Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Switzerland -The Oldest Tree Around Brugg


Traveling passed farms, fields and country side, finally far away appeared what is said to be the oldest lime tree in Switzerland. This giant, oldest lime tree, estimated about 800 years old, located at Linn, near Brugg, a central region of Switzerland. 

According to the legend, in 1660, the story says a horrible disease wiped out the entire population of Linn, leaving only one survivor. Since he was the only survivor, he had to get rid of the dead bodies by simply throwing them to the common grave beneath the tree. So this 800 year old tree witnessed and stands over the grave of the plague victims.

It is interesting to see this historical tree, just imagining how the people lived around 800 years ago? Certainly, life was much simpler and peaceful... Right?


Wow! I simply love this oldest tree, she looks elegant and beautiful ... 
But then, she also looks old, lonely and isolated. 800 years to witness 
history of unstoppable changing, from generation to generation, people
coming and going, she is still there. Has she felt old and tired of life?
也許她的境界是自在, 無我, 無私的供給人類欣賞而帶來快樂. 真的要感恩喔!
妳也是無常的見証者! Wish you well my sweet lady.


This atmosphere, another perception and angle, the colour changed and shows
 aging and lonely. From ancient to now, she stands alone and witnesses history. 
生老病死, 孤獨 ... 感覺很無奈吧 ....一般的人生不是如此嗎?


Meditating under the oldest tree in Switzerland,
cool! Yet, the temperature also 'under' - 15 Celsius! 
Oh!  The coldest temperature that I have ever experienced!
還是很自在吧, may be feeling of joy....哈, 希望達到波羅蜜境...


Every part of Switzerland you can see beautiful
mountains, is a very scenic country... Love it!



One more shot, before leaving. My dear, 
when can I see you again? Goodbye lady.
還是那樣的自在, 無我, 幽美, 平靜...
很有深度喔! 喚醒心中的波羅蜜境....感恩. 
____________________________________

Maria and Francis house is cosy and warm. Oh, as I 
always jokingly said: like living in a heavenly realm.
Sleep nice, eat nice food, and people are very nice.
福氣不淺喔!









Ah... What is the name of this soup? Ya, some
kind of the best Switzerland's cheese soup.
All you have to do is: take your bread, dip
and soak over it... Then... wow, so ....
delicious, a typical swiss lunch. Very health 
conscious food. Thanks to Maria and Francis, your
beautiful and tasty food and taught me how to "eat".
Haha, a country bumpkin like me, is really
eye opening, and learned a lot. 

Hey Bhante, what are you doing? Guess?
Hmmm... A device to break half boiled egg. 
First time to eat egg like that. It is honorable,  
in this trip, I have experienced the typical 
European life, whether is Italian or Swiss.
感恩, 感恩!.
Everything here, you can see art and 
beauty blends and displays in the daily life.
A place for you to enjoy art and its beauty.
____________________________________


Somewhere around Brugg, a frozen lake that opened
to the public, for the first time. Children were so happy
"skiing" and playing on top of lake.



Standing on top of frozen lake! Feel like on top 
of the world, wow, wind of joy.......


See, another side of lake still full of water, and 
we were here playing and having fun on top
of lake. Amazing! Lot of joy.



Seeing children playing and rolling on this icy
surface of lake and really wanted to join them.
喚起童心.... 哈哈... (不是嗎?人本來就有童心)


____________________________________


Have you seen Gardening and Plant hyper market?
This hyper market selling all kinds of gardening 
stuff, from gardening equipments to various species 
of plant, is a very big hyper market, walk a lot, but
never miss it, you will never regret!
Here you are, let's go ....


Gardening shopping? Wow, new experience!


Buy this one and put it on your personal garden,
that save a lot of effort, immediately you can enjoy
your "end product"... Haha, that simple and easy!


Every flower is beautiful and unique. There is no comparison from one to another,
as it is simply the creature of Nature, feel awesome and appreciate as it is. 
 Admire and enjoy them with respect. Made by Nature. 感恩於自然界的特製品. 


Window shopping in Gardening hyper market, different 
from conventional hyper market, you feel peaceful and
energetic, I think most of the products are made by Nature. 
Natural things always soothing your soul and spirit. 



Wow, Buddha also has price tag!
With those master piece, will make your 
garden more artistic. 
藝術品增加藝術氣質. 等一等, 價錢可不菲呀.
No cheap lah!



Wow, still a lot of places to see and walk! 慢慢來...
____________________________________


Again, time to leave Brugg, next station: Bern,
the capital city of Switzerland. Thank you
so much Maria and Francis for your kindness
and hospitality. No matter how good the
thing is, there is an ending. Lesson to learn.
This is the universal principle - Change!!! 
I learned this again and again in this trip.
If you care to observe closely, this is the Nature's Law. 
Goodbye....
In relative sense, goodbye is also temporary.
It is always ending of one event; at the same time,
is also the beginning of new event.
One door closed, another door opened...
Wind of change, like floating cloud, everywhere
you float, here you are, there is something for you
to learn... Life is a process until you thoroughly
understand its meaning. 
徹底了解, 無障礙. 
Then,
No Boundary.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

鄭丁賢‧他們的名字叫同胞




大集會後的第三天,周圍的朋友還是很亢奮,每一個人都有屬於自己的集會故事。大家談當天如何整裝出發,如何繞過路障,如何會合,如何唱國歌,如何喊口號……。

說著說著,眼睛閃爍出光茫,口頭上的“我”,也轉換成為“我們”。

而在428之前,“我們”這個集合名詞,原本是一群原本互不相識,未曾往來的人們。就在428,大家聚集在一起,發現彼此竟然有共同的想法,同樣的激情,相同的理想。

乃至於相同的遭遇――特別是水砲和催淚彈射來的時候。

水砲和催淚彈不長眼睛,不會分膚色和宗教;而它一射來,目標不分你我,而是射向“我們”。有人跌倒了,身邊人過來攙扶;有人被催淚彈熏了,旁邊遞來一把鹽;有人被化學水噴了,身旁送上清水沖洗。

關心你,幫助你的身邊人,很多是不同膚色,講不同語言的人。很多參與者,過去半輩子接觸的友族,都沒有這一天得多。
你叫不出他們的名字,然而,有一個共同的代名詞,叫做“同胞”。同胞,過去是一個課本裡的名詞;小學起,教科書就有這個名詞,我們的同胞是馬來人、華人、印裔人、伊班人、卡達山人,大家相親相愛,共建家園。

噢,那只是課本的內容,抬頭一看,教室裡沒有這些“同胞”,社區也沒有“同胞”,工作上沒有“同胞”,生活上也沒有“同胞”。

相反的,宗教不同,文化差別,社經差異,加上種種的偏見和刻板印象,讓“同胞”之間並沒有相親相愛,也不會共建家園。當然,超過百年的族群分治,半個世紀的種族政治,使“同胞”大為不同。

“同胞”變成“非我族類”;既然是非我族類,就缺乏了感同身受的同胞之情。然而,歷史有巧妙的契機,428這一天,竟然產生了催化作用,把同胞的感覺給催化了出來。

集會跨越了種族之分,不帶族群利益,而是以全民出發,以公民目標為理想,把人們凝聚在一起。從中浮現了一種新的公民認同,建立大馬人新的“愛的天地”(Identity,身份特徵)。

同胞,跳出課本,得到生命,也產生實質的意義。

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Bersih 3.0 - Today, A True Malaysian Day ...




The fate of this Nation, is in the hands of Malaysian People, and depends on us! Time to take action and show our concern and care for this Nation. Today we marched and protested, for the change, for the better of Malaysia's future. First of all, we need a fair and clean election, this is what the Malay's word, Bersih meant. Since last year, July, we marched for Bersih 2, and today, we came out to the street again, for Bersih 3.


We witnessed at least 200,000 protestors marching, with all races, young and old, men and ladies under the hot sun,  in various locations of KL, just for one common cause: We care, and love this country! Stop all those racial and corrupted politicians to further destroying this country! 


Today, 28 April 2012, a very special and historical day, awakening day for all Malaysian! This is the only moment we called ourselves, Truly Malaysian









 











  The March started from Bukit Jalil LRT Station...11:30am


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Sheer Beauty of Figure Skating Montage




Music, Vanessa Mae’s Pachelbel Canon ...
The Heavenly music plus the amazing and incredibly “artistic” skating skill. The combination is creating a sensation- “Wow”! 
Listen, with your heart, that moment, feel that “Godly State”... What else you want some more? 


Only that moment, “Wow”... Wordless, but is real... Hope you enjoy listening and “seeing” with your heart ... Not your thought ... 

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Switzerland: Luzern (or Lucerne) and Brittnau




Playing 'snow ball' at the mountain side of Brittnau
Bhante's friend, Franck's house at Brittnau, a lovely and
cosy little house
Warm and cold; inside and outside ...
窗里窗外 ... 感受各一
Brittnau, typical village of Switzerland.
Walking around mountain side to keep warm

Stream with crystal clear water - Brittnau

Food store at Brittnau

Brittnau (above), is a village town with population of about 3600, about 45 minutes drive from Lucern. This is a very quiet and remote part of Switzerland typical country side village. Living here made you 'experienced' the real life of typical Swiss life style.

Lucern (below), a city in north central of Switzerland, has been voted as the fifth most popular tourist destination in the world in 2010. The city with about 76,000 in population. The Chapel Bridge is the famous landmark of the city which was built in 14th century.

Luzern city

Luzern lake in winter time

Reuss river sits on the city, and supplies water to Lake Lucern
Makes the city more scenic and beautiful.

Looking across the river, enjoy the beautiful view of city
But also had to withstand the severe winter climate
(-15 degree C at that time)

The Chapel Bridge and Water Tower built in 14th century
The bridge served as a rampart (a defensive wall for a castle)
as well as part of town fortification.

Typical little shop of Luzern ...

Look at this ... you know how cold the weather was!

Tea shop at Lucern

Franck, Bhante and Brigitte, at Chapel Bridge

Luzern old town

天下沒有不散的因緣
Time to go, to another town, Brugg. At railway station, Sasha (RHS)
going back to his home in Germany, time to say goodbye.
Coming, going, arriving, departing, not only in travel
but also in life ... that is part of life, to witness change.
Just enjoy that moment as much as possible,
may be in your whole life, you will never come back
or meet again, who knows? Only uncertainty is real...
Left behind is memory and delusion. Only this
brief moment is real ... Sigh!