no words

I'm grateful.  Thank you.

I'd give you a moment.

To look.

Feel.

See.

Breathe.

That image.

A vision.

A gift.

---

On the first day of our honeymoon, I was feeling a little bit lonely that one day had pass and that it meant one day less to cycle through the village, swim, soak in the sun, take outdoor showers, run through light showers--be carefree.  Live a childhood summer holiday.  

I was sitting at our water villa's deck, flute in hand, watching the sun almost setting.  I knew I only had a few minutes.  I was torn between taking photos--to capture and just staying still, watching--to experience.

I've always felt that our photos remind us of our moments.  So I opted to live the moment.  I put my camera away.

I called on to my husband who was opening another bottle.

We sat there.

Watching our first honeymoon sunset.  As if it was a short film made especially for us.

---

And just when you think that's it, the higher being surprises you.

THIS.

The creator--an artiste.

---

NO WORDS.

Look.

Feel.

Breathe.

one, two, click

My recent China trip somehow brought about some changes in me. I hardly imagine how those ten days brought about various feelings, decisions and perhaps some life changes for me. This may not be the entry that talks about those in depth, but it would be about one point.I took this photo using my three year only camera that I had spent all my life waiting for. I remember feeling giddy over a gadget for the first time and when I got it, I knew it was the one. It was first of its kind too.

As expected, multiple brothers and cousins had been released boasting of better features and new functions.

I know in my heart that the day would come when it would be time to let go.

This is an especially hard lesson that I am training myself to master.

One must not be too attached to material things.
Playing around with my friend's new camera, I could not help but feel like the day is near--after all, hers was a really good camera. Excellent shots and very light too.

---

This was the day we were exploring HangZhou.

Obviously, the day was spend sightseeing, chitchatting and taking photos--thus rekindling a once intense relationship with my man.

By the end of the day, I knew.

I may be being too dramatic here, but honestly, truthfully, I am yet to feel something holding and using another camera. For some strange reason there is comfort and reassurance (really!) that mine gives me.

Maybe it is the magic that goes with first loves. Or the illusion of magic. But I feel it. It's there.

So when am I changing cameras? Not today.

West (Lake) Story

Ah, West Lake--it seems to me that I had encountered many, maybe too many West Lake referenced.

It would probably be appropriate to mention that I distinctly remember eating at a restaurant of the same name a very long time ago. Rhea, being Rhea would probably remember the incident. It is funny how I suddenly made the association when in my conscious mind, I had no idea or recall of that day from a long time ago.

Going back to our story, my recent China trip brought me to the actual West Lake. Not a food joint. Or a prop play set. An actual lake. The actual lake.

It was lovely :)Quite a nice place to spend an afternoon.

It might be just me, but it as lovely as the place was it felt lonely at the same time.Looking back, I'm glad that I made time to take some photos.To be honest at some point I sort of stopped taking photos. In fact during my last trip I took, I hardly had any.Perhaps taking photos, is not unlike sewing and writing for me. I feel that I must never feel that I must do it to do it. There is joy in doing something without pressure, agenda or purpose. Perhaps with purpose, but only to enjoy the act :)

invisible

Today, I'd write about invisibility.I know a good man who would always joke that he is invisible, I think he does it only because he likes the song. In reality, he probably knows that he is seen, maybe not by as much as one would see someone flashy, but those who see him recognises such marvel.I took the first photos not knowing what was there.

When it dawned on me what was there... I realised how lucky I am to have made the discovery ;)

---

It is amazing how translucent and seemingly colorless the dragonfly is--for me, that is what makes it outstanding.

---

It seems odd to some people how I decide on things, or how I choose to see things. I think that I may sometimes--maybe often, take the expression "live simply" quite literally.

---

In this context, I may be taking SIMPLE and BASIC as synonyms.

I'd be one who would pick a white shirt from a pile of clothes. I think there is no better drink than water. Vanilla ice cream is quite, the bomb. Sugar and milk kill the tea. Salt is the only thing that a steak needs.

Randy's Donuts

You probably won't remember this place.But if you watch Iron Man 2 again, you won't be able to help but smile. Robert Downey Jr. in his suit, rests on the giant donut after a crazy night.It was a bonus that the donuts were pretty good too.Although, I know a certain soon-to-be-mommy ate all the choco sprinkles!

Wayfarer's Chapel

We went to the loveliest chapel today!You could hardly see it because it is mostly made of glass.I wish I was able to take more photos. Actually, I wish more that I was able to spend more time inside....The view from the garden is stunning too!We were in a rush as we were racing to get another spot before sunset, but I was lucky enough to see the notes on the bricks.The shadows on the bricks make me smile :)

Bucktown

We left the office early on Friday to walk around Bucktown, where the streets are lines with interesting shops, cafes and a really good french restaurant--where dinner was. Around the area was a club where the Rolling Stones used to play! I thought the place was quite lovely. I won't mind living in the neighborhood! I am grateful for a lot of things, and another thing to be grateful for is to have a boss who is not only brilliant but would go out of her way to catch up, shop and hang out with you even if she (1) is flying out for a conference the next week, (2) finalising the objectives, aspiration and personal development plan of her global team and (3) throwing a birthday for her three year old next day.

somehow...

this old city is starting to grow on me.

Chicago Theatre

This one here just scream CHICAGO--almost quite literally. I was hoping to catch an interesting act.

Sarah Silverman was on last week--but sold out.

Janet Jackson is on this week, but somehow I don't really feel like listening to Again in this condition. That condition being seemingly having acute bronchitis.

Let's see how I'd fair next week.

BEAN walking around

I had some time to walk around on Saturday and decided the first thing I wanted to see was the bean.I'd hear people say all the time "Who makes a giant bean and passes it off as something brilliant?", maybe not those words exactly. But something close. I heard similar comments too when I was there.I thought it was genius. For one, it is a gold mine of photo ideas!It is very clean and sort of a good modern twist to a seemingly old city. I LOVE IT.I tried to get a good bean photo, but this was the best that I could get. Oh well.There were some skaters too! What was fantastic though was that Rick Astley was playing in the background! NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP!

Floating Market

I had been to Bangkok more than a few times but I seem to always spend all my time doing three things.  Eating local food, watching Muay Thai at Lumphinee and strolling around Chatuchak.

Each time I maybe fool myself into believed that I would go out of my way to see the floating market.  It never happens--until this trip.

While floating markets and water villages are too reminiscent of Dawson's Creek, I actually enjoy visiting these places.

I guess it has something to do with the feeling of the place. Quaint.
Personally, I think it provided good backdrop for a coming of age movie.  Or of young love. I once read a book called Middle Age by Joyce Carol Oates, it was about a man's life being narrated through the encounters that he had with his neighbors at at aging town.  Details are lost to me now, but I remember loneliness. Even a feeling of loss.

The photo above gives me the same feeling.  I can't quite put it into words--the feeling.  But physically, it is as if someone in pinch your heart that instinctively makes you hold your breath.

And this is where I remind myself to breathe.

There is novelty in buying food from boats. I loved the coconut pancake!

Although in my book, nothing would beat the sticky rice with mango! Not even the papaya salad with my favorite sin, nam pla.

---

I am quite the sucker for getting everyday things from non-everyday-places.  My brain just goes "This isn't just a peacock feather fan.  It is the is peacock feather fan from the water market", even if I just saw the exact same thing in Chinatown a few months ago.

---


Even the fruits seemed better than those you get from the normal markets.
My travel buddies probably was distracted the whole time because they were thinking of our next stop which was where we could ride elephants.  I didn't.  I did before.  I didn't thing doing it again was one thing I would especially love.

The floating market was my elephant ride :)
Oh and I finally got something that I always wanted but felt that it was too indulgent here. It is funny how when I got home, I thought to myself "What am I going to do with this?" which was in fact, the same question I asked myself when I was it at the floating market.

It was the peacock feather fan.

sapphire

I took a recent trip to the beach. For me, each beach trip usually means something. Nothing too dramatic--well, there would be exceptions. But I find, that for every beach trip (or trip for that matter), there never fails to be something that stands out to me, whether I visiting for the first time of 10th time.This time, I just can't stop beaming when I remember the water. WaterS. Some places it is sapphire, some places it is aquamarine, like a pool, at certain spots it is quite green like a pale emerald. I know I am quoting stones here, but those are the exact colours!

Seriously.I somehow feel like prick posting water swatches, and and incomplete set at that too. While there are more photos that feature the other colors, or at least the view that came with the water, I thought I'd post just these for emphasis.

Okay, maybe I'll post one photo to put the water colours in context ;)The change in color is not always this dramatic though. It usually changers per spot rather than this way in a seemingly dip dye pattern even.

I remember saying at one point, and this was before I had drank anything! I said Is it only me, but does the sun's reflection on the water also looks like thousands of diamonds to you?

The answer that I got was Something like that--said the one who had had two beers.

I think I like in sapphire best--in this location at least. Not because it is incidentally the name of my best high school year section, but because it seems most inviting.

When I look at the thumbnail view of my album, I can't help but think, this is so blue!

I love the next photo. I was surprised that it looked as blue as it did in real life. As if it is the place where the blue men lived.I thought this was a perfect end of day (three) photo.

under the bridge

(kiss the girl)

true blue

My desktop is plain blue. It had always been this way. I somehow never thought of putting a wallpaper.

Today while browsing through my photos, I saw one of the others.

The others are the photos that do not make it to my upload folder.

I thought I'd make it my wallpaper. And I did.

I finally had a wallpaper--until I realised that looking at it hurt my eyes--it made me want to squint.

And so, my desktop is once again, plain blue.

underground

I remember how Neil Gaiman would write the same words when he did autographs--which reminds me that when he did one for me he actually drew a Valentine :) Sigh.I took this on my very last day in London, I wish I had thought of it earlier as I spent a lot of time in the tube. I had one go and that was it--I still consider myself lucky that I didn't completely screw the shot.

big ben

The day I went out to see Big Ben was the day the rain was hardest, the wind was strongest and the fog was thickest. It still however, churned out one of my favorite photos from the trip.

second best

This is my second favorite shop in Notting Hill. It looks exactly how I imagined the shops would be.

Okay, maybe a notch better. I mean, what shop has cherubs holding up a banner as signage? And well, it isn't exactly something I could imagine--I think. I'm simple that way.

My absolute favorite was the one with the walls bottom to ceiling mounted with vintage sewing machines!

fruit seller

1980

The art scene around the time I was born.