Just to let you know that Photobucket.com (where most of the photos of this blog are stored) is experiencing a technical problem but as explained, it will be back in full operation soon.
Sorry for the trouble!
Here is their explanation:
Due to the disk crash last night, the rebuild is currently taking place and causing some albums (about 5%) to load slow. Hopefully it will finish the rebuild by this evening. Rebuilding a disk of this size takes longer than I'd like... As always, we are looking for solutions to prevent this in the future.
Thanks for your patience.
Alex
Friday, September 17, 2004
a buddhist belief
"A person who pursues his/her own goals without disturbing others is a moral being."
Drowning Formosa
This summer has been particularly wet in Taiwan.
Formosa Island has been stricken by typhoons and heavy rain storms.
I am starting to wonder what happened to the beautiful sunny weather reputation of southern Taiwan.
If it doesn’t stop soon, we will be moving around by boat, only!
Photo: Sean Chao, Taipei Times
Three cars immersed in water next to the No. 5 Floodgate on Taipei's Fuyuan Street beside the Keelung River are barely visible after a night of torrential rain. The sign on the left of the picture reads ``No swimming.''
Photo: Taipei Times
Scene from Keelung, following flooding from the weekend's heavy rains.
Photo: Taipei Times
Scene from Keelung yesterday.
Photo: Taipei Times
A road in Taoyuan County that had already been damaged by Typhoon Aere was washed away by heavy rains in the last two days, along with a vehicle marooned on it.
Photo: Liberty Times
The Keelung River rises above the warning level, almost overflowing the Chang-An Bridge in Hsihchih.
Photo: Liberty Times
A boy stands on the only dry section of the grounds of Cheng-yi Elementary School in Sanchung City.
Photo: Sean Chao, Taipei Times
TV crew films water spewing out from the MRT construction site in Neihu.
Photo: Sean Chao, Taipei Times
A car is lifted by a crane at the No. 5 evacuating gate in Taipei. Car owners had hired the crane to remove their vehicles from the site.
Formosa Island has been stricken by typhoons and heavy rain storms.
I am starting to wonder what happened to the beautiful sunny weather reputation of southern Taiwan.
If it doesn’t stop soon, we will be moving around by boat, only!
Photo: Sean Chao, Taipei Times
Three cars immersed in water next to the No. 5 Floodgate on Taipei's Fuyuan Street beside the Keelung River are barely visible after a night of torrential rain. The sign on the left of the picture reads ``No swimming.''
Photo: Taipei Times
Scene from Keelung, following flooding from the weekend's heavy rains.
Photo: Taipei Times
Scene from Keelung yesterday.
Photo: Taipei Times
A road in Taoyuan County that had already been damaged by Typhoon Aere was washed away by heavy rains in the last two days, along with a vehicle marooned on it.
Photo: Liberty Times
The Keelung River rises above the warning level, almost overflowing the Chang-An Bridge in Hsihchih.
Photo: Liberty Times
A boy stands on the only dry section of the grounds of Cheng-yi Elementary School in Sanchung City.
Photo: Sean Chao, Taipei Times
TV crew films water spewing out from the MRT construction site in Neihu.
Photo: Sean Chao, Taipei Times
A car is lifted by a crane at the No. 5 evacuating gate in Taipei. Car owners had hired the crane to remove their vehicles from the site.
Monday, September 13, 2004
Natural and Wild Hong Kong
I have this fascination for the Hong Kong’s urban tissue, which I consider an impressive display of what human kind has produced and excelled in terms of modern architecture and civil engineering.
My focus on the Hong Kong urban tissue has mislead some of my friend readers of this blog that Hong Kong is a concrete and asphalt forest. Although you might have this feeling when standing in most of the business districts and even residential areas of Hong Kong, it’s rather unfair to limit ourselves to “this” Hong Kong.
Today, to correct the Hong Kong image that I have posted in this blog, I leave you with the other side of Hong Kong – the wild and natural Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong territory, composed with 300 + islands and a peninsula, you can find your own paradise either if you like deserted beaches, breath taking mountains, water falls, monasteries, fishermen’s villages, rural countryside or stick to high tech cyber metropolis
From left to right :
A view from the peak of Lantau Island
Silver Mine water fall in Mui Wo
A deserted beach in Sai Kung
Ma On Shan – New Territories
PS. Este post e’ para ti miuda, para te mostrar o outro lado de Hong Kong!
My focus on the Hong Kong urban tissue has mislead some of my friend readers of this blog that Hong Kong is a concrete and asphalt forest. Although you might have this feeling when standing in most of the business districts and even residential areas of Hong Kong, it’s rather unfair to limit ourselves to “this” Hong Kong.
Today, to correct the Hong Kong image that I have posted in this blog, I leave you with the other side of Hong Kong – the wild and natural Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong territory, composed with 300 + islands and a peninsula, you can find your own paradise either if you like deserted beaches, breath taking mountains, water falls, monasteries, fishermen’s villages, rural countryside or stick to high tech cyber metropolis
From left to right :
A view from the peak of Lantau Island
Silver Mine water fall in Mui Wo
A deserted beach in Sai Kung
Ma On Shan – New Territories
PS. Este post e’ para ti miuda, para te mostrar o outro lado de Hong Kong!
Saturday, September 11, 2004
New York, New York
Last June, when I was about to land in New York City, I looked down into Manhattan and I could not help thinking about the passengers aboard the two planes that on the fatidic morning of September 11, 2001, crashed into the World Trade Center.
The sadness of this moment marked me to the point of having nightmares, where I was in one of those flights and knew what was going to happen without having any say or control over the unavoidable tragic end.
It was only a nightmare but I felt uselessly desperate.
This nightmare unfortunately was real for so many innocent victims.
3 years after that tragic day, in spite of the great irreplaceable lost, Manhattan still stands with its glory and pride as ever:
Life goes on for those who remain here. Not even the grief that New Yorkers went through, knocked them down and today they stand firm even against those who claim that they are protecting them...
The planes are back in the air and the humanity keeps the hope that such horrific day will never be repeated again.
My tribute to all victims and families of 911 and all similar attacks caused by somebody or something who wronlgly believes that they can act in the name of God!
The sadness of this moment marked me to the point of having nightmares, where I was in one of those flights and knew what was going to happen without having any say or control over the unavoidable tragic end.
It was only a nightmare but I felt uselessly desperate.
This nightmare unfortunately was real for so many innocent victims.
3 years after that tragic day, in spite of the great irreplaceable lost, Manhattan still stands with its glory and pride as ever:
Life goes on for those who remain here. Not even the grief that New Yorkers went through, knocked them down and today they stand firm even against those who claim that they are protecting them...
The planes are back in the air and the humanity keeps the hope that such horrific day will never be repeated again.
My tribute to all victims and families of 911 and all similar attacks caused by somebody or something who wronlgly believes that they can act in the name of God!
Friday, September 10, 2004
present takes over the past...
A double-deck bus over passes a tram on Queen’s Road, Central district, Hong Kong, where a few decades ago, this same tram was the main public transportation means of the island and ran parallel, to the now distant, waterfront.
"The double-decker Hong Kong Island tram, which skirted the water's edge a century ago but now runs through mid-town thanks to successive reclamation projects..."
"The double-decker Hong Kong Island tram, which skirted the water's edge a century ago but now runs through mid-town thanks to successive reclamation projects..."
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Monday, September 06, 2004
Photography...
...is about what you see...
Clock Tower - Tsim Tsa Tsui - Hong Kong, 2004
...how you see it...
Clock Tower - Tsim Tsa Tsui - Hong Kong, 2004
...and what you feel when you see it!
Clock Tower - Tsim Tsa Tsui - Hong Kong, 2004
...how you see it...
Clock Tower - Tsim Tsa Tsui - Hong Kong, 2004
...and what you feel when you see it!
Friday, September 03, 2004
Cumple Anos Felices, Cedric!
Today, they say, it’s the Internet’s 35th anniversary, congratulations for this achievement.
It is also a very specialy person’s birthday, my brother Cedric.
Cedric is a person who does not just watch life passing by, he grabs it and lives it! A true brother in arms, a professional model with a very rich soul, who believes and shares with us messages like this one:
Se quanta que en el siglo pasado, un turista fue a Egipto con la finalidad de vistar a un famoso sabio.
El turista se sorprendo al ver que el sabio vivia en un cuartito muy simple, limpio y lleno de libros.
Las unicas piezas de mobiliarios eran una cama, una mesa y un banco.
“Donde estan sus muebles?” – pergunto el turista.
Y el sabio rapidamente tambien perguntou: “Y donde estan los suyos?”
“Los mios?” – se sorprendio el turista – “pero si yo estoy aqui solamente de paso!”
“Yo tambien…!” – comcluyo el sabio.
“La vida en la tierra es solamente temporal”
"Sin embargo, algunos viven como si fueran a quedarse aqui eternamente y se olividan de ser felicies.
El valor de las cosas no esta en el tiempo que duran, sino en la intensidad con que suceden.
Por eso existen momentos inolvidables, cosas inexplicables y personas incomparables!”
Cedric, una persona incomparable!
I wish you a very happy birthday with everything you wish for!
Thursday, September 02, 2004
They are selling the past!
It was only 10 years ago when I first arrived in Hong Kong and was delighted to see rickshaws parked in front of the Star Ferry Pier, in Central district, with their drivers sitting on them, waiting for their clients.
Back in 1994, these rickshaw drivers (or show I say runners) were not transporting local people as they used to do back in a more remote past. These drivers were trying to catch the attention of tourists making money out of the photos they were posing for. Back then I felt the nostalgia of something that was reaching its end and was disappearing.
The profile of these rickshaw drivers were old Chinese men with gig golden smiles, dressed in traditional fisherman’s black suits. They could not speak English but they had their techniques in fishing in tourist into their rickshaws.
What they did was posing for the first picture and then volunteering to take a picture of you, sitting on the rickshaw. Considering the innocent and pleasant offer chances are that you would have accepted as in fact I did. As soon as I sat on the rickshaw, it was lifted and in fraction of seconds I see myself being pushed away on the rickshaw. I still remember that the driver was so amused and was laughing when I insisted several time to stop. He didn’t, he went around the block, which made me feel quite embarrassed as this man was certainly in his 80’s.
When he came back to the beginning, I was a bit mad of what he did but gave him some money and kept a memory of something that will never happen.
Time flies and we are always to busy to pay attention to what we are loosing with that flight.
The other day I passed by again by the Star Ferry Pier and saw with sadness that the old men with the golden smiles, dressed in black fisherman’s suits were no longer there.
Only the rickshaws still remain, resting alone, waiting to be sold.
They are selling the past!
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Living High in Hong Kong
Unless your are Li Kai Shing or some other Hong Kong tycoon, you can afford to live in a house in Hong Kong island.
Land prices get more expensive than gold itself.
Hong Kong island, is roughly in its natural status, a big rock that emerges from the sea. The existent flat land is usually artificially "created" by reclamation.
Every buildable spot gets easily occupied:
The developers usually utilize the land occupation to its maximum capacity. A little more than just 25 m2 can give space to 80 apartments:
Hong Kong is one of the cities in the world with the highest population density (for reference only: 247,501 people per square mile - 20 times higher than India's).
In 1998, with the move of the old Hong Kong Airport from the Kowloon Peninsula to Check Lap Kok, the building height restriction was relaxed, from 20 to >80 floors.
Today, aiming as usual to utilize the land, there are residential buildings being built with 80 floors or more, giving the impression that the 20 floor-buildings nearby are just tiny little house.
Land prices get more expensive than gold itself.
Hong Kong island, is roughly in its natural status, a big rock that emerges from the sea. The existent flat land is usually artificially "created" by reclamation.
Every buildable spot gets easily occupied:
The developers usually utilize the land occupation to its maximum capacity. A little more than just 25 m2 can give space to 80 apartments:
Hong Kong is one of the cities in the world with the highest population density (for reference only: 247,501 people per square mile - 20 times higher than India's).
In 1998, with the move of the old Hong Kong Airport from the Kowloon Peninsula to Check Lap Kok, the building height restriction was relaxed, from 20 to >80 floors.
Today, aiming as usual to utilize the land, there are residential buildings being built with 80 floors or more, giving the impression that the 20 floor-buildings nearby are just tiny little house.
Saturday, August 28, 2004
after typhoon mood
The typhoon is gone, but the wind is still blowing, the sky is still gray, the air is moist and hot and i am at work... what a weekend!
Which Of The Seven Deadly Sins Are You?
Suggested by Misha and Manela I decided in this bloody boooooooooring saturday afternoon at forced work, that i should test myself too, et voila' les resultats:
You are Lust!
Sexy!! But they say that theres such a thing as too
much of a good thing. You have sex on the
brain, and it doesn't stay just there for long.
Passionate, Fiery - and most certainly
confident. You're a fun loving, spontaneous
person who is always up for a laugh. People
however, have trouble keeping up with you.
You're sex crazy, and perhaps need to tone it
down a bit! learn a little self control!
But, Hey, Congratulations on being the Sexiest Red
Hot deadly sin out of all the 7...
ooops, and i thought it was all part of being alive!
?? Which Of The Seven Deadly Sins Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla
You are Lust!
Sexy!! But they say that theres such a thing as too
much of a good thing. You have sex on the
brain, and it doesn't stay just there for long.
Passionate, Fiery - and most certainly
confident. You're a fun loving, spontaneous
person who is always up for a laugh. People
however, have trouble keeping up with you.
You're sex crazy, and perhaps need to tone it
down a bit! learn a little self control!
But, Hey, Congratulations on being the Sexiest Red
Hot deadly sin out of all the 7...
ooops, and i thought it was all part of being alive!
?? Which Of The Seven Deadly Sins Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Typhoon Aere blows Taiwan
It's the typhoon season and this year has been particularly bad for Taiwan. Typhoon Aere is the second typhoon this year (On July 2nd, typhoon Mindulle had a direct hit on the heart of the island, affecting many victims in the mountain's region) that hit hard on Taiwan, leaving devastation and victims as it brushes through the island.
This time it was the northern parts of Taiwan that suffered the most and being in Tainan (southern city) where the winds are still blowing very strong, I can just imagine how it might have felt in the north.
Aere is slowly approaching the north east cost of China, hopefully it won't be so catastrophic as the last one was.
Village missing after landslide
A landslide triggered by Typhoon Aere buried a mountain village in northern Taiwan yesterday, with the fate of at least 20 residents unknown.
PHOTO: TSAI MENG-HSIANG, TAIPEI TIMES
The Yihsing section of the No. 120 County Highway in Hsinchu, which has been virtually washed away by Typhoon Aere. The torrential rains brought by Aere, and the resultant flooding, damaged many roads in the Aboriginal townships of Chienshih and Wufeng in Hsinchu County.
PHOTO: CHANG HSUN-TENG, TAIPEI TIMES
The Houlung River roars under the damaged Kuishan Bridge in Miaoli City yesterday.
PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
A park next to Hsintien River in Taipei County is inundated by rising water levels yesterday.
This time it was the northern parts of Taiwan that suffered the most and being in Tainan (southern city) where the winds are still blowing very strong, I can just imagine how it might have felt in the north.
Aere is slowly approaching the north east cost of China, hopefully it won't be so catastrophic as the last one was.
Village missing after landslide
A landslide triggered by Typhoon Aere buried a mountain village in northern Taiwan yesterday, with the fate of at least 20 residents unknown.
PHOTO: TSAI MENG-HSIANG, TAIPEI TIMES
The Yihsing section of the No. 120 County Highway in Hsinchu, which has been virtually washed away by Typhoon Aere. The torrential rains brought by Aere, and the resultant flooding, damaged many roads in the Aboriginal townships of Chienshih and Wufeng in Hsinchu County.
PHOTO: CHANG HSUN-TENG, TAIPEI TIMES
The Houlung River roars under the damaged Kuishan Bridge in Miaoli City yesterday.
PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
A park next to Hsintien River in Taipei County is inundated by rising water levels yesterday.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
A fortune teller told me...
An excellent book by Tiziano Terzani that takes you into a trip around a spiritual dimension of South-East Asia!
Check out a summary here or here.
Another fortune teller told me, with quite accurate veracity, that I am:
How I Approach Life and How I Appear To Others:
Forward-looking and progressive, you are a person who supports change, innovation, and human advancement, and you are often strongly committed to a humanitarian cause or social improvement. You are extremely aware of the interconnection and interdependence of all people, and are always relating personal issues to some larger framework. You see the political or social ramifications of personal actions, and you wish to contribute something of value to the world, or at least to your community or group.
The Inner Me: My Real Motivation:
Proud and intensely individual, you really want to stand out, to be the very best you can be, and to be recognized and appreciated for your unique contributions. Doing something well and being respected for it is extremely important to you, and you cannot tolerate being in the background, taking orders from others, or being "just one of the team". You must put your personal stamp on whatever you do, and direct your own course in life. You need to have a place where you can shine, express yourself creatively, and be the one in charge.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
It was 17 August 1965...
...a very hot afternoon in Madison County, Iowa...
Francesca sits on the front porch with some iced tea, trying to cool herself off. It is a scorcher. She is barefoot, her blouse hanging out of her jeans, her hair fastened up by a tortoise shell comb.
Camera begins a slow move into close-up, as she sips her tea and lets her mind wander.
“I never got lost. For some reason, I'm more at home everywhere than at one place. So I decided I'll think of myself as some kind of world citizen. I belong everywhere and nowhere. I'm kin to everyone, and no one in particular. See, once you get into the habit of not needing anyone, it's kind of hard to break.
I think I need everyone! I love people. I want to meet them all! I just think there are too many out there saying "This is mine." or "She's mine." Too many lines have been drawn. World's breaking apart because of man's weakness for some testosterone conquests over territory and power and people. He wants control over what deep down he knows he has no control over whatsoever and it scares him silly.”
“We're not even two separate people anymore. Some people search their whole lives for it and wind up alone -- most people don't even think it exists”
"-- going over and over in my mind every detail, every moment of our time together and I ask myself, "What happened to me in Madison County?" I struggle to put it together in a way that allows me to continue knowing we're on separate roads. But then I look through the lens of my camera, and you're there. I start to write an article and I find myself writing it to you. It's clear to me now we have been moving towards each other, towards those four days, all our lives -–"
He begins walking towards her. She prepares herself. Her life will change -- it has to. There's not turning back.
But the closer Robert gets, the clearer he can see that she is crying. And he stops.
Without any words, he realizes what taking her with him would mean. With just a glance, he sacrifices her. With their eyes locked in the middle of Main Street -- in front of the whole town -- they smile and say goodbye.
“Do what you have to, to be happy in this life. There is so much beauty, don’t miss it!"
Extracts from the movie script "The Bridges of Madison County" .
Francesca sits on the front porch with some iced tea, trying to cool herself off. It is a scorcher. She is barefoot, her blouse hanging out of her jeans, her hair fastened up by a tortoise shell comb.
Camera begins a slow move into close-up, as she sips her tea and lets her mind wander.
“I never got lost. For some reason, I'm more at home everywhere than at one place. So I decided I'll think of myself as some kind of world citizen. I belong everywhere and nowhere. I'm kin to everyone, and no one in particular. See, once you get into the habit of not needing anyone, it's kind of hard to break.
I think I need everyone! I love people. I want to meet them all! I just think there are too many out there saying "This is mine." or "She's mine." Too many lines have been drawn. World's breaking apart because of man's weakness for some testosterone conquests over territory and power and people. He wants control over what deep down he knows he has no control over whatsoever and it scares him silly.”
“We're not even two separate people anymore. Some people search their whole lives for it and wind up alone -- most people don't even think it exists”
"-- going over and over in my mind every detail, every moment of our time together and I ask myself, "What happened to me in Madison County?" I struggle to put it together in a way that allows me to continue knowing we're on separate roads. But then I look through the lens of my camera, and you're there. I start to write an article and I find myself writing it to you. It's clear to me now we have been moving towards each other, towards those four days, all our lives -–"
He begins walking towards her. She prepares herself. Her life will change -- it has to. There's not turning back.
But the closer Robert gets, the clearer he can see that she is crying. And he stops.
Without any words, he realizes what taking her with him would mean. With just a glance, he sacrifices her. With their eyes locked in the middle of Main Street -- in front of the whole town -- they smile and say goodbye.
“Do what you have to, to be happy in this life. There is so much beauty, don’t miss it!"
Extracts from the movie script "The Bridges of Madison County" .
Monday, August 16, 2004
Chinese Taipei = Taiwan - Beijing?
Chinese Taipei, the designation of Taiwan in the Olympic games, in my opinion misrepresents this island.
Taiwan does contain Taipei as well as people whose ethnic background is Chinese, however Taiwan is much more than just Taipei (a county and city part of Taiwan) and does have other ethnic groups (there are 12 different tribes of aboriginal people in Taiwan).
Not all the athletes representing Taiwan come from Taipei and not all are ethnically Chinese.
Calling Taiwan, Chinese Taipei, would be like designating Brazil as Portuguese Brazilia or USA as English Washington.
It would not be correct, right?
So why Chinese Taipei and not Taiwan or perhaps Formosa?
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Team Taiwan waves to spectators while holding the Chinese Taipei National Olympic Committee flag during the opening ceremony in Athens on Friday, 13/08/04.
Taiwan does contain Taipei as well as people whose ethnic background is Chinese, however Taiwan is much more than just Taipei (a county and city part of Taiwan) and does have other ethnic groups (there are 12 different tribes of aboriginal people in Taiwan).
Not all the athletes representing Taiwan come from Taipei and not all are ethnically Chinese.
Calling Taiwan, Chinese Taipei, would be like designating Brazil as Portuguese Brazilia or USA as English Washington.
It would not be correct, right?
So why Chinese Taipei and not Taiwan or perhaps Formosa?
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Team Taiwan waves to spectators while holding the Chinese Taipei National Olympic Committee flag during the opening ceremony in Athens on Friday, 13/08/04.
Friday, August 13, 2004
The Road Home - to discover, to feel and to lose love
This movie is so beautiful for its simplicity, for the facial and body expression of the actress and for the landscape, a combination of all this with very little words, transmits to the spectator how is to discover, feel and lose LOVE....
"The Road Home" - Director Yimou Zhang
Este filme e’ uma historia simples que celebra a alegria inocente da descoberta do amor e a dor da tristeza da perca da pessoa amada. Aborda tambem realidades sociais e culturais da China de Mao, pobre e oprimida mas muito humana.
A natureza tem neste filme um papel principal, as paisagens e as estacoes do ano acentuam a alegria, o drama e a tristeza dos personagens.
A arte de representar da actriz Ziyi Zhang , e’ de uma beleza extraordinaria.
Nao e’ propriamente os dialogos que dao beleza e charme ao personagem interpretado por Ziyi Zhang , mas sim as expressoes faciais e corporais da atcriz que transmitem ao espectador um charme e serenidade contagiantes. As emocoes sao nos tranmitidas atraves dos seus olhares, que expressam de uma forma extremante bem conseguida, o amor, a alegria, a perca, a tristeza e a dor.
Para um resumo da historia click aqui.
"The Road Home" - Director Yimou Zhang
Este filme e’ uma historia simples que celebra a alegria inocente da descoberta do amor e a dor da tristeza da perca da pessoa amada. Aborda tambem realidades sociais e culturais da China de Mao, pobre e oprimida mas muito humana.
A natureza tem neste filme um papel principal, as paisagens e as estacoes do ano acentuam a alegria, o drama e a tristeza dos personagens.
A arte de representar da actriz Ziyi Zhang , e’ de uma beleza extraordinaria.
Nao e’ propriamente os dialogos que dao beleza e charme ao personagem interpretado por Ziyi Zhang , mas sim as expressoes faciais e corporais da atcriz que transmitem ao espectador um charme e serenidade contagiantes. As emocoes sao nos tranmitidas atraves dos seus olhares, que expressam de uma forma extremante bem conseguida, o amor, a alegria, a perca, a tristeza e a dor.
Para um resumo da historia click aqui.
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