graphs of my Universe
Who doesn't love it?
Sun that quickly sets with joy
To rise tomorrow.
sunset in the West Lake
sunset in the West Lake
sunset in the West Lake
sunset in the West Lake
after a long week, with the team enjoying sunset, the ladies always like to take photo ☺️ (near the West Lake)
closing the day around Hoan Kiem Lake
the music that sweetly hurt the heart
Weekend in Hanoi means walking around a lake, this time the West Lake. It was fun especially when closed with facial treatment in one local spa, May Spa.
Hanoi has a lot of spas named May but my friend said this is the “original” May Spa. Ok, I took the chance to relax there with facial treatment.
Hoa, the one doing the treatment was a polite woman who did her job very gently and thoroughly. Thank you, Hoa.
Let’s face the next week with the vibe!
with the daughter of the spa owner, cute!
Flow, Beloved
To where love brings
You.
There was a steep rock,
You fell again.
This time it might take longer
To flow calm.
Believe there won't be time dilation
And journey will be just fine.
nothing, it’s just a flowing river enjoying her journey
🤍
This flower blooms
In a hottest day,
In a beautiful garden,
In a cold hallway.
It just blooms
No matter what.
Just bloom
And come what may.
my driver dropped me in the wrong gate yesterday and just drove away; he drives very well but doesn’t understand English (yes, he is a driver not a tour guide 😁) yet it was a blessing in disguise: i walked a bit and met these flowers on the way — beauty greets me everywhere when my heart is light
red roses in the hotel courtyard, tantalising colour
a pot of orchid, to the lift
Thank you, Hanoi. See you again in October.
this is a common scene in Hanoi’s morning
welcoming guests
decorating the gate
sleeper’s buddy
prime time
orange hibiscus
red hibiscus
flowers don’t discount findings 😊
Lucky, Beloved-
A path cleared to be walked on
With warm heart and smile.
i received a bunch of luck today: in the same flight with a colleague (sorry, i didn’t check iCal, buddy), given a room whose number is ended with 88 which is lucky number in Vietnamese culture, finding this song again after some time
hopefully i am lucky enough with all my preps to complete the work well
luck is simply small things to be humbly acknowledged
hello, Hanoi; you’ve been kind to me, i’ll be kinder to you
Nothing's right or wrong
To experience this life.
Hey! Judgement applies.
—
fish with veggies and rice paper (paper rice?) — green is always the best part in Vietnamese cuisine
not suitable for one, should invite a friend next time
not professionally, very slowly for satisfactory experience
I wish you a fresh air
That brings coolness in a hot day,
And lullabies me in a cold night.
I wish you a unique vibe
That loves me romantically,
And beautifies yourself naively.
—
banana flower salad — fresh and beautiful
young rice ice cream only in autumn ☺️ — unique and cool
Cảm ơn, Hanoi 🙏🏼
Losing is a sign,
A sign to either find,
Or let it go off the mind.
All is fine.
—
i lost my Airpod case with one earset in it; not panicky as losing or forgetting small things is my middle name — not in the bag, sure not at taxi as bag was never unzipped in the ride — i sent email to the hotel saying that my Airpod with one earset left was in the room — yes! it was found and safe kept — see you next month! 😂
Feel good, Beloved,
No matter what. Stars still shine.
Moon and earth still spin.
—
Why are you nervous, my dear? Romance is within reach, just between breathing in and breathing out. Stars, moon and earth give you so much attention while you are ignoring them. They have done their jobs; you should do yours if you think it feels good.
May all beings be happy.
Salaam. 💝
A guest, Beloved,
Makes host happy yet confused.
Smile sweet and thank, too.
—
I’ve met hosts with different types of personality or characteristics. When the host is a person, it’s just about that particular person. When the host is a company, it shows me the company culture or local culture.
I’ve got a few “cute” treatment from some hosts.
One company in Koka was informed that I’m a Muslim. My colleague told them “Rike eats halal, please find the food source from now.” They didn’t clarify to me and just followed that pranking colleague blindly. And in my 3-day visit they fed me halal food they ordered online and had to be delivered long trip to that remote area.
“Is it good, Rike-san?” The host asked me on the last day.
“Do you expect honest or polite answer?” said I laughing.
“Be honest please ha ha…”
“I tried NN-san’s food from your canteen. I love your food much much better. This online food tasted good but didn’t taste fresh.” It was impolite like hell for most Japanese host I guess. 😂
“Our canteen food is not halal. I’m sorry about the online food.” He must have wanted to commit suicide after that. 😁
Then I started preaching what halal meant to me. And they said they would not order the halal food for me anymore and give me their canteen food the following years. 😂
—
The second was one company knowing I’m a Muslim as informed by the branch in Malaysia. So they knew I pray although they never knew I only pray when wanting to.
So they brought me to a small room to do afternoon prayer. I asked if they have Muslim employees so they had the room, they said it was prepared for me. They moved out table, chairs and other cultural ornaments. 🙇🏻♀️
The first day I prayed, the other days they asked if I would pray. I said no. Then again I preached what type of Muslim I was and they nodded heads looking confused— they might think how would a human being can be this obedient yet disobedient to her God.
—
The third is also about being a Muslim. I came with 6 other people for 2 days and the company gave me fruit salad while giving nice beef/chicken/pork, egg, vegetable, rice lunch to others. They said they only had salad as halal food and no restaurant near the industrial area cooks halal and non halal food separately.
My colleagues explained that I could eat this and that but “not pork only”. So the next day they provided my favourite Vietnam spring roll with “vegetable and pork” not “pork only”. I left the lunch box untouched and went back to the yummy salad. I’ll come back next year, please give me pho. 😁
—
Some people are so naive not knowing what to do and deciding to do their bestest best to respect the guests. God bless them.
I enjoy being a (not so good) Muslim. Misunderstood but still well treated by those willing to respect others. God bless you! 💝
Salaam….
Unforeseen, unplanned—
Life’s rich: men, events, chances
Bring moments of truth.
—
This evening I met up with two Saigonese friends— not planned, not predicted. We sent each other messages and found that we three were in Hanoi and decided to have dinner together.
His message to me: “I’ll pick you up once you’re prepared”. Her message to me: “Let me know when you arrive at hotel, I’ll kidnap you”. And they both came in the same taxi with different intension. 😁
For years we have always wanted to meet in Ho Chi Minh City to eat south pho bo and life preferred pulling us together in Hanoi for north pho bo.
A happy rendezvous! All was good. The only minus was that I had much noodle as part of dinner. 🙃 See you in HCMC!
I hope to get other sweet surprises. Or at least I commit to feel good no matter what so any surprises will be sweet.
Salaam.
Sweet heart, Beloved,
Welcomes each day with sweetness
Flavouring what’s not.
—
Sweet heart can belong to a sweetheart or to anyone whose heart contains sweet things. Sugar daddy and sugar mommy not included— ☺️
Covered with white sand,
A beach lies behind mountains.
The breeze that is missed—
—————————————————————
Unfolding map of South East Asia, getting travel gears with excitement
South East Asia, a truly loved place of mine where human beings are created humble and friendly in nature. Nature, please always make us that way. 💝
Salaam….
And twa’s there with you.
I hope not to come back as
Travel is forward.
HRegency Da Nang – January 19, 2016 – 10:45pm
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
rike jokanan 
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