give Peace A Chance

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”  - Mother Teresa

From Neighbour to Neighbour.

Lets Hug the UNITED BUDDY BEARS – Part II

I've had just enough time to...   see the smiles the Buddy Bears bring.

Taken when the Buddy were in Kuala Lumpur lifting up their arms.

Art and Culture

Each Buddy Bear shows the individual design created by different artists on behalf of their native countries. The international artists’ different styles are joined together in one work of art, spreading zest for Life. The diverse design of the Buddy Bears – always typical for the respective countries – enables the visitor to experience a journey around the globe.

Aid for Children

Buddy Bears activities and aid for children in need have formed an inseparable unit. To date, around E1,800,000 (Aug 2011) have been raised through donations and auctions in aid of UNICEF and local children’s relief organizations. 

Lets Hug the UNITED BUDDY BEARS - Part I

I've had just enough time to...   hug a Buddy Bear.

Taken when the Buddy Bears visited Kuala Lumpur.

147 Buddy Bears dropped into Kuala Lumpur from 08th December 2011 until the 15th February 2012 bringing a lot of colours and joy and their message of living in peace and harmony. Below is their messge -

The BUDDY BEARS’ MESSAGE:

“WE HAVE TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER……it makes us understand one another better, trust each other more, and live together more peacefully.”

Under this motor the UNITED BUDDY BEARS promote living together in peace and harmony on their global tour. About 140 Buddy Bears (each 2 m tall) represent as many countries recognized by the United Nations. Since the first exhibition in Berlin 2002, more than 25 million visitors world-wide have been able to admire the United Buddy Bears.

The Message

The Buddy Bears stand together “hand in hand”, symbolizing the future vision of a peaceful world. Each Bear stands for the people of different countries and their culture, yet not for political systems.

The Angel Near By.

I've had just enough time to...   look for the Angels near by.

If you want to see Angels, first you must know how to look.

If you look too hard
You’ll never find
The Angel nearby.

For an Angel can’t be seen
With your eyes, she
Cannot be thus recognized.

 

For your mind tells you

That is not how 

An Angel looks like.

Let me whisper you a secret

That only very few knows -

An angel will appear

If you let your heart

unflold.

_______

Well, I'm looking for an angel

someone to watch over me

someone to lean on my shoulder

I wanna feel how love can be

But these things they don't come easy

I've learned my lesson well

some things don't work the way you planned

sometimes you just can't tell

- Looking For An Angel

A Tale of Two Baguettes – Part III: Down On Her Luck, True To Her Self.

I've had just enough time to...  lament the passing of lost arts.

Taken in a in-store bakery in a hypermarket in Hanoi.

I was to learn why Paris’s sister chose to live in poverty in the outskirts rather than in the city. In her own way, she chose to be true to herself. She was down on her luck but tolerated no pity. “Judge me if you will but I’m no prostitute” she challenged me with her incisive eyes. I squirmed under her strong gaze. It was not what I meant but I did sound condescending.

We made up and parted on good terms. As I was leaving, she gave me a peck on the cheek and said “be careful of the city girls”. Before I could turn around, she has disappeared into the building. She is not one for long goodbyes.

In Hanoi, I was shocked by what I saw. The baguettes I have come to love so much reduced to mass produced buyers’ trap. The hypermarket called them “lost leader” using them as a hook to draw in the shopper. Paris’s sister may have lost much of the fine qualities of Paris but at least she retained her soul. Now, I understand what she meant by the word she spat out the word with such vehemence.

I took one bite and choked on it. This is just white bread disguised as a baguette. They are tasteless and soulless but people are queuing up to buy literally by the dozens attracted by the price. Would you believe a long baguette going for only USD 20 cents? After the shock, sadness set in as I looked at the happy shoppers. Have the world been degraded to such an extent that the only Art people recognized these days are the sign on the buck? The only music the jingles of the cash register?

Then I recall the journey of Paris to Saigon and Hanoi and know there is hope yet. That among us, there are still those who can see the romance in life and who can discern the taste of passion. I left Vietnam remembering Paris and her fine bread that taste like love.

A Tale of Two Baguettes – Part II: I Found Paris in Saigon.

I've had just enough time to...   meet her again in Saigon.

Taken in a bakery where I spent a lot of time

Years later, I found Paris in Saigon, the land of conical hats and floating “Ao Dai” (Vietnamese national costume). I could not believe how far she has fallen. She has put on weight and appeared shorter if that is possible. She plied her trade by the road side. My heart bled. What has Life done to my love to lay her so low?

She was almost weightless in my hand. But when I put her to my lips, a rush of nostalgic feelings overwhelmed me. The familiar taste I thought long lost brought me close to tears. It is the same yet different. The aroma is just as rich. No, more so; almost to the point of over-powering for there is the strong lingering scent of melancholy years mixed with regret. I embraced her tightly and caught this shout before it escaped my throat “this heart still beats!”

Taken in a bakery in Hanoi

In South Vietnam she now flourished. She still retained most of Paris in her but has adopted local Asian flare. The climate agreed with her and she bloomed. I left her in good health and a sad farewell. And I went to Hanoi where I met her sister.

At first I did not recognized her for she was in the company of several young men in leather jackets. They seemed to enjoy her company but I thought she was nothing like her sister or Paris. On first look there are some similarities but that is where it ends. She has none of her finesse or even smells the same. They even put sugar on her to sweeten her up like some cheap perfume.

What is sadder still is the poverty of the land she chose to stay. A runaway inflation has made her too expensive to be enjoyed. So she is found in the company of those few who can afford her and they treated her with disrespect. I would like to help but she does not want it out of pride or something else.  It was shaping to be a tragic tale but it is not the end…

A Tale of Two Baguettes – Part I: Remembering Paris for her Bread.

I've had just enough time to...   recall that morning in Paris.

Taken in a place where they made good bread.

I assure you I have the romance in me though it may not appear so, remembering Paris for her bread rather than the love she bestowed. It is not that I love her any less but I love her French bread more. I stood before Mona Lisa and thought of the bread I had the night before.

The crackle as I broke off a piece. The rush of freshly baked aroma intoxicated me. The crunch as I broke through the crust registered on my expectant teeth. My mouth water as I recall the sensual mastication between my lips. Did I say sensual? It was like the slipping of a soft hand into mine under the dim streetlight beneath the Paris moon. And my love affair started the night before in beautiful Lucerne.

I took the night train from there to reach Paris past midnight. A Vietnamese friend whom I had met only once stole me into a bakery at four in the morning to see how French bread was made. I speak no French but beauty needs no interpretation. I saw how strong hands tenderly coached the dough to shape. How the assured flick of the wrist made the perfect cut. How the fiery oven bathed the bakery with an aroma made in heaven. I saw it all and I learned.

Many a year later, older now but no wiser. Many a love won and lost through countless waning and vexing of the flicker moon. After I left Paris and Paris left me. I still remembered that early morning when I fell in love in the bakery where they produced the perfect loaf. And though many praised the bread I made, I know in my heart that the perfect French Loaf can only be made in France for that is where its true heart is. Little was I to know that that is not where the story ends, so it continued…

There Is No Reasoning With Orcs!

I've had just enough time to...   confront an Orc and lost for I use reason.

Taken in outer Shanghai of the Orc guarding the door.

I have powerful fists to smash faces in

Brute strength to break your limbs

Metal chest to prepare for war

I’ll be the last to fall!

You ain’t passing thru!

I don’t hear your reasons

Thinking is treason

Tears won’t do any good

But some gold would.

Only gold will get you thru!

_______

Is there a noble way to die?

- Warcraft 3 Orc Ending.