YOGAYUGA

I am in Saigon!!

I didn’t have much trip planned, but the trip ended up good. I only printed out some information from internet the night before I left.  I read them on the plane, then just go!! It doesn’t really matter what I was doing as I just wanted to be away for few days. It was bad that it rained so heavy the day I left Hong Kong.

I looked out from the window on the plane, the scenes of cloud and lagoon were incredibly beautiful. This is one of the reasons I love to fly. It’s the touch of freedom. I naturally smiled from my heart.

The rainbow….

Arrival…..

Air travellers of America are being told that they have to limit themselves to one checked bag or pay up. Just in time for summer travel, five of the six major airlines — Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways — have announced plans to charge an extra $25 each way for an additional bag. Add another bag and a traveler may have to pay as much as $100 more. ……………………….Delightful………………………

I am very glad that we don’t have any policy against rising fuel cost here, but sure cost of our air tickets is overall increased due to the fuel cost rised that started in June. Personally, I found the increase of air ticket price is the same meaning as the extra charges of checked luggage. I persume this policy can limit travellers to bring less luggage if they want to save the extra USD25.00. For the traveller don’t have checked luggage usually, then sure they will have no complain. To certain extents, the carriers are right, that planes with more baggage use more fuel. Travellers pay for the quantities of luggages that they bring on planes, it sounds fair enough.

Getting through security is already very complicated in the U.S. during travelling - the multiple-hour wait on the runway, paid food on planes, etc. And now, the airlines are presenting passengers with unattractive travel scenario: choosing between fees for additional luggage, or arriving at your destination with less clothing than you need. It’s not quite fun, isnt it? Some airlines are responding to rising fuel costs by cutting flights that make many travellers in very inconvenience situation. The travel schedules of travellers could end up longer with no good reasons. Some travellers may either re-consider or cancel their plans if the price keeps going up.

Although the fuel cost keeps rising, it doesn’t make too much difference to the travel plans of people here. For those who need to travel for work, they still go for it. For those who want to travel for holidays, they still keep their plans as scheduled.

Yes, I am going for holiday with a French Spa booked in advance for one day included French cuisine and treatments!! Destination will be posted.

Movies are not just about stories. They could be happening in our life.

La Vie En Rose

Edith Piaf’s life was a battle to sing and survive, live and love. Raised in poverty, became well known from her wonderful voice….

This is not just a great movie, but a story about how you can achieve what you want with enough courage and pride. We all are striking for our lives, for our healths, for our families, for our loves, for our happiness, and even for unhappiness. It’s striking I repeat not surrendering

La Vie En Rose - a story of a woman I truly admire. Enjoy the song!

The Counterfeiters

Do you have choice? Sometimes, perhaps not…who knows? It’s another true story. A group of Jewish prisoners worked for Nazi counterfeiting the dollars and pounds in order to ruin the economy of the U.K. and the U.S. during end of the second world war period.

The heart of the story is the horrible choice of survival. You don’t want to do it, but you have to do it without choice. It’s the way to survive, the way to live. You may feel guilty after all but life is cruel, isn’t it? Sometimes, you can call it choice, but actually it isn’t.

A great movie with some decent thoughts about live and choice.

Sex and the City

It’s the true voice of women over age of thirties. It doesn’t really matter if you ever watched the TV series or not. It could be the real story happening in any of us, included men and women - love, sex, care, hope, desire, respect, friendship, passion, trust, selfish, freedom, commitment and many many are all about relationships…..Of course, the way the actresses acted in the movie was obviously exaggerated, but overall the ideas are factual.

Whatever situation it is in any of our relationships, I still remain my belief - true love does exist forever. It’s belief, not hope. We all need belief in life striking with difficulties.

These are all I watched in this week, French, German and English, not bad isn’t it?

New design is inspired by our new grown sunflower…do check it out!

Mourning for the tragedy, sky is crying….

And I am resting, and need a break………..will be back….

It’s the first time in history China accepted assistance of foreign rescue team for disaster relief. The first rescue team is from Japan. They sent 60 earthquake rescue experts into the region with disaster relief equipments. The second team will be from Taiwan, then Russia, South Korea and Singapore. China doesn’t really have good experience of handling urgent disaster relief. It’s a good decision. The decision reflects the fact that the search for survivors of earthquake is too much for China to handle. Japan and Taiwan are on the top list that you can see the Chinese government sees the disaster relief as a tactical tool to improve the current relationships with Japan and Taiwan.

Hong Kong does make big donation to Sichuan earthquake. It’s really true that Hong Kong people are very much keen on donating for any people in need regardless in the situation of natural disaster or in the poor condition of third world countries. We live in a lucky place without earthquake, tsunami and storm, so we should share our luck with less fortunate.

For the donation of Sichuan earthquake, please donate to the following accounts:

Hong Kong Red Cross

World of Vision

Oxfam

Tung Wah Group of Hospitals

Salvation Army

Sichuan is one of the poorest provinces in China. People are really in need.

The horrible earthquake scene you can see on youtube.

A charity lady asked: Would you mind to make a HKD20.00 donation to Rescue Centre For Abandoned Pets, and 20% of it will go to the donation of Sichuan earthquake.

A lady on the street answered: What? only 20% goes to the donation of Sichuan earthquake???… (then the lady turned her head to other side, and called her friend with her mobile)

I was waiting to cross the road by the traffic light. A charity lady came to me, and asked me for the donation of RCAP. She also mentioned about 20% of the donation will go to the charity account of Sichuan earthquake. I heard about RCAP, which is not a big animal lover organisation like SPCA, but is still a non profit charitable institution in Hong Kong. Many people have never heard of it, but it doesn’t mean they are not good enough. I did make my HKD20.00 donation for it without second thought. A decent cup of coffee also costs HKD20.00 or more in a decent cafe of Hong Kong, so it’s not much for a donation. Let’s say this way you can save HKD20.00 for the donation instead of having a cup of coffee. It doesn’t make your life much difference by having less coffee, but it does make lots of difference for whoever they need it. One person gives HKD20.00, ten persons make HKD200.00 and so on and on…..

Be honest, 20% of HKD20.00 is not enough for the donation of Sichuan earthquake, but for the people who want their full donation to the account of Sichuan earthquake; I am sure they will do it separately. Personally, I feel bad that the way the lady responded. If you don’t want to give any donation to RCAP, it’s fine; but it is not necessary to question people in very impolite way. I presume she is a well educated overseas born Chinese lady as she spoke fluent English on the phone. However, attitude and behaviour are somehow not directly related to the standard level of education being taken according to what psychologists have ever evidenced in certain research. I don’t want to be mean, but people are really of any kind. Observation does really help you to understand the real personality of people by their normal life activities.

Donation is not about how much you give, is about if you have your hearts into it. Volunteer job is also part of it.

2008 is supposed to be a good year in Chinese eyes. “8″ should bring luck and fortune, but not quite means what it is supposed to be this year. Again, natural disaster…..Coincidently, it all happened in 2008, started from the snow storm during Chinese New Year in up north China, cyclone of Myanmar, and now developed to earthquake in Sichuan. It was horrible wild fire in Southern California last year. Such natural disaster happens from place to place and from time to time.

It’s definitely not a smooth good year to China. The news of Tibet issue is just over, then the news is totally covered by the shocking scene of earthquake. It’s so sad to see people crying badly on TV. Mothers cried for their lost children. Children cried for their lost parents. Elderly parents cried for their entire families being buried under debris. People are looking for their lost family members around the collapsed buildings. Over 10,000 of people have gone missing, but over 100,000 of people are estimated to be killed in the earthquake. 60% of population had been killed in some villages. It’s so horrible when you heard those figures. However, good news has been announced just now on the news.

Rescuers announced a piece of good news Wednesday, hailing the rescue of an eight-months pregnant woman as a “miracle,” AP reported.

Hopes are still around…..It does happen. Same miracle happened in 921 earthquake of Taipei. No matter how bad it is, there must be sunlight shine through the dark cloud I always think. So…..believe in miracle, it does happen. Miracle does happen when you don’t give up your hopes.

Chinese government is in good communication with international media about this tragedy. They are more opened up to the public about the actual figure of death. It’s a good improvement.

Mango sweet! Mango love! HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!