two steps behind

After a long day at work, where else would be a better place to spend the money that you just earned, than at this night market in Bangkok. In the day, Bangkok is well known for its amazing traffic where walking is actually faster than driving. By night, the foot traffic pick up rapidly and markets are likely the place that they will go for food, shopping, drinking or simply just walking.

I, too, am one of the ordinary Bangkokians who likes to spend my nights exploring Bangkok (whenever I get the chance) as much as I can because there are so many surprises in EVERY CORNER in BANGKOK. Victory Point is one of the night markets that I ran into accidentally while photography the Victory Monument. I focued so much on the Monument that I didn’t notice the market just around the corner until later on. Later on meaning, just minutes before I left the area.

Seriously… Bangkok is full of surprises…
well hidden… awaiting to be explored.

Yea… I really need a break from this coughing!!!

Tired!!!

This is from another perspective since the last time that I visit Sao Ching Cha (The great Giant Swing of Bangkok).

As much as I would like to type, I couldn’t due to a very irritating cough I am having these past few days that has prevented me from having a decent conversation because I have had to stop, to cough every now and then (or stop typing every now and then)

You may thought that I am blogging this at 4am because I had so much work that I had to finish (makes me look dedicated and all.) In fact, I am blogging at 4am because after hours of trying to sleep, I have failed to succeed!

Why? The cough… that’s the reason! Any suggestions for cough medicine?

Listening hasn’t been this much fun! Well, some of us probably know how I am sometimes, if not all the time. I love to talk and talk. However I couldn’t talk much because of my sore throat, which I am trying to heal with… a cough syrup, cough spray… and Vitamin C. Beside those, I am currently taking another 3 types of anti-allergy medicines! Mix all of that together… I have never ever been taking so many medication in my life. LOL… BLAMEcGLOBAL WARMING!

Wasn’t being able to talk much wasn’t a bad thing as I get to… listen to the conversations that were going on tonight at Red Sky on the rooftop of Centara Grand Bangkok. The view from the Red Sky is amazing and that I am planning to get up there again for a few pictures.

Ahh Centara Grand is the tallest building presented in the picture. The display light change from red to yellow to orange to blue to … on and on…!!! Ahh!!! It’s so hard to explain with words! I guess I’ll have to find sometime to take the picture from the Red Sky to show what I am talking about!

The night ended, too early, with me knocking for security to let me out of a building…  although I thought that I wouldn’t be able to get out of the building because the security may have been sleeping LOL, but when I arrived at the door – another security had just arrived! Just in time to let me out of the building. YAH!

I figured that, as long as we believe that everything is going to be fine, then it shall be… more than fine. So let us not worry and hope for the best… knowing that HOPE achieves the IMPOSSIBLE.

Humm… Sunset!!! The moment that I haven’t experienced for a while, because I only get off work after the sun… already SET Oh well… I guess I won’t be seeing many sunsets for a while.

On another topic… tomorrow is going to be the first day that I’ll be shadowing the Wedding Planner!!! THE BIGGG DAY! Yup!

—

Oh oh… I got this forward email… very interesting thought on FOOD and DIET!
what do you think?? !!! I sorta agree with him!

Q: Doctor, I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it…  don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually.  Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster.  Want to live longer?  Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies.  What does a cow eat?   Hay and corn.   And what are these?  Vegetables.  So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system.   Need grain?   Eat chicken.   Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable).   And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A:  No, not at all.  Wine is made from fruit.  Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way.   Beer is also made out of grain.  Bottoms up!

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can’t think of a single one, sorry.  My philosophy is: No Pain…Good!

Q:  Aren’t fried foods bad for you?
A:  YOU’RE NOT LISTENING!!! …..  Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil.  In fact, they’re permeated in it.  How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q:  Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q:  Is chocolate bad for me?
A:  Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another bean!!! Beans are good for you. It’s the best feel-good food around!

Q:  Is swimming good for your figure?
A:  If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q:  Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A:  Hey!  ’Round’ is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And  remember:
‘Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways – Chardonnay in one hand – chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ‘WOO HOO, What a Ride’

AND…..

For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health. It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION
Eat and drink what you like.

CHEERRS!!!!!!

Ever feel like when the day is gonna be over so that the night can begin? I guess everyone must have one of those moments as I have been feeling that way for weeks now. Sure work is very interesting and I do enjoy working and learning new things but there are times to work and times to relax.

Each day… is about 12 hours at work then home for another 8 hours.
The gap between work and home is really something worth looking forward to.

Not at work nor at home… that’s the place to be!

Blogging has been really hard recently due to problems with the hosting server (dreamhost) that has been very unstable due to “unknown reasons” according to the DH representative. Most of the time that the problems occur, it happens just right before my bed time (the time that I normally blog)

So I end up only uploading photos to FLICKR and believe it or not… FLICKR was down the other day too, so I couldn’t upload the pictures or even blog on Flickr! Sigh…

All these uncertainties that seem to keep happening non stop are really driving me to the edge… of a river… to REST, and just fall asleep some where, with the breeze from fresh air, sounds of the chilling wind, and the soothing scent of the nearby flowers. I need a really good rest sometime these days!

Just can’t seem to find any opportunities for it yet.

As far as I remember, these were the partners that attended the Conrad wedding event.

Seasons Spa,
Pro Master Creations,
Cattleya,
Ganit,
Sirena,
Laura Mercier
and Dynasty Collection….

*update 3 Nov 2009.
Apparently, I have this post drafted!! (Did not notice that… until today now)

I started to wonder, after attended a few weddings of my friends and families, whose the wedding are for… really?
The Bride? The Groom? or their Families?

Because, feedback that I get from wedding attendees (guests, guest of honors, friends and families) are that, coming to anyone wedding are full of hassles that the guests are normally stuck with the traditional wedding routine which are…

Driving to the wedding and TRY and HOPE that they will find parking,
WALK and walk and keep walking to the function room, which they have absolutely NO IDEA where it is located!
Make sure that they actually enter the correct Wedding events (believe it or not, there are those that enter the wrong wedding)
Sign the greeting / congratulation book for the couple and receive the wedding souvenir…
If the couple are not too busy, you may get to take the picture with the couple and try to SMILE your best! This is the “one minute” that is the entire reason why everyone dress up so nice! Just for this… one minute with the couple.
And then… proceed into the room and look for the familiar face so that you could join them at the table
Start your mingling… blah blah blah… and stuck there for another hours or so
“Try” to enjoy the food and the music because you will be too busy to say hello to everyone that greet you.
Need restroom? better be prepare because it always a long line at restroom.
Once the ceremony is over, do not expect that you could just walk out… straight to the parking lot and just… DRIVE OFF! Because, there are so many people you are going to meet at this moment. The common phrase would be… “hey! you came, we didn’t see you! where did you sit? when did you arrive? who did you come with…” ON AND ON. This could take up to an hour of mingling outside the door of the wedding room.
Okay… off to the parking! Problems are they don’t normally remember where they park the cars! Well, this is a good time to burn out all those food we just ate!
Found your car? Good… and good luck getting out of the parking because there are many other like you that trying to leave the parking as well, so just stay chill!
Soon enough, HOME.

*These are simply feedback that I get from my friends and families and… myself from weddings that I have attended.

However, I find these facts to be fascinating because it give raise to a question,

HOW DO I PLAN a WEDDING that doesn’t BORE our GUESTs to SLEEP!????

I believe that a wedding shouldn’t matter on the size of the guests attending the event, nor its luxuriousness…
A wedding should be memorable for the BRIDE, the GROOM… and most important of all… for friends and FAMILIES because they are the witness to the vowed that couple committed to love each other.

WELL, well, well…., after all these FRIENDS and FAMILIES are the people that bring you $$$$$$$$  ^_^  so… better be nice to them! LOL

Continued from the previous post yesterday on Conrad wedding planner’s partners.

Ahh to clarify… why would my wedding in 2052 (AD) ? I don’t know? apparently, perhaps, maybe, it was foretold by a fortuneteller, palm-reader or a psychic. Or maybe it was just a number that was made up so I can look forward to… it’s only 43 years from now… I should be 70 and have EVERYTHING planed and ready for my PERFECT wedding! I wonder who made that number up… hum???… Oh wait or perhaps she meant 2552 (Buddhist Era or BE) which is actually equal to 2009 AD… which is THIS YEAR!!! Wooo! that’s quick!

Anyway, let’s get back to the review on Conrad wedding planner’s partners. As far as I remember, these were the partners that attended the event. Seasons Spa, Pro Master Creations, Cattleya, Ganit, Sirena, Laura Mercier and Dynasty Collection.

Um… may I continue this tomorrow kindna wanna sleep already. There is just so much to talk about that I wouldn’t want to rush into finishing it. Okay… Tomorrow it is

*The photo: Invitation cards and wedding souvenirs by Cattleya. Aren’t they amazing!

I am always on the planning side (the do this and that for the couple) of weddings, but not yet am I on the Bride and Groom’s side (the we want this, we want that, we think this is better than this, or actually that is better) to really understand what it takes have a wedding and create that perfect moment for the wedding day.

As a groom without a bride (physically here with me at the event)… I decided to become an interested customer. With my curiosity, I must have asked everything I could of what do you think a bride would want and I would say that 99% of all the wedding items and activities were made for the bride. The groom is just something to complete the image of the wedding.

Let’s get to the review of the Wedding at Conrad…. starting from the moment I drove into the parking lot and the time that I left.

Getting from the road to the parking was very easy, however, walking to the Conrad ballroom was a bit complicated for me (this is something that we must consider if we were to plan a wedding; how convenient is access to the event for the guests) .I was lost in the All Season Place mall for a bit and must have asked a few people, “where is Conrad’s event” If you say that it could be just me that doesn’t know how to get there while the rest of the attendee know somehow? Well, assume yourself to be the guest of a wedding, most of the guest would be coming to Conrad’s for the first time. Parking… is really something that we have to consider and be included in venue decision making process.

I started it off with the 2 smaller rooms on the 2nd floor. The setting is really interesting, a bit glamorous, a tad of relaxing and a touch of luxury. These 2 rooms are great for a cozy wedding ceremony as the setting, the lighting and the size of the room really create the coziness. However, my only comment would be (not relate to the setting), the use of the products that Conrad used to display at the wedding event, I know it wasn’t mean for real event but at least please use FRESH flowers… etc. I find everything to be amazing until I start walk up closer to flower and rose petals on tables only to find out that they are about to wither and die. Sure that the event were only meant as “examples” but the impression I got was that… but the example should really be “EXAMPLE” of how it would be at to have a wedding at the Conrad.

Let’s not focus on the cost saving side too much. Later on I was greeted with a PR (Khun Mu), she was great at assisting me and showing me around (Oh, I didn’t know that the main event was on the 4th floor, until she told me!) Khun Mu wasn’t directly dealing with the wedding planing but she has help me as best to her knowledge and tell me about the schedule of events to later introduce me to Khun Phee, a sales agent (room – not for the wedding). Okay okay,  I see… I guess that because I was flying SOLO without a bride at the wedding huh? So I guess they don’t take me seriously LOL. Anyway, I don’t blame them because the wedding planners are quite busy with other couples that they could really CONFIRM regarding their weddings. However, I’m not complaining… ^_^ Khun Phee was great… we discuss the pros – cons of wedding at different locations and how “PARKING + TRAFFIC” is really my big concern. *By the way we are not in the Grand Ballroom area… the ballroom can be equally partitioned into 3 rooms and that the stage would be set at the back of the 2nd room – creating a stage and the catwalk area. No No, I didn’t like that because I prefer a longer walk way. Can they do it? Of course they can! How many would be attending, he asked… approximately, umm roughly 500. (this number is nothing comparing to a wedding I am attending next week… the total number of guests is about 10,000!! WOOO!!) 500 is a great number, it seems to be the average number of guests that attend a wedding.

The different menus and setups were available such as, Buffets, Chinese tables, and Cocktails. Different types of set ups would result into the different size of capacity for the room. For Chinese table,s the maximum would be 500 guests because the setup would required spaces for tables and chair and to make sure that everyone have seats. For buffets… very similar to Chinese table but (I assume) the number of guests would have to be lower than 500 because they are going to need space to setup food stalls for guests to get their own food. (Except for the VIPs table that the food will be served to them right at the table) Cocktails allow for about 800-900 guests (if I remember correctly) because all it would need were a few tables for the Family while for the FRIENDS we could just let them wonder around the cocktail area. Cocktail and buffets are great for setups that involve more Friends than Family because it’s allow these friends to walk around and meet and greet with each other. While the Chinese table setup is kind of forcing you to not wonder around… SIT! So it’s all depend how would you like the setup to be. I went the “SIT” kind of setup… the Chinese table.

Um… let’s take a break for now. I will continue tomorrow on Conrad wedding planner’s partners.

Street vendors, tuk tuks, traffic cones, and traffic… a familiar sight to be seen here in Bangkok. Hungry or thirsty… you can find varieties of food along the street… tastes great but eat at your own RISK. LOL.

A simply great evening at the Suan Lum night bazaar… and then dinner… and then ice cream… and then… NO AND THEN! Actually and then… back to this traffic filled street… SIGH!

It was Sunday afternoon that I went to a temple, Wat Rai King, hoping to get some pictures of the Sunset. Unfortunately… it was starting to rain by the time I arrived. It was more of a storm rather than a normal rain. Thunder, lightening, strong winds and big drops of rain were pouring down heavily that afternoon.

I guess that was the end of the afternoon… no shots of anything, but I was so wrong. I passed by these lotus leaves just before it rained and I didn’t find it to be interesting… UNTIL THE STORM came!

Beauty is really… all around, especially in the worse case scenario where we often assumed that, that was it… the end of the world.
Open up… and we shall see that the world isn’t so cruel…

When it come to politic… I really just want to stay away from it. Hearing about political problems, (not that I know anything about it) is something that I feel it would never end!

Problems occur because we all have different opinions. But to actually agree about whose opinion is RIGHT or WRONG is really depend which opinion last longer than the other.

Hum… I better stop writing about it LOL.

Want to know more ??? google “14 October 1973 Uprising” ^_^

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

My two cents!
“If not given to you… then work for it
If seek and you can’t find it… then ask for help
Knock and the door won’t open? Then knock harder!

Still not open…?
Work for it… ask for help… and BREAK THAT DARN DOOR DOWN!!!!
Never give in nor ever give up”

While driving home after a wonderful hotpot dinner today, I thought… that my life could be something similar to iTune play list with 2510 songs that if played, would last 7.6 days! w/o repeating the same song! That is way too many songs! What I am trying to get at is that… the list is made of many different type of music from:

Alternative Rock/Punk
Ballroom Dance Songs & waltzes
Blues & Blue Grass
Christian Rap & Rock
Classical
Acid Jazz/Deep House
Country/old & Current
Big Band /Swing & Lounge
Irish tunes (St Patty’s Day stuff)
Medley’s
Novelty Songs
Old Club
Opera (not timed just listed)
Pure Moods (easy Going Music)
Salsa/ Mardi Gras/Reggae/Dub
Ska
Slow/Romantic
TV & Movie Themes (for improvised Trivia sound vents)
Monty Python Cuts
Disco/Retro Dance
Old 70’s, 80’, 90’s, Pop & Rock
Old Classic Rock
Old Hip Hop & Rap
One Hit Wonders
Motown
P-Funk
Current Pop & Rock
Current Hip Hop & R&B
World Beat
Japan Music traditional
Japan Pop dance top hits
Latino Soca/ Steel Drums
X-Mas (Christmas Music)
50’s 60’s Mod & Surf Music
Club/ House/Rave
DJ Tools Show Enhancers—ETC
Comedy Cuts
DJ Messages
Answering Machine cuts
Speeches (the odd ones that can enhance a DJ Show)

Yup…. when shuffles, its just kindna like my life because I wouldn’t know which song is going to come up next! Surprise! Many times, surprise can be good, but most of the time it isn’t. Today I prefer the “Genius Play list” that iTune would create a play list base on a kind of music that I like. Sweet isn’t it?

I wish that I have a Genius Mix in real life; less surprises but still full of a sensational life style

Um, I don’t have a particular kind of music that I like… kind of a mood swing listener, whatever make me feel right. then I am set! You, don’t you wish for a Genius Mixes in your life? Wouldn’t it be nice to know exactly what is going to happen next, and when is it going to happen just like the time table for trains that are so exact! Still, there are times that trains are DELAYED… sigh. Expectations for that train to show up and not showing brings disappointment to us.

Expect less, get surprised more ^_^

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).

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!

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?

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.

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.

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.

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?

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. ^_^

After talking to the father of the church this evening, I have found out that… Portuguese were the VERY FIRST group of EUROPEANS that settled in Thailand hundreds of years ago and the 500th years anniversary of Thai – Portugal diplomatic relationship will be held in the year 2011.

Back to the story about the church… well, let’s make it easy… here is the story that was publish by Eric Lim, a Singaporean living in Bangkok who just loves to write about historical places in Thailand… I am sure going to look him up in person, so that I can learn much more about Thailand itself.

“Santa Cruz Church, the church of the holy cross, was first built in the reign of King Taksin, (1867 – 1782) a legacy of Thai-Portuguese relations that date back to the 16th century.  Nestled among old houses on the river banks and newer buildings inland, the reddish dome of the old Catholic church is a prominent landmark on the Chao Phraya.

Descendants of the early Portuguese traders built the first Santa Cruz Church in 1770 after the fall of Ayutthaya. The Portuguese, the first Europeans in Thailand, arrived in Ayutthaya shortly after they captured Malacca in 1511. As the area was also claimed by the Thai King, the Portuguese shrewdly dispatched an envoy to the court of Ayutthaya in the same year to reassure the Thais of Portuguese intentions.

In 1516, Portugal signed a treaty with Thailand to supply firearms and munitions. With the treaty came with the rights to reside, trade and practice their religion in Thailand. This brought the first Portuguese friars in 1567 who established the Catholic Church in Ayutthaya. After the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767, the Portuguese continued with their military support to King Taksin in his efforts to drive the Burmese out of Thailand. The supply of cannon and muskets contributed significantly to King Taksin’s army. In recognition of their services, King Taksin granted the Portuguese a plot of land to build a wooden church in an area called Kudi Jeen. Thus, the church is sometimes called Wat Kudi Jeen.

Over the next 65 years, the wooden church in Kudi Jeen fell into a state of disrepair. In 1835, Cardinal Pallegoix rebuilt and renamed the church, Santa Cruz Church meaning Holy Cross Church in English. The present Santa Cruz Church was rebuilt again in 1913 during the reign of King Rama VI (1910 – 1925). The two renowned Italian architects Annibale Rigotti and MarioTamagno took on this task. The result of their work has remained till today.

The gate to the spacious courtyard is a short distance from the Santa Cruz Pier on the Chao Phraya. A crucifix is in one corner of the courtyard and a statue of Mary within a beautiful garden in the other. Within a smaller courtyard, surrounded by a low wrought iron fence, stands the neat cream colored church trimmed in reddish-brown and topped by a domed belfry. The sidewalls of the church are decorated with stained glass etched with biblical images.
The church and the inner courtyard are closed on weekdays. To the rear of the church, away from the Chao Phraya, there’s a little cemetery with nine tombstones encased in marble.

The well-kept church grounds are quiet on weekdays save for the rhythmic strains of children reciting their lessons in the Santa Cruz Convent nearby and the occasional passerby on the way to the pier. Like an urban oasis with narrow sois (lanes) leading to the busy streets outside, the Santa Cruz Church is all that remains of Portuguese influence in Kudi Jeen today.

By Eric Lim

Published: 3/16/2006″

Well, I’m sure that covers most of the story about Portugal and Thailand. Ahh I got invited by the father to join them on a trip to the VERY FIRST Portuguese village in the old Capital of Siam, Ayutthaya, in November.

Something to look forward to!