The first city is called SunshineLand.  It is sunny, bright, colourful, and populated with cheerful, friendly residents.  There is the occassional storm which comes and goes without warning and laced with spontaneous lightnings and furious thunders.  But soon afterwards, the clouds will break quickly and sun will be shinning again.  The city is busy with people and vehicles buzzling through the various transport networks and hugh establishments.  Although everything is big and bright here, I feel small and lost in this city.  I may not feel lonely but many uncertainties remain.  

The second city is called WinterLand.  It is cold, dark, and rainy.   And scarcely any living things dwell in this city surrounded by thick forests.  In the centre of the city is a garden, with a pretty fountain and a statue of cupid.  There is a single chair for whoever makes it through the forests to take a rest.  Though mostly rainy, there is the occassional sunlight that sips through the thick clouds, like dropping gold from the sky, providing warmth and comfort to anyone who may be in this city.  This city suits my mood and character.  But the forests may be too great a hinderance for me to make it to the centre before I parish silently.

Life is confusing.  Many embrace the apparently good while yearning secretly for the dark.  But few will have the courage to cross the boundary.  SunshineLand may not provide sense of security but it will always provide comfort, although there is always the danger of lurging random storms.  WinterLand may not be always dark and hopeless but who wants to wait for the painfully short and rare sunlight.

Sometimes the enjoyment of being with someone special does not depend on what you say to each other.  Half the time, you will not even remember what you have said the minute before.  Sometimes, it is better not to say anything at all.  It is the special moment when you enjoy the presence of that someone special at a particular time in a particular place that matters.  You may be sitting next to each other on a bench in the park, not speaking a word.  To you, the world will be streaming through every gesture that she makes; even a blink of an eye.  You feel you do not want to be anywhere else but just close to her, and you hope that time will stand still.  In this moment, your heart is filled with contentment, at the same time, overflowing with emotions that you never thought you are capable of feeling.  It is funny but you will realize that she feels exactly the same.  The sun suddenly seems brighter and the breeze gentle, everything else seems to move in slow motion.  All has happened without a word said.  While words are better in conveying thoughts, silence is more powerful in conveying feelings.

Rage is good.  Rage is the basic motivation for mankind to strive for change.  On the macro scale, it is the fuel to fire the engine of civilization forward, by first destroying, then rebuilding, and improving.  On the micro scale, rage can spur a drastic change in man's perception towards his common surrounding, and develop an urge to change the situation he is in, so as to achieve peace and balance between himself and his surrounding.

I feel strong rage now.  Rage in my inability to cope with my own reality.  The hopelessness of my vulnerability.  The inexcusable willingness to allow someone to challenge that vulnerability, and cause indignity in me.  I am withdrawn to a state I had been in a distant past, a period where I have almost forgotten, kept in the deepest corner of my mermory.  The bitterness of an indignified past now lingers in my mind.  Someone has caused me great hurt, whether intentional or not.  Rage, will do me justice, for I will not stand and allow this past to overwhelm me again, not this time.

I am a great fan of Anne Rice's Vampire series.  With the vampiric characters glorified, the vampires in her novels emit a kind of mystic elegance and dark beauty.  Since arriving in Europe, I have been wondering if they really exist and where they would be if they do.  I soon found the answer.

Great European cities have vast underground network with history exceeding a hundred years.  There are some older parts of the underground subway stations that are seldom used or even abandoned.  I would imagine a nocturnal being living in the underground system without ever needing to see daylight at all. 

It was a Sunday afternoon when I chanced upon a small subway station in Hamburg.  I was listening to my mp3 while waiting for the train to arrive.  The station was empty and seemed desserted.  A chill suddenly developed in me when I instinctively turned myself to find a girl sitting besides me.  She had a deadly pale and young face with delicate features.  The long lustrous black hair flowing on both sides of her shoulders.  She was wearing an old black overcoat, exposing only her delicate hands.  We stared at each other for few seconds.  The train arrived and I got up while she remained.  When I turned around to take another look at her, the girl was gone.

I once had a dog, a white maltese, and his name was Handsome.  I picked him up from the streets when he was still a puppy..  I checked with local authorities and since nobody had reported lost of a puppy in the small town of six hundred, i might keep it.  So the adventure began, my life with Handsome..  We wandered through towns, villages, and cities along east coast australia..  sometimes when i checked into hotels, i would sneaked him in my luggage..  i was a poor university student then driving an old car without air-con, but he loved to stick his head out of the window and create this windblown hair style.. he absolutely loved to play with dirt.  Being totally white, you can imagine i was not really pleased.. when he was sleeping, nothing could wake him!!  I often wonder if he was really a dog pretending to be human or a human turned into a dog..  he even watched tv alone sometimes, as if he understood what was showing..

After graduating from university, I air freighted Handsome back home, where he started his luxurious retirement life with my parents.  One year later, he met a pretty australian silky terrier and settled down with her.  They had 4 puppies.  They lived together happily ever after..  

Looking back, Handsome exceeded me in many ways.  After all these years, i could still not settle down, let alone have a family..  But i really missed those wandering years with my rugged little friend, Handsome.

The door is opening, you come in...

I knew at first sight that you were mine

Your face that shone as you came toward me

Is so beautiful it can make me blind...

I don't know why but it is familiar

My heart is fluttering

and you took all of my heart

*I want to tell you carefully

I want to to be brave

Can I love you from today?

It's the first time

I don't want to lose this obvious feeling

I think love is going to happen

and I'll give you only the best

I've endured many goodbyes and tears

It may be a little late, but at least i finally met you

Can I love this person in front of me?

I'll confess with my pounding heart...

Spring has arrived in Hamburg finally after six months of bitter cold..  The weather is mild, and the wind tolerable..  Flowers are budding everywhere and Sakura in its full bloom.. The days are longer, and more people appearing around Lake Alster..  In other words, Hamburg is awakening from its slumber and becomes more alive now..  But something is still missing in my heart..  The missing piece that is still dragging my mood down.. like the bare trees in Spring..

Just came back from a 7 days' trip to Seoul.  It was a really fulfilling experience.  Seoul is a beautiful and big city that matches the best of the world's best metropolitan cities.  But what is truely unique is that this city has a good blend of modern feel while retaining most of the charms of the Korean colourful culture and traditions. 

Please find latest photos of my biz trip to london.  I will be going to Seoul tomorrow!!  Happy Easter everyone!!

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