Freedom

I like to take photos. Wherever I go, I usually bring my camera to take some snapshots. I like to captivate face expressions, daily life or people passing by, their work, but also nature, a nice sunset on the beach or mountain, buildings, temples, modern life as well as ruins.

My camera is digital, I bought a standard model and I am thinking that it would be nice to switch to a professional one. I am not a professional, I have no idea about photography, but I still enjoy taking pictures as part of my hobbies and would love someone to teach me how to take professional photos!

Basically I like to observe, to see people walking around, wherever I go I am often fascinated to see how every single human being has its own life, work, attitude, friends, values in life.

Once I was walking around in Shinjuku station in Tokyo. I got completely lost trying to find the proper exit at a pick hour, and I still remember how crowded the station was in every single direction I took in the corridors! The station is simply amazing, it has several levels of depth and sections, so many subway and train lines...

When I stopped by to check the proper direction and realized I was simply one more human among them, among all this crowd, I felt how amazing life is and how difficult it would be to know all these people in depth, what they do, why they were there at the same timing.

I had a similar feeling when some months ago I was going to attend the Thaipussam festival in Malaysia. The trains to go to the Batu Caves were really crowded, but at that time I felt easier since I knew people was going to attend the festival, so at least we had something in common! :).

When you become aware that in such crowded places people around you has all different lifes and thoughts, the feeling of human being is on one side minimized when you think of your own person at the same time its greatly expanded when you think of humans as a global being.

It's amazing when, observing all these people, you imagine that even they look so different and busy, we kind of share same things, information, timing, situations, feelings. And then you feel that you are just a small part of this world.

Sometimes I wish I could get to know all of these people in depth, what they think, who they are.

But since this would be an impossible mission, I try to captivate their expressions by observing, taking photographs of people walking around, buildings, anything that can let me feel how people life is and how life is being lived different in every place at a different timing.

I wish I could see everything in this world, I wish I could feel all the nature healing me after an exhausting day, enjoy daylight and night moon, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, trees, sand, wherever I go, I can find freedom enough to feel and see how life goes on in every single detail.

No particular photos to display today, I just selected some to accompany the text... also I have opened the blog to public access so now everybody can post comments without any need of registration.

As every of us are different, these comments are also free, even I don't know who you are, we might have just passed through walking in the street somewhere. Opening the blog to public comments is also a good way to know people, so

feel free to post any comment, as long as it doesn't harm anyone :). Enjoy the freedom!

Never walk alone

Perhentian Islands, located in the north part of Malaysia, almost in the border of Thailand, are a well known destination for tourists and divers, who can enjoy the clarity of its water and beautiful underwater species.

A few days ago I went there for a weekend, with my coworkers and friends, rented a car from Kuala Lumpur to Perhentian that took us almost nine hours to reach because of the traffic jam... if I did the same thing in Spain, drive 9 hours to go to the beach, for sure I would be regarded as a fool!! (especially when the nearest beach to my place is just 30 minutes drive...!!)

Anyway...the trip was very nice, and there were many activities such as snorkeling, diving, kayak rental, trekking,... even the weather was a bit cloudy on the first day, it was good because I didn't get sun tanned and this time, unlike when I went to Tioman, I didn't look like a red lobster after all!

The friends with whom I went were also really nice and all together had a good time, taking a break from work spending the weekend far away from Kuala Lumpur where we usually stay.

So far, I do like Perhentian more than any other island I have seen in Malaysia. I haven't seen much though haha... the cottages were quite clean and few seconds distance walk to the beach.

There was also a large wooden bridge linking two different beaches, like if it was going into the jungle! The beach was very very clean, and just a few meters away you could do snorkeling and see fishes and corals, some turtles and there is also a shark point where you can see baby sharks from a distance. We didn't manage to see any, unluckily... but it's something we will keep for the next visit :)

While being there, I realized that in european countries it's the summer time holidays these days, because Perhentian was almost booked by foreigners. Since the weather in Malayisa is very similar all through the year (hot, dry, a bit of rain for one or two hours everyday around 4pm), I seldom think - rather tend to forget-, when I am in Malaysia, that in europe the weather is changeable and we do have generally four seasons there. But in Malaysia I could find only one season so far haha...

Anyway, not only in Perhentian but also in Kuala Lumpur these days there are more foreigners than usual in the streets, bar, department stores... which is good for the malaysian economy but in a sense it intrudes part of the joy of going to local places where I can see local people... and then at the end you find that there are more foreigners than locals in the place! This happened in Perhentian :):):).

Well... on the other hand, my friends from Spain will also come and visit me at the end of July and I feel very happy about it!

This is going to be the first time for them to be in Asia and I look forward to welcome and show them around people, culture and whatever events we can join. For me it's also going to be interesting, because this is probably the first time it becomes real that my close friends from Spain come to visit while I am living in Asia.

When I was in Spain I often had the feeling that no matter how many photos and nice videos I tried to explain about Japan, Thailand or wherever countries I had visited, there were really not enough ways to let my friends feel like wanting to visit or feel excited about it. At the same time I was developing a very close friendship with people in these asian countries that I was (and still am) proud of.

I was like living in two different worlds, my wish (Asia) and my reality (Spain). I loved both (and I still do), but I rarely managed to create a real link between my friends in Spain and these friends in Asia.

This is going to be a good chance to introduce to my Spanish friends how I live here, who my friends are, and also to introduce my friends who also like Asia to them, as a nice cultural and friendly exchange of impressions about Europe and Asia.

I am happy because finally the bridge linking two different cultures can be built and grown up bit by bit.

In Perhentian, among with these good news of my friends coming to visit me in a few weeks time, I also realized that no matter where I am, my friends network is expanding day by day, and building up a very unique and close relationship with them. My coworkers, friends in Malaysia, as well as my friends in Spain and other countries provide me really quality times and enrich my experience in life.

I lately heard that to be able to love someone, first of all you do need to love yourself. I don't totally agree with it as in my opinion, love helps to love yourself (and your partner) and can bring lot of security and determination, even change the partner's attitude towards life and own development...

One of the clues of life I discovered since last months is that life consists in how you see yourself and how you can relate to others. We walk alone when the time comes to choose what we want, where to go, how to live. Each of us has born in different conditions, different places, different culture, different environment. The choices we do according to our situation should be taken regarding personal growth and happiness. Its not easy to choose and its by trying that we will learn the way we want to go. We walk alone in the path of life and we are the only responsibles of our choices.

At the same time, once we have chosen, we will meet people who will change our views, thoughts, feelings, once our direction has taken, and these can for sure enrich our environment, knowledge and how we see others. This is how I feel here and probably my friends in Spain will feel the same when they come to Malaysia.

Wherever I am, I feel that no matter what, happy and secure, I know who I am, I will probably choose my directions alone, but in the road, at the same time, I certainly know I will never walk alone. That's life.

Fire beauty

Some days ago I had a chance to attend an emergency training course in Taman Desa, in which I was supposed to be taught how to act in case of fire emergency in the building where I currently work. All companies in the building had to attend the course, and myself, among with another coworker, decided to go there.

At first I thought all we had to do would be just sitting and listening to endless theories of how to manage wet risers, fire extinguishers, but at the end, this course was totally practical and unexpectedly fun!!

Particularly, the instructors were nice and especially the malay ones were really on their work quite strictly teaching to other malaysians.

Some of the tests we had to do included a maze house in where we had to get in groups of two persons and inside it was absolutely dark. You cannot even see your own hands while walking around, and the purpose of this test is to orientate and find secret ways to reach the exit of the maze, taking the shortest time possible.

Another test was similar to the maze house, but into sewers, also in full darkness... For this test we made groups of four people and the leader had the responsability to explain and keep a good communication with the rest of the members in order reach the exit and avoid obstacles in the dark. That was so funny (and extremely hot!)!!!

Besides that, we also learnt how to use wet rise, how to pump water and a last training included real fire fight, wearing all firemen usual equipment, that included oxygen tanks and mask, suits, boots, gloves and helmet.

It was very nice to have such an experience besides it was also good to spend some day out of the office surrounding, even at the end I got completely burnt (because of the strong sunlight, not because of the playing with fire... hehehe)!!

Since I came to Malaysia, I have been in quite so many different situations. I dive and try diver suit underwater, and this time, totally opposite, I fight fire with a fireman suit :). A few days ago I was a diver, now I became a fireman for two days, other than that a regular worker wearing suit and tie. What's next?

We cannot naturally change our appearance like some animals do, but human is the only living being that has invented a way to dress up in different situations. Therefore the suits, the clothes we wear describe us in a certain moment and place. Some people looks cool according to their clothes, others look more casual, or simply careless. It is sometimes surprising how we perceive others at first sight for the way they dress or make up.

Sometimes I dislike how we are regarded by others because at a basis we are all humans and the best dressed up person cannot be the more interesting, nor the more chatty, nor even the more friendly, even from the outside he or she would definetely be the most charming.

People can change their appearance to look better all the time, but their personality, their happiness, their fears will be always still there no matter how nice or poor we look like...

What its the most important wherever you go is try to appreciate how the person is, try to get to know them better and value the attitude, the thoughts, the talks, the things make people happy or worried. Some people sticks to really charming people simply because they feel attracted by the appearance and try to make efforts to get along well no matter how different they are.

Even though differences in friends and relationships are a good thing which will certainly enrich people and experiences - like I did on diving and fireman course, which I never expected to like and ended up loving it, even now dive became a hobby! -, at the end of the day, we realize that the most charming point of people is the quality time you can spend with them, and this can be achieved no matter you wear a top tie or casual jeans.

At the end of the day, when we finally go sleep, we dress out and then it's ourselves, we realize our human nature is still there since the first day we came to life. All clothes, attires, make up have gone away and its our brain, our heart that we become more aware of.

No matter how you look to others, keep being yourself always. Discover who you are, no matter how others see you. You will realize then who are you in different atmospheres and this experience will help you to discover the real you. Those who stay close and like will remain good friends of you, and will certainly find a place to relax and be your own when you share the time with them.

People is very interesting, all in all. You may find then that there are always nice surprises waiting behind a firemen, a diver, or whatever we look alike.

It's all about being able to see people beyond camouflage :). Water may not always be able to wrap and cool down real fire. Better keep distance for a while not to be burnt...unless you really like fire!

Moonlight life

When I look back and see how many people in my life I have met since I came to this world, I can't help but thinking what a nice surprise if I could ever meet all of them at once, in the same place, in the same time.

Therefore I would realize that most of the people whom I have met have probably changed that much as not to recognize the pattern we had in common at the time we were friends or we just became to know each others.

If I were looking for a job, I guess one of the things companies would value the most would be the trajectory or development of your own career. In this sense you can say that the knowledge you have and the experience has been accumulating to make you wise and smart at the time being. This happens in a business-side view, that the person you are is a mix of experiences you have been living till the time.

However when it comes to personal relations such as friends and deep relationships, we cannot always say that our current friends are an evolution of the old ones.

Because sometimes we will meet people that all a sudden becomes very active and close to us, in a totally new environment, and some other times (most of the times), friends with whom we thought we had lots of things in common will bit by bit fade away, simply because each life is being lived in a different way and different trajectories, and each of us cannot be always close or as close as we would like to everyone.

What I can say is that when we ask each individuals who they are, a common answer is that "I have been always the same", or "this is me and I was similar person in the past". However if it was so for everybody, then why do friendships go away from time to time?

Probably because our intentions or interests become different and at the end we realize that we have to live our lives no matter what and we have to find a way for our future.

It is a common wish to keep all friends close for long, but this is certainly an impossible mission. Actually I have few friends but what I can call high quality ones, those whom I know will be there at anytime, and can trust and know well even if we dont communicate often.

Some other times, we try to make friends hoping they will last for long but at the end they do not, simply because different interests, not a good communication or even because we might feel they are not real in their intentions.

Since I am here in Malaysia I have experienced quite a bit of everything. Compared to my life in Spain, I can say my small city there was good in the sense that my friends, my family, all of them were there anytime. I believe they still are.

Here, sometimes things do not go as good as expected. People is very busy for their own lifes and sometimes it seems difficult to keep in touch. Sometimes you don't really know this is the true reason or simply people whom I meet are no longer interested in being friends. Yet I am still happy for every event, every single step leading to communication with people here.

To end up with high quality friends is not an easy task, but once achieved is a treasure, a joy that will last for years.

The real strenght of a friendship can be appreciated in many ways. Friends are there to listen and talk anytime, to have a drink or dinner, to spend simple weekends to fill in with a quality time, without expecting anything in return. What is most important, they will be there at the time no matter where or when you do keep in touch with them, and will always appreciate to get to know how life is going even theirs would be different.

They say love is trust, and I believe friendship as well.

Try to be friends with someone whom you can trust, someone who is bright during daytime and will not fade away on dark times. Someone who can be good listener, who can make you laugh, who cares of the things you do and surround you, who is part of your world, who is not afraid of sharing the things even knowing you are totally different, who is wishing to share even silence on a cloudy, rainy day. Someone who can welcome you and still appreciate the things you do, no matter where you are. Who can advise you wisely or make you feel comfortable even mistaken and turn a bad happening into a wise-learning experience.

This is the moonlight life, brightening our lifes even when things do not work properly, when we are sad or lonely, when all our wishes are gone and we have to keep trying for new ones. There is always a moonlight we can feel surrounding us in the darkness, when we look up, the light of a pure and true friendship will always remain there for us as a divine path to lead us to again to a bright, sunny life.

No matter where you are or what you do, just have a look at the moon from time to time. Its light is the same your friends share, and they will be always there for you anytime, anywhere.

Thats the magic of true friendships, a human gift, yet probably the best one after love, often taken for granted and which should never be forgotten.

'If'

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are loosing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master,
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you have your life to, broken,
And stop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn to pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing on you
Except the Will which says to them "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

--

To my parents and family, thanks for everything you've always done for me.

My time has arrived.

Whispering life

Feel the evening breeze slightly on your face in a top of the hill, the warm atmosphere around you, while your eyes delight seeing a beautiful cliff and a wonderful sunset appears just in front of you, on listening a traditional indonesian live performance lighted with fire.
Welcome to the most known small paradise in asia: Bali, and one of its best temples: Pura Luhur Uluwatu.

When you see the island views from the plane, seems like an endless way to nowhere. You can see the sea, the waves moving forward, but all in all, no land, no mountain, nor even a few clouds. The tropical-alike airport is small, the visa system very fast and the people very friendly.

On arriving at the airport, I was taken by two gentle unknown australian women who kindly drove me in Kuta, where I could walk around and explore a little bit of the city. The streets in Kuta were small, bit crowded by the tourists and small motorbikes going all around. Kuta is, after all, not such a big place, as it is Bali itself.

The souvenir shops and small restaurants pop up in every corner, with very friendly staff who never stop smiling to welcome the guests.

The beaches were crowded with foreigners surfing and swimming around, especially many australian and japanese there...it seems Bali is a japanese resort, same as Ibiza in Spain is for germans...hehe

After a bit of walking around and having lunch in a traditional balinese restaurant, I went straight away to Ubud, where Dewi, with her funny loyal dog was waiting for us. The hotel itself was facing to the rice fields and its decoration was typically balinese which I love to see.

The green plants, the fresh terrace, the lights, the garden, the statues... I didnt realize about it at that time, but now I come to give it a second thought, all around Bali is similar in this sense.
The temples are not very big but at the end all of them have nice gardens around, they are in good condition even many years (and tourists...) have passed by.

One of the temples I like the most was Ulun Danu, which is located in Bedugul. This temple seems like rising out of the lake, and from there you can enjoy the beauty and quietness as it was not very crowded. It has nice gardens around and small souvenir shops at the entrance.

Goa Gajah, Sangeh, the monkey forest and Tanah Lot are other temples where you can really enjoy the beauty of this small island. Tanah Lot was very nice to see at a sunset, and big waves were surrounding the temple all around.

In Uluwatu, we had a very nice performance including fire attractions, could listen to the balinese traditional songs and dances while the sunset came to its end in this nice temple. Worth to see and feel it!

Besides, balinese views from the volcano surrounded by a lake, the rice fields, make it all in all a beautiful destination. Not to forget the kindness of their people, which is being common in most destinations in asia I have ever been to.

Bali still keeps luckily enough its own identity and lifestyle, despite many tourists have been there. Kuta was not as nice as I expected since many tourists were there, but luckily for me, in Ubud and all the temples I had seen seemed empty, except for Uluwatu which was a bit more crowded.

This emptyness gave me once again a chance to imagine how balinese lifestyle was in the past years.

I could imagine and take some pictures of their daily life, the people working in the rice fields, the monkeys going at their own in the forest.

Life seemed much easier years ago when everybody lived peacefully in small neighborhoods.

I can imagine their houses, how they cooked and lived, how they worked hard in the ricefields and going to the markets everyday to get food, also having full moon parties and visiting temples for cremations or births.

Bali is a good place worth to visit at least once, fulled with culture and very nice architecture everywhere. Statues are sometimes scary at night, but all in all they have a magnificient way to decorate the houses and temples.

Life in asia is sometimes surprising to me. Still touched by my trip to Cambodia, wishing to travel to Myanmar and Laos in the near future. Every trip is an experience not to forget, people to get to know, experiences that will remain as a part of myself and my personality.

When you visit a country, do it showing a very humble attitude. Open your eyes and listen what people says and walls, architecture, landscapes, nature and statues have to whisper to you.

Therefore you will learn and captivate the richness of the country, the people, the lifestyle, the history. Just let all your senses open, relax, and let the place invade your soul gently until you feel part of it. Life is everywhere.