Silk thread and real stone

Roofgarden at night snaps

Fabric disks pattern frame

This is a rug frame on the making. Each disk is 1,5 inches diameter. I did not decide yet how to stitch them on the main frame. Maybe with different hand stitches maybe hitting the sawing machine..? Stay tuned for more patterns and finalised frame! 🙂

10 amazing places of some Asian travels

1. Rugs in Singapore: Arab street is one of the most attractive and colorful area of the city. Must stroll along the main road and peak into the stores. Rugs here are awesome. Delivered all over and coming from different countries. Especially the silk hand woven made in Pakistan or Middle East. If you are lucky to find this shop owned by a Malay-Pakistani couple. Located at the end of the main road walking thru North. While accepting fresh fruits from them we enjoyed the company sitting on the rugs, watching the defile of patterns, chatting and finally picking the chosen one.

2. Local duo of pottery and furniture in Jonker Street, Malacca: There are several studios with pottery handmade items downtown Malacca. Try to go for the most original shop. It’s not a real shop, it’s a combination of two floors house with a garden incorporated. Stunning. Wood all around you. Downstairs the wife arranged clay exhibition and the linked lab. Upstairs the husband shows beautiful furniture in strong wood and such amazing design.

3. Vietnam Trade Union Hotel in Hanoi: Most strategically located hotel in town. Walking distance from Le Duan Railway Station and practically merging into the urban downtown landscape you cannot miss. Really affordable, enormous and cool. The perfect place to be for a couple, a family, a business group or a huge event people. Now you know where to head in the fascinating capital of Vietnam.

4. Bowrington road market in Hong Kong: One of the best wet market in the whole town. I love it stays open until late at night and that it’s located just a pleasant stroll from Causeway Bay busy hub. This market is famous for seafood but you can find a good variety of local and malaysian or Indonesian picks in fact of veggies, biscuits and sweet stuff. Also great for local tofu and artisanal noodles. But the highlight is the lamb, for lamb lovers only. Amazing and smiling service.

5. Tibet coffe shop in Beijin: Called “Tibet Cafe”. It was such a wonderful coincidence to sit in this coffe place and sipping authentic Tibetan tea and Momo dumplings. If it was not for a lovely friend who is originally moved from Tibet to Beijing. The bold colors of the wall and the playful presence of copper and wood furniture pieces, cushions and drums directly from those mountains of Lhasa are almost lively talking about traditions and stories. Quite a beautiful experience in the heart of the busy capital, in Nan Luo Gu Alley, Dongcheng. Also with a blog at tibetcafe.blogspot.com

6. Futian Book City in Shengzhen: One among few others of these Cities. Huge and well furnished. Interesting section for language learning, food and recipes and art design. You can spend hours in here and browse the paper material. Or taking a break and window shopping upstairs for some handmade trendy. Or a fast food experience. It;s located in front of the local Library,  at Shao Nian Gong Metro station.

7. Food Alley in Xian: Xia’an is in the heart of China with its Great Mosquee and a mixture of souls descending very probably from traders who were concentrating in this important trading route of the ancient Silky road. The old style trading has vanished and what you can appreciate now it’s for appeasing the stomach. Aka snacks, dumplings, kebabs, noodle soups and much more. Delicious stroll. Or by sitting at a table.

8. Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh: a place for everyone where you can find really everything, any food, clothes, accessories, paintings, home furniture, bed linen or table runners, cushions, fabric. Yes you guessed it: a massive area located on a couple of floors. A touch of tradition and color for the grey financial hub that is the city today.

9. Ricshaw in Nanning: Never fear a rickshaw, you never know where it is ending. Nanning. Boarder city. Peaceful and crowded at the same. Mount on a rickshaw and get prepared to roam everywhere. From the station to the hotel to the park. If you are staying in the city and want to check more than two places out, the fearless rickshaw is your sure choice! Enjoy the ride.

10. Bintan Island: a resort island at the boarder line, just outside Singapore. To enjoy the dreaming beach and a ayurvedic massage. It’s all about super relax and crystal colors unless the monsoon rain has decided  to show off its refreshing powers! But it is still allowed dreaming and watching at the slender palms while sipping a cocktail under the pagoda roof at Nirwana Beach Club.

Birth of a toy into real global life

Whenever you are involved in a work or process, all the rest does count less. especially when you are really really loving that work…you are just like absorbed. These amazing projects have been amazing since their starting point and it has taken about four years to realize how amazing they still are! They can fly now into the hands of anybody thru Amazon or other marketing oriented websites. But the real thing about them is that yes they were simply amazing to work on. Jiggling on different contents, selecting the most appealing ones. Shaping and fixing the Italian version of each and every sound file. Composing small songs and singing the created tunes: the merge of writing, notes and sounding engineering all in one: It takes a little playfulness to bring a toy into the real life! And especially when it needs to be a ‘talking toy’. A speaking globe for traveling the world! Still very much alive and still traveling around.

Insights from “The silent treatment” ~ book review

Let’s treat ourself with some amazing and deep deep silence! Time is now! Instead of any other common overrated treatment aka a dessert?,  a good book?, a holiday? Because any best treatment would be pretty miserable compared to real silence sourced straight from within. Here is a book i m treating myself with just today  surrounded by the sounds of various birds and cicadas, sipping a fruity smoothy and… longing for insights. Those kind of insights which a book like this just deliver! And without considering that i m writing this post exactly from one of the most un-silent places on earth that is actually host to the largest crowd with the noisiest lifestyle.

Here now with Five great extracts from the book

1. In bright light our pupils contract to protect our eyes, in loud environments our ears slowly produce wax to protect our sensitive drums from damage. So why are we surprised when our mind does the same thing when faced with information overload on many levels?

2. We can keep things simple or delve into our personality and behavior in ways that will astonish and delight. We can literally improve ourselves through the power of introspection and spiritual contemplation, and at a pace that suits our personal temperament.

3. But overall this new sense of self-improvement helps us realize that we still have the ability to enjoy life, with all its different modes, shades, challenges and peculiarities.

4. We dont waste our thinking, fritter it away, but instead we cherish it and listen to the still voice that can guide us to where we need to be.

5. The more we relax the easier it gets.

Vande mataram

Most amazing thing about this Boundless inspiration (after some time) is: people here enjoy Music ALOT! It’s been years now that the most clicked posts are those about music. Music rules and has got all the powers within. She is everywhere. She is in the silence too. At this point I won’t doubt one second to post another hyper talented musical video. It might be close to the India lovers but it can be easily close to the fresh and genuine music lovers. 

 

 

 

Acrobats for living

Thay are coming to Hongkong next Spring and i dont want to miss them. This Summer we enjoyed Cirque Du Soleil in Guangdong but slightly disappointing, the themes were quite old fashioned. Momix company seems more intriguing and original in its creations, although they have the production in common with Cirque du Soleil. Anyway it shows something more innovative  and modern in the choreography’s style. I always admire the perfect acrobatics of a human body, it ‘s like a blend of madness and perfection thru the most beautiful art form.

My top 7 possessions at large.

1. The Chinese way. If it is Chinese it will stick to me. Even what does not suite me, it would stick anyway in a way or in another, before or after. Funny possession.

2. Tomatoes and avocados: The red one started to find its way into me probably at infant state, when i was initiated to real food after the milky one. It was tomatoes like everyday, with bread, with pasta, with meat, on the pizza, in the soup. Nowadays tomatoes taste not like tomatoes but i buy them anyway. I learned to control this purchase very well though. The green one is a modern possession, or about eight years old. I met them in Colombia for the first time and from then i cant stay without.

3. The family ‘hello enjoy daily life together’ attitude: This is a kind of social problem which makes me treat people like I know them since long. The doorman becomes “the uncle at the gate”, the lady in the shop becomes “the auntie of that shop I often go”, and so on. Everybody is good to me, yea lets have a happy life all together style of possession. Very Italian sort of style. Pretty naive too. Quite leaving me alone though. Thanks God..

4. Beauty and esthetic. This is one of the worst possession because it tells: if it s not beautiful its not worth, it s meaningless. It cannot accept that something is just useful or just cool but NOT beautiful sorry! This is Italian style possession again, face must be beautiful, clothes must be beautiful, house must be beautiful, “Life is beautiful” even it sounds not.

5. Sahaja Yoga since 2002. This is one of the most galloping possessions. So galloping that it is thanks to Sahaja Yoga that I am capable to write about my possessions at large and blog about it!

6. HOME. Home is an infinite immense concept for me. It s everything. Anything is related to the homey aspect of life will stick to me in no time and will grow until certain extents. My  psyche is the storeroom of my possessions. My body is the storeroom of my psyche. My home is the storeroom of my body. Just like those colorful boxes one into another.

7. Charity oriented possession. Maybe it takes its roots from the churchy environment of Italy. Sometimes i can control and balance it well, otherwise it s constantly there usually in form of thoughts and sometimes in different kinds of action too.

 

Best 5 modern Songs with a message within.

Experience which transliterates thru a powerful song is something really valuable. Not always a song tells about a true experience or a flow of feelings. WHAT is good in a song that makes it empowering?? Few points:

• It has a great lyric, poetic. Not just words but words with a meaning and with some experience in them, as the singer would connect you to his/her own life happenings and understanding sharing a message emitting something positive to the listener.
• Energizing at musical level making feel joy and desire to embrace life in all its aspects; at this point it can be slower and deep striking innermost silent chords giving a still and peaceful mood or strong and up beat for uplifting and dancing thru the notes.

“let my eyes see what you see

the infinite sky”

1. Ocean ~ Nicki Wells

 

“Where you invest your love you invest your life”

2. Awake My Soul ~ Mumford & sons

 

“we are young“

3. We Are Young  feat. Janelle M.~ FUN

 

“questions of science, science and progress

do not speak as loud as my heart”

4. The Scientist ~ Coldplay  

“you are the flower of tomorrow”

5. Antwerp and rain ~ Marie Joelle

 

 

Hong Kong – Hanoi and return: IPhone daily notes of an overland journey

These are the notes of a ten days journey of an Eurasian couple from Hong Kong to Hanoi, and back. We decided to travel by train in order to taste and watch all the 100% beauty and variety starting from Hong Kong towards Guangzhou, Nanning and to eventually reach Hanoi on the early morning of the third day. Then spending six full days to explore the Vietnamese capital and her surroundings, to finally embark on the same journey at reverse. The verdict was: cool.

DAY 1 SLEEP
We re arriving in Nam Ning by train in a couple of hours. The landscape outside the window is intense green. Jeff s sleeping on the soft bed above. We are sharing the compartment with two young boys. This was the first night in the train starting in GZ city. Here we spent some time in the most amazing mall and i was really happy to say goodbye to the obstinate luxury of South China.

DAY 2 NATURE
We are now in the train to Hanoi after having enjoyed wandering, hotel couching, dining in Nam Ning. This city reminds of South America eh eh. And of Napoli ah ah. We found a lovely local canteen run by a chubby cool lady along one of the main roads adjacent to the railway station. They served us the tastiest bowl of noodles and wanton. Next to it a family bakery with the most flavorful scallion pancakes and so on. Goodnite: we have already taken position in our soft beds; this time we are sharing the room with a Vietnamese-American couple. Outside is only pure nature. Beautiful. Open spaces.

DAY 3 MUSIC
The cock is singing and singing from some street around here, since we have arrived here very early morning at the hotel in Hanoi. Resting and looking forward to the rest of the day. To meet our musician friends from Aussie and having fun at their concert tonite, scheduled at another awesome Hotel nearby.

DAY 4 HEAVEN
So today we joined our group of friends from Ozland and Vietnam on a daily trip that took us three hours far from the city to the most wonderful geological park of Vietnam and now we are in the minibus on the way back to Hanoi city. We were all stunned by the beauty of the land and could even do some canoeing and swimming in the deep waters in betweens the rocks. It was simply heaven to say it in one word.

DAY 5 WET
We went exploring and roamed around the beautiful Hoam Kiem lake of this district called also Old district with its red bridge and a temple to remember confucian plus taoist philosophers; then the tropical rain poured for some time, the air was fresh afterwards and we ended with a late lunch and some spa relaxing time.

DAY 6 FANCY
We are now heading to the Fabric market, Cho Ham, while side walking the small lake south the hotel. This area has lots of pretty fashionable local shops plus more from Japan, Korea. Vietnamese lady fashion designers are just cool and smart. Simply looking at the cut of either their traditional and modern dresses you ll understand how good, pretty and practical their message is. The evening brought us the pamper of a foot massage plus the fanciness of a dinner at a place called ‘wild lotus restaurant’.

DAY 7  EXPLORE
We walked all the way up to the north in a village of copper craftmenship once,  crossing the neatest district with villas, embassies and famous historical plazas with statues, pinnacles and monuments. Hanoi seems very Italian to me, not only for its facade and alleys but also for its lifestyle and pace. We passed thru great art galleries roads, silk and embroidery road, souvenirs alleys. Moreover we found ourselves all of a sudden strolling along a rustic tea market just behind the century old bridge Long Bien. By chance later we were in front of a modern theatre building and some young boys from France sold us two extra tickets to watch the popular ‘water puppet show’ starting in minuts. We went in and it was an hour of fun and childlike plus cultural enjoyment. What i admired most in this art form was the ability to blend musical instruments, singing, acting and water puppeting all in once. Terrific job. This 1000 years old city is so gorgeous and puts lots of stress on art, technology, medical and humanitarian fields. You can tell it from the buildings and the universities located here. It was also home to the first western style university of Indochina during its old times. I have also travelled to Ho Chi Minh two times priorly and found that the spirit and the genuine culture of Vietnam resides in Hanoi today.

DAY 8 FAMILIAR
It was National museum of history and a spa time. Vietnam map looks almost like the Italian one. There is an historical highlight I loved: “It was patriotism, not communism, than inspired me” quoting Mr. Ho Chi Minh. After a family kitchen experience finally time to come to the station. The train to Nanning is leaving in 10 minuts, goodnite from the soft bed compartment all for us.

DAY 9 FUN
The  day spent in Nanning was lots of fun and some gorgeous accidental shopping. We took the rikshaw up to Nanhu Lake park towards southeast; the drivers here are amazing and they can drive totally e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. and in a.n.y. direction to reach the destination. The bamboo forest, the lake and the tropical rain were waiting for us. Beautiful area! In Nanning on the way back lunch and dinner were exactly at the same two places of the week before (plus the chubby smiling lady was happy to see us again). The train to GZ was late at night.

DAY 10  WINDOW
We travelled overnight in a sitting compartment all violet and cute. Landscape outside is purely agricultural mixed with construction sites. Lots of big butterflies outside the window too. Guangzhou is waiting. Then Hong Kong.

True Beauty in yellow

Snapping flowers is really cool. Its  almost like touching the miracle which made the flower itself blooming and giving so much joy and power to the human eyes.

As you can notice i ve been recently got quite stuck into this sort of camera-activity. Well no, the memory box here is full of wonderful pictures from past walks and travels and unfortunately i cannot have the whole time to upload them all. Themes are great actually. So at the moment it’s the color theme. Which color would you love to see next. Here it is true beauty in yellow dedicated to magical flowers from an amazing urban Flower Show. Enjoy!

Earth is glowing here

Builders.

Stumbling upon a deeply true statement  from an American author and journalist, about either the evident and the subtle distruction in front of our eyes within and without:  “WE now live in a nation where doctors destroys health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the press destroys information, religion destroys moral and our banks destroy the economy.” Somebody asked “who is going to build then?”

La vie en rose:

Let’s explore some dashes of pink. Rose is such a great shade. There are some impressive meanings behind this color. Enjoy!