molonese

Kissing Blogger Goodbye

2007-05-15T01:04:00.000+08:00

It's been 2 years of blogging and I feel like it's been my second home (though i think still don't have the first one).

Blogger (blogspot), where my blog is hosted has been blocked in China way too many times, so I've decided to set up my own blog.

I will no longer be updating this blog, so come and continue the journey with me on www.molonese.com.

Where is the love?

2007-04-24T15:09:00.000+08:00

My Turkish neighbour in Hong Kong and his local girlfriend have a peculiar relationship. Rather frequently I wake up to him yelling the most abusive satanic verses at her which can go on for an hour, and 2 hours later I see them holding hands, walking her dog clad in a pink dog-sweater.

When Raphael arrived in HK, we were at the garden rooftop chilling, when the yelling started again. I wrote on a Stick-it "Where is the Love?" and stuck it on their door. I left HK soon after that, forgetting all about it.

My maid phoned me today to say there was a note on my door that read "Fuck You". She was worried.

It got me thinking. The man loves to abuse to love later.

I conclude he is on his way to loving me. He just does not know it yet.

Joy in the brief moments

2007-04-22T21:46:00.000+08:00

It's when you live in a place for a long time, each weekend resembles the other. It's when you move away, you make the best of it; find the greatest joy in the brief moments.

Raphael and Jutta came over the weekend, we did all my favourites in HK which I feel are always a good introduction to the city; Aqua, Cheong Sha Beach lunch & games (pictionary and charades), Joyce Was Not Here bar, art galleries, massage, Life café organic lunch, the ugly of Wan Chai’s including Dusk to Dawn. Saw the people I care most about in HK; Alice, Sarah & Jono, Danno & Jo.

Sunday I stayed in to pack for Israel (since I'm flying off from Shanghai), while Raph and Jutta went out with Gab and Scotty. Gab took things into her good hands showing them the dodgy parts of Kowloon; sober people snorting shit, drinking water on a Sunday nite. I woke up alone in bed at 5.30am on a Monday, to learn that they were on the ferry, just having been escorted down by the captain from the ferry roof (anally forbidden). I made them coffee, jumped in a shower to catch the 830am flight to Shanghai to find them passed out.

Israel - Walking on thin ice

2007-04-16T00:13:00.000+08:00

I’ll be traveling to Israel and Turkey over the May week-long holiday. I’m going to get a first-hand introduction to Israel through my Shanghai-based Israeli friend Yifat who comes from an orthodox jewish family. Her family won’t welcome non-jews at their home. It made me realize how far Yifat has distanced herself from them. The trip was originally triggered by Ehud Banai’s concert in the desert which I found too hard to miss. Ehud is one of Israel’s most talented musicians, I was mesmerized by his music ever since I copied it from Yifat a few months ago.

On the other hand, Brenda Campbell tells me I must go to the West Bank and see what goes on there. Being highly ignorant of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict details, I have some work to do before I go. Brenda is one of my dearest friends; full of fire, smart, talented, big-hearted, spirited, sporty girl, one you do not meet often. I’m lucky to have her as a friend.

I told Yifat today I would like to spend half a day at the West Bank, expecting discouragement and perhaps disappointment from her side. She wished me good luck, said she won’t be able to go but she will check the security situation. A display of open-mindedness and tolerance, which to me, are the prerequisites of a friendship.

Huang Shan Mountain Bike Festival/Race

2007-04-12T17:12:00.000+08:00

Collin of cityweekend.com.cn suggested we do something different from the usual intensely party-focused weekends, everybody said they were coming, in the end it was just Collin and moi. I met some people on the way from Shanghai, and the weekend turned out to be a blast.

Set in the Anhui Province, near the city of Huang Shan, the race was set in some pretty awesome bamboo and pine forest, taking us through remote villages, lakes and rivers. They filmed parts of the Crouching Tiger there.

I signed up for the 50km, thinking that with little training, I will do half for time, the other half to take photos. Well, the competitive gene took over, chasing Collin up the hills and giving in on the downhills.

I came 11th in the women's category which wasn't too bad... More on the race and biking in Shanghai.

Flying low

2007-04-10T01:45:00.000+08:00

Today is the official day of the toughest day on the job. Ever. I thought it would break me and send me home in tears, but I’ve managed to hold it together.

With Challenges come Learnings.

I’ve developed a campaign which is exactly about that – “Journey to True You” takes women in China on a self-discovery path, facing difficult moments in life and learning the most about themselves. I got the first-hand experience of my own concept today.

We were all excited about the program’s premise; how different it was from plain product selling, competitor messages, touching the heart and soul of a sensitive and self-aware woman. New execution ideas, social media, reality-style webisode styling, pool of expert contributing, prominent blogger support, the works.

Then we hit the tough parts; we had an accident/injury while filming, having to do crisis-management for the past week. But the tough one came last Thursday - new people stepped in and demanded new creative direction, dictated by some brand equity issues we never communicated properly. This comes with many consequences that put your emotional intelligence to test.

Things will be good. Good things happen to good people. Eventually, at some point.

I love to hate my job for the thrills it gives me and how it puts me in place when I think I’m on top of the world.

The Studio, Shanghai

2007-04-04T23:52:00.000+08:00

My very talented friends in Shanghai have opened The Studio, a nest of 5 people inspired and consumed by photography, graghic design, T-shirt ideas, product development and music. To Nicky, Sarah, Alonso, Jutta and Aric: the place has a vibe and it's only because of you guys.

Talented Shanghai

2007-03-31T17:26:00.000+08:00

I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by so many talented friends. Talent is an amazing quality – it has the power to be contagious and give all the positive vibes one would need to be inspired.

Alonso is a friend who will you see singing solo here.

On biking, maternity dresses and booze counters

2007-03-31T16:51:00.000+08:00

I went riding with the Bohdi Mountain Biking club of Shanghai this weekend for 2 days in Jinhua, just 4 hours out of the city. Day 1 – riding via quaint little villages, spring-blooming orchards, tea plantations, abandoned farm houses, sliding in mud and euphoria of being away from it all. Day 2 – scaling a mountain, then riding down on a single-track through some great valleys, more orchards. I’ve forgotten what joys spring bring, how life starts to exist again.

I also decided to go a little silly on a Saturday night and went shopping for the most absurd and ugly dress this town had to offer, ending up with a maternity dress for a 100 kuai. Wore it with my khaki pants and muddy biking shoes, looking more fab than ever on a Saturday nite.

An interesting bar experience too – you had to get yourself a basket and go shopping for booze in the next-door-shop, walking out with at least a bottle of something. China never fails to surprise you.

Falling in Luv with Shanghai

2007-03-15T01:18:00.001+08:00

When all the roads start connecting in your head, when the city map becomes less used, you know this city is becoming your home. Shanghai is becoming my home now. My other home, with all the good vibe, is still Hong Kong, Shanghai is the new upcoming wave. I get to live between Asia’s two most exciting cities, choose where I spend the weekend, and this by default makes me one lucky duck. People ask me about the difference between the cities. It’s hard to point to out a single item that makes the difference, but if I must choose, the idea of “roughness” encapsulates it. Shanghai offers the roughness that HK lacks or has lost. The starving artists, the rocks gigs organized for the love of music, not the royalties, the New Orleans bands playing at no cover charge, the artists displaying/selling highly promising work at an art warehouses at Hongqiao for RMD 1000 (USD 120). As an art lover I feel at home here.

It’s when a taxi driver takes a route longer than he should, you know he can’t take you on a ride at home. Home it is.

Saying hello to Shanghai.

Islands for Sale

2007-03-15T00:51:00.000+08:00

Why are there so many islands for sale in the Philippines? Why are people disposing of what should be their biggest asset?

Mom and I went to Cebu and escaped to the nearby islands of Batayan. Lovely place if not somewhat remote. Ideal to go with a lover maybe, not your mom. OK, so I screwed up – didn’t have enough time to research and ended up picking up ‘any flight’ out of HK. Mom and I have not spent much time together for the past 10 years, so you may call it quality time together.

There was a Floating Bar (see pic) in front of our chalet, where I would swim with money in my bikini, get a drink, bump a smoke and swim back to the shore. On day 3 mom asked me if we should go and look for a land-bar (she suffers from hydrophobia) to meet some people. We did, but found none. Well, apart from the typical german men with underaged local gals.

Overall, I finished the Harvard Business Journal and the mandarin handbook, she updated me on all our family fortunes and misadventures, we looked deeper into the issue why I don’t really want to re-marry and I really got to polish my Polish language.

The idea of owning an island resonates well somewhat. Beach over the mountain will never win, but it got me thinking. Mothers are always good inspiration.

Poor Artists? No more.

2007-03-13T07:16:00.000+08:00

Whenever I need a mental stimulation and inspiration for new creative, innovative ideas, I hit The Ideas Bank.

This is how I found SellaBand - or Sell A Band. A great concept of music lovers ("Believers") putting in money towards the listed bands ("Artists") to help them raise a minimum of 5,000 parts (or USD 50K) to record their album at a professional studio and get packaged for the market. For those Believers who are after financial gains; once the album starts selling, you make a % of the profit.

As for me, I've just become a Believer of T-Ka, a French artist of incredible vocals and the soul of Beth Orton-equivalent. I've put in 3 Parts so far, T-ka needs another 37 Parts to make it to the recording studio.

I totally love this concept; the amazing combination of the Internet + Music + Supporting Talent. Furthermore, it's not the people at the recording companies who decide on the faith of an artist, but WE DO. Again, that goes back to TIME's Person of the Year feature - It's YOU who is the hero, it's US who can make talented people's dreams come true.

I hope you become a Believer too!

T-ka on SellaBand

Big Man Can Scream

2007-03-06T21:22:00.000+08:00

I was asked to speak at a conference titled “Marketing to Women in China”. I was excited when they sent me the program that Tom Doctoroff was speaking just before me. I read his book and respect his knowledge of the Chinese consumer. He’s the president of JWT Great China (very large advertising agency) and has since become a celebrity here and in the Western world, all due to “Billions: Selling to the New Chinese Consumer”

I came early, brought the book with me to get it autographed, put on a big smile and a little more charm. Things were running late that morning – it was raining, people were still not entirely over the CNY bliss hence everything got delayed, including his speech.
Entering the conference floor, I see a man in a grey coat storming in and out, up and down the corridor, shouting on the phone, yelling at the organisor, abusing everybody – from his own PA, to the event manager and the bell boy.

He subsequently dashed off, refusing to speak.

Shame, I enjoyed reading his book when I did not know the man. I somewhat do now, and having opened the book again, I feel like I’m reading a later edition, and not a very good one.

Oh well, it’s tough to be a Big Man.

And my presentation went well, I always get a kick being on stage, activating the showman-me, which you do not get on any other day.

Beat My Valentine

2007-02-16T23:53:00.000+08:00

I've met a pretty talented and mad group of people in Shanghai and weekends there have not been the same. Gifted writers, photographers, artists, podcast producers, tap dancers, sodomites, short-movie producers. Last weekend was about "Going to the Unknown", with Aric organising a van and driving us out. We were determined never to find out the town we got to, only the hotel we stayed at revealing the town's name. The pact is not to ever talk about what went on, as it truly was a madly experiential time.

Valentine's wasn't going to have it easy with us, with the theme set to a S&M party at the Hooters in Shanghai, namely "Beat My Valentine". Me, the only person with no time to get any S&M gear looked rather meek. Again, we shocked and rocked, making some people leave the venues, some loving our madness.

Got sand in your eyes, read this.

2007-01-30T00:18:00.000+08:00

On 29 Jan 2007, at 7:51 PM, Raphael Couzet wrote:

After chatting about Brel; and me being me, I HAD to google the
English translation of "Ne Me Quitte Pas".

It is by far the most emotionally intense song I have ever heard; akin
to a punch in the throat swiftly followed by an eye rinse with mace.
Well anyway, I was surprised to see that there are no English
translations out there that do the song justice.

I realised that the English speaking world is bereft of this painfully
passionate masterpiece.
So here is my effort! I hope you will appreciate this song more after
this and will never even think of deleting it again!

TIP: copy the lyrics into the mp3 tag using iTunes and impress you
friends with your wordly knowledge of the Belgian music scene of the
60's!

:D
Raphael.

"Ne me quitte pas" by Jacques Brel, only English translation by Raphael Couzet

Don’t leave me
We must forget
Everything can be forgotten
That already flees.
Forget the time
Of misunderstandings
And the time lost
To find out how to
Forget those hours
That sometimes killed
With blows of “Why?”
The heart of happiness.
Don’t leave me

I, I will offer you
Pearls of rain
From countries
Where it does not rain.
I will dig the earth
Even after my death
To cover your body
With gold and light.
I will make a realm
Where love will be king
Where love will be law
Where you will be queen
Don’t leave me

Don’t leave me
I will invent for you
Words without sense
That you will understand.
I will talk to you
About those lovers
Who saw twice
Their hearts leap into flames.
I will tell you
The story of this king
Who died from
Never being able to meet you.
Don’t leave me

We have often seen
The fires spew anew
Of the ancient volcano
That we thought too old.
There are, they say
Scorched lands
Yielding more wheat
Then the best of Aprils.
And when the evening comes,
So that the sky may be set ablaze,
The red and the black,
Marry they not?
Don’t leave me

Don’t leave me.
I will no longer cry.
I will no longer speak.
I will hide there
Watching you
Dance and smile
And hearing you
Sing and then laugh.
Let me become
The shadow of your shadow
The shadow of your hand
The shadow of your dog.
But, Don’t leave me.

Listen to the French version.

Raph, I've put it back on my iPod.

An Inconvienient Truth - Please click it

2007-01-27T21:19:00.000+08:00

My sister told me that the apple trees at our orchard in Poland had just bloomed. This means 4 months earlier and in the middle of a Polish winter, which should see temperatures as low as -20 C. Things have turned upside down, and we all know it.

Al Gore (yeah, not my favourite man neither, but keep going) together wt a great crew of movie people made "An Inconvient Truth", highly awarded at Sundance and apparently a very impactful and emotionally-touching movie.

Download it, buy it, or the least you can do is click the widget below to make your pledge.

Sri Lanka - Colombo, A War Zone in Suspension.

2007-01-22T23:03:00.000+08:00

I start my journey in Colombo. Arrived at 2am, the airport resembling the LCC (low cost carrier) airport in KL, ie a warehouse. The streets are empty, there are 2 military checkpoints before we reach the hotel. An 18-year-old boy with machine gun pointing at the cab asking why I’m here, asking me for my passport. Colombo is a war zone in suspension. Barb wires, dust, pot holes, never-repaired buildings, more machine guns. In the morning I call the railway station to get a ticket to Kandy, the hill-station, anxious to get out of Colombo. The Train Uncle asks me to get there to ‘talk’. It looks like a complicated process to get a train ticket, which it turns out, it is. The ‘Tourist Office’ manager makes it subtle but clear that if I don’t stay at his guest house in Kandy I don’t get on today’s train. “Didn’t you get pissed off?” I get asked later. “No, I’ve lived in Asia for too long. That’s the way it is. His salary is what I spend on shoes each month.” I wake up in Kandy at Train Uncle’s guest house, surrounded by rolling hills, tea bushes and the so-longed-for breathe of fresh air. The cook makes me a splendid Srilanka breakfast of string-hoppers, coconut chutney and red beans. He used to work at the 5-star hotel up the road, lost his job after the tsunami, tourism is not an industry here anymore. I’ve seen no more than 5 tourists since I got here. The bombings in Jaffna aren’t helping.

Sri Lanka - Meditation in Nilambe

2007-01-22T22:54:00.000+08:00

I find a meditation centre I want to disappear to. I want to switch off, not talk, not interact. The past 4 months have been very intensive and wore me out. I get dropped off at the centre by Nandika and his friend Nanda. Nanda has worked in the UAE for 4 yrs, saved USD 3.5K and bought a land in Kandy. He reflects on his ex-employers; lazy, mean, but the smile on his face overshadows these bad memories. He’s a landlord now, that’s like a cast progress. The three of us become good friends very quickly, I take the advantage and ask them about premarital sex. Nandika is 28 years old and says he’s still a virgin. They tell me how much they earn, what commissions they make from gem sales, they watch adult movies at Kanday’s-only illegal joint. They are both smart and genuine. It breaks my heart to see how much they aspire to have a better life but no means of getting there. They poke at my marriage to a Sri Lankan, tell me Tigers are no good to get married to. They are Singhalese.

I finally reach Nilambe, my meditation centre. I’m surrounded my pepper and tea plantations, my room overlooks it all. A Corsican monk takes me around, he’s been here for 2.5 years, came originally for 2 weeks. He asks me to spend 30 min with the centre’s dharmma. I find the man to lack charisma and I feel a bad vibe from him, so I avoid him for the rest of my stay. There is no electricity here. We get up at 4.30am to start the first meditation session at 4.45am. Tea and yoga follow. Breakfast is served at 8.30am, lunch is at 12.30pm. This is the last meal for the day too. There are several meditation sessions during the day, from 1-1.5 hours. The centre is a great platform to practice, not to learn meditation, as there is no guidance. I save my iPod’s battery to listen to some guided meditation tapes in my own time. I sleep 10-12 hours a day and feel like new life has entered my body. The food is strictly vegetarian, most vegetables are grown in the back yard. I forgot what organic food looks like, the ginger root looks so much smaller than what I get in HK.

Nilambe is a great platform – the shrine, the rooms, the library, the surrounding plantations and pine forest are something I take in every moment and remind myself how lucky I am. Total silence, total isolation, totally no electricity.

On Dec 24th I text my sister not to tell my family where I am, as there are no Xmas celebrations at a Buddhist centre. My family has their traditions, and I have too many to choose from.

It’s the simplicity that thrills me. I text Eric that I’ve accomplished absolutely nothing today and it feels great. We live a life where task completion equates to our worthiness.

Why meditate? It’s a skill no different than playing piano or tennis. Takes time and perseverance and the benefits are known to those who master it. Meditation is the foundation of Buddhism, Buddha means ‘awakening’. Remember how you first meet somebody, fall in love, the whole world looks wonderful, all your senses get awaken, you feel like you had a coke fix. This is somewhat similar. I read, listen to my iPod sessions, practice it and indulge in the new territories my brain is exploring.

In 5 days my interaction with people is contained to a few sentences and I like it this way. On my last night, we gather to talk why each of us is here. Tonight I realize that most people seek refuge from tragic life obstacles, need to decide what road to take. From mental health workers, NGO people, doctors, German Green Party members, to sheer addicted meditation freaks (did 20 10-day retreats in 1 year), rebuking the establishment. Silence is a good thing.

Sri Lanka - Getting Away from Silence

2007-01-22T22:47:00.000+08:00

It was time to move on, I long for joy and interactions with people more on my own wavelength. I stop by Kandy for the day, indulge in an ayurvedic retreat centre for a few hours, then head for the Bodhi Tree, the very tree Buddha found Enlightment, I feel excited, thinking that maybe one day Buddhism will find a place in my heart. Nuwara Eliyah is my new destination – hiking, tea plantations, mountain biking, the vistas. It’s pretty here, but not as many ‘wows’ per kilometer as the Hilmalayas and the Balanese hills would offer. I go hiking for 7 hours around Nuwara Eliyah with Raja. He takes me to a daycare centre where the tea plantation workers drop off their children. I’m horrified. There are sarongs hanging down the ceiling with infants inside them, stranded by their necks to prevent them from moving, the piss stench is overpowering. The caretakers yell at the older kids, there are no toys for them play with. Perhaps brain development is not what they want here – the smarter they get, the harder it will be to keep them at these plantations when they grow up. I do not find any better way to console myself than getting them boxes of biscuits and chocolates from the nearest store.

Again, these parts of Sri Lanka are deprived of tourists. The only other person I get to travel with is a German girl. Her definition of being a strong person differ from mine, so we end up in a few heated discussions about men, women independence and relationships. I cut my trip short and move on to the beach, hungry now for parties, meeting people and letting my hair down. It’s the 31st of December today after all.

Sri Lanka - Nostalgic Colonialists

2007-01-22T22:17:00.000+08:00

Irene and I go to the Tea Factory Hotel. I think of Karolina and how much she would have loved it here - the concept of an old tea factory retrofitted with lifts, revamped to a stylish and cozy hotel. You breath the air of nostalgia hailing for the colonial days. I see young English couples in their 30ties spending days in this misty, rainy, rather cold place. It feels as if they came to seek what their grandfathers lost in 1948.

Sri Lanka - Unawatuna

2007-01-22T21:28:00.000+08:00

I make my way to Unawatuna, the ‘independent traveller’s’ beach destination. I seek out a place my guide book does not cover, always weary of the perils pf perfections created by the Lonely Planets and Rough Guides. I find La Maison D’Ignes, not mentioned by either; a Spanish hacienda owned by a 74-year-old eccentric French Russian woman. It’s an eternal party place here, her business acumen equals my nuclear science know-how. I sleep with Salvadore Dali. His work looking at me every night. She used to work for him 35 years ago, got a few of his sketches. Her life story of 4 marriages, 3 children each of a different men, journalistic single-mother stint for the L’Express, losing her lover and a grandchild to the tsunami… are all larger than life. She’s over the top, talkative, generous, irrational, venting, sexual, provocative, with a passion for each details that can bring beauty and amazement to life. She picks and chooses who she wants to stay at her place, turning away people even though she has free rooms. I walk around the house as if it was my own, help myself to the wine fridge, make myself a coffee. The 6 of us staying there make a pact and turn it into a memorable journey for the next 6 nights, New Year’s and my birthday included. Simon heads up the Red Cross, Caroline just arrived from Quatar having been involved in the Asian Games, Gette & Peter work for the UN, Frederic, the superbiker from Austria, Philip the Virgo Welshman. And of course, there is Ignes. Her life stories larger than all our life stories collectively seem surreal, unreal, too large to digest. We piece them together and find no inconsistencies.

Life in Unawatuna is told ‘before’ and ‘after’ the tsunami. The way Poland tells her modern history before-after the WWII. I meet Ignes’ friends, all inhabitants of Sri Lanka for years. The tsunami stories bring tears to my eyes. Tales of incomprehendable loss and sorrow, journeys of casual friendships turned life-bonds. Philip shows me the tree from his room that held that man who they could not reach with a rod, loosing him to the anger of the Indian Ocean. Endless narratives of the best and the ugliest of our human race. Tales of the local people saving the foreigners first, not for monetary gains but out of a sheer sense of obligation to save people who came to visit their country. Many people return here to deal with the anxiety they’ve been sleeping with for the past 2 years.

Sri Lanka - Sun House

2007-01-22T21:26:00.000+08:00

I celebrated my 34th birthday at the Sun House in Galle, an old restored colonial mansion, turned into a uber-chic hotel. A little too many stiff-upper-lips there, but for the sheer esthetics value, it was a night to remember. Thank you, Ignes.

Sri Lanka - The Beauty of Galle

2007-01-22T20:57:00.000+08:00

Galle is a beautiful town in southern Sri Lanka, spared largely by the tsunami due to the old Dutch Fort Walls. I loved the vibed and the people, and shopped there madly.

Sri Lanka - Bombs & Realisations

2007-01-22T20:45:00.000+08:00

“Bombs on Galle Rd, 5 ppl died 30 min bf u had gone. Take good care. Philip”. It was the SMS that made me realize who were the most important people in my life. To make things simple, in case my bus had the same faith, I texted my sister, Eric and Jonno, telling them where I am, what happened and what to do, in case. I felt like I was writing a goodbye note. You’ve got a experience it to know how it feels. It was a tense ride. Took 6 hrs, instead of the usual 3 hrs due to road diversions and constant security checks. The monk and I get spared the body searches.

My Sri Lankan trip was no different from the way I always travel – getting the kicks from the variety and extremes. The first part, being solitary, balancing, reflecting, non-alcoholic, non-smoking, the second part turning itself on its head. Beach parties, salsa, dancing till wee morning hours, fancy cocktails and dinner parties, beach volleyball, surfers’ cafés and these abs, people, interesting people, new friends.

What is different this time is a simple realization: I do not want to travel alone anymore. I’m ready for a partner in crime, to magnify the joy by sharing it with a real person. Only then comes my blog. :).

Finding Celso

2007-01-11T23:23:00.000+08:00

My friend Celso. We met in KL. His parties were the talk of town. Met many of my long-term friends there. People found husbands, wives and reasons to divorce at these parties. Games. Silly games. Dangerous games.

Celso - my eccentric friend. A wanderer. Too good for any men to measure up to him and be his long-term partner. Controvestial. Brilliant. Generous. Mysterious. Difficult. Intelligent. Articulate. Multi-lingual. Quits his job to study russian to be able to read russian poetry in its native tongue.

We've just reconnected after 2 yrs. I could not resist publishing extracts of his journals on my blog.

----------------------------

My dearest Magda,

Thank you for reacting.

First let me express my belated greetings. How are you
my dear? How do you feel?

I am here in Brazil falling in love with a whore. He
makes it so real that I don't mind paying for some
scrap of happiness.

I will revive my blog and will send it to you when
ready.

I send my love.

Celso
****************************************************

spectacular sunset. my camera was broken. i don't
trust my memory to be able to capture this unique
symphony of silvery sea, orange sun, air brushed
cirrus clouds, fragrant breeze, fiery sky. here at SAN ANTONIO fortress, where the BARRA Lighthouse stands. i
linger here to contemplate the heavenly splendor,
breath taken away, awed and moved with the velvety
light - fleeting and changing to indescribable hues as
time ticks away. like the flower of youth, starting
with an innocent bud of dainty purity, it dazzles. it
enchants with a heart breaking beauty. slowly,
imperceptibly, the twilight magic envelops the sky.
the crepuscular glow is a perfect metaphor for my
ebbing youth. youthfull energy is still there, but
they are mostly spent.

and the long evening is ahead of me, like the gradual
decline that we all have to undergo...

where did my youth went? just like that - pfffft! its
gone. what is left here is a shadow of that cocky
young man who felt will live forever. alas! my alloted
time is consumed. i have to move on to another phase.
what is left to an old man but sweet sorrows and
beautiful melancholy? i sigh, i indulge the breeze to
caress my restless spirit. i looked faraway and
reviewed the improbable trajectory of my life. i am
here in SALVADOR DE BAHIA, not by design, but got
carried by the waves of events, going along with its
flow, not resisting it, and see what adventure is
there around the bend.

salvador de bahia proved to be an exhilirating
sojourn, a confirmation of what i intimated long
before i understood it. but i will be selfish, i will
keep things to myself.

still heavy with inebriating encounters. i run away
for awhile to breath. some people suck all the air
around them, and the rest cannot breath.

i stayed longer at the ramparts of the fortress. i
find myself alone- without the usual paid company. for
a change. i am surrounded with young lovers out for an
evening tryst on the ramparts. classic eternal sights.
only, i am not a part of it, a detached observer.
envious, but happy for them. i was young once. i had
my moments - wild and free. that was all in the past.
i have my ghosts for company.

i walked along the mosaiqued esplanade of BARRA, the
more affluent district of Salvador, where all the
clean and beautiful people go. the beach is fenced
with a low concrete ballustraded fence, neatly
whitewashed. its about waist high, and its inviting to
sit and watch life goes by - joggers, evening
strollers, vendors, tourists. the clear water is still
full of bathers as the beach is clearly lighted, water
is warm. i tempted to go for a swim, but i opted to
sip a cold BRAHMA and write these lines.

i am pushing 50! how would i like to spend the next
20, 30 or even 40 years(if i am lucky!) of my life?
will i remain a vagabond, a gypsy, a solitary
wanderer? i look at my siblings and friends - all busy
nurturing families and businesses, and me? lost as i
have always been! but blissfully lost i must qualify.
undoubtedly, i will learn more languages, see more of
the world, make more friends, have more fun and
adventures, read more books, see more movies, more
trails to blaze, maybe write a book, attempt some
poetry. any suggestions?

09jan2007 SALVADOR DE BAHIA, room 403 ONDINA APART
HOTEL, BRAZIL

*****************************************************

I am by the Atlantic ocean, under the shade of a
parasol. The Bahian sun is fierce and bright.
Despite
my dark skin, I managed to get sunburned. I am
sipping
KUAT(a Brazilian fruit) juice while I wait for my
grilled fish and bean soup. As always, my
restlessness
and incessant prowling brought me to this timeless
plaza. The time has stopped. I am back to the
Portuguese colonial occupation. Every building that
surrounds me belong to 17nth century Portugal. As
there are no cars and hanging electric wires, the
illusion is convincing. The natives could have been
the slaves fresh from Africa and they are under the
shade of sprawling tree idly chatting or just dozing
off. Only colorful fishing boats betray the present
time.

I gaze towards the ocean and I imagine the galleons
from the old world bringing in diseases and fears to
the native Indians, almost all of them exterminated
or
reduced to paupers in their own lands. The silvery
water shimmers and it arouses dreams of long sea
travels to undiscovered lands. I can feel what these
explorer felt. My adrenaline surges to imagine.

What frontiers are there left for us to conquer?
Personally, I would like to tame Siberia. After
couple
of years with my company, I will drop everything and
go back to my poetry and Russian literature. I will
go
and live in Tomsk...

That was the dream. But I am hijacked by these
Bahians, I would say, willingly and blissfully
hijacked by some very irresistible people.

These mulattoes(if you can really call them that -
mulattoes. How about the native blood mixed into
this
exotic brew? Do you just drop their Native American
heritage?) are the most beautiful people on earth,
at
least for me - flawless dark golden honey skin,
european features, praying eyelashes, sparkling
white
teeth, perfect bodies, smiles that can drown all
your
sorrows, playful, charming and fatal. I yield all
the
time to their dangerous flirting. There will be
plenty
of time for heartache later. All I know now is the
intoxication. I will indulge in the spell and
enchantment.

The Portuguese came to the NEW WORLD without their
women. Deliberately, indiscriminately, and wantonly
they miscegenate with their slaves and whatever
native
survivors that had remained. There was fervor in
their
fucking that they manage to create a huge critical
mass of mulattoes that now make up of the bulk of
present day Brazilians. Think of Romario, of
Ronaldo,
of Ronaldinho, of Pele. They represent the average
Brazilians. But the Bahianos are different
categories
all together - more alluring, more playful, more
naughty and sexual animal. They more beautiful too.
They'll break your heart.

It was a different age. It was an age of discovery
in
its very essence. They have no verifiable data about
their destinations. Only rumours and tales. These
colonizers only have their dreams, their wild
imaginings and their greed. After horrible months or
even year in the vast ocean in their primitive
caravel
and the total lack of communication and modern
medicine, arriving in South America with its heat
and
humidity, its verdant hills and mountains, its
turquoise and tourmaline waters and sweeping
beaches,
their collective breaths must have been taken
away...

I'd like to imagine what they felt - awe, majesty,
grandeur, and their imaginations fired to inhuman
proportions. I regret that we will never feel their
reactions ever again. The internet have saturated us
with information, we lost our sense of wonder. The
innocence is gone, we are reduced to our cynical and
all knowing stance.

I wrote these lines inside an immense cathedral at
Pelourinho(historic district of Salvador). I gaze at
the ornate ceiling, golden knaves, pulpits, and
colonnades that soars to high heavens - humbled and
inspired by what they have left behind. I shudder to
think of the human cost in erecting all these
impressive monuments. But what is life in terms of
eternity? Nothing really. TIME is flying, ART is
long,
LIFE is short(TEMPUS FUGIT, ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS).
In the end, its ART that had prevailed.

I am here inspired and uplifted by what remained.
The
death and injustice is nothing in terms of eternity.
Nicolo Macchiavelli would have approved it, the end
justify the means. Long live ART!

****************************************************

If I could I would live my life over.
This time I would try to make more mistakes.
I would try not to be so perfect, I would laugh
more.
I would be so much sillier than I have been
that I would take few things seriously.
I would be less hygienic.
I would risk more, take more trips, contemplate
more sunsets, climb more mountains, ford more
streams.
I would go to more places I have never been.
I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans.
I would have more real problems
and fewer imaginary ones.

I was one of those people who lived every minute of
life
sensibly and productively. Of course I had moments
of delight.
But if I were able to go back it would be
for good moments only.
Because, if you don't know it, that's what life's
made of: moments.
Do not waste even this one.>
I was a guy who never went anywhere without a
thermometer,
a hot water bottle, an umbrella, and a poncho.
If I could live my life again I would travel more
lightly.

If I could live again I would start going barefoot
when spring comes and not stop till fall's long
gone.
I would walk down more side streets, contemplate
more dawns,
and play with more children, if I had my life ahead
of me again.
But, come now. I am 85 years old. I know I am
dying.

TIME's Person Of the Year. How Clever.

2006-12-19T22:59:00.000+08:00

TIME's Person of the Year.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m in the internet business I was amazed at this year’s Time’s Person of the Year. It simply reads: YOU. Yes, You.

My jaw dropped as I thought it was so clever, so spot-on, so timely, given the way the communication landscape is changing around us. My less internet-inclined friends took a while to digest and get it; asking me “You mean, ‘me’?” I got some power-hungry friends out there indeed.

And so yes, I applaud Time for being not only so clever but also so self-aware. Newspapers and magazines have been hit by sharply declining readership numbers. Why? Because people simply spend more time on other media, internet being one big contributor. And here is one magazine admitting and surrendering the power to US.

Yes, us.

WE have been making content, distributing it around the web, consuming it, re-editing it, coping, claiming, porting from device to device, spending hours doing it. Be it via blogs, wikis, forums, joining online communities (Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, Linkedin, whatever). Our friends get married to people they met on the other side of the globe through online communities (Match.com anyone?). The internet has become our oxygen.

My friends in PR tell me that may not have jobs 5 years from now. Newspapers invite regular bloggers to become a visible voice alongside their articles. When I search for ideas what to do in Sri Lanka I want to see other people’s blogs to get a first-hand experience. So I use blogger search (technokrati) to get a dose. I give up on search engines, as they send to show me too much commercial crap – I want a dose of other people’s experiences, the real stories.

When YouTube got bought over by Google, a pimply boy on CNN said he spends 2-3 hrs on YouTube every day and gets the stuff he wants. It then hit me – if he does that, it means he watches less TV, less MTV, this means MTV is cracking their heads now how to get back the kids. Could it be that Google is going to effectively become a TV channel and replace MTV thru its YouTube buy-up? Maybe the 1.65bln isn’t that ridiculous after all. Would it be that 5 years from now MTV will become yester-brand and YouTube will give us a fix with Pimp My Pod episodes?

6 months ago my friend Sarah Wormwell, the Aussie fashionista, now bidtorrent-queen and my brain-picker, told me how Prada reserved x seats at their Summer Collection runway for Fashion Bloggers, alongside the managing editors of the likes of Vogue etc. Prada recognized the power fashion bloggers have on us, the voice they represent amongst the fashion-crazy crowds. I was fascinated and inspired by this, but at that time could not find a fit with any of the brands I was working on.

That has changed now.

And I love it. I work fucking 12-14 hours a day sometimes and I still get the kicks. We work with great brands today who understand that putting money to TV, radio and roadshows aint gonna get them far. So yes, they “do the internet” now, but on different terms now too – we now work with consumers as our journalists, evangelists, brand ambassadors. Stay tuned for more and more there shall be!

It’s been YOUR year, so if you do not know why, this is your 101 to getting up-to-speed for 2007: get your own blog started, join a sport yahoo group to know the next hike date, date on match.com, find long-lost friends on Facebook, connect with Reena on Friendster, add me to your RSS reader, and voila – you are ready for 2007.

Not that wet after all..

2006-12-17T19:34:00.000+08:00

This one is for my friend Joel. May not Phu Quoc island views, but given it's just behind my house, not bad, ha!

Skin Care A la Mode – Extracts from my Imaginary Business Plan

2006-11-25T01:37:00.000+08:00

I’ve been working on 2 skin care brands lately. Not too hard to find out which ones if you’ve been reading my blog. I was working on a CRM/segmentation plan for one of them and find myself typing in my powerpoint slides the following: “to move our base-level segment users to more advanced segment of whitening products, we use these trigger points…” I paused. I thought again. I cannot believe I’m writing this.

I grew up in an environment where people got discriminated for the colour of their skin. My friends with dark skins would get hassled by the guards while I get a bow from them. Girls lacking confidence due to dark skin, hence going to absurd measures to ‘get fair’. I suddenly hear my ex-mother-in-law reporting on a girl “nice girl, with 2 degrees, good family, but.. dark skin”.

Tonight we were cranking out some late-night stuff for another brand with some herbal properties making marketing claims and positioning themselves against their competitors. My job, right?, plan the message, position it, turn into tactical plans.

Then it dawned on me.

I discovered 3 years ago that no matter what cosmetics I used, my skin stayed more or less the same, ie a problem and a pain. Only through my own research and blood tests I discovered that food was the cause of my problem (wheat and eggs). Not only my skin improved, but it was goodbye to all the headaches, after-lunch slumps, period cramps and colds (yes, no colds for past 3 yrs).

I somehow think dermatologists know this, but choose to ignore it for the big bucks. After all, anti-inflammatory antibiotics is big business. Girls on it cannot get pregnant, but hey, side-effects is something we were taught to live with.

So, if you ask me “Magda, what is the one business idea you would put all your money, heart and brain into?” As for today, I will answer you: “My brainchild is a skincare brand that is a starting point to a life transformation of a consumer. A total LIFESTYLE change she has to undergo, starting with FOOD. “You are what you eat” said Socrates. I would create a brand that enlightens consumers on food-skin related perils, exposes all the derma-hidden secrets, resulting in teens dumping Oxy, women loving not wearing concealers, girls getting confident about their glowing skin. They will love the brand for being reasonably priced and having an incredible level of integrity which ultimately forms the emotional bond … so they buy me ;) . Hey, remember Anita Roddick?

All right, this is my business plan for the night. Got the dough? email me!

What is Real?

2006-11-25T01:24:00.000+08:00

I’ve been recently inspired by how various virtual tools have changed my friends’ lives.

There was firstly Match.com with Ann meeting, marrying Andrew and producing Tamara, Catherine hooking up with her man and planning to get hitched in April, and now Jennifer finding The Man. It not only gives me great joy but also inspiration on how the internet has changed our lives.

Then I met someone who said his Second Life name was X. “Say what?”. A week later I saw an article on FT titled “Get a (Second) Life” .A virtual reality world; as close as it gets to the real thing. Latest feature includes buying properties. And yes, they have their own currency, laws and police. Intrigued, not only did I read every word of the article, but registered too. Molonese Wardhali was created on (yes, they gave me a surname). OK, so here it comes; amazing user experience, totally great usability, highly intuitive navigation, almost-too-many features but easy to master after a while. I did not like getting dressed up, but got captivated by the scheduled real-life concerts. I checked out the groups – most very sex-driven, cannot get into one of the groups, but I get into the a dance lounge, I’m the only one not revealing much skin, a guy walks up to me asking me to salsa with him. I panic looking for the ‘dance’ function button, fail to find it in time, he dumps me. There are so many functions here, I’m confused! I try chatting with a few people, most ignore me after 2 min. The public conversations going on are shallow and non-engaging, they remind me of the ICQ days. Oops, the guy who asked me to salsa just took off all his clothes and dashed off to the dance floor. My luck, I guess. The background music is great, I can change it on the fly. It all looks so real, it’s amazing. I look at the lounge walls- very empty – the advertisers have not gotten here in a big way yet.

Was I acting any different from what I would have in a real dance bar? Not really. Did I come any close to meeting a ‘friend’? Well, no, but I have not given it enough time (spent 1 hour there).

Overall, I must admit there was a level of fascination I found about Second Life. I will log on again and give it a try, more probably for my geeky internet fascination or part of my job, whatever sounds rig again. For the one experience, I have to also admit I felt rather lonely there, and therefore the prospect of hooking up with my real friends in Shanghai this weekend is a highly appealing one.

Trying to join a group...

Dance Lounge on a Thr nite:

Ann & Andrew: on love, house and caterpillar

2006-11-12T21:05:00.000+08:00

Ann and Andrew met on match.com, fell in love, have a lovely Tamara and a house to admire. People tell Ann she's lucky. I don't think it's luck. She just does the right things in life and so the right things come to her.

It's a great feeling to spend the weekend in your friends' place filled with positive vibes and happiness. I sat at the pool one evening, looking into the house, watching Ann and Andrew go thru some old photos, hugging and kissing.

Ann's latest biz venture has turned into another success. Caterpillar is where kids stretch their creative imagination by learning how to salsa, play drums, bake and just become great kids! Also, a place for moms to drop the kids and vanish into 3 hrs of vanity.

Go Ann, go!

Ann & Andrew's House

Caterpillar

Monika & Soraya

2006-11-12T16:28:00.000+08:00

Tennis, squash, dating, dancing, partying, holidaying was what Monika, Soraya and I had in common. Today we do none of these together as our lives are very different. But, the bond remained and I just cannot hide the fact that going back to KL feels like going back home and seeing my sisters all over again.

KL House

2006-11-06T22:25:00.000+08:00

Picked up the keys to my KL house 2 weekends ago. Still weighting the options of what to do with the house; rent, sell, let it be. 3,500 sq ft of space, and little plans to go back to KL. I guess I should start working on my 5 kids to fill it up, maybe one day ;)

A Great Weekend - Best Practices

2006-11-06T13:10:00.000+08:00

Yeah, what a weekend. I've got a big work week ahead and finding good distructions to keep me away from getting things on track.. (best practices amongst them..)

Alice and friends organised a weekend at Tai Long Wan, a surfer's beach in Sai Kung. We camped out there overnight. All good ingredients coming together; great weather, less-than-usual haze, cooking on the beach, beach games, booze and more booze, sleeping under the stars, chatting till wee morning hours, being woken up by hungry dogs, watching the sunrise, morning sea swims, sun basking, 6-ab surfer boys catching the waves and the great company of a few very fun people.

A weekend to be repeated!

Hiking Ma On Shan

2006-10-26T06:29:00.000+08:00

I was asked to come for a hike with the HK Trampers, on a 3-boot hike, 15km, 7 hours. It was a lovely day, clearer than most in the past month. What a day! Great people, some spectacular vistas and new experiences. Francis, the guide for the day, a marine cop (I could not resist and had to ask him where to get the best pot in HK..), took us on an ancient trail made of mossy rocks. It used to be a trail linking the villages, which today are in ruines (see last pic). We got on this well hidden-away trail rather late, so it was hard to take any shots. To top it all, we all jumped into a crystal clear stream. The next hike is supposed to take us to this river pools a little earlier in the day, so at least we can see it!

We started from Mo On Shan station and ended up in Sha Tin. What a day! Thanks to Ben for convincing me to come out on a Sunday.

Shintori, Shanghai

2006-10-24T23:37:00.000+08:00

Shintori in Shanghai is my second best restaurant, I decided today. What an experience. Will knows the best places in town, but this takes it all. We first met at People 9, which is the adjascent bar, very unique in itself. You've got to stick your hand in 9 different holes for the doors to finally open. Looking almost intimidating and unwelcoming at first, it opens the doors to warm people and a great bar. You almost feel teased and taken on a ride of lows and highs. Very low music, no smoke, SPACE (yes, you notice it in comparison to HK). My Capricorn cocktails tasted more like a diluted toothpaste with a touch of Malibu, but the margarita squared it all. Shintori (the restaurant) is well known for its unique design on minimalistic concrete walls, floors and tables, open spaces, food lift, open-kitchen with showman-cooks and some pretty good Japanese food.

Maybe it's the place, or maybe it's the company of a friend you can spend 3 hours with and wonder where did the time go..

Shanghai is becoming my second home now.

A Girl Was in Town

2006-10-23T23:07:00.000+08:00

I knew that a weekend with Reena wasn't going to be just like any other, and true enough it was not. I think she has more friends in HK than me! A few shots here:

Photo Exhibition Nov 10-12

2006-10-21T19:19:00.000+08:00

I've qualified for a Photography Exhibition and will be displaying 3 of my favourite photos in a showcase titled "Journey". There will some great photographers displaying good work, so I hope you will get as excited as me!

I will probably be there signing authographs ;) on Saturday.

Details below:

10-12 Nov 2006
Friday noon-11pm
Saturday 9am-11pm
Sunday 9am-9pm

Foyer Exhibition Area E3
Hong Kong Cultural Centre
10 Salisbury Road
Tsim Sha Tsui

2006-10-18T23:37:00.000+08:00

Shanghai Oct 18th

5.30am hate my alarm clock
5.45am go down to the gym, cycle for 40min
7.00am meet Steve for breakfast for a one-on-one chat
8.30am leave for Ad:tech conference in Pudong
9.30am-1pm at conference, meetings, chats, laughs, do emails, planning for my KL trip, booking and re-booking dates. The fact that the flight is 2 days from now feels ages away. Not enjoying the conference too much; too shallow in depth, nothing new.
1-2pm grab a 5-min salad for lunch and sneak out to the business centre, log on to a virtual classroom with April for my putonhua class. I marvel at how technology has empowered our lives.
3.30pm leave to meet a new client and pitch, arranged by a fellow agency who thinks we are great ;)
4.30pm last-minute rehearsal, changes to the presentation with Clement
5-7.30pm pitch, look good and smart, re-align stuff with the PR agency’s activation plan, brainstorming, the client likes the ideas, esp the social media part
8-9.30pm Hooters, meet a guy we want to hire over from another agency. He has a hard time focusing, the girls here are gorgeous..
10pm back to the hotel, take a raincheck on dinner with colleagues, opt for a salad from the room service instead
10-11pm emails and more preparation work for a huge Friday pitch
11.30pm blog it.

Brenda sends me a URL to look at www.palestinejournals.co.uk. I look at it and think that my whole day has been a rather trivial pursuit.

Self-Acceptance vs Personal Growth

2006-10-17T23:56:00.000+08:00

I googled “blogs of smart people” to see what dose I can enjoy on a chilled Sunday evening. But before that, a little diversion – Reena was in town on Saturday night which turned out (as expected knowing the girl’s ways!) to a big one. She had a friend visiting her the next morning at 9am for breakfast at Discovery Bay. Her friend never slept himself, came straight from a yacht trip. We started with breakfast and coffees but ended up with sangrias which, under my assurance, were supposed to work wonders, ie sort us all out. Reena ended up with a severe headache and her friend could barely walk to the ferry. I, on the other hand, was all sharp and sobered up, ready for what the day could bring.

Back to my Sunday finds. I came across a website that got me really thinking over the past few days. None of the things here may sound like anything novel, but I guess it’s the simplicity of thought that we sometimes lose out to.

Check: http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/04/self-acceptance-vs-personal-growth/

The guy addresses an issue I’ve been pondering over the last few months – the rat race, the grind you find yourself in. In essence, what he’s saying is: if you just accept the way you are today it’s sheer complacency, laziness. If you want to grow as a person, you end up in a constant race for an ever-moving goal. We pitch and win 1mln bucks business, live in euphoria for 1 week. The following next week we want to win more, better and faster. We aren’t happy with the previous achievement and our self-esteem suffers. Where do you stop? How do you find an optimal point of happiness and internal peace?

He suggests rooting your self to a permanent cause – one that nobody and nothing can challenge and… move, hence accepting yourself they way you are. The examples he’s giving are passion for a cause, faith, compassion, dedication to nonviolence. He’s not saying one should stop striving for growth – the idea is: that growth desire should not be the core source of one’s happiness. I would like to think I can fully embrace it, but I know I do not in its entirety. Or maybe I just have not found it. But seek I will.

Andrew and I went to check out a meditation centre the other day in Tin Hau. I want to get back into it, as I have lots more to learn. The benefits of meditation I experience in India were amazing, but like everything else, it needs discipline and … time. The sense of peace and awakening is something I crave and want to make a permanent part of my life.

Think about it.

I'm Going PINK in October

2006-10-12T23:59:00.000+08:00

A simple idea, little time needed, free form of expression and a great impact you can make. Not everybody will relate to the need of raising awareness on breast cancer, unless you had a family or your own personal experience. I remember finding a lump one day and breaking to pieces. I will never forget how that felt.

This is my own pledge: I'm going to Shanghai for Ad:Tech next week, will wear a pink dress on one of the days. My blog and IM are already decorated. I hope you can go pink in October too! And, if you are a guy, there must be a woman in your life you must care about, so just do it.

More on : http://pinkforoctober.org/

Love my friends Dan & Jo; big brains with even bigger hearts. They got me to go pink. More on Dan & Jo www.apogeehk.com

Pumpkins & Dynamites- ie Biking outside of Beijing

2006-09-28T22:41:00.000+08:00

Beijing offers some great biking opportunites, but given the pollution level in the city, it was time to get out. I had to make my way to Beijing for work and stayed there for the weekend. The bike operator took us to MiYun north of Beijing. Beautiful views, gentle slopes, many tunnels to ride through. Came across a mad old man sitting on a donkey cart loaded with pumpkins and dynamites. He had the dynamites ready to go off if we wanted some entertainment, which he did - for the Chinese tourists...

Jono's Life in Nanning

2006-09-22T22:08:00.000+08:00

Jonathan asked me if I would go down to Nanning with him to photograph and document a factory they will soon close down. This is also my first 'paid assignment', subject to how 'paid' is defined.

The factory makes glass which is later rolled, pressed and made into insulation pipes, and sold around the world. I think it was a somewhat personal project for Jono, given the gruelling negotiations with the government, deceiving nego techniques, then later the financial difficulties the factory went through. I also understood why all these years he hated going there. My perception of China has been vastly distorted by the comfort and attention I get in Beijing and Shanghai. Even as the capital city of Guangxi Province, just 160km away from the Vietnamese border, it is rough on its edges.

We flew to Nanning on a late Friday night and went straight into the factory to start the shoot. Had to wear all the gear; goggles, helmet, shoes, making the shoot rather uncomfortable. The factory operates on 3 shifts, 24x7. It was interesting to see how sand gets transformed into insulation pipes. My favourite was the furnace - seeing liquid glass is mesmerising. The foreman stuck a pole and pulled out the cotton-like glass. Never knew glass comes in this form.

We got up at the crack of dawn to get the saturation of the rising sun, to capture the shift change, to capture the life of the factory, to document the surroundings of the factory.

We barely slept that night, and given my own full-on week in Shanghai, I was in a recovery mode the whole of Sunday. But, how else to catch up with my old running soul mate and a great friend than going down the memory lane with him, and lens-catching a fraction of what is important in his life.

Here is a collage of a few shots.

Oh Baby!

2006-09-08T08:53:00.000+08:00

We won Johnson Baby business in Shanghai and my life in the past 2 weeks has been revolving around just that. We already have a solid reputation in J&J but like any new business, we still had to pitch to take the business away from their current agency. I was not too terribly excited due to the category (mom, baby) but once we developed the program concept, we all got fired up. It’s a 3.5 mths program, the first significant effort in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics ‘08. In essence, it’s just a storytelling competition for moms to submit their touching baby-raising tales, with the communication plans being supported by an ex-Olympic badminton gold champion, Ge Fei, as a spokesperson. We pushed it forward and developed a full plan that ropes in the celebrity storyline together with all other advertising channels... to touch the consumers in a truly powerful way. The fun will come from working with social media. The fact about a Chinese urban mom is: she will not buy, apply or recommend a purchase unless she gets her ‘facts’ from a forum or a blog.

Lots of planning, brainstorming, late hours, communication challenges, resource challenges. We presented last Friday and got the job on the spot. We were too puffed out to even celebrate. Instead, got on the phone to make endless arrangements for a project kick-off with all agencies. My colleague Eric (owns the J&J relationship) and I have finally found a way to work together and it's been awesome ever since. J&J has some good brains working on client and agency side, so it’s been a great ride.

Price to pay? Hardly slept in my own bed for past 3 weeks, started smoking again, missing salsa, yoga, friends in HK. Been having my Mandarin classes conducted via a virtual classroom with my teacher in HK, which is great. Shanghai is beginning to feel like my second home, with an increasing circle of friends and favourite hang-outs, just the way it is when it starts to feel like home..

I got a call from Monika on Wed nite (Sept 8th) telling me she's going to deliver her baby in the next 10 min. I was totally blown away; she was so calm, jovial, chilled out given the circumstances! I could feel my hair rising, just imagining her lying down there... This is the girl I used to party with on Sat nites at Hard Rock, downing tequilla and dancing on the tables. We may live different lives now, the bond remains. Olivia Emby is well and kicking, just like her gorgeous mom.

Feeling rather compromised in the way I looked and felt, I went to check out the much-talked-about uber-spa, the Evian Spa, for a facial and a massage. What an experience.. Parked at "3 on the Bund" (Armani Bld), the contemporary design of white and translucent materials and fab lighting effects, transports you into a world of its own. There are many small surprises hidden around, making the experience just so much more complete. Feeling in tune with the Full Moon last night and totally chilled-out, I'm ready to wrap up this week with a big 'wow, what a week, oh baby'.

It’s Friday today, and I’m due to come back to Shanghai on Monday to speak at another client’s regional marketing conference. Everybody wants to get into interactive, not knowing how to really do it. Other J&J businesses are asking us to run interactive workshops for them to help them get into the game.

There has been a talk about me getting transferred to Shanghai, but I’m resisting this option, reasons being many. I still have some pretty good reasons to go back to HK..

For Lili & Will

2006-08-23T21:43:00.000+08:00

Lili (London-based) and Will (Shanghai-based) may not know each other, but they surely are closely connected in Shanghai.

This is the scoop of tonight, Shanghai: I go to Big Bamboo to meet Gary Sands, Lili's friend, whom I had never met. We are supposed to go with his friends to some Hunan restaurant tonite. Instead, at the bar, I bump into Jim and Derek - Will's friends I met on my previous trips. They are also waiting for a friend, and will be going for Hunan food. "His name isnt's Gary, is it?" I ask. It is. Gary is running late.

We sit down at the bar with Jim and Derek, chat away, some friendly guy walks up, but I continue talking to Derek. After a good 15 min, I turn to the friendly man and tell him we are still waiting for a friend called Gary. "I am Gary".

Comical.

Hunan food was fantastic, the boys went on to play pool, and I could not resist to tell all about it!

2 Degrees of Separation?

My Discovery Channel Submission

2006-08-13T18:46:00.000+08:00

OK, here goes the submission to the Discovery Channel. It's such a joke, but I had fun doing it.

Blog Submission

India, Kashmir, the Highest Hiway in the World. Our 4W driver tackles most turns with one hand. Only when it’s a 180-degree turn, he applies both. With my travel instinct, I somehow feel good in his hands. I’ve learned to spot danger when it’s real. We pass a dead cow on the road, 5 vultures on it, cleaning up the road. The road is well marked for passenger and driver's entertainment; "Use the horse power, not the rum power ", "Darling, I like you, but not so fast”. The Manali-Leh road is a Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Jurassic Park drive-through. I feel like Alice in the Wonderland - every 30 min we enter a different room. Every hour, we are in a different world. It's the mini-Grand Canyon one moment, Gobi Dessert another, then we enter the Mongolian plains. The road ascends quickly, at 4000m I start feeling the effects; a numb headache, then I float in space. A simple arithmetic calculation becomes a major mental burden. "Eat the garlic, Magda" a girl feeds me with 3 cloves of raw garlic. She’s got 1kg of this remedy. The garlic partly relieves my headache. I feel very compromised and vulnerable in this paradise. More on India travel on http://molonese.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_molonese_archive.html.

Vlog Submission

Thanks to my sweetheart TK!

HK for Brenda & Shiraz

2006-08-12T17:38:00.000+08:00

Molonese says: (5:04:50 PM)
it's a nice eveing for us here

Shiraz says: (5:05:00 PM)
here its grey and chilly

Shiraz says: (5:05:39 PM)
B is sleeping and i am just upgrading my mobile phone

Molonese says: (5:06:15 PM)
Lemme take a pic from my widnow and send u in a mo

Missing you guys!

2006-08-11T17:05:00.000+08:00

10am:
steve_hsia: r u there?
molonese: aha
steve_hsia: I need a favor from you. We are having KL's kick-off FY07 mtg tomorrow morning. Everyone misses you. Can you and also maybe the HK team send us a greeting video for 1 min?
steve_hsia: The video is to say hello, have a great kick-off, market is picking up fast, a lot of excitemnt, love to work with KL team, good luck...
molonese: yeah, ok. Will try..
steve_hsia: Fun, energetic, motivational

Video 1
5pm:

Video 2

Discovery Channel 5 Takes - On the Way to Starlettedom

2006-08-10T17:51:00.000+08:00

A month ago, I wrote to Discovery Channel why they should consider me to become Season 3 TJ (travel journalist) at 5 Takes. This is what I wrote:

When people ask me where I’m from, I have a hard time answering. Born in Poland, early childhood in Denmark, teenage years in Malaysia, now living in HK. Perhaps not having a defined home, I have no cliché views of this world. My travels are very diverse – from hiding in a yoga ashram in India for 3 weeks, helping teach English in Cambodia, to mountain biking around Bali. I travel-write and photograph, and have an eye for the small and quirky things that make people and places so different yet so similar; all documented on my blog: molonese.blogspot.com. I’m an athletic person, used to have an all-girl adventure racing team, now focusing on mountain-biking, cross-country running and yoga. As an advertising planner, it’s my second nature to be a team player, bring new, innovative and creative ideas to the table and wrap things I do with much passion and dedication.

This is what I got in my mailbox just yesterday:

Dear 5 Takes TJ hopeful

Congratulations! You've made it through the first round and are just two steps away to becoming a TJ on the new season of Discovery Travel & Living's 5 Takes! To realise your dream, you'll now need to send us a short vlog (video log) telling us more about yourself and why you think you'll make the best 5 Takes TJ. We will also require you to write us a sample blog about a specific travel experience. If we like your vlog and your blog, you'll be invited to a closed-door audition in August so we can meet you in person.

Please go to http://www.travelandlivingasia.com/join5takes/video for detailed instructions and submission details on the sample blog and vlog. You will need to submit them no later than 13 August 2006. If you have any questions, you may direct them to 5takes_asia@discovery.com.

Thanks! We look forward to seeing your submission.

From the Discovery Travel & Living Team

Oh, how fun.
I like the concept of the program. The TJs travel to a place and do 5 exciting things, film them with handycams and report each day on their travelogs. The audience is involved in choosing the next destination and the activities the TJs should cover in a given place. A great way to get the TV audience involved - from leaning backwards, to leaning forwards!

I look at the average age of the TJs from the previous episodes - 23 to 25. I'm 33, and they know it. But, I've got a camera ready for the weekend and will get a video footage of myself. Like... you never know. Now, does that sound like I'm 25 again?

MD Summit & Zhou Village

2006-08-10T17:23:00.000+08:00

I ran a corporate marathon in China. Massive work due to the Johnson&Johnson Media Summit, finished it off with a great party on Friday nite, only to start our own MD Summit on Saturday and Sunday. I liked it this year - more on strategy, direction, competitor analysis, aligment of our services with the market needs. Refreshing compared to last year, where we had to suffer from indegestion from hours of spreadsheet analysis. I worked till 4am on Saturday (after partying with Will and Yifat) to finish off my slides, as I was the first track presenter on "New Emerging Services; Web 2.0", so covering new media formats, personal and branded blogs, podcasting, vcasting, cool tools (like blog virtual pets), working with social media and partners, AJAX applications, spotting viral opportunites (like Bus Uncle)... ufff. We had some of our clients and media partners present. J&J's global media vp came to speak too, she's an amazing and inspirational woman.

This was also the time to re-connect with my favourite colleages from KL, missed TK and Nik very much. Brainstorms and creative work have not been the same since I left KL!

On Monday, I got a preview of what an organised tour can be like. We jumped on a bus and got wisked away to ZhouZhang, or Zhou Village. They call it the Venice of China. While most people did the mainstream stuff, Nik, TK and I went exploring the back lanes. Verdict: mildly interesting.

3 on the Bund

We won OASiS Hongkong Airlines

2006-08-10T16:36:00.000+08:00

A phonecall comes in on Tuesday from Oasis' office, looking for an agency. Thursday morning Kelly and I meet the marketing folks. They have no time to waste - get us to sign the NDA, no time to hear our credentials, but instead dive into a brief for a launch campaign. We ask a few smart questions, and they ask us if we can deliver in 8 days. We call them on Thr afternoon to confirm we have the resources to do it, we get a contract signed on Friday afternoon.

I love the speed of things in HK.

My boss was impressed and asked for the proposal. "No proposal" we say. "You selling air out there". Well, and here is the outcome: www.befirsttofly.com

A simple campaign, an effective message, which helped us double the database in just 3 days. And beyond it all: what an offer. Fly to London for HKD 1,000 (USD 125) one-way or HKD 2,000 (USD 250) return. Food, entertainment on board included.

Weekends won't be the same.

Indian Wedding Expert

2006-08-10T16:22:00.000+08:00

A friend emailed me today:

On 10 Aug 2006, at 10:45 AM, Raphael Couzet wrote:

Hi,

Bruno is having his stag night tonight. It s veyr last minute so
rushing to prepare some stuff.

Since he is marrying an Indian girl we want to ask him some questions
about indian weddings.

Could you help me and come up with 5-10 questions about indian
weddings, very general but hard enough that he probably won't know
(then he has to drink!)

Thankks
R

My reply:

I can try...
i take it from a hindu context, if she's christian many wont apply...

Q: Soon after you get married, you will be greeted in your in-laws house with a very sweet hot milk drink that was overspilt on the stove. What does it mean?
A: wishing you a fertile marriage. Overspilling milk signifies fertility.

Q: What is a thali?
A: A golden pendent a wife wears to signify she's married. It's like a wedding ring for us.

Q: What signifies the moment of 'tying the knot' in a hindu ceremony?
A: Tying a thali on the bride's neck.

Q: What does cracking coconuts mean?
A: Letting go of one's ego, and submission to a cause.

Q: Does the bride alone get the henna tatoo done?
A: No, her brides maids too.

Q: Who is the 'best man' to the bride in a hindu wedding?
A: the bride's younger brother. If no brother, can be a cousin.

Q: how many saris does the bride get to wear on her wedding day?
A: 2. One from her parents, then a new one from her husband.

Q: what is the most common sari colour for a wedding?
A: red.

Q: how to tell a good quality of a sari?
A: you can pull the fabric thru a ring

Q: what is the language the hindu ceremony is conducted in?
A: Sanskrit

It brought back all the memories. Good and bad ones.

Learning Mandarin

2006-08-10T16:11:00.000+08:00

I started Mandarin 3 weeks ago. I’ve procrastinated in this area very badly, but once the Patty Bunch was gone, there were no more excuses. I’ve found the whole experience very very rewarding, and will therefore spend some time blogging about it.

Firstly, how I decided on the school. After a few individual classes with a few tutors, I narrowed down the school I liked. The tutor did not want to travel to my place on Saturday mornings (as I live on the dark side), so they offered me a hybrid program of tuition + internet + self-study. When I saw the podcasts, I was sold! What better way to use my ferry time than listen to my iPod and learn Mandarin. The woman who owns the school also runs her own blog http://learningmandarinpod.blogspot.com. There is no better virtual commitment to what you do then running your own blog. This is on top of her school website. She blogs about the Chinese culture, the outings with her students, uploads stuff for us to learn more.

Secondly, learning the language explains a lot of quirky things about my Chinese friends, colleagues and all strangers. You know how they always mix up ‘she’ with the ‘he’. This is because in Chinese ‘ta’ is for both ‘he’ and ‘she’ – the gender is figured out from the context of the sentence. You know how Malaysian and Singaporean English is peppered with the ‘lah’ and ‘mah’, like “Come with me, mah.”. Well, ‘ma’ is used to form a question in Chinese. Example, in a literal translation: “You are busy ma?” means “Are you busy?”
You know how you ask your colleague “What’s the contract worth?” they say “100,000”, then “no, sorry, 1 million”, “no, wait, correct 100,000”. And you think “You suck at your job!” Well, here is the discovery: Chinese people count in 10, 100, 1000 and 10000. The last one is called ‘wan’. So 100,000 is said to be “10 wans”. I sorta knew this, but thought I should remind myself to be more forgiving to my colleagues.

Thirdly, I’ve been highly motivated for the past 3 weeks, and making some good progress. I can say “You are my very good friend” “Ni shi wode hen hau pengyou” in one breathe. My tutor, April, says I’m a quick learner. She has no idea that I cram at home every Saturday morning for hours! She does not know that I stopped partying on Friday nights to have a fresh brain on Saturday mornings.

There are many reasons I want to speak the language. There are no better ways to connect with people than speaking their own language. There is no better way to enjoy a moment. The urge to master Mandarin was further fueled by the recent Johnson&Johnson media summit presentation I had to do in Shanghai. We got scored as the best presentation material and delivery, but I did not get the same audience involvement the other agency presenter did. I know, how childish of me. Only because he threw in a few Mandarin sentences, and the audience went ‘wow’. I came back hooked on the idea of being able to have a basic conversation in Mandarin by end of this year.

And for know, zai jian to my good friends.

Amnesty International in HK

2006-08-10T14:08:00.000+08:00

I finally went to see them. A seemingly bored white single female walks in, declares her profession and interests, states further that she has no children and no husband/s, works a lot at times, than not that much at other times, and that her NGOs friends inspire her. She then makes it clear that she’s ready to contribute in brainstorms, concepts, marketing communications or any marketing fluff that AI may need. She ends by saying she’s not interested in packing boxes, administrative tasks and raising $5 in front of MTR stations. That makes Campaigner B (it’s a title they carry) walk out. Campaigner A stays on. Says that they will soon be launching a campaign for Violence Against Women, says he needs input. Shows a poster of a Caucasian cosmetics model with a bruise on her cheek. “Is that a mock-up?” “No, he replies, “this is what we thought of doing.”

Wow. A little shock wave. Absurd. Maybe they really need help here. I tell him how effective it would be to tell real stories of real women, not models. He listens, asks me to come for a brainstorm session next month. They have no media plan, no budget, no concept. I think I can help.

The Patty Bunch Arrived!

2006-08-10T13:53:00.000+08:00

The Patty Bunch (read: my sister + family) came and went. It’s been a rather intensive 1 month. I slept 12 hours straight on the day the left HK. I think they liked the whole experience. They got to see HK, Macao, Kuala Lumpur and the Malaysian Borneo. I was excited that we caught the Rainforest Music Festival, that they got to live in the Iban long houses, blow the pipes, get woken up by the chickens and pigs, sample local rice wine. It was a trip of many ‘firsts’ for them; trying Japanese and Vietnamese food included. They were the kind of guests any hosts wishes to have; open-minded, always ready to try new things, My sister says their horizons have expanded. And I get reminded once again, that the rest of the world does not embrace the same life as mine.

The Patty Bunch - Hong Kong First Days

2006-08-10T13:49:00.000+08:00

The Patty Bunch - Hong Kong Fun

2006-08-10T13:44:00.000+08:00

The Patty Bunch - Hong Kong Outdoors

2006-08-10T13:37:00.000+08:00

The Patty Bunch - Rainforest Music Festival

2006-08-10T13:11:00.000+08:00

Listen to the sounds of the Drumming Workshop. Awesome!

The Patty Bunch - Malaysian Borneo

2006-08-10T13:07:00.000+08:00

Baku National Park & around

Beijing pitch - picture update

2006-06-19T00:37:00.000+08:00

The team says I need to update my consulting profile and hence the new pic to go along.

In a whirlwind, somewhat

2006-06-19T00:26:00.000+08:00

Been asked why no updates for a month, so here we go.

I got thrown into a whirlwind of work ever since I got back from Xinjiang, mainly in Shanghai and Beijing. All new pitches, Fortune 500 companies, dynamic, strategic-thinking clients, a pleasure to work on those. I begin to appreciate and realize the benefits of sticking around the interactive agency world. So many times in the past year I was been tempted to switch sides. Today, we are told by existing and prospective clients that we understand the internet game like no traditional agency does. I will be speaking at the Johnson & Johnson North Asia Media Conference next month, sharing with the top 100 executives how to engage consumers online. They cancelled their own advertising agency to replace them with our presentation. That feels good. I wish my Mandarin was better to really blow them away. Our work with Pepsi in China is paying off, we showcase it and blow people away. Pepsi is changing the rules of youth marketing and we are part of it. How foolish was I to have doubts in Dec 05 about canceling the Vietnam holidays, when Clement and I pitched the account. It took a great amount of EQ to stay motivated and focused. I was depressed and lonely, and started drinking alone at home, like never before. Every call from people saying how sorry they felt, made things worse. Today, when a friend goes thru the same, I know better.

I’ve been asked about the men in my life, so I guess I finally owe a more complete update. My match.com stint, fueled by the sudden eagerness to date again, is well known to all friends. I was deeply amused and surprised how embarrassing my dates found it to admit that we met through a dating portal. I ask how different is it from meeting at a dinner party or at lai kwai fong. I’m not sure where the stigma comes from, as you do find normal people there. I’m the proof of it ;)

All right, so a number of dates; met online, through friends, my travels, dinner parties, sports. And after all that dating and initial excitement, I realise I don't really know what I want..

I muse and think that having been married is my favourite mistake to date. It's perhaps the proverbial 'I got it out of my system'.

I have learned to treasure my independence and freedom. It gets reinforced when I meet women after women – all married, all so unhappy. I meet a Russian girl who tells me I’m successful in my career, but flanked it on the personal side. I smile on the inside. Her husband reads his papers at breakfast when she talks to him. I concluded that marriages should not be entered forever, but for 5 years at a time. But that’s another thought I will elaborate on it after replenishing my wine supplies.

Missing sound single female company has been the one biggest downside of living in HK. Ann’s enthusiasm and spirit of making the weekend wonderful and re-bonding affair for all friends. Monika’s positive energy and thinking. Brenda’s cause to changing this world and living for higher causes, yet be sporty and sporting a drink and a man hanging off her shoulder. Dean and Soraya’s next movie project and finding the beautiful ideas in life. I miss Catherine’s grounded comments, especially just before we are about to do something crazy. I miss Annie’s next yogic, cosmic travel plan. I miss Marjan’s laughter and the fact that she never takes herself seriously. I miss Eliza hating my blog and trying to put me in place. Amongst those, I deeply miss Raph’s crazy ways of living his life and occasionally roping others along the way for many LOLs and sheer fun. I think I’ve lived in Malaysia too long and left too much good stuff.

I sat down with a bottle of a really good wine one night and realized that missing what you left behind and looking too hard for a replacement is not a good combination. I decided to channel my energy and thinking into avenues that will a) help me develop more as a person and b) help other people. In line with that, I started Mandarin classes last Monday, twice a week, intensive and private lessons to get to some conversational level in the next 8-10 mths. Next, Karolina got me into salsa, which we both fell in love with. Next, I signed up for creative writing course at the City Uni of HK, starting in Aug. Lastly, an advertising magazine was praising an Amnesty International campaign which I found fascinating. I contacted them in HK and going for a briefing next week to see how I can get involved.

Closer to home, my sister is arriving this Thursday with her family of 4. I tried going grocery shopping today and realized I have no idea what they eat. I like to cook Japanese and Thai, but have doubts if typical Polish boys would do what School Projects did to Jamie Oliver. I have no idea if they drink coffee or tea for breakfast. White or black?

We will hang around Hong kong for a week, and I will later meet them at the Rainforest Music Festival in Kuching (Malaysian Borneo). I blogged about it last year July 05, as it’s a wonderful festival, which will mean even more to me this year, as a come-together point of so many close souls.

For now, this warrior soul is going to get prepared for next week's battle.

Xinjiang China Travelog

2006-05-16T18:44:00.000+08:00

Where is it that you going to again?

Xinjiang has been on top of my travel agenda from the day a seasoned traveler, Choy Khee, I met at Greg’s party painted in words what the Sunday Market is like. You know how something just clicks in your head and you know, you just know, you’ve got to do it.

With Will’s own travel intentions, the trip becomes a reality. Will lives in Shanghai, he ropes in 4 other friends on this trip. Their interest in Xinjiang is largely fueled by a restaurant they regularly go to in Shanghai. One of them, Genvieve is ‘dating’ the hottest waiter there. He hardly speaks Mandarin and no English. Being from Xinjiang, I will later learn that my friends speak far more superior Mandarin compared to the local population. So, not certain how long Gen will be seeing Ali given their communication challenges, the trip was put in gear so we can visit his family in his native village.

My Chinese friends in HK ask me why such interest in China’s ethnic minorities. ‘Why don’t you go to Xi’an?’ I can sense the tone of superiority. I attempt to explain that I want to meet people other than those I meet on a daily basis. And, travels are not about the sights, the dead, but about the living; the peoples and their culture.

Getting to Xinjiang is neither cheap nor easy. The price of the flight to Urumqi (capital of Xinjiang) could have taken me to London. I get up at 3am that morning, to make my way to Shenhzen (China’s closest city from HK) to get on the 9am flight to Urumqi. From the train station, I jump in a taxi with some Italian climbers, who are very likely to miss their flight, and the taxi driver is very determined to get them to the airport on time. There is a downpour of rain and the highway feels like a skating ring. My seatbelt bucket is busted and the taxi driver is doing 140km/h.

On the flight to Urumqi I’m seated next to an 18-year old bird and her 45-yr old sugar daddy from HK. He pulls out his phone to switch if off and a happy family picture of the wiffy & 2 kids flashes in from of him. There are no security instructions before we depart. Instead, 30min before we land, the stewardess re-appears to introduce us to a set of exercises to get the blood circulation going. Brilliant idea, combined with a Maoist disciplinary execution, I’m all in smiles. I turn back to see everybody in strict compliance, slapping their arms, rotating wrists, stretching and pounding.

I arrive Urumqi 6 hrs before the rest of the guys from Shanghai, so I hit the city on my own. It’s yet another 2nd-tier Chinese city with an urban architecture resembling many others Chinese city, read: modernity killed identity. What sets it apart are the people and the food. Picture a Turk and a Chinese having a kid, speaking a Turkish-sounding language. In fact, Xinjiang is called the Autonomous Region of China (same as Tibet). It is home to the proud, spirited Uygur people who are far different from the Chinese Han culture (what we know as being ‘Chinese’). They speak Uygur, a language in the Turkish language group, are of Caucasian roots and Muslim. The government has resettled many Chinese Han people to Xinjiang (involuntarily during Mao’s time), creating resentment and tension. Just take one aspect: the time zone. The province is asked to follow Beijing time, in spite of being 5 hrs flight east of the controlling capital. So officially, the sun sets here at 10pm, in reality, or ‘Xinjiang time’ at 8pm. We choose between the two time zones depending on our needs; when we get hungry, we say ‘oh it’s already 9pm, let’s have some lamb’, when it’s only 7pm local time. Or we say ‘man, it’s bloody early to get up, at 6am’ where it’s 8am Beijing time.

Urumqi gives me the first glance at what’s ahead for the next 10 days; rows of freshly baked bread; with cumin, onions, poppy seeds, round, oblong, flat, fluffy, donut-like; lamb, sheep head stew, wheat and egg noodles, dried fruits, nuts, home-made yogurt, sheep’s stomach and local ice cream. I’m fearless when it comes to trying things and end up having a 7-course lunch, but skip the sheep head stew.

Men look at me with great interest, they flirt and and radiate with cheeky smiles, but there is no sleaze in their tone.

Back at Urumqi airport, I meet the rest of the crew; Sabina, Genvieve, Yifat, Sandy and of course Will. Yifat is Israeli, the rest are Canadians, Gen is from Quebec. We drink fake and warm Carlsberg beer before catching our flight to Kashgar and get to know each other. We arrive Kashgar at 2am, in bed by 3am. It’s been an engaging 24 hrs.

But they slaughtered the sheep for us….

I like to travel alone, as the travel experience is far more intense and deeper than when you have companion(s). At the same time, since I’ve never traveled with people I do not know (except Will) and they will organize, fight it out, translate and rationalize all details of the trip, so I thought it to be worthwhile and adventurous.

Kashgar, the next morning. Time has stood still here. I could convert my photographs to black-and-white, put a date of 1914 and you won’t know. We explore the Old Town, it’s Saturday, a relaxed day here, as Fridays and Saturdays are observed as weekend days here. Carpets, linens, dry fruits, bags and bags of spices, more lamb skewers, cotton rolls and pressers, barbers, fresh veg and fruit stalls (OMG, it’s so organic! this is for Sarah W), copper pots and pans, kalif’s teapots, vases, more Turkish ornaments, more carpets, phones-for rent, and the always-present smell of fresh bread.

We find a place selling beers and get intoxicated in this merciless heat. The Id Kah Mosque is Kashgar is just behind us, so we decide to go and visit it, getting a teenager’s thrill out of going there intoxicated.
The soporific heat makes me wanna go for a massage by the evening. Genevieve gets a text message that her beau’s family is expecting us. Tonite. Can we do it tomorrow? “Well, they slaughtered the sheep for us”. The taxi ride is 45 minutes through some very remote land, the driver has to stop and reconfirm the directions multiple times. We find Ali’s house – the most elaborate house with the biggest gate in the village. Our arrival gets the village talking, we make Ali’s family proud of hosting far-away guests. We bring Abdul with us, he’s our translator from Uygur to English. We get ushered to a fully carpeted room that looks like a war-council room. No furniture, only carpets and koranic verses on the walls. The food starts arriving; fresh fruits, sweets, nuts, bread; the reverse of a Western dinner sequence. The main consists of chunks of boiled lamb. I read later it’s a way to honour guests. The taste is not particularly compelling, the water is later used for very eggy noodles which are rich and bland.

The family tells Gen that she’s on a video tape Ali sent them from Shanghai. She appears surprised, and to prove the point, they bring in the TV and borrow the neighbour’s VCD player. We watch the Shanghai restaurant’s party; the girl they thought to be Gen is not Gen, but they see all white people to look the same. I’m amazed how handsome Ali is – could pass for Antonio Bandera’s brother.

The tape and the music they play close the gap between us; dancing starts and Will gets asked by the men to join them. He typically dances only after 5 beers, and so today’s performance is special by many standards. We tell each other about the toilet ‘with a view. ‘Go!, it faces the vineyard’. It does, all right, as it also is a wooden structure on a hill with a full view of other people’s efforts.

The evening ends with the eldest women (Ali’s grandma) blessing us and leading a short muslim prayer. We are amazed, honoured and keep wondering how did Ali introduce Gen to his family, as the term ‘girlfriend’ does not exist here.

We get back at midnight and still make it for a massage, ending it at 2am, or at 12am Xinjiang time. I love whatever buys me time, and comfort.

Sunday. Sunday Market. This is why I came here.

The bargain hard, they insert fingers into the sheep’s vagina to determine its worth, they gesticulate and argue good-heartedly, over-dramatise each negotiation. Goods exchange hands swiftly. We start the day at the animal market where the trading practices have not changed for generations. It resembles a movie set from a medieval era. People appear rough, but are kind and very curious if given the chance to interact. They are very unmaterialistic people given the curiosity Sunday market creates around the world. They ignore us most of the time and go on about their trade. We wonder when the time will come when they learn to extort money, the way touristy places typically do.

The government has relocated the second part of the Sunday market to a ‘better location’, which is a permanent concrete building probably owned by the Chinese and rented out to the locals. It has lost its charm; the goods traded here are no different than those in Shanghai or Kowloon. Carpets sellers are sleek negotiators here, they don’t give in easily to Sabina’s bargaining charm and skills. I get a silk carpet; off-white, small and soft, feels like my cat Kimmy. Yifat is convinced that there must be another section, a real Sunday market which we have missed. We never find it. On the way back our taxi gets stopped by a Chinese policeman for supposedly doing something illegal. What would it be when the whole traffic is a mélange of donkey carts, stall pullers, cars, horses, motorcycles and cows. The racial tension is evident – the cop screams at our driver, drawing attention of 30 people who surround the car at once. We are in the middle of a traffic junction – that somehow does not worry the cop.

Monday Blues

We go though our own blues, spending 2 hours discussing how we will spend the next 8 days. There are many things to see and do and given our different interests and preferences for duress, it takes time to decide. I’m very easy going – I love the prospect of switching off, not organizing the way I usually do, letting others take charge and maybe responsibility. We finally agree on a plan, book cars, drivers, flights, hotels and lock in our imagination. It’s the German organizational skills with Israeli prudence (including financial) that bring things together (Will and Sabina are off German origin).

Sandstorms and hailstorms

They came together, in the space of 20 min from each other. We plan to stay overnite at the Karakul Lake. A romantic prospect of overnight stay at a yurt (Mongolian tent, round in shape, laid out with carpets, cushions, quilts and sometimes a fireplace in the middle). We hop on camels and go riding around the lake when the black clouds stretch over the horizon. The sandstorm starts soon after, the temperature drops to zero, the wind is unforgiving to our cameras and eyes. I spit out sand in spite of not having opened my mouth. Then the hail comes, probably the result of the sudden temperature drop. We escape to the only restaurant here, serving bland and boring Chinese food, with most things on the menus not available. Lousy food comes out 45min later, putting us all in a bad mood and the romantic idea of a night in a yurt dwindles away. Yifat and I have seen more dramatic landscapes, so the Karakul drive is filled with far less ‘wows’ per square mile for us. It’s pretty here but not amazing. We play word games on the way back and drink shots of my Polish vodka Zobrowka to cheer up.

Surfing the dunes

We head out to the dunes. This is the first time I see dunes, first time get to roll in them, attempt to surf them. We have beers wrapped in sleeping bags and we manage to keep them cold till we get there, which is a 5-hour ride from Kashgar. On the way, we stop by another a local market. Love the fact that people ignore us. We stock up on some dodgy tobacco, cigarette paper and smoke away. I break my promise taken in August 01.

I ate half a sheep

On day 4 I have a serious aversion to meat. We see fresh vegetables in the markets, but not in the restaurants. Getting a fresh salad is not easy. The local diet makes me develop eczema around my elbows, my body craving the nutrients it’s accustomed to. The local population lives on lamb, bread, yoghurt, wheat and egg noodles. I’m glad Brenda is not here, she would have suffered.

Married at 15

Will and I take out the bikes and cycle around Kashgar and beyond, exploring the local villages. We stop by a dilapidated mosque and a local grape farmer comes forth and very persuasively invites us to his house. His wife makes us tea and brings bread. They insist we must stay and eat dinner with them. I feel like we need to run before their give their lives away. They were married when she was 15, she’s now 33 but looks 40. He’s 34 and looks 45. It must be the harsh sun that carves out the wrinkles on their kind faces. Insisting that we must go back to meet our friends, she gives me her head scarf as a leaving present. Offering cash is an insult, so we stuff the money in their boy’s hand. I take many shots, sending them to this family will make the village talk.

Setting new benchmarks

Kashgar has set the lowest benchmark for a massage, wine and accommodation.
In spite of being assured that this is not a brothel, we walk into a room plastered with posters from big-booby-land and who-makes-out-like-this poses. It was already 1am Beijing time (and 11pm local time) when we got there, noticing that the place was getting ready for business. I surrender to whatever will come next and suffer the consequences. Worse massage ever, by a stupid and crude girl. This is why any massage session from now on will be a delightful experience.

The second benchmark is our accommodation – we got stuck for one night with little options but to take a mental hospital look-alike room in a basement of our hotel. Some of us developed asthma from the dust and fungal growth on the walls. It was a room to remember, and some funny photo shots of Will strapped in a ‘straitjacket’, and Yifat with a tag hanging off her foot like in a morgue. How else to reflect the moment?

Travelling with the Experts

My 5 friends all live in Shanghai, speak Mandarin at different levels, love China and the Chinese people, are curious and adventurous people. They do not ask the questions that every novice would; “why is it this way here?” “why can they not repair this and think like that?”. Applying our Western logic is useless and frustrating in China. Instead, we merge with the local environment and seize the moment. It works well for us. The locals love my friends who are bargain crazy, joke and tease them. I feel like a white barbarian, unable to connect the same way. Instead, I do my usual animation and it works to some extent.

What would I have done differently had I traveled alone? I would have done less of the car-sight-hotel travel and gotten away from civilization. I need to be taken away from my comfort zone to feel good, I need drastic changes to feel like I’m on a holiday, I need to push my mental and physical limits to feel good. You know, the usual Magda.

I’ve been a passenger on this trip, not the usual driver. Every girl needs to be taken on a Cadillac spin once in a while.

Urumqi - getting there and walk-abouts

2006-05-16T18:37:00.000+08:00

This is the famous excercise routine on Shenhzen Airlines.

Baby Steps Around Kashagar - Old Town

2006-05-16T18:22:00.000+08:00

The Girl Has a Room with a View!

They Slaughtered a Lamb for Us

2006-05-16T18:15:00.000+08:00

On the way to Ali's House... Beautiful Emptiness.

Kashgar Sunday Market - Livestock

2006-05-16T14:13:00.000+08:00

Kashgar Sunday Market - Goods

2006-05-16T14:04:00.000+08:00

2006-05-16T13:57:00.000+08:00

Ice cream maker

Step 1: Negotiate.

Step 2: Pack it.

On the Way to Karakul Lake

2006-05-16T13:52:00.000+08:00

A Day in The Sand Dunes

2006-05-16T13:41:00.000+08:00

Turpan - Local Markets

2006-05-16T13:32:00.000+08:00

Local Grape Farmer's Family

2006-05-16T13:26:00.000+08:00

Local mosque where we met the grape farmer

Ugur Wedding Reception

2006-05-16T13:22:00.000+08:00

Our Hotel in Turpan

2006-05-16T13:16:00.000+08:00

Our Hotel Facade

Basement of our Hotel - setting the standards for worse hotel room ever; dusty and moldy. Resembling a mental institution.

Emin Mosque, Turpan

2006-05-16T11:05:00.000+08:00

Bouncing around Turpan

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Bouncing around Turpan

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Jiaohe Medieval Town, off Turpan

2006-05-15T22:28:00.000+08:00

Final scenes and memories

2006-05-15T22:14:00.000+08:00

In Search of Aussie Beaches in HK

2006-04-18T14:11:00.000+08:00

You know how you find Irish blokes looking for an Irish pub in India, or an Americans for a McD in Monaco. Well, my Aussie friends come to HK and look for the most idyllic beaches that may just about resemble a good Aussie beach. And they find them too!

It was a fantastic day. Next mission: camping just like on Stradbroke (off Brisbane, of course!). Can take them away from Oz, not the Oz from them. Love Sarah & Jonathan!

Flat head would be great

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in the Air

2006-04-18T13:26:00.000+08:00

Being in a new place like HK is like starting with a blank sheet of paper. There is nothing on it, hence on one hand the opportunities, and a slow start on the other. Then Catherine IM-ed me that she's sick and tired to sleep alone, and "what was that portal again that Ann joined?". So we both did. While I will probably comment on it later on, Catherine should be all in smiles. Her experience is somewhat reminiscent of Ann's - straight to the point, quick, decisive, with no BS. They both seem to know what they want and are going out to get it.

Catherine is my friend from Malaysia, an English girl, raised in Nairobi and Trinidad. She and I have very similar jobs, both work as strategic planners at ad agencies, except she's focused on one major client, while i'm spread on a few strategic ones. We became good friends, and clicked instantly. I liked her no-nonsense, head-on-the-shoulders personality, yet really warm, beautiful, expressive, passionate and indulgent in any good spur-of-the-moment adventure.

She went missing for a few days, only to come back and tell me she just got back from India, met A in person and are talking serious stuff now. We spoke on Skype for a couple of hours exchanging our online dating experiences. She cracked me up, totally, literally, deeply. It's good to see your friends so happy, in a rational sort of way, not over the top. With A's looks close to the Indian God, Sharukh Khan, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai story it is!

I don't need a reason to go back to India, as i love it too much, but Catherine may accelerate it. I relented the whole 'indian experience' while being married, only to come to love it, appreciate it and enjoy sharing it now. Life is fascinating.

Listen to the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai soundtrack here:
http://ww.smashits.com/music/hindi-film/songs/1169/kuch-kuch-hota-hai.html

Playing House in HK

2006-03-27T23:38:00.000+08:00

I'm finally done with the move. Having a home again brings me enornous pleasure. Commuting to work is 1 hr, compared to the 7 min walk to the serviced apartment I survived for 4 months. Yet, I feel alive again.

OK, I've been asked about my new apartment, so took a few very quick pix. The views are superb, althought the weather has been crap lately, so you won't get the 'wow' factor. They say it's a typical spring day in HK. I'm sure it gets better than that!

I've decided to settle for Discovery Bay which offers great views, fresh air compared to HK Island, some good outdoor activities, no-car policy and some great mountain biking trails. On the down-side, it's known to be a white-men's land with an expaty atmosphere, pilots'-wives fish bowl parties, women who only breed children (nothing wrong, I just may not relate..). And of course Jonathan giving me the shits about going to the 'dark side', wherever that is! I got to love it here, and this is it.

Anyway, take a look, and come and visit me.

Love, Madzia.

Last Saturday in KL.

2006-03-11T18:23:00.000+08:00

18 years in Malaysia and it all came down to one evening. Saturday was not an easy night for me. Friends who have made the biggest impact on my life were there, which was most important. Ex-husband almost made it, but lost the restaurant address and went looking all over Bangsar for 'any farewell party'. As usual, the gang could not do away with a show and some surprise, all choreographed by Ann. Monika, Soraya, Dean, Reena, Raphael, Andrew, Marjan all conspired. I held it together till they sang 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' with revised lyrics.   They pulled out some old photos, which made me realise what a bunch of clowns we are.   Not having your family close to you makes your closest friends your family. This is what Monika, Ann and Soraya are to me. I realised it even more that night. Our life paths may divert, the bond will remain.

From that evening.

Monika, Ann and Reena's 'performance'

'Leaving on a Jetplane' with some interesting lyrics
(I dont know about the Chinese men, Ann!)

From the Farewell Album

2006-03-11T18:05:00.000+08:00

Sado & Maso Parties

2006-03-11T18:01:00.000+08:00

From the Farewell Album - Filming 'Corporate Raiders'

2006-03-11T17:56:00.000+08:00

Album Photos

2006-03-11T17:48:00.000+08:00

From the Farewell Album

2006-03-11T10:56:00.000+08:00

Digital Media Rocking

2006-02-24T22:16:00.000+08:00

Pixel Media organised a New Year party for the key agencies and got ICQ to refresh everybody's memory what exactly is it that they did again (I last logged on 8 yrs ago!). It's all refreshing - last year an event like this would have attracted 20 people. This year, 100 people turned up, many of whom were clients, desperately looking for means to cut thru the media clutter. How do I talk to the kids? Why is my DM not working for me? Because you gotta change. I love our industry. So little people understand it, and so many now need it.

From left: Eric Ng, our Innovation & Tech Officer, ICQ's dudes, Jennifer Chua heading up Disneyland's Strategic Marketing and moi.

The Cambodian Oddysey in Time

2006-02-11T16:30:00.000+08:00

I’ve been putting off writing about Cambodia for too many days now. I thought I would blog as I travel – that didn’t happen. I like to write, but had to desire to do so this time. Could it be the outcome of how I felt in Cambodia, or about Cambodia? Could it be the people that I met. Could it be the partying and socialising that took those evening hours away. Or maybe I was just recuperating from a very crazy Nov/Dec 05. I say a combination of all of the above. Here is why.

An Inspiration. Perhaps Not.

You hear endless times how a writer, poet, painter goes to a place and finds an immense inspiration in the beauty of a place and its people which make his artistic years most prolific. I found this inspiration in India. Cambodia however had the reverse effect. I’ve been pondering hard if I should deliver it so bluntly, and ended giving up subtleness, as this is my blog, not a Lonely Planet entry. My comments may be highly unfair, but reflect my personal feeling about the place. I’ve traveled a fair bit, love and understand Asia better than most western travellers, hence I let my gut feel take over.

In short, the devastation of the country caused by Pol Pot is immense and the effects omnipresent. People are extremely simple, mostly uneducated, yet very kind and forgiving. They crave knowledge. I met people at Prema’s college who travel for hours every weekend to attend classes. Pol Pot killed the entire intelligencia, sparing only the least intellectually-engaged. Every village has a squad of men with missing limbs. Many are harmless beggars in bigger towns, some get help from the various NGOs in form of prosthetics and skill training. People are extremely kind and happy given what they went through in only recent years. Sometimes I look at people – like a family on a motorbike, all squeezed up to fit in 5, kids in torn and dirty clothes, all in smiles. People here are happier than an average New Yorker. You can’t escape the pathos – the only books available on Cambodia are about the killing fields, child abuse, teenage prostitution, Pol Pot explained etc. I brought no book with me, and ended up buying none of those.

Another thing that struck me about Cambodia was the lack of a strong identity. The say Khmer food, Khmer massage, Khmer silk. Truth is, it’s all parts taken from either Vietnamese and Thai culture, with slight Chinese influences – in its cuisine, clothing, music. This is why Angkor Wat carries such huge significance to the Khmer people – this is the one thing that sets them apart from their powerful and intimidating neighbours. I also felt that people live in an inertia; take the fact that all fruits and vegetables are brought from Vietnam and Thailand.

Going Local.

I regularly ventured out to the local markets, first in Siem Reap, then in Battambang. I fear nothing, and love to try everything, so went for it. Had no idea what I ate many times. Thought if Raph ate a worm I gotta do the cricket – and I did (see pic). Very crunchy, slightly nutty, not disgusting at all. I ate many dinners just by grabbing food off the stalls, ordering by pointing at my neighbour’s bowl, standing and eating, making locals giggle. Most foreigners come and photograph the markets, dare not eat. This became part of my amusements, to look at the travellers’ faces and deciphering the ‘she’s gonna get soooo sick”. Never did. Loved it.

Later on, in the town of Battambang I did a one-day cooking course of Khmer food. We made amok, beef lok lak and a banana flower salad. The guy running the show is great – he takes us to the market, explains every peculiar looking item. Having lived in Asia for so long, there are still things I don’t know – like small round things in green curry are baby eggplants. Did you know it?

Doing what you can.

It makes you so angry that one individual could bring so much devastation to his own people. The number of handicapped people was making me tearful each time I walked back to my guesthouse – it was a prosthetics workshop and a training centre for the handicapped. So many young, capable men there, waiting to get their lives put together again. I was told by many not to give money, as the NGOs have a bad reputation. I had no time to figure out what else to get and how to organize delivery, so donated anyway.

I hopped around my room later that day to see what it felt like to have no leg. It felt terrible and enslaving.

I saw a blood-donation book at our guesthouse, so went and donated blood with Paula the following day. Offered them to take more, but they say I will collapse. Apparently you should donate 350ml only every 4 months (and 3 months for men).

On my last nite in Siem Reap, I had enough of partying and went to have a quiet dinner by myself. I sat outside, and left my banana-flower salad and a mango salad half-finished, together with an untouched bowl of rice. The little beggar boys were eyeing my plates, so I asked them to come over and help me finish the food (see pic). A French couple sitting diagonally across from me were visibly outraged at the prospect of dining in the company of beggars. They could only be upset for 3 minutes, as this is how quickly the food vanished from the plates.

People asked me how different this place and the whole experience from India. I think one thing people don’t realize about India that the society has a minimal support system – from the filthy rich, the good-doing, the god-loving or god-fearing for the pariahs and the under-privileged. I felt I saw far less of that in Cambodia - as if your own people where just left on their own all the way, as if they lived in too much of an inertia. Almost as if the responsibility of rebuilding the country lied with others.

Angkor Wat

What can I say – just go and do it. It’s worth it. It’s grand, it’s mysterious, it deserves large respect, it’s full of surprises and moods that no lens can deliver. There are ways to avoid the crowds – just avoid the peak morning hours and evening craze of Japanese and Korean groups. I took a mountain bike and cycled the area for 2 days. Angkor Wat is a whole complex of temples and canales, there are enough temples to keep one busy for 2-3 days. The bike ride was reminiscent to cycling Bali – empty roads, local life unnoticed by most travelers, the freedom to stop where you want, the beauty of being closer to it all.

One highlight for me was stopping by a local school – I was surrounded by 15 kids in 2 minutes. I got them to yell out “Ole!” and took some shots (see pic). Had to surrender all my pens, lip balm, sweets, chewing gums, tissues, scrapbook. They wanted my camera filters too.

Day 3 in Angkor Wat wasn’t spent on land, but air –I hopped on a chopper to get an aerial perspective of Angkor Wat. That was great fun, as first time in a chopper, a cute pilot too. We were supposed to get Angkot Wat with an orange sunset, but the air was too hazy due to the dry season and local fires.

People, people.

Met people who I think I will remain friends beyond this trip. Paula sat behind me on the flight and knocked me too many times to say ‘no’ to sharing a taxi to the guesthouse. Paula is your English version of Bette Midler, or my aunt Joanna. Hilarious, loud, easy-going, witty, spontaneous. BIG. Tells me about the 24-yr-old she shagged in Argentina for 4 months without leaving the room. She is 43. Through her I meet a bunch of crazy off-road bike riders who thrive on finding, mapping and riding the most remote and virgin jungle treks in Cambodia. They all seem to have a lifestyle pattern: kick-ass for 6 months back home, earn the dough, then ride Cambodia for the next 6. I boast to them how my friend Guy Ermer used to be the top dirt-bike rider in Malaysia. I spare them the crash story.

In need to move on from Siem Reap, I decided against the beach option. Every time I go to a beach (don’t remember when..) I remember nothing from those few days and bring nothing back. I jumped on a boat to Battambang, going through some very picturesque river scenery, with everything you can imagine floating – from homes, to police stations, hog farms, crocodile cages, karaoke joints to mini-football fields. On the boat I sit next to a typical north-european girl giving me her logical, highly structured, predictable, trivial and beyond all; fucking boring stories of her life and her camera problems. I escape her claws to the top deck, risking a sun burn, but meeting 6 great guys I end up spending the rest of the very long day. 2 well-travelled German guys working for Siemens Beijing, 3 Finns and Will, a Canadian. The boat ride takes 11 hours instead of the promised 5, but no complains when you are in good company. The Finns pulled out a bottle of whiskey which we ended up finishing in the blazing sun. I was very hung-over from the nite before, and a day after the blood donation. In spite of that, we ended up doing dinner, pool games, and a Khmer-only disco till 2am. We danced to the most brutal saddo-techno sounds, then covered a few slow numbers to the Khmer love songs. Will lives in Shanghai and tells me how he plans to see Xinjiang province in May. I’m all excited and want to go too – this is the place Catherine and I have been dreaming of doing a … weekend in –the famous Sunday Market which has hardly changed for the past 1000 years.

Educating Magda

“I’m going to Cambodia” I said. “You have to visit my cousin who teaches English there!” tells me very good friend Ann Tan in KL. This is why I ventured out to Battambang and not the beach, in search of the real Cambodia, the real issues. I met Prema, Ann’s cousin. She’s found her calling in Cambodia; teaching, helping the local people. She talks about how she did not fit in in Malaysia. The transformation of her students and the mark she can make on their lives is what keeps her here. It’s not just about the English language, as it’s only a tool – it’s about what you do with it, in a community, how you develop yourself, what skills you can enquire using this language. I didn’t get the full drift at first. By talking to her cousins (Jeevan, Raveena and Satchin), the other element surfaced – the religious aspects of these activities. I was confused about how I felt about it – I have a huge disliking and distrust to anything concerning religion, hence I kept thinking “this is manipulation”. My own experience from the catholic church, their preaching, the guilt-trips, the abuse, the brain-washing has left a scar forever.

‘We are of the Baha’i religion.” Never heard of your religion. “You know the Lotus Temple in Delhi?” Yeah, now I remember, in fact I blogged about it in September 05: “I head for Bahai Temple. It’s a miniature of Sydney’s Opera House, represents lotus patels opening up. The outside board reads it’s a place for all religions to worship and find god. I see nuns, muslim traditionalists, hindus and me all sitting in silence, appreciating the calmness of the place.” I also remember how I felt – totally loved sitting there. The lack of prejudice, openness to new and foreign has always inspired me, and made me want to be with like-minded people. But because I’m anti-establishment when it comes to religions, I pick their brains and challenge my young Baha’i friends. Jeevan is the ‘crusader’ of their believes – patiently deflects my cheeky comments (‘this MTV generation, what’s wrong with you guys, going to religious camps?’). They are well grounded, very smart, fun-loving kids . And they tell me that the Baha’is don’t shag before marriage. I think they need some reforms.

On a more serious note, I have to say I’m very intrigued to know that there is a religion which welcomes people of all religions to their house of worship, shows such acceptance and takes a more contemporary view on today’s world. Jeevan asks me to pick up some Baha’i music CDs in KL – I’m not sure if I’m ready for such a move – hearing about it is one step closer to practicing any religion for me. I need one step at a time.

On the last nite in Battambang we go back to Prema’s place and have a Bhangra party. We blast the music from my iPod. It takes a Polish chick to get the young ones to dance bhangra– they would rather listen to Coldplay. Ehsan (Pakistani, teaches English, also a Baha’i) is delighted. We then pull out Prema’s sari, assuming under my assurance that I know/remember how to tie it. A photo shoot follows, with fans and wind in the hair.

I take a taxi back to Siem Reap; the most dusty road with visibility sometimes less then 5m, and a mad driver. I put on my iPod, play my fav tunes, thinking if I die, at least with some great music.

Finally,
My comments and observations are very personal and people who love Cambodia will highly disagree with many of my conclusions. I operate a lot on intuition and conclude that Cambodia and I may not have the synergy. Yet, it is a country one should visit at least once. I’m glad I did it.

First Steps in Siem Reap

2006-02-11T16:08:00.000+08:00

Siem Reap Dares & Markets

2006-02-11T15:43:00.000+08:00

Entering the World of Angkor Wat

2006-02-11T14:55:00.000+08:00

2006-02-11T14:47:00.000+08:00

Angkor Wat in Colours

2006-02-11T14:41:00.000+08:00

Khmer Royalty

2006-02-11T11:19:00.000+08:00

These kids live around Angkor Wat, they are believed to be the descendants of the Khmer rulers.

Riding Angkor Wat and thereabouts

2006-02-11T11:01:00.000+08:00

Ta Prohm

2006-02-11T10:55:00.000+08:00

Preah Palilay & Bayon

2006-02-11T10:48:00.000+08:00

Angkor Wat from the skies

2006-02-11T10:38:00.000+08:00