Piles of boulder stones
Stand facing the sky— praying
For next falling stars.
Stone Henge – September 21, 2019 / 12:45pm
—-
Please grant me clarity. Amen….
Category: Map It!
Weeping Ney – free verse
Ney….
Your song pulled me down in to the depth of abyss
Gliding with no weight,
Free falling –
Ney….
Your tone touched me on the hollow emptiness
Craving for sensations,
Crashing on nothingness.
Ney….
Your call dragged me along the path that I know well, yet
I am lonely and blind,
Waiting for a map.
Ney….
Do you know I’ve been here all my life,
My breath,
My step,
My tear,
My despair,
All of mine.
Ney….
You are the breeze that sweeps my draught
Then soars;
The dewdrop that breaks my morning
Then wakes up;
The spark that lights up my flame
Then burns.
The dirt that buries my hope
Then grows.
Ney….
It is you
That swirls like earth spiraled upwards by tornado,
And travels afar before it hits the door of heaven.
Ney….
I am taking your hands.
Your weeping cries will always accompany my journey
To you, Ney.
Phnom Pehn – August 2, 2019 – 22:45
Renovated – ranting
It is my 3rd visit to Ayutthaya. Three rounds, one hotel – just across a historical wat (temple) at the river bank.
In my first visit in 2017 the wat was clearly seen from my window. White with some unclear yet predictable patch of mould. Beautiful and grand.
The second visit just last August it was being renovated. Covered with green nets and perched by workmen, the wat looked surrendered and retreat.
Now, the renovation is going on. The wat is shiny and white like marble, maybe glazed with porcelain. Hopefully. Yet the green net is still there, workmen are still busy behind the net. Dogs are still barking there maybe shouting at visitors. I don’t even know if visitors are allowed during construction.
Ayutthaya, you don’t fail me.
Ayutthaya – Dec. 26, 2018 – 14:27
The Theophany of Perfection – Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi
The Theophany of Perfection
Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi
Listen, O dearly beloved!
I am the reality of the world, the centre of the circumference,
I am the parts and the whole.
I am the will established between Heaven and Earth,
I have created perception in you only in order to be the object of My Perception.
If then you perceive Me, you perceive yourself.
But you cannot perceive Me through yourself.
It is through My Eyes that you see Me and see yourself,
Through your eyes you cannot see Me.
Dearly beloved!
I have called you so often and you have not heard Me.
I have shown Myself to you so often and you have not seen Me.
I have made Myself fragrance so often, and you have not smelled Me,
Savorous food, and you have not tasted Me.
Why can you not reach Me through the object you touch
Or breathe Me through sweet perfumes?
Why do you not see Me? Why do you not hear Me?
Why? Why? Why?
For you My delights surpass all other delights,
And the pleasure I procure you surpasses all other pleasures.
For you I am preferable to all other good things,
I am Beauty, I am Grace.
Love Me, love Me alone.
Love yourself in Me, in Me alone.
Attach yourself to Me,
No one is more inward than I.
Others love you for their own sakes,
I love you for yourself.
And you, you flee from Me.
Dearly beloved!
You cannot treat Me fairly,
For if you approach Me,
It is because I have approached you.
I am nearer to you than yourself,
Than your soul, than your breath.
Who among creatures
Would treat you as I do?
I am jealous of you, over you,
I want you to belong to no other,
Not even to yourself.
Be Mine, be for Me as you are in Me,
Though you are not even aware of it.
Dearly beloved!
Let us go toward Union.
And if we find the road
That leads to separation,
We will destroy separation.
Let us go hand in hand.
Let us enter the presence of Truth.
Let It be our judge
And imprint Its seal upon our union
For ever.
Temasek – December 5, 2018 – 20:53 (when I’m sick)
Picture is borrowed from mezquita.html
A Reservoir – haiku
In the dark black night
She is staring at afar
At the reservoir.
Temasek – Dec. 3, 2018 – 11:13pm
Pause
It’s been quite long I haven’t posted anything in this site. Too busy? Or not able to manage the time? Oh my goodness, how life lasts long yet runs so fast that it rolls in like a useless scroll.
Alas!
What will I give to Life?
Nothing?
Ya, nothing as I have nothing.
Yet, I still do things with my nothing.
Life,
Please guide me through my nothingness to the Light at the end of the scroll.
No, not at the end. It is along the scroll…
Glad to be here again….
The Estuary, Temasek – Nov. 30, 2018 – 9:47pm
Orchid in a spot – haiku
Orchid in a spot
Is reflected on mirror
On both walls, so clear.
Temasek – July 29, 2018
Faces – haiku
Facets and faces
On diamonds and humans are
Overt covert beauty —
===
Can you see the real things behind the things? You might be able or not but the thing is there you know it or not. Existence is not about the humans’ ability to see through, existence is about that it is there and that’s it. You’ve gotta to reach the fact that you believe what’s true is true, what exists exists without judging what’s true and what exists. My homework for myself.
Temasek – April 28, 2018 – 14:04
Hotel – haiku
Bed and bath and meal,
Hospitality and warmth
Grow well with homesick.
GH Jakarta – April 18, 2018 – 21:00
Picture borrowed from http://boss.co.id/project/grand-hyatt/
Journey – ranting
It is 2018, March! Third month of the 12 months, year is rolling so fast, not long after this it’s gonna be next year. I’m happy that I was given a chance to start 2018 – my fortysomethingth year of life.
In my movie mind I’m a global trotter, walking or running or hitchhiking, taking vehicles. There are a backpack, oh no just a satchel and a small rucksack, a pair of strong yet comfy boots, a hat and wow wow comfy apparel. I have some cash and some plastic money that I can use when needing to spend for food and things. I use Apple Pay anyway.
I’m so far quite a distance from home and still don’t wanna come back. I have some sites to visit. I am in a journey, yes I am. I know where I am going, yet I won’t share with anyone where I’ve been until I reach Finish line. Blogs, vlogs and notes are saved everywhere as I have left fingerprints and footprints there. “Global Trotter was here” is the stamp, seen or unseen. This journey has engraved prayers and wishes on milestones along the path. In rain and shine, I’m not alone yet I’m alone. What a beautiful journey! Thank You.
Where am I going? I know where it is, I just will not tell – it’s a Secret. They told me to be careful of wild boar and snake or tiger and bear or crocodile and quicksand and everything poisonous, dangerous or scary. But I am alive. They reminded me of getting lost or being cheated or getting robbed or kidnapped. But I am safe and sound.
I am on the right path. How do I know? I just know.
I remembered my Mother then made a call clarifying that I was ok and I would proceed. She cried and asked if I would go home soon. I said I am sorry but I have to go. I love you, Goddess of My Life….
I promise to only myself that I will not stop until this journey completes itself. I won’t tell either where I’m heading to. Just don’t worry, I’ll be safe and reach straight home without getting lost because….
…. I have my North Star.
Temasek – March 2, 2018 – 03:05
Picture borrowed from https://www.reference.com/geography/latitude-north-star-5-degrees-above-horizon-8d32bb0c6f9cb1e2
Something Just Like This – lyrics
Thank you for those who wrote the lyrics and composed the music. It reflects the conversation between my soul and my physical reality. I want something just like this!
For them, I dedicate this plain haiku:
Longing for a song.
I am something just like this.
I accept my this.
===
“Something Just Like This”
(with Coldplay)
I’ve been reading books of old
The legends and the myths
Achilles and his gold
Hercules and his gifts
Spiderman’s control
And Batman with his fists
And clearly I don’t see myself upon that list
But she said, “Where d’you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts.
Some superhero,
Some fairytale bliss.
Just something I can turn to.
Somebody I can kiss.
I want something just like this.”
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
I want something just like this
I’ve been reading books of old
The legends and the myths
The testaments they told
The moon and its eclipse
And Superman unrolls
A suit before he lifts
But I’m not the kind of person that it fits
She said, “Where d’you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts.
Some superhero,
Some fairytale bliss.
Just something I can turn to.
Somebody I can miss.
I want something just like this.
I want something just like this.”
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
“Where d’you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I’m not looking for somebody
With some superhuman gifts.
Some superhero,
Some fairytale bliss.
Just something I can turn to.
Somebody I can kiss.
I want something just like this.”
Oh, I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this
Oh, I want something just like this
Ayutthaya – haiku
Wind over water
Snatches messages away
From Ayutthaya.
Ayutthaya – September 18, 2017 – 19:15
Cordoba – haiku
Once upon a time
In Cordoba. She sat still
In the Mezquita.
Temasek – May 29, 2017 – 03:37am (Ramadhan 3, 1438H)
Picture borrowed from http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/arte/monumentos/cordoba/mezquita_de_cordoba.html
Canal – haiku
Rain and sea water
Is flowing but not flooding
Danke well, Canal.
Hollands – April 16, 2017 – 11:00
Noble Silence
New adventure will start soon: next trip, my walking meditation – noble silence…. It might not be a full noble silence but it will be two weeks without communication with people of my circles. ‘ll cut off my bond with them for just a while.
Starting from April 13 at 00:00 only smiles and genuine good gestures I’ll perform. Hope I don’t have to speak with someone except when in need of direction because in those two weeks the wind is flying me to West Europe.
‘m sure this noble silence will succeed as entrance passess are purchased – there is not so much need to talk to enter venues. Only need to hop in and out where the path is leading this plane.
All senses will rest yet at the same time they are most active in this mobile meditation – my kind of noble silence. Walking, sitting, lying down, standing, eating, drinking — all done with consciousness…. Hope this is a noble start to live a noble life ahead.
Yes, ‘m starting soon…. Noble silence….
Counting down…
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
.
Info:
– http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews/excerpts/view/15042
– picture borrowed from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/396316835936024571/
Golden Triangle- haiku
Her head cracked of sun.
Water boiled, blown by cool breeze —
Golden Triangle
Temasek – September 19, 2016 – 11:30pm
Picture borrowed from http://www.fnetravel.com/english/chiangraihotels/anantara-resort-and-spa-golden-triangle.html
Angkor Wat – old city
I visited Angkor Wat, Siem Reap of Cambodia last week with three of my friends – Mbak Roh, Mbak Endang and Agnes. We did quasi backpacking – why quasi? Well, we decided to travel light – they flew AirAsia which tickets were purchased one year ago – but pack things in pretty luggage.
We stayed in a cheap inn of USD35.5 per night instead of fancy Park Hyatt or Le Meridien and took tuk-tuk everyday instead of rented car. It was a cool journey!
Some pictures captured show the joy! Enjoy!
Singapore – August 28, 2016 – morning….
I live – free verse
I live forever,
When it I who lives forever.
But I might only live for 70 years,
When it is I who lives for 70 years.
I decide to live forever,
I who is riding planes – many different planes
Travelling through time and space.
Give me life
One at a time.
Then live forever I do.
But this plane will not make me forever for you.
This plane decays by time – this time.
This plane deteriorates by weather – this space.
I won’t live forever in this plane.
Then yes I won’t live forever.
Thanks for being with me when I’m in this plane.
And see you again with me on another space and time because we live forever.
Just know me then you know when we meet again.
I’m happy forever in joy.
Singapore nowhere – this time of 3:05am
Blue shappire – haiku
Avalanche of mud —
Miners are rescueing ones’ selves.
Blue sapphire still glows.
May the miners killed or injured or missing in the avalanche in Myanmar gemstones mines are blessed…. Salaaam…
Penang – May 25, 2016 – 6:42
The Great Gatsby – haiku
Beauty of ladies
And gents are full of smiles and fun
At The Great Gatsby
Shangri-La Singapore, January 30, 2016
Some Captured in Da Nang
Took some pictures just yesterday, without technicality, without sophisticated lenses, without a thought….
Only with a heart, a pair of eyes and an iPhone6.
Enjoy….
Thanks to Ninh Tran for being a photographer in which I’m in. He is the one in blue, praying.
Location: Linh Ung – Bai But Pagoda, an attractive tourist destination and the biggest pagoda in the charming coastal city of Da Nang
HRegency – January 21, 2016 – 12:03am
And It’s There – haiku
And twa’s there with you.
I hope not to come back as
Travel is forward.
HRegency Da Nang – January 19, 2016 – 10:45pm
Hoi An City – haiku
Lines of old houses
Are sprawling at a river —
Hoi An city.
Picture borrowed from http://vietnamtravelblogs.com/destinations-2/hoi-night.php
Da Nang – January 17, 2016 – 7:55pm
Lasia Wayan Bali
I love Bali, one of 17,504 islands in my beloved country, Indonesia. It has become my playground for the past several years. There is always thing to do there: meeting friends, joining some retreat programs, attending music concerts or festivals, visiting family or just doing nothing by the rice fields or seaside. I mostly go to Bali with my friends, at least two of us, maximum five of us.
But, wait! This writing is not about me. It is about a tour guide who has always accompanied us in Bali. Yes, I’m promoting him for anyone of you who happens to visit Bali.
His name is Lasia Wayan or “Bli Jerry”.
He’s always the driver, tour guide cum photographer for all of us. So far we haven’t decided to replace him with anyone else – just fyi, if he is not available, I’d just take taxi and not call other tour guides or drivers. He has become a kind of mascot for us. He drives us to any destinations we want to go to. He explains about that location in his own way – such a hillarious man. He also takes picture for us.
Yes, he is also a photographer. He is a Canon person, while we are Nikon people. But he would confidently grab our cameras and shoot for us.
“Ok, please get ready, Ladies…. One, two, three….!”
“Aen twee drie!”
“Satu, dua, tiga!”
“Un, deux, trois!”
He is using any language he remembers. No, no he does not speak many languages — he masters English but knows a bit about some others’ survival level.
He is a funny guy but we love him as a friend – he is a helpful and friendly Balinese. Seems that he is lvoed by other clients, too. Even one of his client from France has created a website to collect his work.
Interested to see? Here it is….
http://www.jerryphotography.com/portfolio.html
And, here is his picture.
=== (versi Bahasa Indonesia)
Aku cinta Bali, salah satu dari 17,504 total pulai di negara yang sangat kucintai, Indonesia. Bali sudah semacam tempat main beberapa tahun belakangan ini. Ada saja yang bisa dilakukan di sana: ketemu teman lah, ikutan retreat, nonton konser musik atau festival jazz, anjangsana sepupu-sepupu, atau sekadar santai nggak ngapa-ngapain di pinggir sawah atau pantai. Seringnya kita ke sana barengan, minimal dua orang maksimal lima orang.
Tapi tunggu, tulisan ini bukan tentang saya atau Bali, Tulisan ini dimaksudkan tentang pemandu wisata yang selalu menemani kami selama di Bali. Ya, saya sedang mempromosikan dia kepada Anda yang ada keinginan mengunjungi Bali.
Namanya adalah Lasia Wayan atau “Bli Jerry”.
Beli Jerry selalu menjadi supir, pemandu wisata sekaligus juru foto kami. Sampai saat ini sih kami belum ada rencana menggantikan posisi beliau dengan yang lain. Jadi kalau dia sedang tidak bisa mengantar kami, biasanya kami ambil taksi, pergi sendiri tanpa menyewa supir atau pemandu wisata lain. Dia udah jadi maskot buat kita. Dia nyupirin kemana kita mau pergi. Dia menerangkan tentang lokasi yang kita kunjungi – caranya menjelaskan biasanya dicampuri kelucuan-kelucuan. Dia juga memotret kita.
Yes, dia adalah juru foto. Dia ini orang Canon, sedangkan kita semua orang Nikon. Tapi tetep aja dia pede ambil kamera kami buat motret-motret kita.
“Ok, tolong bersiap, Ladies…. One, two, three….!”
“Aen twee drie!”
“Satu, dua, tiga!”
“Un, deux, trois!”
Dia sih pakai bahasa apa saja yang dia ingat. Dia sih nggak menguasai banyak bahasa, cuma Bahasa Inggris tapi dikit-dikit beberapa bahasa dia bisa survival level.
Bli Jerry ini lucu banget tapi kita sayang dia sebagai teman lah – dia sini termasuk orang Bali yang suka menolong dan ramah. Kelihatannya pelanggan dia yang lain juga menyayangi dia juga. Sampai-sampai ada seorang pelanggan dari Perancis yang membuatkan dia situs web untuk mengumpulkan foto-foto hasil jepretannya.
Pengen lihat? Ini dia….
http://www.jerryphotography.com/portfolio.html
Foto Bli Jerry ada di versi Bahasa Inggris di atas.
Temasek – January 10, 2016 – 5:01pm
Rain & Flood – haiku
Needles jab at skin.
What we expect next, dear God?
Flood in the midday?
Chennai in rainy day
Temasek – January 2, 2015 – 1:39pm
India – haiku
Night flashes me back
To “A Passage to India” —
With its two-branched end.
Bangalore – November 15, 2015 – 23:38
Picture borrowed from http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-culture-india-illustration-indian-map-showing-image36200374
Chinese Tea
Do you like drinking tea? What tea? Chinese or English or Ceylon or Indian or local tea in your country?
Just last month my colleagues and I went to Shanghai’s Yu Garden to get some tea – a routine walk in Shanghai. Everyone in my circle like going there for good tea.
Different sizes of jars are piled and arranged in sparawling racks wall to wall. On a humble table the beautiful tea seller serves any requested tea. She infuses the tea with boiled water gracefully. She tries her best to speak English to all of us. Lucky we have Sabrina, a Singaporean Chinese with very good Mandarin; she always acts as our tranlator — thank you, buddy!
Leaf to wrap flowers – you infuse the tea ball, it will bloom and you see what flower inside the ball
Fruit base tea – orange peel, Apple, pear mixed together, the taste is amazingly good! Like a tango in the mouth and refreshing the cavity where it goes before reaching the stomach…. Then…. it goes to blood transporting energy to the whole body!
Green tea mixed with rose
Long story short, Chinese tea offers various kinds of a lot of ranges of color, ingredient, origin, taste and efficacy. You can find flower base, fruit base, leaf base, bark base, root base and all combinations of those all. So, you can shop as many as you want excitedly. There are tea for gastric, diet, cough, toothache, tiresome, skin rash, skincare, flu, rheumaticsm, etc…. It’s just exciting to shop teas in Yuan Garden.
When you are in Shanghai, please go to Yua Garden where our regular tea shop is located, it is shop lot # 99.
Grand Hyatt Jakarta, October 10, 2015 – 11:08pm
Haze
Warmth through my nostrils,
Vicinity is boiling —
A haze attack.
Picture borrowed from http://malaysiaupdate.tk/haze/haze-singapore-update.html
Animal Rescuers – Meowy Cat Shelter, Penang
I’m in Penang. Again.
It’s gonna be a fun day tomorrow – going for a durian party with my team to Balik Pulau. But it’s not the most impressive of my current trip. The tiptop of my gratitude is meeting with two animal rescuers: Pauline and Alexis, both are from Meowy Cat Shelter.
I saw one kitten cry desperately in front of hotel when I got back from a meeting but I could not rescue it because I was not allowed to go into the room with any pet so I browsed the Net to find any cat lover community in the island but failed. I called a friend – who is afraid of cat – to ask if she could recommend me to a cat lover, expectedly failed. Another friend, failed as well. Then I sent one short message to a random contact I got from the Net saying that I saw a cat bla bla bla…. – no reply. I decided to go up to my room, while the cat was frightened and hid under a white car parked exclusively next to the wheelchair ramp. It was a sad moment – not being able to help a helpless creature.
One of my friends unexpectedly iMessage-d me that she was parking her car in front of hotel lobby to get the kitten to her house before being delivered to SPCA in Jelutong. So, I flew downstairs meeting her hoping that the kitten was still there. I brought a bag for a rescue preparation.
But it wasn’t there, the car was also gone. The security guard who also saw the kitten told me that he’d tried his best to seek but in vain…. I patrolled around the hotel and apartment complex for the baby – no appearance. So, I asked her to leave because it was already 10:00pm, while she should have taken care of her family after work.
Surprisingly, my SMS to the random contact was replied saying “Please contact Alexis, I’m not in Penang right now. She’ll take the kitten. Meanwhile, if possible please smuggle the cat into the room until Alexis arrives. Thanks, Pauline.”
I told her that the kitten was nowhere to find. But she said “Find or not, please contact Alexis. We are from Meowy Cat Shelter…. You can find us in Facebook.”
A long conversation through Whatsapp happened afterwards, ended in an appointment to meet up in my next trip to Penang.
I also called Alexis twice telling her what was happening, I promised her to contact her if I see the kitten and even bring to her as long as I find it before I leave to Singapore on Friday.
This trip I might get a bit of despair because of not being able to 100% solve one particular case but I can feel a bit of joy of meeting beautiful souls like Pauline and Alexis above….
Life is offering a balance between yin and yang, even in a very simple way so no need to feel so dearly scared of not being able to smoothly move on (= on single piece of thin hair).
Thank you dear Lil’ Kitten for connecting me with Pauline and Alexis during this limbo.
I hope I can meet you oye kitten, Pauline and Alexis. God bless you!
Penang – June 15, 2015 – 11:59pm
Playing With Mom
I took pictures of some orangutans in Semenggoh Wild Center, Kuching, Malaysia – adult and young and got causght by this particular pose. Not really a pose made but let’s call it a pose — one orangutan mother was having lunch with her toddler. So playful and fun – yet nobody of the spectators expressed their excitement with sounds. All were smiling and some children were making very soft giggles (normal to loud voice would alert orangutans to go away). Just enough to know that we all felt the joy of witnessing the loving bond between mom and kid some 50 meters away of us.
Lesson I learnt: how ugly and silly your mom is, she is still the most understanding human on earth so never give her up. And, how ugly and silly your child is, s/he is still the most adorable one so don’t let him/her down.
Changi Airport – May 30, 2015 – 12:12pm
rike jokanan 
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