and this, they say, is the news.

awwww... m sorry for u, man!
what were u thinking? what were u thinking?

escapism

“Sometimes you don’t know where you’re from ‘til you leave.”

from “Sing Me Home” by Tim McGraw

One of travel’s many gifts is the opportunity to leave a zone that may have been too familiar to be doing us any good, for the moment at least, and enter an unfamiliar land that will allow us to live a life in ways we may not even be able to comprehend. Escapism.

Living in a maddening Manila, to go to Hong Kong is a real pause from insanity, and the shift was very sudden. Hong Kong is situated on the southeastern coast of China and spreads out over 1,100 square kilometers (425 square miles) with population of 6.8 million people, which makes it a highly dense city. The main areas are Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories. The weather was pretty warm and humid as hell. Not too bad though. Nothing can ever be too bad on vacation, anyway.

HK is a very modern city. It has lots of huge skyscrapers. With 6 buildings featured in the top 50 tallest skyscrapers in the world, it’s no wonder Hong Kong has the the No. 1 skyline in the world. There are lots of restaurants. When you go to local Hong Kong places that are small and sloppy and you have the chef cooking with all the ingredients in display right next to you, that's authentic Chinese cooking. Shopping is damn good too. If you have the money that is.

Penalties for smoking in a non-smoking area is 5,000HKD, people follow pedestrian traffic lights and policemen is very visible, usually in pairs roaming around, which makes me wonder at first if anything is enjoyable there. Further, how does one enjoy a highly populated, Cantonese speaking city with its locals walking not fast, but very fast?

Seemingly impossible, I was able to find the excitement in HK. Here are top spots that made my trip worthwhile:

The Victoria Peak. The Peak is one of HKs most visited tourist attractions, offering a stunning bird’s-eye view of the surrounding skyline, the world’s famous Victoria Harbour and Kowloon. The Peak can be reached through the Peak Tram, the world’s steepest funicular railway.

Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai has the Forever Blooming Bauhinia sculpture and the Reunification Monument. It signifies the most important occasion in HKs history – the return of HK to China. It is located outside HK Convention and Exhibition Center on the waterfront of Wan Chai.

Jumbo Kingdom in Aberdeen.

The famous giant floating Chinese restaurant.

Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui. Hollywood's Walk of fame, HK Style.

Symphony of Lights. A spectacular multimedia event, the world’s largest permanent light and sound show according to Guinness World Records. Lasers, floodlights, searchlights, neon, and special-occasion fireworks are choreographed with music and narration booming out of PA systems at select locations, over the radio, or via a special mobile-phone number!

House of Mouse. Reunited with Mickey in his magical kingdom. The last time I saw him, I was 12. He still looks the same, I grew old. Magic?

on second part: more of Disney, Aberdeen Fishing Village, Harbour City, Nathan Lane, Canton Road and lotsa more.

What I had in HK was short-lived, and to my surprise, equally exciting. I finally can communicate and understand what people are saying after five days of idiotic pointing. Although I have to say, the idiotic pointing did lead to some amusement I wouldn't trade for anything.

STAY LEFT! this is neccesary in Hong Kong. Right hand drive vehicles, left side of the elevator is going up, not down. Traffic there isn't nearly as crazy as Manila. Forget to stay and look at your left, you'll have a double decker bus bearing down on you from the "wrong" side of the road.

In that concrete laid, building laden, humid, hectic and energetic city, there are good finds which invigorates the soul, fascinate the mind, and even put the body in temporary bliss. Not to mention sore feet from walking.

Can’t wait to have my next escape.

What's its like when you're shattered?

Alone Again, Naturally
(Original by Gilbert O'Sullivan,
I Like more the version of Vonda Shepard)

In a little while from now,
If I'm not feeling any less sour,
I promised myself, to treat myself,
And visit a nearby tower . . .
And climbing to the top,
will throw myself off,
In an effort to, make clear to whoever,
What it's like when you're shattered . . .
Left standing in the lurch,
At a church where people saying . . .
My God, that's tough, she stood him up,
No point in us remaining . . .
May as well go home,
As I did on my own,
Alone again, naturally.

To think that only yesterday,
I was cheerful, bright and gay.
Looking forward to -
Who wouldn't do - the role I was about to play.
but, as if to knock me down,
Reality came around,
And without so much as a mere touch,
Cut me into little pieces.
Leaving me to doubt, Talk about God in His mercy,
Who, if He really does exist,
Why did He desert me?
And in my hour of need,
I truly am, indeed,
Alone again, naturally.

It seems to me that there are more hearts,
Broken in the world that can't be mended,
Left unattended, what do we do? What do we do?
Alone again, Naturally.

Looking back over the years,
And whatever else that appears.
I remember I cried when my father died,
Never wishing to hide the tears.
And at sixty-five years old,
My mother, God rest her soul,
Couldn't understand why the only man,
She had ever loved had been taken.
Leaving her to start, with a heart so badly broken,
Despite encouragement from me,
No words were ever spoken.
And when she passed away,
I cried and cried all day,

Alone again, naturally.
Alone again, naturally.

wake up, move on.

I had this text message on my inbox since October '05. I wonder why i haven't erased it since then. Probably it has become a reminder of sort.


If you don't go after what you want,
You'll never have it.

If you don't ask,
The answer is always NO.

If you don't step forward,
Your always in the same place.

Take risks for life goes no.

this one's for A

excerpted from the book :

Brand New Friend by Mike Gayle

After dinner, more wine, present opening and yet more wine, she decided she'd had her best Christmas Day in years. Just after nine, she felt it was time to go and pulled out her mobile to call a minicab.

'I'll drop you home, if you like,' Neil offered. 'I'm ready to leave now too.'

'That would be great,' said Jo. 'I'll get my things together.'

With her coat on and the presents she had received, she kissed Ashley, then put an arm round Rob and kissed him too. Neil said his goodbyes, and they went outside to his Porche.

'This is yours?' asked Jo, impressed.

He nodded. 'It was my my treat to myself a while back.'

'My treat to myself is usually chocolate,' said Jo, laughing, 'but each to their own.'

On the journey over to Levenshulme they talked about the new year and what they hoped to get out of it. Neil told Jo that he was planning to take a career break and travel for a while because he was afraid that he was missing out on life by working all the time. Jo told him about her hopes for her nove, and that if no one was interested in it, she'd write something new: Rob's praise had inspired her.

'Well,' she said, as Neil pulled up outside her house, 'this is me.'

He leaned across and kissed her cheek. 'It was great to meet you.'

'You too.' Jo opened the car door. 'Have a great New Year.'

She stepped out of the car and was about to close the door when Neil spoke again: 'May i say something to you? It's more advise than anything else.'

'Of course,' said Jo. 'What is it?'

'I just wanted to say to you that I know it must be hard for you.'

'What's hard for me?'

'And I know too that, right now, your heart must feel like it's being broken apart. . . but it will heal. . . You will get over it. Time will help you accept that in life there are things you can have and things you can't, and that's just the way it is.'

Jo was stunned. 'How did you-'

'It takes one to know one,' he replied. 'Just make sure you look after yourself.'

Jo closed the car door and watched as he drove away. Then she turned to her house and rooted in her bag for her keys. She opened the door, closed it behind her and cried as if she would never stop.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed
by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.
So, throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain

son of a beach

Life's a Beach

Night swimming at the heated pool
kayaking at 12 nn
snorkelling at the corral gardens
bon fire
cable fall
Laiya Coco Grove, San Juan, Batangas


"After a visit to the beach, it's hard to believe
that we live in a material world"
Pam Shaw