As another week passes by, what would be better than to enjoy a few cold L’s of San Miguel beer while relaxing and watching a movie at home. Talking about it reminds me… I should go take them out from the freezer before they explode!
Long day, Long week, TIME FLYS… yet, something is missing.
Inspired by London’s crystal palace, the Palacio de Cristal can be found at the south-eastern end of the Retiro Park. It was initially used to house exotic plants brought over from the Philippines. It is now mainly used for temporary exhibitions. (wiki)
It is an unfortunate thing to happen to an amazing structure, as the Cristal palace now houses absolutely nothing. Sure it was once a green house for exotic plants, but its name and glory are things lost in time, a time which has passed by. It has become outdated and has lost its value. The architecture at this scale should be occupied throughout the year; it should not be neglected nor only be used when it is needed.
A palace is not a palace if it were merely a decoration to a park. A palace is a palace when it is occupied and cared for.
To my eyes, this is a very lonely sight indeed. Once a place full of lives and happiness, now an empty shell waiting to be fill with joy once again, permanently. Until then…
Back to the Easter Holiday once again, it was April, 09 2009 just a few days before the Thai New Year celebration (April 13). I had only seen the picture of the Plaza Mayor in photos and postcards before. But once I actually had been in the Plaza, it was simply amazing! I have seen many plazas like this before on the Discovery Channel, but never before in person until that day! At that time, I had spent so much time taking pictures, I must have taken several hours at the Plaza Mayor.
Anyway, I told myself that day… “I am going to visit this place again but it would be with the love of my life.” Who would have known that just a few months later… I actually visit Plaza Mayor again.
Being a wedding planner is not easy, especially when you want to plan one for yourself.
I am not much of a speaker… I hope that this would explain how I feel for her. Is it classical, rap, hiphop, R&B? I have no idea! But it is a great song that I found on YouTube!
Two Hearts, One Love.
Verse 1
Reminince back when the first time we met
i thought to do something but i was too scared
of the main fact that i might get rejected
neglected even if i got selected
it was too much for a small heart to handle
had this dream me and you on the table
heads tight me and you with dim lights
no one in else in sight only you and i
the skys dim blue stars out too
you from the star it was gonna be true
when you howl my world me and you were together
i live one you yeah we be here forever
our loves my life when you give me butterflies
i see my wife when i look into your eyes
your my life your my friend you my motivation
my girl of my life you my new sensation
your more like no one else yeah your one of a kind
its hard to believe some time ichiban
i think you were sent to me from above
always intrigued two hearts one love
two hearts one love for life
two hearts one love till the day that i die
Verse 2
i was lost before but now im found
just thinking about you make my head go round
i love you for you and your personality
whenever im drunk you make it seem like a reality
if something wrong and im left in the dark
your the first one i talk to coz your whom who i trust
before i sleep i make sure that you brush
you my baby my sweetie my lil princess
i cant explain how much i love you
whenever im around you i feel so triggered
just feel so right like it meant to be heaven
having you in my arms means so much to me
when we kiss i just feel so much
how you change my day just with a single touch girl
theres no you can trust me with your heart
655 for life from the start
Chorus
your my life your my friend you my motivation
my girl of my life you my new sensation
your more like no one else yeah your one of a kind
its hard to believe some time ichiban
i think you were sent to me from above
always intrigued two hearts one love
two hearts one love for life
two hearts one love till the day that i die
Bridge
Still cant believe that you were mine
the love that we shared was so genuine
family first? well you come first
i love you so much that my heart gonna burst that it hurts
musical feeling inside the thought of the two of us goin to collide
everytime i hold you my heart beats fast
its you before my crew called outkast
bridge break
the love we have grows strong by the day
you my one lonely love where the word hoe’s okay
in bed its only you in my head and running now
which you would feel i was dead
instead im at home alone
atleast one hiss with your voice on the phone
and i do that i dont care about the bills
650 man that aint giving me the chills
i just think of you
when you watch that i wait with you
i share love and thats how its gonna stay
this love that we have bright white like a dove
forever and ever its two hearts one love
A week has passed since the start of work, and now I must admit that it is quite exhausting to be up 5 am and get home by midnight. Traffic is just beyond words. How can Bangkok turn a normal 20 mins trip into a 2 hours trip?! I just don’t get it.
For now… rest! for the next 7 hours before getting back to work Saturday morning!
Keep it coming!
It is amazing how a building can last hundreds of years. Well, I really don’t believe that normal buildings will last that long. What it need is the care and the life inside the building otherwise it is just an empty shell. My auntie once asked me why new empty buildings feel so old and get deteriorated so fast compared to buildings that are half a decade older but, are full of life and joy.
Architecture really isn’t “just about” the design of buildings but it is really about the design of “space” and the interaction of those “spaces with people” In Bangkok, the idea of architecture is defined by the amount of square meters you can have in an empty lot. That is why most of the buildings here are built EXACTLY to the size of the vacant lot, perhaps only a meter away from the property line for people to walk.
And when I was in Europe, the architecture there amazed me in the point that they are so well maintained both its architecture and culture. The city is lively with culture that has been there for hundreds of years. The architecture enhanced that very rich culture making it is such a great place to visit or to eventually settle down.
This picture was taken in Madrid on my very first visit to Madrid on Easter Holiday 2009. I find Europe to be a very attractive place to live just as I have always imagined.
And guess what? I am done imagining about living in Europe because I am going to live in Europe, really soon!
A castle is made to provide protection for residents
The architecture of the castle is to distinguish itself from everything else
The columns are meant to support the structure
The walls are made to prevent elements from entering
Everything is meant to separate the inside from the outside
Except the windows… which are made to “LET” in the light and “LET” the residences inside to enjoy the view outside.
The view like this tulip field right before the castle.
A gently touch that turns a cold harsh castle into a loving and welcoming one.
Got home quite late today. First day of internship as Event Management Coordinator at InterContinental Bangkok. I must have attended hundreds of events organized by hotels since I was a child. Everything seems so simple; the lighting, the table settings, the sound, the service, the flowers and the food and beverages. They are so simple that I thought it was such an easy task to do until after I organized a 400 pax for Cultural Night event at Les Roches Marbella, Spain. That was when I found out how “uneasy” it was to organized an event and how much coordination it required to have everything perfect, from the beginning to the end.
Today I found myself fully engulfed by so many amazing things that I have learned in just one day. I was amazed by the size of the conference center and rooms, at the technologies they use in each room, at the way they organized between each department. For example the Event Management Dept must confirm everything with the banquet dept, florist dept, kitchen, and audio and visual dept. It is something that we do weekly to make sure that all the customer expectations are met… and exceed the customer expectation.
Today an Event Management Coordinator, soon a Wedding planner… so good that I can organized an event for thousands of people at Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain.
That would be “wicked” !
Can you recall your dreams? Some people are able to finely detail their dreams from the beginning to the end. Some can’t recall the story line but are able to recall bits and pieces from their dream. And some just can’t recall nor remember any thing from the dream at all, hence… I didn’t dream of anything.
I am no psychologist, but I have a theory! hahah, that’s right! A theory from a guy with an Architecture and a Hospitality Management degree, about “Dreams” and why we dream?
There must have been thousands of theories out there about “why we dream” as in “how does it occur” However, what I am talking about is “why we dream” as in “how can we use that dream to our advantage”
Because we are the creator of those DREAMs, I believe that, then we must be able to control our dream to our DESIRES! Dream happen in a virtual world, unreal, not existing, nor happening… it then allow us, the dreamer, to EXPERIENCE different scenarios that are yet to happen or we would like to try. This may refer to the time that you say “aww I wish I did (dot dot dot)” or “what if (dot dot dot)” those moments are the time that we can’t redo because we can’t go back in time, unfortunately there is no “Ctrl+Z” for real life. The dream also allows us to observe ourselves of reactions we have on different scenarios in our dream.
A nightmare could be the result of us losing control of our dreams. As mentioned earlier, we are the creators of our dreams, hence we are the controllers of our dreams. If we can control our dreams, why would we make ourselves have nightmares. Instead we would make our dreams as fun, happy, glory, and joyful as possible! In our dreams… anything is possible and the worst thing is… to have woken up from a dream so sweet that you just want to keep sleeping!
I think the same can be apply to ourselves in reality. We are in control of ourselves therefore everything that happened, resulted from our previous, current, and future actions. Put simply… in our dreams, we can control our minds to dream of happy thoughts. In reality, we can control our actions to work toward those happy moments as well.
——
Dreaming that you were lost in a forest may happen once in a while, but you can control it by believing and creating a path to lead yourself out of the forest.
Hey… a dream is your movie, and you are the director, the actor, the extra, and the props. So do whatever you want with it, use your imagination!
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” Albert Einstein.
——
As for the photo, it was taken in Madrid, at Retiro Park while we were walking, looking for a bench to sit and just relax. Couldn’t relax because we were worried about one assignment that was yet to be submitted as we needed another team member to submit it to professor along with other documents. In the end, those worries were for nothing as everything was handed in days before by the team member. Then, we just sat and relax in the woods… away from everything. It wasn’t long but it was memorable.
We were exploring Orgiva, Spain, looking for a gift shop to buy post cards. The city seems to fold itself on top of itself. I can’t even tell while I was walking on the other side of the building that there is an underground layer beneath the street level. It is amazing how bright it was below, because normally any underground I’ve experienced has been dark and gloomy. Great idea with the opening above to bring in natural light! I think it would have been better if the water fountain actually had water in it! I am wondering if it ever had any water running before? Just a sculpture instead of an actual water fountain?
Well… That’s a first!
During Easter Holiday 2009, a friend and I visited Madrid. My primary objective was to visit the Loewe store in Madrid because it is, as they told me, the very first shop that Loewe has open more than 70 years ago! It took me housr to find the store while trying not to be lost in the city. Hours had passed as I walk up and down on Gran Via Blvd only to find out that I had walked past the building many times, because they were renovating the front of the shop and I couldn’t see the sign.
I spent a lot of time at the shop being amazed by everything as it was so unreal because I would never imagine myself to have a chance to visit the store year ago when I first experience Loewe perfume. I didn’t even know before that Loewe originated in Madrid, Spain. Anyway… how could I leave the store empty handed! I spent an hour or so playing around with their perfume and fragrance until my nose could’t handle it anymore. It was fun as I had a great experience with the customer representative that is being very kind to allow me to try all of the fragrance ^_^
I left the store with a pair of fragrance… Solo Loewe and Quizás Quizás Quizás Loewe. The crazy thing was that when I got the Quizás Quizás Quizás Loewe, I had no idea who to give it to yet. But I believe that soon I will find the one to give it to. They both smell great! One for me and one for my Loewe,…!
Enjoy the short video from Loewe made for Quizás Quizás Quizás (Loewe).
The BULL!!! it’s Everywhere!
The sign that telsl us that we were on the right direction to Madrid were these BULL signs. They are everywhere along the main road to Madrid. As a Matador alumni 2002… I can’t help to stop thinking about the time while I was a Matador. Ahh yes! I was once a Matador when I was in High School, San Gabriel High School, California. The Matador was our school mascot… so I wasn’t the actual matador in the arena. Sorry to disappoint you 
Life is amazing, who would have known that I would have the chance to visit and explore for months and months in Spain, the country best known for the Matador! Unfortunately, I didn’t watch the bull fight because I don’t think I can handle it!
This was taken during a walk in Orgiva, Spain.
“Believe” and “Free” are the 2 words that I feel after seeing the collage posters.
I admire the man who stand up for his believe even thought he had to stand alone.
On the other hand, I also admire the woman for being so Free!
“Truly Believing in something” and “Totally Being Free from everything”
The picture that I took in Malaga, Spain reminded me of Frank Gehry’s work… the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The same reaction came to me NICE building, then WHAT?
As an architecture student who dedicated 5 years to architecture… I am still looking for that answer… THEN WHAT. While I am searching for the “what”, I expanded my field of vision by taking hospitality management diploma in Europe and to explore architecture and open my mind to the world!
Then WHAT? no idea yet. But when I find out… perhaps I’ll become the next Frank Gehry! Hey, there is nothing wrong to dream BIG 
Something in common that I had with Frank was that… Frank Gehry wanted to be a scientist when he was a child. Well he was 14, he wanted to create water… H2O, and for his attempt… he blew up a part of his house… (watch the ted.com video to find out how did he do it. It’s funnier when he said it) As a child, I also wanted to be a scientist and always try to build thing with electrical. *I thought I am going to be the next EDISON! When I was 12, during an electrical work while I was trying to build a mechanical weight lifting machine… I electrocuted myself! The house went into a Black OUT right away! LOL! Luckily, Thanks to the circuit breaker and safety cut that prevented me from fully shocked by it… minutes later I wake up in a blur and numb. And… I gave upon the idea of being the next Edison.
Now? I just want to be ME.
Today, I will be heading out for interview for an internship in Bangkok. Wish me luck! Other news is that I will be servicing my computer with AppleCare. There fore I won’t have my computer to work with for at least 10 days! that is what they told me. 10 days without my laptop… that is going to be hard! But hey! it’s not that bad. I’ll figure something out so that I can continue blogging. Actually I already figured it out ^_^
So just before I go to the interview and have my computer service, I would like to blog this one. I took this photo the first time I visit Madrid but it was the 2nd time that I visit Madrid that I get to enjoy a meal there. As you can see the whole line of seats in front of the building, they all belong to one restaurant, Cafe de Oriente. They separate in sections according to menu. And that cause a bit of confusion when we wanted to sit at another location.
In the end we sat right at the corner right behind where the boy in the yellow shirt is standing. It was a really sunny day, so hot that I remember the camera became really hot as I left it in the sun and the table was also so hot that I couldn’t lean my arm on it! The food was great as was the mist of water. I remember how we were waiting for the mist to turn on… it was really that hot. We kept having one orange juice after another. It was really refreshing. So refreshing that it was gone just seconds after it was served!
Yup, just keep the OJ coming!!
My very first trip in Spain started during a midterm holiday / Easter holiday. The plan was to go to Origiva and then Granada. The plan changed just a night after, when my friend Simon wanted to go to Madrid instead. Hey, I am just a passenger with a camera… I am glad to go ANYWHERE and take pictures ^_^
So for this shot it was the first day of the trip after we left Marbella around 4Am to drop of our friend, Aude to the airport. I thought, perhaps we can get to Orgiva before the sunrise! That was how the race against the sunrise started.
In the end… a photo as you see below, in Orgiva collection. The sunrise in Orgiva, Spain. My very first sunrise shot… was processed with a simply request…
“I want a picture of a sunrise that brings happiness”
The New Beginning.
Just minutes before we had to leave the park, The Retiro Park in Madrid, I got the chance to take this picture. However instead of the photo, I wish we got to be in the boat just for a bit. Why? for more photos !
If I am correct, I know there are parks like this in Bangkok as well. I am going to find out where and then I will share it here and let see… which is better? In my honest opinion, I don’t think that it is where that matters… it is who you are with that makes the difference ^_^
I mean… look at the photo, they all are couples rowing the boats! … the location became insignificant.
Some people need proof or evidence of something to proof the existence of something or someone so that they can start to believe.
Some people need reasons to believe.
Some people, don’t need proof, evidence nor reason to believe.
Because… we simply CHOOSE TO BELIEVE
More information about the Holy Grail
After an entire day of point and shoot at everything while we were walking around Madrid, we came to stop at the Madrid Cathedral. It was amazing, the interior, the quietness, the feeling, the empowering and the moment. Some were taking photos while other were praying. I did a little bit of both and noticed how everyone were point and shoot of what in front of them but while I resting. I left my camera on the ground pointing to the ceiling. So I fired away the 3 AEB shots.
That’s how it happened… a coincidence that shows the other side of life. Or was it really… just a coincidence??? Or was it destined to be???
Serendipity is beautiful !
The good thing was that the stairs was closed to public that day. Other wise I may have tried to climb all those flights of stairs, but I would be worried that if I were to trip and to fall down all those flights… wouldn’t be a good experience, but sure would be FUNNY! This reminded me of a temple that we have in Northern Thailand! I can’t seem to recall the name of the temple. But I believe that I will get a chance to visit the temple sometime in the near future!
Short and Brief!!! It’s a long way up but we are going to walk up there together and when we look back… we will be amazed at how we are to be able to walk that far! ^_^
It took us about an hour to walk around the city centre of Orgiva, Spain to find a tapas place. This is one of the restaurant that we ran into, however, Simon didn’t seem to be satisfied with the menu, hence we didn’t get to eat there. However, I love the simplicity of the restaurant with the use of primary color to decorate the table, simple white chairs, roofing and street sign. It is amazing how they have turned an alley into outdoor dining and well greening of the area.
The potted-plant and the use of simply chair probably made the customer feel at home while dining there. It must have been a great experience for a simply dine out of an evening. Good Evening, indeed!
Hidden in plain sight! It was during a walk to Puerto Banus that I found this framing of the Sierra Blanca. Normally I would walk another way, my normal route, however this time I was walking with friends from school and that they normally walk on a different route.
There are so many possibilities in life that we often neglect due to human nature… we are creatures of HABIT, and that we tend to do things we know and feel comfortable with, hence… we can’t think outside the box *on our own*. However with a little bit help from outsider, friends and families… we are often shown the other side of life. Yet, we often don’t let other people into our lives because of our nature of habit. By letting someone into our lives, it needs courage and trust.
So, who have you let into your life recently? Where have they lead you to? Whoever it is, they are sure to be thankful for letting them into your life because it also means that you trust them. Now let us walk together to “who know where”, just keep walking – together.
Tonight… the night… that I don’t know what to type.
I just want to rest there, look at the moon, listen to the sound of the sea and be bathed by the light of the stars. And just fall asleep.
Huh… This reminded me of the game that I used to play when I was little.
Here’s how the game goes; one person will be standing facing away from the rest of his/her friends, with the goal of catching those who don’t FREEZE! He/she then counts from one to ten and then turns around and says Freeze! While he/she is counting… then his/her friends are supposed to be creeping up slowly to him/her… their objective is to creep up all the way to TAG him/her. They are not allow to MOVE, not one bit!. no blinking! none! must FREEZE like a robot or else will be eliminated from the game! The game repeat until the counter got Tag! or everyone else got eliminated!
I am sure many of you must have play this game before!
Well, if they were playing this game in the picture… I would be holding really STILL! because the counter this time is the POLICE!… not only I will be eliminated from the game, I don’t know what else would he do to those that MOVE!
Look at the pedestrians… NO ONE DARES TO MOVE! hahahahahahha! Poor grandpa and grandma on the left… they seem to be FROZEN really still! After all, it was a great day to be walking in Madrid.
A month has passed since the last class at Les Roches Marbella.
I sure miss it, the lack of time to do nothing else but work and school,
the fresh air in the morning,
the sound of the phone alarm waking me up at 6am for pastries,
the 4 cups of warm milk with Te’ at breakfast,
the delivery of muffins 
the all you eat dessert at lunch!
the cutting and chopping meat and vegetable for dinner
the walk in the afternoon over the mountain
the time spent doing nothing but to enjoy the 1 hour happiness of the day
the brownie at Small World
the light breeze of each night
the shining moon over the sky
the north star that always shines
the sand and stone on the road
the sound of cricket in the woods
the moment…
the lists go on…
This pile of rocks and the big stone represents the START of a NEW beginning for a path. Apparently, from the view, the path seems to be rough to walk thru. Why would someone want to walk down this path anyway? Perhaps because they know that at the end of the path is the Beach*, where they can rest happily in front of the eternal ocean.
*zoom-in on the original file and you would see the sea at the end of the road. Yes that little blue pool of water is the sea 
I guess that is the best way to reach our destination by fixing our eye on our GOAL in life and do work hard with a POSITIVE mind and everything will become much easier.
This post is related to back to the previous posted as it was the resulted from the “STONE” that marked the new beginning. The question that was mentioned in the previous post… was asked and has been answered.
The ROAD to take was chosen… and now? Keep going FORWARD, “together”.
“Two things I learned in life, kid: find someone to love and live everyday as though it were your last.– Joe.” Alfie 2004.
And to live everyday as it though it were your last, sometime we must put ourselves in the position that there is no turning back, just keep going forward. And to never regret any moment in life.
This is the view of City Center, Valencia, Spain. What a fun, risky, crazy, spot to take the photo, yet…it was worth it.
One more exam to go, One more week until graduation… and one more question to be answer.
This is the result of another drive by shot while Simon was driving us to Madrid, Spain. No, he wouldn’t stop the car because he believed that if he do stop at every place I wanted to take picture, then we would never make it to Madrid. Silly but I think that he may be right.
The image is a bit blurry, yet I love it. I wonder what this building was once before, a warehouse was my wild guess. Whatever it was, it has such a nice location and view for the entire valley below and that it refuses to collapse. Just stood there, perhaps one day someone will see its true value and come back to renovate it? Well, I would if I could… renovate, recreate and fill it with joy and life as it should be the same as when it was created.
Ahh yes… today post is a bit different from the norm. After I have the picture ready to upload, I felt the urge to edit it which resulted in the black and white picture. You still have access to the original color version.
It was during the 48 hour 4 city trip with my colleagues. As we were resting from the walk… I noticed that the majority of the tourists are walking in pairs and as I keep searching for that perfect pair… left and right, I couldn’t find any.
In the end, as I looked up… straight right in front of me is this lovely couple that I only had a split second to capture it.
There, at the moment… it was so sweet that I wish to know who they are so that I can share this picture with them!
So then… I asked and believed.
Now?… Received.
Don’t know what am I talking about? Well… it’s part of “the secret”. ^_^
Nothing could have made this breakfast any better. Fresh orange juice, toast, coffee and local music… to not worrying about anything and just enjoy the moment. Miss the day, the moment, the view, the color, the freshness, and the morning.
*everyone seem to be chillaxing… but what was that lady in the photo rushing to? Just relax!
I took this photo 2 weeks ago, the afternoon of the graduation ceremony. Knowing that it was going to be the last afternoon I spent at Les Roches Marbella, I took the photo just to remember it. I am sure many of the 28# share this same view! Great view isn’t it?
The walk / run today at the park in the neighbourhood reminded me of the school as I sometime go for a walk / run to Puerto Banus. I came to find out how exhausted it was to run! After barely making 3 laps without collasping, I was soaking with sweat… and it was 8:00PM !
Anyways, it feels good to run! Next time I’ll be sure to bring my camera to take photo of the park to share it here. ^_^
As we were walking in the Granada city center in Spain, I smelled the fragrance of dry herbs from far away. After 5 minutes of turning around, spinning around, and walking around… we found the source of the smell. Presented before us, are a range of herb varieties for “SMOKING”. Amazing!
The aromas of the herbs helped rejuvenate us from hours of walking in the city. We stoped there only to spend a few mintues at the shop before we marched forward to explore the rest of the city.
Unfortunately, I didn’t buy any of the herb!!!
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