Hua Hin, Relaxin’ & Jazzin’…

Another great hideaway to unwind without going deep down south of the land of smile in just two and a half hours (the fastest) and of course there’s no point of taking that long train travel if you really can’t wait to feel the breeze of the sea and the sands on your feet.

Hua Hin, a thai word meaning Head (hua) and Stone (hin) is one idyll province near Bangkok and preferred by some local and foreigners to take the pleasure of fresh water instead of heading down Phuket or Krabi and mostly not settling down with the densely populated and polluted Pattaya. My first time to feel the place was dated two years ago and went there totally alone without anyone to visit, just me and some fiction books and few plans to horseback and sit-back and relax in the beach.

After stepping off the bus I called-up a motorbike for a less-than kilometer ride to my guesthouse. I can actually take a walk but felt a bit tired from the travel with an asthmatic-like vehicle as it keeps on stopping and exhaling bad smoke from its engine. My small hotel is nice, clean and the reception ladies are very warm as they anticipated my arrival and even invited me to hang-out with them in the bar at night. Past 3 pm in the afternoon after fixing my stuff in the room I went off to marvel the place and looked for some place to buy souvenirs and fed my half-empty stomach that craved for Burger King’s Whopper.

While hanging out in some market place nearby at night, I noticed the place isn’t that much populated with foreigners but mostly with locals, and shops closes earlier than 11 pm in the evening.  Phuket is much busier than this, and very few bars and pubs are seen in the area. But what is very good and enjoyable in Hua Hin aside from the beach, its quick accessibility from Bangkok and more laid back than Pattaya?

Concertssss!!! I mean beside the beach concerts! Either local artists, company sponsored event or this popular Jazz Festival causes much heavy traffic along Petchkasem road going to the usual event place called Khao Takiab (Chopstick Hill in English).  Reading, relaxing and an hour horse-ride at the beach during daytime aren’t the only things I pleasure with no pressure in this place but music and entertainment as well. Big local and international concerts are mostly held here and visited by a huge crowd of party people mostly coming from Bangkok, from kids to adults and senior citizens; some even drag their dogs with them.

Seafood is one good thing about Hua Hin too. Either served in the restaurants or those you can order near the beach are affordable and not bad at all.  For Bangkokians who are content with two days and one night relaxation, this place is a winner.

Image Sources:

http://www.yourasianvacations.com/images/huahin.jpg

http://www.maipaimairoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/jass2009.jpg

Phi Phi Island in Krabi… Plus Me!

This is an insert from my previous blog “Phuket & Me”, after the dinner with friends and before the seafood galore, also with friends.

Leonardo DiCarprio’s “The Beach” made this paradise island so popular and is actually situated in the province of Krabi, definitely NOT in Phuket. You need to take a speedy boat to reach this secluded place from any southeast ports of Phuket island and the tour time isn’t that long and definitely not boring. While traveling there is sightseeing as well, plus snorkeling.

Jazzed with my dark shades on flip flops waiting in front of McDonald, I half-felt like emoting and thinking the tour agent might have forgotten me already as I went so impatiently waiting and excited. I was told to be very early that’s why and realizing its past 15 minutes already, the site of the van to pick me up is nowhere yet. It left me no option but to save my mood better with the usual valid excuse of “it’s Thailand time” or known as D.E.L.A.Y. It’s pretty much same habit in my home country I guess, same same and not different. While contemplating about the meat fondue I had the previous dinner, my mobile rang and it was the van driver on the line asking me where he can possibly pick me up.  I felt like my eyebrows did meet each other as I saw him standing across the street where I was sitting, just beside the van with some loads of people in it.  Waiting for more than 15 minutes without calling me and me daydreaming, it was a total wasted time for both indeed…grrrr.

At the Pier. While payments are being settled before loading into the speedy cute vessel, I uttered my own “Ouch! *with modesty” as one lady almost bury her fingernail onto my chest when she put a tour sticker on my shirt. I almost thought it’s intentional just to wake me up because I was yawning that time feeling sleepy after our travel from the city to the port, but then she apologized knowing she almost stabbed me with that long red thingy on her finger. After each and everyone grinned and said “Cheese” for an individual photo shooting, we departed the port and were briefed about the tour itinerary. Our first stop was in Phi Phi Don, and some passengers were unloaded there and we spent like 10 minutes before heading on the next island. I did really have my own shots in this trip but unfortunately lost them all when I accidentally reformatted my hard drive. Well images from the web always look better than what I got in my digital camera anyway.

Awww…wesome islets and rock formation sights on our way to Phi Phi Leh, breathtaking! After some few minutes we went straight ahead to Maya bay, another startling place to focus and adjust your camera lenses and take your best shot.  We also marveled other places like caves and other small islands before enjoying the swim and the woo-hoo “Splash” of our snorkeling in the monkey bay… the bay highlighted in the movie and yes it is really really alive and kicking down there. Not simply but outstandingly amazing place to bring your esposa or amigas or novio or even your madre y padre to unwind and enjoy the view to forget everything you left behind the city… your work, your pets, your friends and even your unpaid bills.

After an hour and a half given to enjoy the water, the corals and the monkeys, we were all advised to leap back to the ferry on our way back to our first stop in Phi Phi Don to have our lunch.  After the satisfying meal we were allowed again to sit back and relax in the place, swim again if we want for another couple of hours. Most of us walked around and took some photos and shopped for some souvenirs like shirts, displays and shell crafts made by the locals in the island. After getting what I want I settled myself in a small internet café, made myself online in MSN chat and envied almost everyone in my list as I turned the webcam on and waved “I’m in Phi Phi in Krabi!!!”. I have no idea if they all felt happy for me but what matter is I was indeed that time. Well I think they did, I only brag to my close friends anyway.

Back to the Phuket port and after claiming my image on a plate with that “say cheese” thing, I felt so wonderful. I couldn’t believe that I made it in a place where I used to think and dreamed of upon seeing it in a movie.  It was real, and I did it all alone with me, my camera and my guts.

Going down south Thailand is something everyone must anticipate costly. Being in the Phuket proper is expensive enough for the rides, but the stay is more worthwhile if you go down further in Krabi to feel the nature that speaks and leaves a sprint on your heart, refreshing your life for a better restart.

Please do visit!

Images Sources:

http://www.tucantravel.com/listing_images/Koh_Phi_Phi_Island_-_Thailand.jpg

http://reservation.passionasia.com/activities_images/activity_151_1.jpg

http://www.woodlandsphuket.com/snorkeller-shallow-phi-phi-island.jpg

The Phuket & Me

Summer of 2006 and it’s another precious time to celebrate a long vacation here in Thailand. Well of course I’m talking about the Songkran Festival or Thai New Year which falls on the 13^th till 15^th of April. This remarkable 3-day celebration is very much enjoyed every year by the locals and foreigners who find fun throwing and playing water and getting wet, it is indeed! But of course one thing I love about this event is that I have the very good reason to threat myself for a break after a tiring motor show event that comes ahead and yes, my happy birthday falls on the 13^th of the month too.

So, I asked a very good friend to buy me a bus ticket to Phuket five days earlier so I can get a VIP seat on a night travel. On the way to the bus terminal I felt so excited, all things are set, my guesthouse reservation, confirmed my friends of my coming and also yes, the lovely plans to eat tons of seafood were bulleted in my to-do list. As I reached the station, I loaded my ass and my bag…grabbed a nice and warm thick cloth… leaned back and fell into not-so-deep sleep (not so deep because of the few moist drippings coming from the aircon near my seat and I felt like I should have asked for an umbrella ella ella instead of a blanket).

The city finally! Then I’m dumbfounded to reach my guesthouse…how? I have no idea which means of transpo should I pick, the usual tuktuk, a taxi or a motorbike. After some empty-stomach bargaining with those un-bathe drivers I ended-up a ride on a motorbike, cheaper than the rest and I’m just carrying a single bag anyway.  I’m not really comfortable on a 2-wheel bike ride but it left me no option as the others are pegging for an extremely high and unfair price to reach some few kilometers and yeah, it’s always like that in Phuket as my friends said.

I stayed in a very popular area called Patong, 15 kms away from the town proper where everything you see and enjoy in Bangkok are there too. Well not counting some nice mountain views and few steps to the beach, what I mean is the commercial establishments, the shops and the tourists…tons of them (well of course). After arriving in my room and booked myself for an island tour the next day, I hanged out around the place and content myself for some fast served burgers while waiting for the nighttime to meet-up with my friends after work. Fast forward >>>

Dinner time! We ordered fondue, some roast pork and salad to stuff ourselves while listening to some awesome Filipino band that plays there, and I forgot how they call the place.  We really couldn’t find a compromising topic to unite our chats except for designing a website, but a chilling and near the beach meal with a gynecologist, a property lawyer and a web designer (yours truly) is not bad at all. After the dinner we grabbed some coffee in the nearest Starbucks and after reaching the end of web consultation, they sent me back to my place and they headed back home. The next day is my island trip to Krabi, and that I saved in my other blog. Let’s focus on what’s in Phuket.  Skipped >>

After a day of satisfying island trip, I and my friends finally decided to dive-in to the much awaited plan…seafood galore! Ok, I really can’t remember the place (again) but it’s located near the international airport and the freshest of fresh seafood are there, breed in-house. Crabs, squid, fish and few sea shells ordered and later served on the table and the feast went on very well.

Phuket is an island city. You need to drive yourself to its edges so you can possibly explore the beautiful beaches surrounding it. A very friendly advise, come in groups so you can share the cost of renting a car to marvel the place, all kinds of transportation are taking advantage the city’s popularity with high demand on mobility and with that they charge unfairly per few kilometers of trip. Motorbikes are also available for rent, good for folks coming in pairs or just single. If not for my friend’s generosity to tour me around with his car I’m pretty sure I’ll get broke here by just renting any kinds of medium to reach any place I want, and definitely not spent much on food, tour travels or partying.

In fairness to myself after travelling that far down south, I enjoyed my stay in Phuket by just relaxing and eating…and getting wet by ice-cold water. Well aside from the fun of playing water in the daytime during the entire festival, I also enjoyed loitering at night around the streets and bars located in Bang-la area or their own version of the walking street. Some few chats while having beers with the guesthouse owner and some of his lovely guests were funny, gassed with stomach ache with their toilet and sexy jokes. Gays are indeed wonderful companion in almost everything I think… them and my good friends made my stay in Phuket worth remembering!

Image sources:

http://www.tourismzone.com/photos/asia/thailand/phuket/patong-bangla-road-phuket.jpg

http://www.tropicalisland.de/HKT_Phuket_Patong_Beach_Road.jpg

The Grudge (1-3 and the next…if any)

The first, the part 2 and 3 are all incorporated herein as I decided not to waste time analyzing each and every installment seeing the same boy, the crawling lady and arrrrgggh!! Please! I have had enough of that rattling sound!! I was almost summoned to human resource due to massive complains when I set it as my ring tone several years ago. When will the curse of this closet-bitch wife ends as she keeps on victimizing purely innocent people along with their family and even neighbors? Oh well, Takashi Shimizu made me scream out loud with the story, musical scoring, and make-up effects but critic-wise it’s a two thumbs down for me. Really!

Tagline: It never forgives, it never forgets.

Here’s my grudge about this flick. Ok, you are infatuated to a white dude, recorded everything you feel about him in a diary and when your husband read it, he broke your neck and stuck you in the attic. Not just that. He drowned your little boy, gashed a poor kitty’s throat then later took his own life. Even this cutie you’ve been following all the time jumped to his end upon discovering what happened. Now you’re back and cursing anyone to death and what in rage you’re doing this you desperate stalker?!

Kayako – eradicated due to alleged infidelity, proven though diary. According to some laws of karma, what goes around comes around.

Takeo – eradicated through suicide out of guilt due to his wrath. Based on Dante’s 7 deadly sins, you possessed some of it.

Toshio – eradicated but errr…kids should really always be in their room studying, playing games, and taking a nap or early in bed especially when there’s a commotion in the house. Never listen to adult’s conversion. But yeah, the world still owes you something.

The only thing who doesn’t deserve any cruelty in that house is no other than the CAT! It’s just a poor pet with no thinking and so cute and should be the one taking revenge about its horrible fate. This is absurd, let’s get serious.

Innocent souls… how come they deserve such cruelty or hideous end if they just stumble into something out chance? A simple law of karma is missing here. Same as the soul who left the flesh will definitely be back in some time (reincarnation) or waiting for the end of time (revelation) still can’t do anything anymore when gone. This is a movie of humans with unspoken passion, jealousy, guilt and mostly innocence and yet none of them are qualified to grudge and come back slaughtering strangers because of it.  What logical reason they have? All went here is just another mind’s product compared to that willy wonka’s “world of pure imagination” schema again.

But the death rattle sound really made a world-wide scare phenomenon, but still it faded in time. If you want to scream out loud to release stress, then go watch this movie. But if you want to scare yourself with sensible content, go back to Sixth Sense.

*wink

Liar, Liar

He’s a liar. No a lawyer. A liaawwyer… To make it simple, he’s the one in suit, always go to court and talk to the judges.  It’s very hard to conclude if lying is indeed the only legal substance making this career lucrative compared to other profession. Well I guess it depends on how a lie should be curved or twisted to benefit the exploited and not the other way around. Lies are fallback for anything or by anyone who doesn’t conform to reality. Ever since the earth was realized to be two-thirds covered by sea water and the rest is covered by our asses, I may also say it’s atmospherically coated with lies.

Tagline: “Trust Me”

A successful lawyer who takes pride in his work by habitual lying to win a case, intimidating and much respected by his peers suddenly met the day he loathed, a day of no lies! With a broken marriage and very little time spent with his son, Fletcher is one character who warped his own trail of mendacity after realizing what really matters to him and what he will lose if he keeps on failing that line “Trust Me”.

An innocent’s wish out of natural need is one perfect reason for that change. It maybe spurred with fantasy but it give us a picture of how the complication of things can be cut down totally (mostly yes but not partially) only if we get rid ourselves of too much lies, pretension, and denials.  How long can anyone refuse the sincere bids of reality rather than clinging to the sad temporaries of deceit in order to be, happy?

L-L-Lies, aside from the fact a hit song by Diana King (and the Thompson Twins in the 80’s) is also a spurious friendship ingredient where people choose to flatter and be flattered, like a bitter fruit sugarcoated to trick and gets everyone sick.

It easier to lie, why don’t you try? Brag and feed the world of words that
somehow set a fire. A drop of truth hurts but soothesthe mind and all the like,
But lying keeps a tongue unkind and later there’ll be cry.

Only those who fear lie.

M. NIght Shyamalan’s “The Village”

Before I start talking about “those we do not speak of “, finally I already gained the jumpstart of blogging mood in which I severely neglected due to my previous agony of the burdened with the dotnet coding. It made me feel like I was hell scourged, crucified and haven’t completely resurrected yet. The words of praising, critic and mocking are back, and so freshed-up to start with this flick of M. Night Shyamalan where they consider the limelight of his started to shut off and the taste went against the world. Not for me, I like it.

Tagline: “Their Days of Peace Are Over”

A hidden community run by the “Elders” is somehow comparable to that 70’s series “Little House of the Prairie” scenario and life was designed to be simple, peaceful and nailed to be backward. But then along with this composed living they enjoy, they also live in fear and the strolling is limited, or else they might horribly shake hands with the claws of those “creatures” in the woods using their necks. They also have this avoidance of the “bad color”, and an old style kind of yellow ponchos outfit they need to wear every time making a peace offering with those they trespassed.

A man’s curiosity to step out of the rules that almost cost him his life has also paved way for another soul with limited senses but immeasurable love later gave answer and total picture of what is to be really feared from the forbidden.

Can this be like the global term for peace? Where the usual trend of instilling fear within the people is done in real time reporting of uber fabricated stories via all kinds of media that will later create tension, division and of course, another upswing of human ignorance? But how can we instill peace if we use fear to contain things we do not desire of? Opinions will rise politically, academically and socially, and in which I decided not to iterate and speak of in this blog.

Extracted from my onion-skinned thinking, I believe that everything proscribed always has its own way to be let loosed and allowed in a most proper and payable time. But it takes a curious mind to question, a loving heart willing and brave enough to face the uncertain and blindfoldedly fight the world’s “creatures” to defeat fear, and then later save lives.

Am I relating to this? Could be, and that’s why I passion the director!

Dan in Real Life

After making myself some extra long-term plans to be surprised, let me ask then, “what part of this movie is supposed to give me comfort?!” Absolutely I say…all of it! Profound plot, funny and the casting isn’t bad; from the beginning till the end everything went so brilliant. After watching this flick it made me feel like “my heart is just pounding, like it’s actually outside my ribs, exposed, vulnerable, but wonderful and awful, and heartsick, and alive, all at the same time”. I am not exaggerating here, I snatched that line from the movie itself and by fact I also had two extra brewed Americano as I slid the disc in and sat back.

Favorite Tagline: Love is not a feeling, it’s an ability.

A newspaper columnist named Dan along with his three (3) daughters went to a family get-together vacation, and from this very short incident their lives changed drastically nobody has ever anticipated. A widower who is content with what he has and attached to his work suddenly met the woman who awakened him from a very long love-life siesta happens to be the same lady his brother is dating. For what he believe is worth fighting for, he took the risk.

Love just happen … *batting eyelashes*. Some people rested their “chronicle-mi-amor” on a low-profile mode so to allow some space and focus on what they seem is deeming important, career is mostly the reason here. But no matter how long we’ve been resolute to our job and so satisfied caressing that mouse, trusting those keys and running our eyes to that alluring 1024×768 (or more) pixel screen, a surprising moment will just come along and make us feel back that warm or extra warm under-a-new-pair-of-arms sensation!  It also give options to take it or leave it, and the taking requires firm effort that might jeopardize those around us and even our best laid plans. After a long period of not having that feeling, can you perhaps… or still possess that ability to try?

A heart may pause to rest if it’s weary, but never refuse a chance whenever it’s ready. We may feel and we may think it could be love, yet worthless until mutually make a brave start.

The world will hate, hell might break,
but let heaven rate if we can pass its gate.

Keep on loving!

The English Patient

It was 13 years ago when I watched this movie in the theatre. A good friend of mine invited me to see this yet I have no idea what it’s all about, not even familiar of the actors. We left the cinema as my friend dragged me out and decided not to finish it, I don’t know what came into her. For me,  it’s kinda good movie yet emotionally heavy.

Taglines: In love, there are no boundaries. In memory, love lives forever.

Let me focus on the story between Almasy and Katharine, their affair I mean. As I was reading some of my downloaded files from the internet regarding Hindu, Sikh and Buddhism faith, this movie came into my mind when I read the teachings about karma and keypoints about the roots of all human sufferings…attachment.

People have different definition of what love is. From this movie, what existed between Almasy and Katharine is one hell of a cursed one that shouldn’t be admired nor be considered as love. For me it’s a forbidden one, lustful and very selfish. It maybe passion, but not something notable like “The Notebook” and extraordinary like “While You Were Sleeping”. After allowing all those passions burst out and sweetly taste the illegalities of such emotions…who want to spend dying alone in a dark cave or remain lying on bed, unrecognizable because of the I don’t know how much degree of burn he got …360?

It’s very passionate, but very wrong. I’m not trying to be hypocrite in this one but this is somehow made me realize that love is indeed an attachment. Well of course we still need to be in-love…like they said it’s the only way to be happy. Yes for the first few years but when things go unlikely, endure the adversities as well.

But how do we look on a right kind of love? Something that wouldn’t turn us like what happened to Almasy and Katharine? Simple as this: Be sure your partner is single!

Analyze This

“You, you…you took a bullet for me?!”

A very odd friendship between a psychologist and a mafia gang lord, Dr. Ben Sobel and Paul Vitti, but I tell you this is an ideal one if we talk about the necessities of rich and genuine relationship, especially between friends.

Tagline: New York’s most powerful gangster is about to get in touch with his feelings. YOU try telling him his 50 minutes are up.

A mafia gangster who’s suffering from an emotional breakdown, having a hard time doing his usual stuff like… killing? He asked a professional advice from Ben who really went nuts attending to all his whims even to the point of being woke-up in the middle of the night because of his inability to get an erection. From a simple car crash to the exchange of personal secrets, Ben and Paul are an admiring tandem with opposing characters yet made a radical change in their lives including…changing for good.

It does pay when you pay attention to somebody that can possibly lead to something we don’t expect. Ben didn’t look at Paul as a scary gang lord in that sort but somehow a person who just simply needs a professional help. As he perceived him as a helpless individual, he catered his service without judgment in his heart, and yet he proved somehow that in-between him and Paul, he is the Boss.

We sometimes overlook situations we’re facing because we’re too busy looking only to our own needs. We tend to easily ignore people, who we see as less interesting because they aren’t part of a good society, doesn’t fit within our interests, or simply they are not in our priority. But as we close our door to listen to others, we also deprived ourselves a chance to be known and understood. We might just only be contented squatting on our own un-purchased space, unrecognized. But somehow life can be more funny and challenging if we welcome people regardless of their indifference or oddness, we can still learn something from them!

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Jagshemash! Family retardation and sex within the family is not considered funny in America … and anywhere of course! LOL! I chuckle every time this movie enters my mind, and of course I laughed like hell the first time I watched in it DVD (not from cinema). It’s too original with unadulterated plot, side-splitting scenes and … *chuckle* *chuckle*

Kazakhstan…a beautiful country I believe, having those cool mountains and lakes as seen on the movie …and the adorable town Kuzcek. After being introduced to the town mechanic, the town rapist and his sister, Borat is on a mission to visit the US of A to learn things more about the nation’s culture along with his producer, Azamat. But then the mission went unlikely as he fell in love with Pamela Anderson when he saw her on TV then later convinced his producer to go to California instead to locate and marry her.

On the way to California, Borat met different kind of people from politicians, hip-hoppers, homosexuals, evangelists and even a prostitute. His journey made him understand what the country has to offer, the realities and experienced it by him self and not just through scheduled interviews and meetings as planned. And what did he learn that would benefit his country Kazakhstan? Nothing. Haven’t been in America yet I already concluded that it’s no superior country among the others; they also have their own hardships and good days to deal with, just like the rest. Culture adaptation is not that easy to embrace, as for American culture is for Americans just like Asians for Asian culture.

He went back home along with a new wife and an I-pod. But he also brought with him a lesson that he learned during his stay in the USA, the ups and downs…the fight with his producer, and especially the fact that he just can’t put a woman on a sack because he wants to marry her. So sad there is no sequel for this!