107- The Long Fall.

Keppel Bay on a warm summer day. 2015. 

I feel lousy. I feel uninspired. 

This meandering journey of emotions on the down low must stop. 

I recently read an article on life hacks for travel addicts confined to their office desks. 

Why delay the inevitable? First off, though, what is the "inevitable"? 

Death is inevitable, and so are taxes. 

The "inevitable" may also refer to the unequivocal decay of, first, your mind, then, your spirit. 

The inevitable, as described here, is akin to falling. Imagine yourself slowly falling off of a cliff. In the moments before you get splattered across a bed of sharp rocks, or, unforgiving concrete, your entire life flashes before you. You remember everyone you've ever loved, hated, spoken with, traveled with, shared an office with, etc. You remember those closest to you, and what they might perceive off of your untimely, and gruesome, death. 

At some point, you think of the misses- and the hits. You think of the opportunities in your life lost to fear, and some others, lost to circumstance. You wonder if you had become more of a victim of coincidence, and, a perfectly controllable incident. 

You detest routine. Your body language has always spoken of it, but, you've denied yourself the privilege of following your heart. You could never mustered up the courage to give the world the finger and do what you've always really wanted to do. 

Why not drop everything and fly? Because you can't. Because there are always practical considerations behind every action, and moment of inaction. 

As you draw closer to hitting the ground, you realize that maybe, just maybe, in your moment of confusion, you had forgotten to ask the simplest of questions. 

"Why wait any longer?" 

You hit the ground anyway, and when you do, you wake up. It was all a bad dream. 

Hope. It's something you should always have. That's easier said than done, especially when everything seems as if it's bound to end with a long descent into the proverbial abyss, but then, if you don't have hope, what else can you claim to have as a weapon against the monsters of daily existence? 

Don't fall unless you fall. Never mistake falling with flight. 

Never mistake yet another opportunity at salvation with "the end". 

MC

106- The One You Lost

                                       It's a lot like wandering aimlessly in Changi Airport. 


Screenwriters and pocketbook enthusiasts know all about the drama behind the line, "the one you left behind".

I think we all have something, or someone, we can consider to be the "one" we "have left behind". The entire process behind recalling who, or what, this is all about can be best described as a painful, painful, endeavor. It can be painful because of the heartbreaking memories these things tend to stir up, but at the same time, it can also be because thinking of stuff like this can tend to be so PAINFULLY AIMLESS and boring.

Imagine wandering pointlessly through an airport. For the sake of discussion, yes, choose a glamorous airport. Think Incheon International, or Changi. You go through all the shops, buy a few bags of chocolate, get yourself a bottle of designer cologne, and yet, still feel empty inside. You have a 9 hour layover in this diamond-encrusted nest for the weary, so, hold on, you aren't getting out easy.

So near, yet, so far. That's how it can all seem sometimes. 2 dogs in Ngong Ping, Hong Kong. 

You could the minutes, the seconds, until you board the steel glider and go to who-knows-where. You feel like crying after consuming your 5th fruit slushie, agast at how much dough you've shell out for what is, essentially, sugar, water, and food coloring. You open up your wallet and take a glance at a faded photograph. You realize that YOU were wrong. You realize that SHE too was wrong. In short, you both gave yourself chopsticks shorter than the length prescribed by your Sifu. Not good. 

You want the "Goodbye my Love" to stop. You want the stereo to shut down in the candy store, in the frequent flyers' lounge, and in YOUR HEAD. You want to stop slathering the late Teresa Teng in anger. She was too pretty and her voice, too golden, to be equated with spite in any shape or form.

Boarding time. You relish the idea of finally settling into the plane and heading to where you need to go (or so you think). You tell yourself that it will all be over soon. Exquisite-looking, shapely, flight attendants pass by you and glance at you with smiles- but none of that blood warming stuff could ever compare to what SHE made you feel. Yours had both desire, and love, all rolled into one.  

You shut your eyes, imagine azure skies ahead. But then, you get perturbed by this: 

"Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to inform you that this flight will be delayed due to the need for our flight technicians to inspect the engine on this aircraft. As part of aviation policy, we will have to request everyone to deplane in an orderly fashion. You will then be led by ground staff to a corresponding holding area where you will be asked to wait until further notice. Please do not hesitate to approach our ground staff should you need any further assistance."

You sigh. You grab your sling bag and just let out a weary sigh. You're back where you started. 

Time to ponder- again. 

Being lost, when thinking of something or someone you've lost, can tend to be tedious. 

Tedious. Tiring. 

What a trip. 

MC

105- Food Dreams and Memories

                 Char Kway Teow from Old Airport Road Hawker Center, Singapore. March 2015.


The day's finally come.

After missing out of the the WSFC in Singapore in previous years, the World Street Food Congress has finally come to my hometown, Manila. While I don't really fancy queuing up in the heat to sample food that's even hotter, bear one thing in mind- good things come to those who wait. Patience is a virtue after all- yada, yada, yada.

I have fond memories and Singapore and Malaysia the cuisines of the region. I have fond memories of me eating with my cousin, significant other, and friends (most of whom have been locals) in hawker centers and restaurants in the aforementioned countries. Some of the best moments are those formed without you necessarily thinking that such moments will end up comprising parts of stories you will tend to go back to over and over again in the future. Most times, you think of certain meet ups and trysts to specialty outlets simply as special walks, runs, and fly-bys to help you while away time.

Before you know it, you have to haul yourself to the airport, and fly back into the spike filled arms of reality.

Bet you wish could get back those mugs of pulled tea and beef rendang now, huh?

Maybe I should correct myself. Maybe I would be willing to queue up at the World Street Food Congress for a plate or two of the good stuff. I just need to make sure I have a bottle of water and a decent companion with me while I'm at it.

And with that, everyone goes home happy- and full.

MC

104- Off of Sick Bay

At first, coffee and a piece of danish like this from GTower Hotel Kuala Lumpur's Buffet Breakfast would seem to be quite scrumptuous, but then, being ill- with a systemic viral infection, no less, would work to dull anyone's appetite. 

I have just come off of sick bay. This boy just went through the ringer. A fever, colds, nasal congestion, and whole host of other things later, and, well, I feel like a newly groomed dog- with a bad owner. 

This past week has given me time off of the computer (my eyes and head couldn't take the radiation), and time to reflect on the future. 

Destiny. It's a grand thing. It is said, contrary to what popular culture would state, that our personal destinies are always under our control. I believe that we always are in control of where we end up, and it would be foolish to think otherwise. Fatalism can be the stuff stale tofu is made of. 

                                                

      Way over Jonker. One Flintstone-sized Pineapple Tart in Jonker Street, Malacca. I was there in December 2013. 

My destiny has spoken to me about seeing the world. My destiny has spoken of me going to the extent of arranging a bit of subterfuge with the agents of ennui, intellectual stagnation, and settling for satisfactory cakes. You never settle for a satisfactory cake. You always have to go for the most savory, the most freshly basked, the most satisfying bit of pastry you can get your grubby little hands on. 

Of it you're like me, you can try your hand at a low fat, low sugar, treat. Real dieters don't mind the subtractions. 

Seriously, though, being ill can do a lot of strange things to your mind- like, make you want to wander and never come "home". 

Then again, is it really that queer to dream of flight, or, is it but natural to bring out the inner Icarus in you, once in a while?

It's good to be bothered sometimes. 

MC 

103- Let's Talk About Freedom

Me at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, in Chicago, Illinois

In 2009, I flew over to Chicago, Illinois. That was my first trip to the United States. 

Everything seemed so big, so bright, so incredible. The US tends to have that effect on first time visitors. 

Seven years after that trip, I find myself, truly, madly, listlessly in love with the idea of "leaving everything behind". 

Some might say that I need saving. I think that the only person, or thing, that needs saving is the concept of utter conformity. 

We conform because we want stability. What happens, though, when the idea of stability comes in the form of something more dynamic, something more, mercurial, than just "making ends meet"? 

That's when you know that you need to get the hell out of your box and see the world. 

MC

102- "The End of the Road"

From the Singapore Art Gallery, 2013. 

I have followed the exploits of Anthony Bourdain for years, and in many of his shows, he talks about the "End of the Road". 

Bourdain is a nomad, and a bit of an iconoclast. His is a life many are envious of- seemingly ennui free, in perpetual motion, and teeming with constant thrills. I am sure there are practical difficulties which Mr. Bourdain and others like him deal with constantly, but all in all, flying around "experiencing" life sure beats a typical 9-5. 

Tony has spoken about the "End of the Road" a lot, especially during his trips to Asia. The "End of the Road" refers to concept, an notion that after logging in an enumerable amount of mileage, one finds himself inevitably asking "why" and "where". I find myself in a similar situation now. 

Why am I still on my little island? 

Why am I still compromising? 

If I demand that my contract with compromise be rescinded, can others come with me on my trek to liberty? Upon what cushion (or pavement) will I land? 

Singapore looks fine, and so does the United States. Maybe I could just stay home in Manila. Then again, that would be anticlimactic. 

Japan or Hong Kong would be nice. I'd like to end up somewhere progressive, and someplace where I can harness my skills to the fullest, and bring my passions to the fore without restraint. 

There's an old saying that beseeches people to be careful what they wish for. This holds true in many situations. There are instances, however, when risks bring forth much fuller rewards than do decisions to "play it safe".

My fingers are crossed. My passport however, is in my "speed dial" pocket. 

MC 

101- Light Over Dark

Before you react to the title of this post, take a deep breath.

We've all been to places around the world wherein one's gleeful tourist experience is constantly threatened by an impending downpour of bad luck.

Thieves.

The loss of important travel documents.

Swindlers in night markets.

Poor food at exorbitant prices.

Luckily, I haven't gotten in any trouble while on the road. I do, however, have been a part of some funny situations.

This is funny. This is happily unexpected. Tsui Wah, Victoria Peak Branch, Hong Kong. 

Whenever things look bleak, stay calm, think on your feet, and appreciate the little smiles in your neck of the woods. 

Transcend, 

MC

100- Hong Kong

No matter what happens, I always find myself returning to Hong Kong.

                                     Easter Sunday somewhere in the Sai Ying Pun neighborhood

I have been to Hong Kong 5 different times in my life, and after everything, I still find myself wanting to see more. Every trip has felt different, with my latest sojourn being the one wherein, I feel, I managed to explore and take in a whole lot- but not nearly enough.

One of my goals for my recent trip was to try and experience Hong Kong more from the perspective of a local. This M.O. lead to me choosing a hotel in one of the island's older neighborhoods- Sai Ying Pun- to be my base of operations. I had a first timer with me on this trip, hence, I ended up going back to some "touristy" joints instead of exploring Sai Ying Pun more, but hey, just having the archaic buildings and weathered alleyways around me- the same ones seen by generations of locals- was enough for me to see this year's Hong Kong journey in a slightly different light.

There was our tryst to Ngong Ping 360. Now, I am by no means a guy who relishes heights, and this place can be classified as "touristy", but, the sights seen up in the mountains were enough to cleanse us of any cornball oil that tourist traps tend to bring forth.

In short, the place was quite beautiful.

Yes, the sky was overcast for most of the day, but still, being amongst the clouds was quite breathtaking. 

Striking a pose amidst thick fog- and very, very, cold wind. 

Every visit to Hong Kong is different, and yet, each instance is littered with familiar tidbits which make the place feel like home. 

Must do's in Hong Kong are: 

Riding the iconic Star Ferry. At 2-3 HKD, you get to tread the waters of Hong Kong harbor on a true classic. 

Visiting Victoria Peak and the areas adjacent to it. To avoid the tourist rush, I recommend that you walk around arterial roads such as Findlay Path and Old Peak Road instead of paying extra to enter the Peak view deck. You get the same/similar views plus a good work out via option A. 

What's a trip to Hong Kong without going on a dimsum run, right? Taken here is my final lunch in Hong Kong. Scrumptuous eats from the Hau Fook Group Restaurant in Mongkok. 

Find time to eschew the hustle and bustle of Central and Tsim Tsa Tsui and take in Hong Kong's older districts. Taken here is part of Queen's Road West, on the afternoon of Easter Sunday. This photo is telling of the impending invasion of the "new" in more traditional, old school, neighborhood life. Dimsum and noodle stands now exist side-by-side with sports apparel stores and branches of Mannings and a bevy of electronic retail brands. This may be seen as a boon or a bane- depending on the perspective taken. 

Exercise, walk, run. Experience the city you're in at a pace different from your usual. I choose to do this through walking endlessly through neighborhoods, and yes, training. I run, run, and run some more. My recent trip to Hong Kong saw me run in the Sheung Wan and Sai Ying Pun districts (apart from walking pretty much everywhere else). Here is a photo snapped from my Easter Sunday training session in Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park. I later made my way to Victoria Park in Tin Hau also for a last minute sprint session. 

Make sure you have time to take in a cultural show. My answer to the incessant beckoning of the proverbial cultural muse brought me to the Hong Kong Cultural Center for a concert by the Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra. Previous to watching this program, I had only watched symphony concerts online and on television. This was a great treat. :) 

The Hong Kong International Film Festival was also on when I was in town. Unfortunately, no time could be spared from my hectic itinerary to catch a flick or two (this is something I regret a wee bit right now). 


I could mention shopping here too, but hey, that would make my piece a bit too cliche.

5 times over, and I still find myself wanting to see, and experience, more. There are always smells from another food stall, new malls and museums to explore, new trails and districts to run through (New Territories, I have seen parts of you, but not you naked enough), new people to meet, and new images to tattoo onto one's consciousness. Hong Kong is such a dynamic city that the more discerning visitor will never run out of new dreams to grasp.

I always find myself itching to hop back on a plane to somewhere as soon as I get off of a plane that's seemingly gone everywhere.

In the case of my love affair with Hong Kong, and with the orient in general, I'd have both hands up for a repeat. As of this piece's writing, I can confidently say that I'd go back to Hong Kong at the drop of a hat, simply because the rhythm and the rhyme of the place, speak to me. When something begins to touch the very heart of you, for one reason or the other, you know that something right is going on.

Find Hong Kong on the map and break loose. No ifs and buts. No yawning, no ennui. May constant movement and indescribable energy, guide you.

Absolutely no regrets. Thank you for visiting.

MC