Mythical magical Yemen

There is so much I could write about my recent 8-day holiday in Yemen. But I think the article below described it best!
Thank you Samad, Zaiton, Hisham, Humaid, Yahia, Omar, Sheikh Abdullah, Hamoud and Nasser (and the five omnipresent armed police/soldier escorts!) for making my visit to Yemen a most memorable and happy experience.

"There can’t be many places left in the world that could make God smile, but Yemen is one of them. Inhabited almost forever Yemen is, in many ways, the birthplace of all our lives. In days past, the sons of Noah knew it as the land of milk and honey, Gilgamesh came here to search for the secret of eternal life, wise men gathered frankincense and myrrh from its mountains and, most famously, a woman known simply as Sheba said Yemen was her home.

Yet since the book of mythology was closed, Yemen has remained largely locked away in a forgotten corner, oblivious to the world that was oblivious to it. Today, like a spring tortoise emerging from hibernation, Yemen is awaking from its slumber and slowly revealing its face. And what a face it is. Sitting at the crossroads of two continents, this country has a little of everything.

Its capital, San'a, is not only incredibly romantic and intriguing, but holds the distinction of being the world's oldest city. Meanwhile, the extraordinary island of Suqutra (off the coast of Eastern Yemen) is reputed to hold the secret of eternal life somewhere amongst its unique flora and fauna. The fortified mountain village of Shaharah is tough to get to (probably why it remained unconquered for centuries) but worth making the effort for; if you prefer your travel safer and easier - but equally rewarding - try the lush region of Southern Yemen. Then there's the Wadi Hadramawt oasis where you can't help but get caught up in the mythical magic of it all, and Zabid - Unesco World Heritage site andthe hottest city on earth. Need we go on?

With its shades of Afghanistan, reflections of Morocco, flavours of Africa and reminders of Arabia, Yemen is utterly unique and deeply romantic. To travel in this most traditional of Islamic countries, surrounded by a people whom the Prophet once described as ‘the most gentle-hearted of men’, is a privilege you will not quickly forget. But never mind what we have to say about it, let’s leave the last word to the man who made it.

Legend tells how one day God decided to check out how his creation was fairing: London, he decided, had changed a lot, Egypt was nothing like he remembered it, but Yemen, ‘Well’, he smiled, ‘that hasn’t changed since the day I created it’.

The Faces of Yemen

I just spent eight most interesting and fascinating days in Yemen. The country is mostly poor and besieged by security problems but its people are big-and-warm-hearted, friendly, generous and hospitable. It has the most spectacularly stunning landscape and scenery and unique villages and settlement, and of course a very long history. I was advised against going to some parts of the country but what I had covered will leave a lasting impression, especially the Wadi Do'an in Hadramawt. I took 500 photos but the most interesting ones were the faces of people I took (only men - women strictly a no-no and they were veiled in any case). Here are a few from the dozens I took of all the eager and willing subject!

Christmassy...

"Like the Moon and the Sun" - 10 Days in Spain

I spent ten pleasant days in Spain recently. It was my fourth visit to that country, the first in 1983 to Madrid and Barcelona, 2008 to Granada, Cordoba and Seville (Andalusia), February this year to Alicante, Torraviajo and Cartagena. This time around I covered quite a range within that ten days. Spain had developed by leaps and bounds since joining the EU and the prosperity was very apparent (though recently affected by the current economic downturn). Its diverse attractions drew some 60 million visitors in 2007.

On the second day, as I was walking the scenic streets of Toledo, I heard beautiful music from an instrument I could not make out. Walking on I came across the source, a beautiful lady playing an unfamiliar musical instrument. I stopped to listen to her and was enthralled enough to buy a CD of her music which she was also selling. The beautiful musician was Ana Alcaide and her music was Sephardic-inspired. And the instrument she was playing was the viola de techlas or ‘nyckelharpa’ which originated from Sweden.

My ten days in Spain is briefly complied in the video I have made below from photographs I took, and using Ana Alcaide’s lovely music which I feel had captured the mood of the places I visited! The title of this post 'Like the Moon and the Sun' is a translation of the name of her CD I bought -'Como la Luna y el Sol'.
See video : http://youtu.be/YnMySFpZRTQ

First snowfall

I came back from a very pleasant 10-day trip to Spain for the Hari Raya Haji break on Sunday to a dry, grey winter day. It was unlike last year when I returned from Lebanon after a week of similar break to a whole country covered with snow. But I woke up to snow yesterday morning and it persisted all day long interspersed with rain which melted most of the snow. I was up early this morning and lo, everything was white and snow-covered, and huge branches of two trees in my garden had fallen to the grown! Winter's definitely here.....

The unloved....

At my breakfast table this morning with my two guests, our conversation somehow meandered towards the subject of 'love'! And I flippantly quoted something I heard in some melodramatic Malay film that "the most difficult person to love is the person you love most!". Well, that had a sudden impact on one of my guests; did I hit a nail? Maaf la!

But worst than that must surely be to be trapped in love, to love someone and not be loved in return. Or to be in a loveless marriage. What can be more painful than to be in a marriage, to have children together, needy of your love, and yet not to love each other - or one is not in love with the other! I believe there are couples who go through this, worst still if the husband is the philandering sort and the wife just cannot get out of the marriage for the sake of the children or for fear of the stigma of being divorced etc. How sad and painful that must be!

A man is lucky if he is the first love of a woman,
A woman is lucky if she is the last love of a man…

Another quotation on love I like very much is:
"Give your heart to another person and he/she will break it.
Give your broken heart to God and He will heal it!"

Alhamdullilah, always grateful for all the love (whatever) surrounding me!

PS: To all men, I would say how mistaken they are when they think they stop falling in love when they grow old, without realising that they grow old when they stop falling in love...
Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Of wrist-slitting days and art auctions

After many days of what a friend described as 'wrist-slitting' weather (dark and grey, cold, wet and oh so depressive), the sun is finally out albeit it is so cold! It's mid November and there are still red and golden leaves in some trees in my garden. And my rose bush is still green, with many huge buds which will not open into full blooms as the weather is just too cold. Alain came yesterday and swept all the fallen leaves from the lawn. I actually like them on the ground though! He also put in hundred of tulip bulbs in the ground and they will come out in April. The boys are out - one for his 'bharata natyam' Indian classical dance class, and the other window-shopping or with his friends (I am never privy!). I will join Diana latter for an art auction - there are three paintings I want to bid for. Yesterday one of my paintings I put up for auction made 70% of the maximum price estimate! Not bad - I can now buy that gold Omega De Ville! I have had that painting for 21 years and there is no way I can hang it in my house when I am back in Malaysia due to its subject! Gunawan was with me at the auction and he could not get over that a small 14th century painting was sold at CH57,ooo (about RM175,000). I kept reminding him that it was from the 14th century and the maximum estimate price was actually CH90,000. So it was not such a good sale after all (not as good as my 70% at least)!

I invited four Malaysian officials attending a meeting here to dinner in my house last night and two did not show up and did not even have the courtesy to inform me! What is happening to manners among Malaysians? One of the guests who showed up, pleasant as he was, dressed so badly - in a short-sleeved collared t-shirt, wearing a 'kopiah' (white skull cap) on his head! And he was attending an international meeting! What signal/impression was he trying to make?

A friend from Holland arrives tomorrow for a short visit until I leave for Spain on Friday for a week's holiday to spend Hari Raya Haji with my friend there, and also to celebrate his birthday. He has lined up a good programme for me with visits to Salamanca, Toledo, Segovia and Valencia and I am looking forward to be away from future possible 'wrist-slitting' weather here!

My days in this wonderful country are numbered I guess. Soon it will be time to head home. So while I can I am going to travel as much as I can. December to Yemen with Fadzil, as I had promised him when he was badly recovering from his heart operation in February.

I hope I get those three paintings at the auction today!

Kartina Dahari again

Exactly a year ago I posted a write up on Kartina Dahari and it seems to be one of the most read postings in this blog. I also had a few days before that uploaded on YouTube a video I made for her song 'Seruling Senja' recorded in 1976, using photos I took of the scenes of early autumn around the river behind my house. That video was for a long time the most viewed of Kartina Dahari's videos on Youtube, having reached almost half a million (495,0130) hits to date (17/07//2011)!

Kartina Dahari's Facebook indicates that her birthday is on 12 November (today) - so HAPPY BIRTHDAY Biduanita Kartina Dahari! God bless and thank you for the songs!

See video : http://youtu.be/m14xWc3mqig

5 March 2012 - Kartina 's videos on YouTube have reached 713,784 views and the figure keeps climbing. Her most popular video today is ' Budi Setahun Segunung Intan' with over 175,000 hits, having so quickly overtaken over 'Seruling Senja' which has now reached almost 40,000 hits.

Autumn Sunday morning - of Prokofiev & Beethoven

I woke up very early yesterday fully-sated by only just over six hours of sleep (must be the age). My two boys were still fast asleep so I would not be getting my breakfast for sometime yet. The autumn sun was just peeking out and I decided to go for a walk by the river behind my house. I took my camera along and was happily shooting dozens of pictures in that amazing light and colours until the sun suddenly disappeared behind the clouds. My hands were freezing from the cold morning air but I got some beautiful pictures nevertheless.

Sunday morning now and it's wet and the sun is playing hide and seek. I went for a short walk after breakfast and took a few more pictures (must get another camera!) and returned home as it was just too cold and I was rather under dressed.

A friend is taking the boys out to a matinee of the Prokofiev's ballet 'Romeo and Juliet'. I thought for a second if I should join them. But I have seen the very same ballet at the London Convent Garden many years ago with Rudolf Nureyev no less in it, and I did not want to spoil my memory by what would certainly be an amateurish local production -I sat through 90 minutes of a wishy-washy performance of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis on Thursday in the same concert hall, and that was enough for now!

Tom Jones in Zurich

I had the pleasure of watching the legendary Tom Jones at a concert in Zurich last night. And what a treat that was, worthy of that almost two hour drive in the pouring rain.

For a 69-year old Mr Jones was still full of energy, charisma and sex-appeal, and had the very same voice I used to listen to in my school days some 40 years ago! Not once did he lose a beat or forgot his lyric during the 90 minutes non-stop concert and the 12 minutes encore. How phenomenal!

His warm friendly banters with the audience were well-received. The strong crowd, clapped, cheered and danced especially to the familiar songs. He interspersed his repertoire with songs from his new album '24 Hours' with his well-known hits like Delilah, Thunderball, I'll Never Fall In Love Again (which was as powerful and dramatic as when I saw him perform it in 'The Dusty Springfield Show' some forty years ago) and others.

My favourite segment was the 'country and western' one when he sang a soulful rendition of Jim Reeves' 'He'll Have To Go', his evergreen 'The Green, Green, Grass of Home' and my favourite 'Save The Last Dance For Me' in a most catchy and danceable tempo with only stand-up musical accompaniment.

Yes Mr Jones, do save your last dance for us.

Bravo, bravo, bravissimmo!

Autumn again....

I went for a walk today at lunchtime by the river behind my house. It was a bright sunny day but very cold. The sun gave a special glow to the rich autumn colours. Here are some pictures I captured with my camera.

See video : http://youtu.be/Pxohm35WW0I

New Orleans August 2001 - before 9/11 and Katrina

Am home again and it has been a restful Saturday so far after yesterday's hectic rush culminating in a buffet dinner with my staff and their families. A pleasant affair with nice food. I attempted my sister-in-laws Anis' ROJAK TAHU with very hot garlicky sauce and it was the first item cleared up! What a grand success.

Woke up rather early despite last night's late end. A marathon four-hour plus of Sharifah Aini, Cristian Castro, Luis Miguel and Russell Watson -The VOICE (listen to him sing Saylon Dola or Panis Angelicus - it'll make the hair on your back stand - O RES MIRABILIS! For someone so young he's giving the Three Tenors a good run for their money!! Look out Roberto Alagna, and Andrea Bocelli, eat your heart out ...), while I had my breakfast, flipped through my morning papers (more Fujimori witch hunt, what else ) and my new acquisitions of Architectural Digest, National Geographic, Deepak Chopra's latest book AND an updated English translation of the Koraan (all of which acquired at Houston George Bush Airport); did the rest of my unpacking, inspected the new growths in my garden, and just pottered around with darling Toby at my heel. Isn't that what being home is all about ?

I flew back Friday night after a most pleasant break in New Orleans. Just what I needed after months of awful weather here. Over there it was just like in Malaysia - hot, humid and it rained buckets most afternoons. I never knew I would welcome a change to such weather when in KL I would hate it. See what Lima can do to you!

I walked so much and did most things expected of visitors to New Orleans - did the swamp (bayou) tour and fed the alligators marshmallows and chicken meat. Visited an old plantation and felt like Rhett Butler strutting around in one of them grand ole wooden villas. Ate okra and chicken gumbos and seafood jambalaya and various Creole dishes, drowned with non-alcoholic daiquiris. Cruised down the Mississippi in a grand old paddled steam boat. Stayed up late and listened to endless jazz bands while I had my meals. Visited awesome, rather kitch cemeteries. Toured the posh old residential with them grand houses. Stayed in an elegant french-style courtyard hotel (the Maison Dupuy) in the French Quarters (that seved the most wonderful breakfast). Saw a contemporary French movie (with Gerard Depredieu no less!). Scoured the French and the flea market, real humid and hot there. Watched a jazzy funeral procession. Took pictures of the many live human sculptures everywhere (what an occupation pretending to be a statue!). And many more things including shopping of course! I even went to a dinner concert by one Danny O'Flaherty in an Irish pub and enjoyed it thoroughly and got an autographed CD at that. I really had a wonderful time in New Orleans, tired feet, rain and all. People were friendly and the mood was always festive .

I began my holiday with a one-night and full-day stay in Houston and that was most pleasant as well (but neither George Bush Senior nor the President was there to greet me on arrival! Their loss !!!). Houston was such a huge, modern cosmopolitan city not for walking so I was driven around by a Vietnamese who had spent time in the refugee camp in Pulau Bidong, an economic refugee from Ghana who ran off with my US$5 change, a bearded and 'fezzed' Pakistani 'brother' in full jelabah (!!) who insisted on driving me pass the local mosque, an Irish and finally an Italian-Croat.

During the one hour fight from Houston to New Orleans, our plane hit an air pocket and we took a huge dip. Passangers' drinks including my non-alcoholic Bloody Mary (Virgin Mary lah) landed everywhere including on the ceiling. My young and very, very vain Amish neighbour just could not get over his slightly soiled crisp cotton pants and mean haircut!! O VANITY THOU! Aero Continental was profusely apologetic (not their fault what) and offered everyone dry cleaning vouchers. Now that's what I call service .

I must have brought the sun back from Louisiana and Texas because yesterday was a brilliant sunny day and today looks like the same. I could have had a garden party yesterday. No plans for the weekend, there are plenty of food left from last night. Only a massage appointment and I should take my car out for a spin to warm the underused engine. Tomorrow I may scour the antique shops and look for an old Spanish wooden chest or a European commode that my new Architectural Digest had inspired me .

Nice weekend everyone, and please write soon.

I wrote this to my friends on 1st September 2001 while I was living in Peru, after coming home from a week's holiday in New Orleans, USA. Ten days later terrorists blew up the Twin Towers in New York. The world, and visiting the US have never been the same again since then..... And New Orleans had since then been totally devastated by KATRINA! Wonder what it is like today!

Video: Ancient Roman ruins & temples in Baalbek (Heliopolis) - Lebanon

I spent a week's holiday in Lebanon in December 2008 and one of the highlights was a visit to the ancient Roman ruins and temples in Baalbek, which is one of the most beautiful and probably under visited ancient Roman ruins anywhere.

Here's a video made from the photos I took, with accompanying music by Beethoven.

Sarajevo Soujourn

I just spent a most pleasant six-day break in Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina. What a charming city, with many places to see and visit within and around it as well as in other parts of the country. The weather was excellent except for an afternoon rain during my outing in Mostar, which did not dampen my visit to the place, especially the famous bombed bridge now newly rebuilt. The country had had a tragic recent history and is now consolidating itself with a myriad of problems. Let us hope it will succeed in becoming a successful developed nation. There are so many attraction in the country, not least the recent discovery the Bosnian Pyramids of the Sun which is now struggling to get international and UNESCO recognition. The ultimate recognition of these monuments will surely change world archaeological history as they are believed to be even older than the Egyptian and other pyramids in other parts of the world. I had the privilege of being guided personally around some of the pyramid sites by its hard-working and determined founder Dr. Sam Semir Osmanagih who is zealously working towards the excavation and recognition of these enormous moments.

I love the atmosphere of Sarajevo with its street cafes and quaint shops and Ottoman mosques and a very mixed of Islamic and Christian architecture. The Bosnians are an extremely good-looking lot of people, reserved and friendly at the same time. Once identified as Malaysian I often get a barrage of compliments what a great country Malaysia was, our people, our soldiers and of course our very dear Tun Mahathir. They truly acknowledged us as a country that came to their unconditional assistance during the difficult times. During Friday prayer at a mosque near Mostar I heard the imam mentioned 'Malaysia' in his sermon which was in Bosnian. My guide and driver Dennis later told me that the imam was quoting Malaysia's tough, unflinching stand on drugs possession/smuggling to the congregation! I was also glad to visit a mosque we built in Sarajevo.
Art were in abundance in Bosnia and I came home with six paintings including one by Bosnia’s most famous artist Mersad Berber, whose revered paintings I would be very hesitant to buy outside of the country because of their high prices. I also received a Chinese ink-brush painting said to cost USD1500 from a Malaysian businessman based in Sarajevo introduced to me by my host. Alhamdullilah! He must have been impressed by my zest for (and hopefully knowledge of) paintings and art!

My charming and generous host and hostess Zul and Hawa really took good care of me, providing a very wide-raging and interesting programme. I was happy to also catch up with my dear ex-colleague Jasmina with whom I had dinner twice in two charming retaurants

Sarajevo (and Bosnia) is really worth a visit. It took me a while to decide to visit because of the limited flight connection; it is only recently available directly from Zurich. Sadly, there were only 26 passengers out of Zurich in the 64-seat BH carrier, 16 got of at Banja Luka and only 10 including myself flew on to Sarajevo. My flight out of Sarajevo had 18 passengers and it picked up another 13 in Banja Luka making a final total of 31 passengers. No wonder the fare was comparatively high. I was told that in summer there are more visitors and in fact Sarajevo is a fast growing tourist destination and has been listed by Lonely Planet as the 43rd greatest city on Earth.
I really wish the country well.

An afternoon with Roger Federer

A Swiss company with an operation in Penang, of which Roger Federer is its ambassador, invited me to an afternoon with the world tennis champion today. Federer arrived in a white Rolls Royce and spent an hour talking to some 200 specially-selected fans about himself and his career. He spoke in Swiss-German and I only got glimpses of his story through my friend Heinz.

I declined to stay on for the photo, autograph-signing and mingling session though. The General Manager's wife promised to get me a personal autograph from Federer. Heinz stayed back to get autographs for the many people who had asked him to.

Federer came across as very friendly, modest and charming; probably rare qualities in world-class personalities of his stature. I may yet meet him up-front one day - I have a bet with my colleague in Madrid who gets to personally meet the current tennis champions, Fedrerer and Spanish Rafael Nadal, first. At the moment I am leading I think...