two steps behind

Finally I got my iPhone updated to 3.0!!! So I thought I could send pics from my mobile vis MMS, but… NOPE! Whatever the reason is… I just don’t want to bother with it anymore. I couldn’t update my phone regularly via iTune because it locked to a US mobile carrier. If I were to update it normally, as I did once… the one expression I’d have is just… “EEK!” So I bring my phone to a shop at MBK, tell them my situation and they have it taken care of within the hour. Yes!!! Now I can CUT and PASTE! What else is good about 3.0? Ahh yes there is an application that allows me to BLOG on the iPhone! Sweet!

I still don’t know why the website’s server is so unstable that it is unavailable most of the time! Sigh…

Now the picture was taken at Vancouver, Canada just a few minutes after midnight on New Year 2009. It was my VERY first snow experience ever in my life! The falling snow feel greats… but the snow on the ground, does NOT!

Great times!!!

Another few hours of errors with the server… SIGH… Oh well, I believe that everything happens for reason(s). I am currently typing this in a word document. I guess the bigger forces out there don’t want me to post the blog too early. Because it would make my BELLY BERRY HUNGRY for CREPEs!

Ok now… who doesn’t like crepes raise your hand!!!
I see a few hands out there!

WOW… WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU GUYS! Crepe is such an amazing food because of the possibilities of what we can turn those crepe into… Sweet or Savory?  Or just a PLAIN crepe is still Berry Belly GOOD!

I stumbled upon Belly Good Café & Crepes when we, H^2 and I were staying in San Francisco for a night near Japan town, Tokyo town or Little Tokyo… whatever name it is! Hans was just too exhausted from driving so he chose to rest and playing his SimCity game on his iPhone that seem to crash very so often! LOL. I just didn’t want to waste a minute, hence… exploring the neighbors were much more fun for me.

Silly enough, I left the hotel with my camera and room keycard only but not with my wallet! Doh!!!! So when I came to this shop… I really really really really wanted to eat them! Not a chance for me to make puppy eyes and walk up the line, hoping that they would give me a crepe.

Oh well… Crepe crepe crepe! Why must you make me crave for a crepe so much!

Arggg… MUST eat crepe! Must eat CREPE! Mustttt eeeeatttt CcrrRreeePPppeeEE!!!!

Tomorrow? I’ll try!

The server for the website is very unstable today. It took me more than hour before I can actually get to admin page and by the time I am trying to add this post… the server got an error again! I am hoping that by the time I finish with this blog, the server will be back up again.

Thanks to Hans for letting me join the trip and thanks to me for inviting myself into the TRIP, haha. And because of that, I got to take the amazing road trip from Los Angeles to Vancouver, Canada! It was a week long trip! Amazing trips As for me, I didn’t really know where were we going, I simply just… “hey can I come?” And then… went home, bought the plane ticket, packed my backpack… and the next morning we were on the way to our very first stop, San Francisco.

We love to plan things ahead of time because planning will prepare us for whatever obstacle that may confront us later. However, planning may prevent us from reaching our true potential, within us. I would plan everything that is related to work because they need to get done.  I would never plan anything about myself… so that I won’t have any expectations of anything… and because of that, I get to be AMAZED at everything that would happen around me!

Instead of planning… I set goals and then simply do whatever it takes to achieve it. With this… I allow more possibilities of reaching that “GOAL” rather than restricting myself to “a plan” and try to make that plan work.

I may be very bad at planning… but I always reach my GOALs in ways that I would never have imagined!
Hum… a metaphor to this would be, just throw me into the water and I’ll learn how to swim in seconds… LOL!

Seattle was one of our stops during the road trip… and it was just amazing how I just keep walking for hours after check-in at the hotel and to have found the Space Needle and — to be amazed by it!!!

Yesterday, I had a different location in mind to take photos but I’ll have to leave that for next week. Instead, I set out my night to the Democracy Monument (Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ประชาธิปไตย Anusawari Prachathipatai). Getting to the Democracy Monument was easier than I thought, but looking for a parking spot at the roundabout was a little bit confusing. I must have drove around the monument 3-4 times before I knew where to park… where else would be better place than right in front of the McDonalds store. McDonalds… late night… OH WELLLLL I’m gonna just have a quick bite there!

Yum… okay now off to the monument. Surprisingly there were many photographers at the monument last night, some were having McDonalds with big bags of equipments (and poor me with my same old camera, same old lens and a discount tripod LOL), some were already by the roundabout taking their shots of the monument and there was me eating and hoping that my iPhone wouldn’t ran out of batteries before the night is over. Why so worried about the iPhone battery? Without it… taking photos would be very quiet. I need music to keep me going and turn the quiet night into a private Music Video… Staring “Natt” (all inside my head!!!) hahahahha! And without the phone, I would definitely be lost in Bangkok and everywhere else!

Observing from other photographers of their location, time it take for each shot and their framing. I didn’t want to just take the same pictures that they are taking. Sure we all can take pictures of the Monument in thousands of ways, but I don’t think that it was enough to express “the Democracy Monument,” because there is much history to the monument rather than just a pretty looking monument.

So, there I went to the street, the only place that other photographers haven’t occupied yet but me. They were looking at me weirdly because I was probably standing at this location for a long time. What was I waiting for… was a TUK TUK and it did take a long time before any Tuk Tuk would came by. This night’s photography was really testing my patience. There is a saying that, I am sure that everyone must have heard of, patience is the key to success.

But I want to add a little more to it, Patience, confidence and enthusiasm are key to success.

Without the confidence…that patience could be for nothing,
and without enthusiasm… that patience could be one long wait.

The key to success is asking (enthusiasm), believing (confidence) and receiving (patience).

At Rayong Resort, that daydreaming could be a reality. Bungalows are rested in the national reserve forest along the beach. This is such an ideal place for a quiet get away… I bloged about this resort once, that it is just 3 hours away from Bangkok, however I haven’t had the chance to revisit the resort ever since the training began.

I woke up today… really late (11:00 am!) wishing that I could just walk out the door and down to a beach… and just woosssh!! into the sea. That would be a way to wake up huh?

I really got to try that someday!

Here are some pictures that I have posted previously from Rayong… wanna come join me? Anyone???

Woooppps… I must have left this post up for hours before I actually bloged it! That was because… I was creating a LinkedIn profile! Finally catching up with everyone else out there.

Okie… back to our topic… Architecture vs Nature. The thought of writing this topic really come down to a question… which is

Could there be architecture without nature and vice versa.

In my opinion, we need both architecture and nature for us to be able to enjoy the beauties of the 2 elements!
We just can’t have one without the other.

Or can we?

Today or perhaps tomorrow (not so sure now, lol)… at Les Roches Marbella, they are holding an Alumni reunion. Because of that… it reminded me that just few months ago I was working my ___ off at the school, reading tons of books, tring to finish loads of assignments, tring to stay awake in kitchen and having to make MUFFINS in the morning! Not to mention that… I started Two Steps Behind while I was studying there. So I had to learn how to blog, how to upload pictures, set up this and that… Life sure was busy then!

There were some rough times along that path but in the end… looking back, that wasn’t so hard compared to the working environment in reality. LRM was just getting you ready for that harsh reality! Opse… Did I scare you? It’s part of growing up, to live and learn!

Going to LRM was the best path I have ever taken, as of yet. It opened the opportunities around the world aside from meeting many great teachers and friends whom later become more like family to me! And to have met “her”… was just UN-BEE-LIVE-ABLE!

So… Dear LRM: Have a great ReeeeUNION!!! And have fun at SMALLWORLD! Sorry I can’t be there to get wasted with you guys

here are some photos that I took with many fond of memories of Marbella (http://www.twostepsbehind.com/tag/marbella/) and of Les Roches (http://www.twostepsbehind.com/tag/les-roches/)

A sculpture of an angel at the Santa Cruz church in Bangkok got me thinking…

Why would someone that could fly… wouldn’t?
Why would someone that could rise above anyone else… be so submissive?
Why would someone that can be anywhere else… sitting here patiently?

Humbleness!

Bangkok has been bombarded with storms lately. For me… I get to work 8:30 am and then spent the next 10-12 hours inside the office, with absolutely have no idea about what is going on with the weather outside. The night already started by the time I get off work at 6:30 pm or later, that was when I get to see the WORLD again. Many times after work… Bangkok would already be soaked by a tropical storm.

The picture I took was taken from within my car to show the typical night of Bangkok after the rain… IN TRAFFIC The meaning of traffic in Thailand is that the cars, traffic, won’t move at all for at least 20 minutes! Don’t want to believe me… come visit Bangkok!

This is Cristobal’s backyard with an amazing view to the Orgiva valley. Cristobal is Simon’s uncle who moved from Paris, France to Orgiva, Spain for the great simple lifestyle and to start his lovely family there. I was curious of why would he move from Paris, a place of many dreams, to Orgiva and small town in Spain. Understanding his reason was easy, it is true that Paris is a place of many dreams but it take everything of a man to follow ONE DREAM and MAKE it happen!

After moving to Orgiva with his wife, Isabelle and attempting to make a living… an idea came when Isabelle suggest that they could do a getaway weekend vacation package for visitors. That was how www.cuestadelalmendral.com got started.

Together, Cristobal and Isabelle have turned a dream into reality, a great simple life.

Ahh… one of the famous, must visit activities at Wat Pho is a body massage. Many Thai and tourists came to the temple to use the services to freshen up themselves from the hot weather we have here in Bangkok! Unfortunately for me, I didn’t get a chance to use the massage because I had to go move the car while my families are enjoying the 60 minutes of massage!

These statues, if I remember correctly, show different postures of body relaxation, a Yoga lesson, that are integrated into each massage session.

I really have got to try the massage at Wat Pho one of these days.

What’s the best way to cool us down? A swimming pool! Just jump and splash in the pool… what a great feeling… REFRESHING!

I thank that the waterfall at Siam Paragon is such a great idea to cool down the very hot city in the heart of Bangkok. The waterfall at Siam Paragon becomes the center of attraction simply due to its water display, pool and waterfall as these elements cool the unbearable heat of Bangkok! I too, was sitting up there for about half an hour after taking this photo. Even though it was already late evening, the temperature is still too hot for me to keep on going with photographing, so I took a short break below by the waterfall and called it a night. ^_^

During the visit at Wat Pho, I found this side of the temple that is under renovation, restoration, construction or which ever they might call it. It suddenly reminded me of the drive-by shot of the church that I took in Los Angeles. The amount of colors that they use in Los Angeles are at the minimal while the Thai’s are really colorful and lively!

Once in a while, everything is going to need some renovation and restoration… Don’t we all?

So, what do you think of the differences between these 2 churches?

Um…. this is weird… I had so much to write when I was processing this just an hour ago. But now… I just blank out! Ahh! I can write about one thing… I didn’t take this picture, it was Matt! Yup… it was her … behind the camera and just pew pew pew!

Impressive huh?

um… still blank. Blahhhhh

I have never get on a chariot before but I sure will the next time I get a chance to do so. The reason that I haven’t get on one yet is because (this may sound silly to you but to me that is the reason)…. because I am the Walt Disney generation that the idea of chariot is always related to the Prince and Princess… so, getting on a chariot with my guy friends just doesn’t fit very well in my imagination! Awkward!

So until then… with my princess, Matilde ^_^
My concern is… do they have chariot in Portugal? Oh wait, how about Tuk Tuk instead!

A sunset… another day is over… a new day is beginning…

a day closer to Portugal.

Ahh that sunset reminded me of the last sunset that I had in Marbella, Spain during the last walk Puerto Banus.

It does look so much like the Cat’s Eye Nebula isn’t it?

Sunday afternoon, I suddenly remembered the Polar Coordinates filter in Photoshop that can turn a 360 degree panorama into a miniature earth. So I tried it with the 360 degrees of photos I have of the Plaza Mayor in Madrid.

The result is… UNBELIEVABLE!

Interesting eh?

This was taken from the rooftop at the pool of the InterContinental, Bangkok. I must have been there since 5:00 pm before I found the view and then waited for the night to begin.

The bartender at the pool asked me, why am I not taking the photo yet… why wait?

Good question! This reminded me of the time when I first got the camera and I would just point and shoot at everything! But as time passed, to answer the question, I felt that it was just pictures adding up on my hard disk. That doesn’t really answer the question doesn’t it? I am so confused!

Anyways… I found the view, found the angle and the location to set down the camera… then I waited.

because great things come to those who wait… so I wait

I think that is the answer to the question.

Honestly, I wouldn’t imagine myself being in such a futuristic (section of the) city, Valencia, Spain. It was so surreal!!! I wonder if this, a very green like environment + a dorm like architecture for shelter, would be the direction that our civilization is heading towards? Or is it already too late for Earth? Okay then, let’s take this and make it happen on Mar, Venus and Moon! Or somewhere closer… DUBAI! It seems that everything impossible is made possible in Dubai with its seemingly unlimited supply of resources and investors!

Valencia… an amazing city!!! (I just can’t find any more adjectives to describe the city!) Simply, amazing!

Parabéns a você,
nesta data querida.
Muitas felicidades,
muitos anos de vida.

^___^

It is very unhealthy for me to be blogging this right now, late at night, because I want to have all of those sweets right now! It was so good! We had a full box of them for our breakfast, lunch and dinner! This is the Dunkin Coffee by the Sol metro station in Madrid, Spain. How lucky were we to have found this shop right when we were starving!

That was the best box of donuts ever! So sweet, so good… very very good!

Okie…. that’s it, I am going to get a box of Dunkin Donuts tomorrow!

Really… what are you going to do? Make the train come faster… which is very unlikely to happen. Well, when we bought the ticket for the train… there is an area that said its arrival and departure time. As for the train coming earlier, doesn’t that mean that it wouldn’t leave earlier as the departure time has already been scheduled?

Just wait… patiently. That is all that we can do, knowing that the train is going to arrive and it is going to depart at the time that it was scheduled. Also knowing that… the train is going to take us to the destination we have been waiting for so long, that is well worth the wait.

Until then… be patient and let TIME FLY!

*Photo was taken at the Bangkok Train station, Hua Lum Phong.

Amazing, amazing, amazing… !! That’s nearly all I can say about the moment I experienced while shooting this photo. There was so much energy in the surrounding area that I got so hyped up along with it. This was the the 72 hour trips from Marbella to Malaga to Murcia to Granada then Valencia and back… in 72 hours! That was the most amazing  sight seeing marathon ever that was organized and planned every minutes of the way by Aude Filsack! There were Aude, Maxine, Maria and I! Well that was 3 girls and me! It said a lot about how much they must have trusted me along the trip, lol! Not that I am not trust worthy! But anyway, we got to share so many thoughts and ideas amongt each other during the trip. It is amazing how little time it takes for people to really get to know each other if we choose to open up.

Oh yes! This was the trip where a very very cheesy phrase was translate into Portuguese by Maria… during our very very cheesy dinner at an Italian restaurant. It was saying “you are the cheese to my macaroni.” That was so sweet! And the message was sent to… of course “Mattie”!

How cheesy was that! Ahh… great time! I miss you all! Aude, Maxine… Maria! Let’s do it again!!! But next time I promise to be your organizer but it is going to be in Portugal!

Until next time… Peace out!

TUK TUK!!!
That’s right! You have not arrived in Bangkok, Thailand until you ride one of these bad boys!! You would be surprised how many people can fit in that tiny little Tuk Tuk! The most I have seen was 6 high school students fitting in that one Tuk Tuk. Myself, I’ve only experienced 4 in a tuk tuk. !!!

This photo was taken at Bangkok Train station… Hua LumPhong!

Hum… what I forgot to take a picture of, is was what was behind the camera. There were so many street vendors and food stalls there that the camera was getting covered with smoke. In the end, I bought a few of those food and just ate away while incessantly taking photos there!

Yum and Fun!

Another week has passed! which means… LISBON is coming soon!

So as a way to keep myself busy and distracted, every weekend I’ll be out at night for picture like this around Bangkok, Thailand. Why night photos? I spend half of my weekend days catching up on sleep!

For this one…  the Giant Swing (in Thai = Sao Ching Cha) at night. I figured that a good picture is a picture that is taken from a place that is not really meant to be taken from in the first place!

Where else would be a better place than in the middle of the road?

Hum… if we gotta dream… why not just dream big! Dream of it and make it happen!

Umm… I really don’t have much to write about today… because I am still dreaming about that big house and garden.
But what I would really prefer is… not a big house or garden but a happy family living in a house together regardless of the size or status, just a happy family understanding each other. Simple, yet not that simple!

About the picture, I took it during my trip to Madrid. Unfortunately it was about to rain as you can see, a storm was coming in! It was so cold that my fingers were freezing and it wasn’t easy at all to take these pictures with my exposed bare hands, yet I did it anyway. Then… it off to find a cafe for a really sweet hot chocolate! Yum!!!!

Okay… this is a section of Plaza Mayor Panorama that I took, of course at Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain. I know that I wouldn’t be able to remember everything there and all the activities at the plaza! So I just snap snap snap snap snap… and just keep shooting til I turned 360 degree (horizontally!)

The really fun part is in the “original” panorama file on flickr that I am having a hard time uploading because it has a 100mb file size! So the fun part is when, I can zoom in to see so much detail and all the shops and activities in the plaza! It’s really that FUN! You should try; well try it when the file is actually uploaded *update: the problem is that Flickr only allows 20mb file size… ahh I see!!
Tthe best part is… I feel as if I am right there with, you know who. ^_^ Which is the main inspiration for me to complete these 3 hours of processing the panorama required.

After 10 years of being away from Bangkok, there seem to be a slight improvement in traffic. So I guess, this is the signature of Bangkok? I would really hope that is not the case!

Fortunately, today we have a sky-train and subway to help reduce the traffic conditions and also a better transportation system throughout the city. This traffic has become a part of my everyday routine every since my training started. At least 2-3 hours of my day would be stuck in one of these long lines of traffic. The only way to really avoid the traffic is to avoid the rush hours which means… get to work really early in the morning and go home really late at night.

About the photo, I took this the same day that I was at the Victory Monument. This is one of the roads that lead to the round-about at the monument.

Traffic as far as the eye can see! Oh well… Just get over it!

I am certain that everyone must have heard more or less of story about Noah’s Ark. His dedication to build his ark was merely the result of his believe, hope, trust and fate in God. It doesn’t matter how everyone else was mocking him as if he were a fool because it was that belief, hope, trust and fate in God that kept him and the other believer alive from the flood.

It was this window glazing that reminded me to not lose faith, hope and to believe and trust.
Noah had his bitter time while he was spending days and nights building that ark but was able to later enjoy the sweet time.

First is to endure, then to enjoy! How can we know what is “sweet” in life if we have never had anything “bitter” before.
No pain, no gain!

Something that I have been reminding myself everyday, is to endure… and to never lose that hope and fate.

I took this picture after hours of exploring the Santa Cruz church last weekend. It was still bright outside when I arrived that evening, as I didn’t notice much about the bridge, not until it was dark! While I was walking back to the parking, the reflection of the light on the river from the bridge caught my attention. Instead of taking the picture right away, I just sat there by the river, listening to music and relaxed!

A while later, I took a few shots of the bridge, the Memorial Bridge... but I chose to post it in black and white as I find the colors to be very distracting. With color, I tended to focus on how colorful it is… but as black and white, I get to focus on what I was really trying to capture, to remember it the way I saw it while I was there.

Life… can be easily distracted by so many things that we often ignore what it is really behind those colorful distractions. Why must we do this to ourselves? Perhaps it is easier to lie and pretend to be someone else rather than to be ourselves and to accept who we really are. Really? Seriously?

That is such irony.

Opse!!! It’s late, I better get some sleep!!! Let’s see if I can dream in black and white. ^_^