X'mas Gifts

My harvest of xmas gifts this year, haha. Not many, but each one precious and thoughtful. Thank you, friends!

“Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends.”

The Christmas Shoes

It was almost Christmas time
There I stood in another line
Tryin' to buy that last gift or two
Not really in the Christmas mood

Standing right in front of me
Was a little boy waiting anxiously
Pacing 'round like little boys do
And in his hands he held a pair of shoes

His clothes were worn and old
He was dirty from head to toe
And when it came his time to pay
I couldn't believe what I heard him say

Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful, if Mama meets Jesus tonight



He counted pennies for what seemed like years
Then the cashier said, "Son, there's not enough here"
He searched his pockets frantically
Then he turned and he looked at me

He said Mama made Christmas good at our house
Though most years she just did without
Tell me Sir, what am I going to do
Somehow I've got to buy her these Christmas shoes

So I laid the money down, I just had to help him out
I'll never forget the look on his face when he said
Mama's gonna look so great

Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my Mama, please
It's Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size
Could you hurry, sir, Daddy says there's not much time
You see she's been sick for quite a while
And I know these shoes would make her smile
And I want her to look beautiful, if Mama meets Jesus tonight

I knew I'd caught a glimpse of heaven's love
As he thanked me and ran out
I knew that God had sent that little boy
To remind me just what Christmas is all about


A beautiful song with a little message, perhaps to remind us all of the true spirits of Christmas.

Time has passed quickly, and sooner than we thought, everyone's favourite season is here again. I guess it carries different meanings for different people. What does Christmas mean to you? What memories has it brought back for you?

Here's wishing everyone a Happy Christmas.

Listen to the song here:

單車環島日記

Some things in life - if you don't do them now, you'll never do them, ever.

That's the message that hits home after watching "Island Etude" (練習曲), a film from Taiwan by En Chen (陳懷恩).


It is a simple story of Ming, a young man who decides to embark on a solo 單車環島 journey before he graduates from college.

With nothing more than a rucksack and a guitar on his back, the young man sets off on his racer bike from 高雄, and braves the weather to cycle east-to-west (counter clockwise) round the island of Taiwan.

His destination: 高雄, where he started.


Although he can speak a little, we found out that Ming is actually hearing-impaired since young. Through his eyes, the film captures slices of countryside life and scenery around the island during his soul-searching trip.

Through his earnestness for life, we are introduced to the various idiosyncratic and zany people he meets during the 7-day round island trip. From each encounter, we learn a little about life and its philosophy.


As he cycles past 漢本 train station, he encountered a European tourist from Lithuania who missed her train to 花蓮. From her, we got to know that her country has no mountains as she appreciates the beauty of the Taiwanese mountains. As her train finally arrives and they bid farewell, the audience is let into her thoughts as she contemplates: "We all come into this world, traveling alone. Even with a companion, we would go our separate ways."

My friend Autumn who shared with me this DVD, he also shared with me the words of Czeslaw Milosz, a Polish poet who received a Noble Prize in Literature. In "Temptation", the poet wrote (translated):

每個人都是獨自的旅行
即使有人相伴
也將會各分東西
遇到你不是必然的結果
即使沒有遇見你
我也會和其他人相遇

A rather gloomy and pessimistic outlook in life, don't you think? :)


When Ming arrives at 宜蘭, I learnt a little about the origin of Sayon's Bell (莎韻之鐘), a bell structure built there. According to history, during the Japanese occupation at Taiwan in 1930s, a little Japanese girl drowned after she fell off the bridge in the mountains amid treacherous weather, as she was helping her teacher to carry his luggage. Touched by the story, the Taiwanese government built a bell tower as remembrance for the little girl called Sayon.


Have you heard about Jonathan Livingstone? Jonathan is not afraid to be different from the rest. He got tired of fighting over food with the others, so he decided he will not conform - he decided to fly alone to pursue his ideals, despite ridicule from others. His only hope is to be able to fly higher and farther. Jonathan Livingstone is the name of a seagull. This is the inspiring story that Ming learns at 八斗子 near 基隆, where he met a day-tripping family. Incidentally, 八斗子 is apparently the only place in Taiwan that you can get to see sunrise and sunset!



To set the backdrop of the story, the director Chen takes his time to create the atmospheric serenity of the scenic locations. Stretching almost 2 hours, this film boasts of breathtaking coastal scenery around the island, a part of Taiwan not many get to see. There were several awe-inspiring landscapes that look better than postcard photographs!

During Ming's journey, although speaking little, he shares with the audience his thoughts as words from his journal are flashed on the screen at different chapters. For example, on the start of day 5, we see a shot of peaceful waves lapping on the shores at the break of dawn. Accompanying journal entry on the screen:

第五天：林口

海潮聲 像一種和我對話，一種呼吸 。。


In the "making of" feature in the DVD, the writer-director shares that the Ming character is inspired by someone he met some years back. He also explains that the odd chinese title was actually the working title of the film, but stuck after he realized how oddly apt it becomes during the course of writing it.

練習曲 refers to the tune that Ming practises regularly on his guitar. Although hearing-impaired, he embraces the beauty and sound of music and attempts to weave the symphony of life into his silent world.

To a teacher he met in a small town, he scribbled these words on a piece of paper to share his passion for music:

“彈吉它，就像是一個箱子裡面敲敲打打，像是一個還沒組合好的音符，任我彈彈音樂，我自己就不會寂寞。。。”

Life's a journey of constant learning and living to the fullest, limited only by one's own perception. Like the director says, every travel opportunity or every trip forms part of our life's journey, and provides a valuable opportunity for 學習 and 進修.


I feel that the film has spoken to me on many levels.

Besides the coincidence that my middle name is also Ming, the picturesque landscapes during the road trip captured my mind instantly. And although I am a little hard of hearing myself and do feel frustrated for it sometimes, I feel fortunate that I do not need a hearing aid like Ming does.

I love traveling. And I enjoy music. I often look back on the days that I did not treasure the opportunity to pick up piano as a little boy. I have all these years harboured the thought of picking up piano or guitar or even a third language, or pursuing my passion for photography, but never really got around to doing it.

Yes, indeed...

有些事現在不做，一輩子都不會做了。。。

不是嗎？

更好的人

我的青春　也不是没伤痕
是明白爱是信仰的延伸
什么特征　人缘还是眼神
也不会预知爱不爱的可能


保持单身　忍不住又沉沦
兜着圈子来去又是苦等
人的一生　感情是旋转门
转到了最后真心的就不分


有过竞争　有过牺牲　被爱筛选过程
学会认真　学会忠诚　适者才能生存
懂得永恒　得要我们　进化成更好的人


我的青春　有时还蛮单纯
相信幸福取决于爱的深
读进化论　我赞成达尔文
没实力的就有淘汰的可能


我的替身　已换过多少轮
记忆在旧情人心中变冷
我的一生　有几道旋转门
转到了最后只剩你我没分


有过竞争　有过牺牲　被爱筛选过程
学会认真　学会忠诚　适者才能生存
懂得永恒　得要我们　进化成更好的人


懂得永恒　得要我们
进化成更好的人　进化成更好的人
　




Words: 小寒 Music: 蔡健雅

Journey

It's a long long journey
Till I know where I'm supposed to be
It's a long long journey
And I don't know if I can believe




When shadows fall and block my eyes
I am lost and know that I must hide
It's a long long journey
Till I find my way home to you




Many days I've spent
Drifting on through empty shores
Wondering what's my purpose
Wondering how to make me strong




I know I will falter
I know I will cry
I know you'll be standing by my side
It's a long long journey
And I need to be close to you




Sometimes it feels no one understands
I don't even know why I do the things I do
When pride builds me up till I can't see my soul
Will you break down these walls and pull me through




Cause it's a long long journey
Till I feel that I am worth the price
You paid for me on Calvary
Beneath those stormy skies




When Satan mocks and friends turn to foes
It feels like everything is out to make me lose control
Cause it's a long long journey
Till I find my way home to you
To you






(Words & Music: Corrinne May)

Cold Turkey

"I Dream of Turkey."

The tourism slogan is a promising one, and I found myself awaiting with eager anticipation the arrival of my trip to the land of the Turks.

Turkey inevitably conjures up all things exotic, intriguing, and mysterious - no doubt helped by the fact that the country has one foot set in Europe and the other in Asia.

So, it was with excitement and dreamy eyes that my friends and I embarked on an organised 10-day tour to Turkey for our vacation.


Straddling two continents, Turkey's Asia side is referred to as "Anatolia" or "Asia Minor", and the Europe side is known as "Thrace".

Three bodies of water separate "Asia" from "Europe": the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles. These waters had played a major role in the history of Turkey as they allowed the country to regulate the movement of ships between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.



The influence of the Romans and the Greeks can be felt in this country, the traces of these cultures manifested in the ruins we would see later.

Home to the Ottoman Empire before modern Turkey was founded as a Republic by Kemal "Ataturk" (Father of the Turks) in the 1920s, Turkey is a spiritual place steeped in religious culture and ancient history that dated as far back as 5,000 years and beyond. Turkey now has a 99% Muslim population. In the populated areas, we can probably spot a mosque probably within every one kilometre, sometimes in the middle of nowhere!



Seeing the turkish people on the street, I had a hard time deciding whether they look more European or more Middle Eastern. And it surprised me later to find out that the Turks were actually descendents of people from Mongolia! Ha, bet you didn't know that.






*** ISTANBUL ***
Previously known as Constantinople (before modern Turkey was founded), Istanbul is the biggest city in the country.



St Sophia Museum - One of the great architectural marvels of the ancient world. It was built in the 4th century as a church (St Sophia), then converted to a mosque (Hagia Sophia), and now a museum.



Blue Mosque - It was built some 1,000 years after St Sophia, which sits directly across. The exterior is not actually blue. The name came from the blue tiles found within the interiors of the building. It is unique also because, unlike normal mosques, it has 6 minarets (the tall towers) instead of 4. (Er.. wonder how come only 4 seen in picture above?!) This mosque, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet, is one of the largest religious complexes in Istanbul.



Topkapi Palace - Previous residence of Ottoman Sultans. The grand palace now exhibits imperial treasures, royal antiques, sacred Islamic relics, kitchen, Chinese porcelain, etc.




Grand Bazaar - World famous and probably biggest indoor "pasa malam" with 4,000 shops selling arts and crafts, jewellery, carpets and other souvenirs. A Grand Tourist Trap, if you ask me.




*** ANKARA ***
Ankara - not Istanbul - is the capital of the country.


Ataturk Mausoleum - A huge museum and tomb built in memory of the founder of modern Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, revered by the people to be the Father of the Nation, was also the first president. His recognizable picture (together with the national flag) can often be seen in many places around Turkey. The Ataturk Airport at Istanbul (Asia side) is named after him. There is apparently another international airport built on the Europe side of Istanbul!




*** CAPPADOCIA ***
One of the World Heritage Sites, as listed by UNESCO.


Literally translated as "the land of beautiful horses", Cappodocia is known for its Fairy Chimneys (see above), underground cities, and wine. No horses in sight, but we did spot a camel!

The unique Cappadocian cone-shaped chimney landscape is a result of volcanic eruptions and years of natural erosion. The rocks are firm and yet strangely soft enough for men to carve and create dwellings, monasteries, churches and underground cities many years ago.

They are indeed awesome and fascinating sights to behold! I can't help but wonder if this is where Gaudi got his inspirations for his famous Spanish architectural designs.



At Cappadocia, the only 2-night city stop in the iternarary, we stayed at a little town called Urgup. As our hotel Perissia is perched on high ground, it has a huge mezzanine outdoor "balcony" area that commands a breathtaking view of the town.




Underground City of Kaymakli - In the 7th century, as many as 10,000 Christians once hid in these underground tunnels to avoid being persecuted by the Romans. These narrow dwellings extend at least 8 floors downwards into the earth. Claustrophobic tourists were cautioned to enter at their own risks.

Even the brave ones were brought only 2 or 3 floors underground to witness the maze of tunnels and rooms that these Christians have carved out and used for an extended period of up to 1 month without surfacing. The local guide said that some people died underneath, not because of lack of air or food, but because of a medical condition brought on by the effect of excessive inhaling of human waste (?!)



Hot Air Balloon - We were promised a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience in the pre-dawn hours of Cappadocia, but all we got was a disappointing one-hour ride on a basket that is obviously too small to carry 23 adults! It didn't fly as high as was promised, and set us back by US$200 per person nonetheless. What was more infuriating was the subsequent discovery that walk-in customers (i.e. not with tour group) pay only US$80! Talk about having a "hot air" experience! Humph!



Goreme Open Air Museum - The region of Goreme is known for its fine rock formations. Here in the valley, you'll see clusters of churches carved out of the chimneys, all located within a nice little park. Among them, we visited Apple Church and the St Babara's Church. Within the interior walls of these early churches and chapels, you'll see "fresco" religious paintings done in fine details, visible even after the passing of time.


Uchisar "Castle" Village - A little "castle" town that has a Piegeon Valley, so named for its nesting holes carved for our little birdie friends.




*** KONYA ***
The city of the Whirling Dervishes.


Melvana Museum - The Mevlevi order is founded here in this city. This is a museum dedicated to the "Whirling Dervishes". Based on Islam and the ideology of tolerance and love, the Mevlevi performed a whirling dance ritual as an act of remembrance of God. During the dance, one hand points skywards (for the God), and the other hand towards the ground (for the people). Started during the ottoman empire, the Mevlevi Dervishes have become a popular tourist attraction today. These Whirling Dervishes are now often used as one of the "icons" featured in commercials and brochures to promote tourism to Turkey.


From Konya, as we headed towards our next stop Pamukkale, we were told that we were travelling on what used to be part of the Silk Road, the ancient trade route used by merchants who made their arduous and demanding journeys on camels across the 8,000km route to trade silk, spices, and other goods.




*** PAMUKKALE ***



"Pamukkale" means "Cotton Castle" in Turkish. Like Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Hierapolis are listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites.


Cotton Castle - Unique formation of petrified calcium cliffs and stalactites. Hot springs found in this region created a natural phenomenon that leave thick white layers of limestone, which cascade down the mountain slope to resemble a frozen waterfall.





*** KUSADASI ***



Ephesus - One of the "Seven Churches of Revelation" of Christianity. Ephesus is another ancient Roman city, originally founded by the Greeks who arrived in the 10th century BC. You get to see the many magnificent ruins, including the famous 25,000 capacity Great Theatre (above), and the Library of Celsius (below), whose picture has been used extensively in books and tourism brochures.


In this city once lived 200,000 people. The ruins here at Ephesus are the best preserved of any Roman site in the Mediterranean. The local guide pointed out that, interestingly, the brothel sits just right across the street from the Library of Celsius. Of course these 2 activities have something in common - both are usually undertaken with great passion! Ha. Anyway, Ephesus is listed by BBC Books as one of the "places to see before you die". Ephesus is incidentally the only place in Turkey listed in the book.


House of the Virgin Mary - We also visited the place (above) where Virgin Mary was believed to have spent her last years. It has become a popular place of pilgrimage today.




*** PERGAMON ***




The Acropolis - Pergamon is also one of the "Seven Churches of Revelation". Our coach travelled up along a narrow road lined up with Olive trees, to reach the Acropolis, located 350m above sea level. Here, you'll see the ancient city ruins, including the 10,000 capacity Theatre, one of the steepest theatres in the world.




*** CANNAKKALE ***

You have heard the tale, read the story, or watched the movie. Here, we got to see the city of Troy for ourselves!


City of Troy and Trojan Horse - Troy, now an archeological site, was an ancient city made famous in Homer's epic poem, the Illiad. Many historical figures like Alexandra the Great, Hector, and Achilles once stood in this city.

We visited the ruins of nine cities that were supposedly built on top of one another, after the earlier one was destroyed. Troy sits in a strategic location near the border of the country, and thus was the cause of envy with the neighbouring Greeks. The guide informed us that much of the Trojan treasures had been taken away to Germany, and that Daimler-Mercedes Benz is currently sponsoring a restoration project for the city of Troy.

We finally saw the fabled Trojan Horse, and wondered aloud how this wooden horse could have managed to fool the Trojans!



Just like the mythical love story of Helen and Paris (the Queen of Sparta and the Trojan Prince), the story of how the Greeks cleverly defeated the Trojans using the horse remained a myth. Till this day, many have wondered if the Trojan War took place, and if there really was a wooden horse or not!

As a little surprise for us, the local guide subsequently brought us to a seaside town where another Trojan Horse stands! We were told that this is the horse built by Hollywood for use in the movie "Troy" starring Brad Pitt. This horse has been brought here and presented to the Turkish people as a gift after the completion of the filming.

Troy is also listed as one of the World Heritage Sites.



Incidentally, Turkey's independence day falls on 29 Oct. During the trip, we can see the national flags (of all sizes) being proudly displayed at almost every home, restaurants, offices, and public areas and buildings. We were told the Turks are allowed to display the national flags all year round. At one point, I almost found it tough not to snap any photo without including the flag!



Just like the one you find on your Xmas platter, Turkey has proven to be rather tough and can be difficult to chew and swallow at times. My 4 main brickbats:

1. Food - in one word - sucks!



The Turkish diet is generally monotonous. Every meal begins with Lentil soup, and the main dishes did not vary very much from the unappetizing piece of meat. We have been warned about the food, still it got pretty unbearable at one point. Even our own stash of MacDonald's chilli sauce didn't help much. And for a "sweet tooth" like me, none of the Turkish desserts could excite my taste buds one bit.


2. Toilets - stink!


This sign probably sums it up! The public toilets are generally atrocious, and you have to pay Turkish 50 cents (=Singapore 60 cents) before you are allowed to hold your breath and step into one of these dirty and stinking holes. We estimated that we must have flushed down at least S$10 worth of toilet trips per person during the trip!


3. Tourists - everywhere!


Always the bugbear for me during vacations. Bus loads of tourists like us were swarming every darn tourist places we visited. The hordes of tourists just ruined the whole joy in the tour, man. The most unpleasant experience in fact happened at one of our very own hotel premises.

At the appointed time, we proceeded to the breakfast venue. To our horror, the whole place was packed with hotel guests. We jostled our way through, hoping to find an empty table but to no avail. So we had to stand and wait eagle-eyed for tables to be vacated, as if we were at a busy food court. Good thing we are all well trained in this aspect back home. All we needed was a pack of tissue paper. Ha.


4. Coaching - taxing!


As the tourist spots were incredibly far apart, long hours of coaching were required. We spent spent an average of 6 to 8 hours on the coach daily. On an average day of 12 waking hours out there (say, 7am - 7pm), half of that was spent with Mr Driver. Our longest coach ride was a tedious 10 hours on one single day. In all, we covered a total distance of 5,000 km within a record 8 days on the road.

The local guide remarked in jest that if we can all endure these long rides in this trip, we would be able to endure ANY rides ANYWHERE, and that we should all be awarded a certificate for it! Bah!



Probably because of its rich history and what I call its "continent identity crisis", it is interestingly to note how Turkey sits at the cross roads, bridging the new and old, East and West - literally. Our tour group landed on Asia, crossed over to Europe, and back to Asia all within one trip.

In fact, while we were going about Istanbul free & easy on the last day of the trip, we saw many public roads closed to motor traffic. As luck would have it, the annual Intercontinental Istanbul Eurasia Marathon was about to take place. Imagine being able to run from one contient to another! I stationed myself strategically at one spot, and my patience was soon rewarded when the first batch of runners came into view round the corner.



So much to complain, what's there to enjoy at Turkey? After all, the food sucks, the coaching is tedious, the toilets stink and cost a bomb to use, and you got to jostle for space with the goddamned tourists!

Well, eventually, amidst the cool weather, we were rewarded with the wonders of nature (and man), we set foot on important historical grounds, we soaked in the rich histrory and sights of ruins of ancient cities, and we sipped apple tea with Turkish delights! In addition, we also kept ourselves warm with hot chocolate and nibbled tasty apple pies with Vanilla ice cream with new friends at Istanbul's Gloria Jeans, alfresco.

And no, I did not take up the Hamam challenge eventually. Spending a total of 24 hours flying to and from the country has failed to convince me that I should at least submit my body to the pleasures of the world famous Turkish Bath.

If the experience is optional, I'll pass on that, lest it turns out to be another turkey with more steaming hot air!!



Well, talking about Turkey, it's Thanksgiving day tomorow (4th Thursday of Nov). Here, I would like to give thanks to the bosses and colleagues at the Super Search Company for the friendships and support they've given me over the past 3 months. Best of luck, and looking forward to the launch next year!