The Dilemma

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk rejection.
To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ridicule.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or love.

Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave.

He has forfeited his freedom.

Only a person who takes risks is free.

- Author Unknown
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This is a poem that I found in Wikipedia while searching the Net ...

I have been cruising on the "safe" side for far too long..
Dare I take the risks??

Europe 2009: Day 03

Itinerary: Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) and Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Siena
Transport: The Metro, walking and Trenitalia train
Food: panini (sandwich), biscuits and pasta
Highlights:

• Took our first long-distance train in Europe. Super cramped, even for us!!
• Dragged our luggage uphill for almost 1 hour, looking for our hotel..
• Met a friendly Italian, Massimo, who helped us ordered our dinner..
• Had a good night sleep in a hotel. First hotel stay in Europe..

Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps)
Inside the Trinità dei Monti Church
Streets..
Santa Maria in Montesanto
Piazza del Popolo
Siena


More photos here...

Europe 2009: Day 02

Itinerary: Vatican City (Piazza San Pietro, Basilica di San Pietro), outside of Castel Sant'Angelo, Ponte Sant'Angelo
Food: Pizza and Malaysian curry
Transport: The Metro and walking
Total hours out: 10am - 8pm (10 hours)
Highlights of the day:

• Posted some postcards from the Vatican Post Office..
• Wasted almost 2 hours waiting to see President Obama, but in the end, only saw the First Lady and the kids..
• Cooked Malaysian curry for our host, Francesco.
• Provided the dialogue for our host in a sketch.. The video clip here..

Piazza San Pietro

The Swiss Guards

Basilica di San Pietro

The Post Office in the Vatican

Castel Sant'Angelo and Ponte Sant'Angelo

More photos here...

The Fury of Gaia

Most of us would have read/heard about the damages that Typhoon Morakot has inflicted upon Taiwan and coastal areas of China... and how could I ignored the fact that there has been 3 earthquakes registering more than 6 on the Richter scale in Japan since I got back to Malaysia.. (another factor dissuading me from staying in the land of the rising sun..) I can only hope that everyone I know in those areas are safe and unharmed...

Yesterday, there was a freak storm in Taiping.. Staying in an old wooden-brick house that is dated pre-WW II, the rain came through the windows and the roofs started leaking.. Had to put pails to catch the water..

And rags to mop the spilling rain.. at almost every windows.. We even switched off all our lights, as we heard thunders nearby.. The wind was very strong and was howling away.. You can call me sadist, but it was kinda exciting since it has been a long while since I experienced such storms and its effects.. One of the many houses that I have stayed when I was young was very prone to flooding, so I was no stranger to all these "rescue" and "clean-up" tasks.. :P

After about an hour, the storm kinda "mellowed" down.. yet the rain and wind still persisted..

My dad went out to check on our garden.. Some of the plants had collapsed while a few were uprooted..


All in all, everything is okay except for a few wet floors.. But my next door neighbor weren't so lucky.. He lost 2 or 3 of his zinc roof.. and found his study room flooded.. :(

Such is the fury of Gaia.. no matter how we human has advanced in science and technology, or how well we have managed to manipulate nature to our advantage, Mother Earth is still in charge..

Europe 2009: Day 01

Itinerary: Colosseum, Palatine Hills, Roman Forum, Il Vittoriano (Victor Emmanuel Monument), Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Trilussa
Food: Panini (Sandwich), Gelato (Ice-cream), Spaghetti and calde calde (donut with warm Nutella sauce)
Transport: The Metro and walking
Total hours out: 10am - 2am (16 hours)
Highlights of the day:

• Kena 'conned' by a fake "Caesar" of 5 euro for photos outside the Colosseum.. :x
• Had gelato at one of the recommended shops, Della Palma.. :)
• Learned to cross the roads, the Roman way.. :P
• Had a good pasta dinner at Rossopomodoro (means Tomato Red in Italian) with Sarah's Italian friend, Gianluca. :)
• Walked from Colosseum to Piazza Trilussa after 10pm. :x
• Rested at a small park in the middle of the night..one of us took a nap while the one checked emails using some hotel's wireless network.. :x :x

The famous Colosseum of Rome

Palatine Hills

Roman Forum

Il Vittoriano (Victor Emmanuel Monument)

Pantheon

Piazza Navona

Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone

Fontana di Trevi


More photos here