Come alive: Jazz

Sunday, April 22, 2012

On the road

"You see, I'm crazy for you. Touch me once and you will know it's true."

Will I ever get enough of you, Barcelona? Though my body is tired from lack of sleep and running around the city, my spirit is rejuvenated! Sitting at the airport waiting for my delayed flight, I relax and take joy in the delightful memory from the full week of meetings, reunions, and intimacy. You know this is not goodbye, my love. I will be back to taste your distinctive vibe and passion before you know it.

Since I started my journey in May 2011, I have only been to three countries for specific purposes. This is the first trip with no deliberate aim except to visit places I have never been to. The heart-warming Barcelona prepared me well for the next unknown destinations. As usual, I didn't do much research and will simply let the flow take me to countless unexpected encounters. Here I come, Prague, and you are next, Vienna.

早上7時39分，咖啡店內播起熟悉的旋律，是Cocteau Twins的This Love，想起鍾愛這首歌的老朋友，我倆的清葱歲月，接待我等沙發客的東道主要中午才能另配門匙，所以一早便要與他同步出門，於寒冷濃霧中四處尋覓，終於找到這所精緻小館，好讓我暖暖身、喘喘氣、定定神... 這是我在布拉格的首個清晨。

在巴塞與不同單位密集地開會、見面、敘舊，我仿似有用不完的能源，心靈亦被充得滿滿，已深深愛上這個自由熱情之都，所以這個只是後會、必定有期。

Waiting, tasting, anticipating... at Barcelona airport.

Thanks to my first morning shelter from the misty cold Prague, I finished my blog entry at last.

Let's rewind back to London.

Off to a modeling session & spotted this magnificent view by the Thames.

The adventure never stops.

Ali using his photographer instinct.

Bookshop literally by the river.

Can never get enough of Jazz, especially from the oldies.

The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living by the celebrity British artist Damien Hirst. Some of his artworks were kind of provocative, but I feel like there is still something missing... I'm just not engaged.

A view of London from Tate Modern.

Gorgeous perspective from Ali's guest room. Thank you for the lovely week, my dear!

Oh yeah, return to our favorite "French guys" cafe in BCN.

Squat for circus practice.

NO, no one is drunk here.

Street performers are still my welcomed surprises as I wander around.

Brunch party at Linda's. Got to love your unique way of avoiding the camera, my love. ;)

So much food, so much joy.

So glad we shared the week together, my Lena. KISS KISS!

Sitges, a town 30 mins train from Barcelona.

Left: reaching to our hope. Right: a sample street view of the laid-back town.

The infamous shot when you google-image "Sitges".

Walking, talking, pausing, kissing... what more can you ask for?

The last sunset reminds me it's time... but only to say "see you later".

A memorable scene in BCN under my buddy, Miquel's home.

My first impression of Prague - Václavské náměstí - the heart of the city.

Morning visit to the Charles Bridge is rather quiet and refreshing.

Excellent weather for wandering among such historical structures.

Buildings with individuality fill the entire city.

Though St.Vitus Cathedral is not really in use except for tourists, its marvelous interior still has a breathtaking presence. (well, at least when it's not packed with crazy picture taking tourists.)

A taste of the romantic Prague

Ahha, I always manage to find a peaceful corner to feel my own heartbeat & the rhythm of the city.

Sketching is a wonderful way to slow down, observe & listen.

What's next?

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Intimacy

Are you in distress again? Talk to me, babu.

You always catch me at the right time. I don’t know where to begin. It could have been a little thing. Yet I simply couldn’t stop myself from feeling disregarded.

Once again, that is your sentiment. Nothing to be ashamed of. Sure, we all want to feel pleasant all the time, but the truth is we are emotional being, and our surrounding will affect us. You know that very well.

As soon as I started feeling disappointed, the whole day went downhill due to my messy mind. The incident was just a blasting fuse. Then, I kept going back and forth analyzing my take on intimacy and expectation.

Oh boy, you only deal with the big questions, don’t you? This is not the first time you are frustrated about human relationship. Listen to me. It is not necessarily a bad thing. At least you continue to wrestle with your blind spots as you engage with people. Remember you used to withdraw whenever it got muddy?

A part of me still wants to hide and not face anything, but that will defeat the whole purpose of this expedition. It’s not even three months. I have already gone through loads of ups and downs.

You have become more and more at ease dealing with the crest and trough of life. Look at how far you have come. Intimacy is a tricky one. There is no magic wand to quick fix all the little disorder in our heart.

I guess all I can do is to take a deep breath and carry on my trail. People are what make a journey meaningful and memorable. I am utterly grateful for all the incredible friends I have made on the way. One little bump will not stop me from loving them!

You got it! It’s amazing to see you go from feeling shitty to becoming relieved as we conversed.

It’s TRUE! This dialog between us is therapeutic. I’m not sure how exactly it works but am so glad this blog gives us a platform to talk through my craps, haha...

Then, you know what I’m going to tell you now, dear?

Work hard on my web site & enjoy the jazz tonight! Love ya! ;)

人際關係，往往令人又愛又恨，然而真摯的友誼最終都會開花結果，多謝您！

Since I'm already doing life modeling, I might as well try modeling with cloth on. Special thanks to my friend Cedric Mprofil, who helped me with these shots for the model agencies.