Ricky Martin Memoir : Me

I went to bookstore looking for Alive, a book that narrated about Andes Crash but ended up with something controversial - Ricky Martin - Me memoir. I doubted a while before handed to cashier.Yes, I heard of him ("Heard" seem to be the right word as I've vague impressions about him and to be honest I don't remember his songs). Turn out to be the few songs he kept mentioning in the book like 1998 FIFA World Cup - "La Copa De La Vida" (A Cup of Life, recorded in 1998) or the real Latin Pop swoop the whole world - "Livin La Vida Loca (Livin' the Crazy Life, 1999), or Maria (1995) holy cow! those were million copies sold worldwide? Never known he is so popular!!

So despite the fact that he is Super Star, what drawn me into this memoir? I found this book when I was searching at "Memoir" section, the clean and simple looking cover attracted my attention (Nothing fancy, that's what I like). The feelings of holding the book. The text size is big. These sounded a bit lame right? I bought the book simply because of the connection with the cover? haha. Well. I don't want to say I'm a fan of him therefore..or I know about his confession therefore....yes that probably contributed to this RM64 worth of book I bought but if the book wasn't fit in my hand I guess I would say no. I guess the ultimate reason was when I hold this book in my hand, I told myself "I want to find out more".

So, I never knew he is also very Good Looking (exclaimed!). I knew he is good looking, but never really put much attention as I don't have much attraction toward Latin men. I find them hairy, black hair but not Chinese, they have sharp features but not caucasian. Anyways, I 'm not a fan of European, until today. He is such a fucking good looking man!!! He has all the quality to be called god's best creation!!! He is tall, muscular build, coarse sexy vocals couple with sensuality, honesty, vulnerablity (I do find this trait from the bottom of his heart - Vulnerablity). No, his confession doesn't make me find him weird. In fact that started make me to pay  attention and liking him more.

I love his book (Although it was enhanced by professionals writter or so), but I truly belived the book constituted 80% of his true thoughts, self and messages which he wished to share with the world. Reading his words as if he is talking in front of you, his detail sharing of his emotions, feelings, thoughts, deep thoughts, perceptions so thoroughly, this can only be reached when one is truely and ready to open about himself. He basically bared himself to the world.

Wait, do you know how popular he is in the first place???? Hell. He is hell well known worldwide!!  Performed in world record of 200,000 audience on a stage, sold more than 60 milllion albums,  swept numerous grammy awards, made to be Latin lover and the greatest crown of all he brought Latin Pop to the world. He is a STAR wherever he goes. He carry himself professionally, passionately, humility for his music which emits through performing on stage, make him the quality of super super star today.

What led me to complete reading this (I hardly complete a book within weeks) I guess first and foremost, I like how it was produced in super thin paper, the type of paper where it can be drenched through sheer of mists, the width that allow you to open the book apart without flipping back (sometime you need it to be opened stationary as reference during your research), the light weight and soft texture of the paper makes it comfortable in hand (Don't tell me you prefer to hold hard cover for hours without feeling uneasy). So well, these elements are very important which probably contributed 10% of my accomplishment. The 90% goes to the story structure. Each chapter hit me with exclaimation, admiration and propelation to read on, just like an orgasm!

Find out in details on the "orgasm" I had reached from this book? To be continued.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Siem Reap located northen region of Cambodia. The name - Siem Reap denotes flat defeated Thailand. The economy  is equivalent to a township in northen region of Malaysia however limited traffic lights.

There were only 4 traffic lights in the whole city supporting 20,000 populations. These traffic lights are an sponsored item by the large hotel located within the city. Three major modes of transport are car, motorbike and bicycle (mostly), no helmet and at times three passengers in one motorcycle. Many hotels located near the airport, decent restaurants are plenty in this city. You'll find similar set up like Pizza Hut in Siem Reap call "The Pizza Company" attached to a shopping mall probably in the scale of Leisure Mall (Cheras, Kuala Lumpur). Well, this post is not so much about this developing city but the suburb I traveled to.

Whilst the citizen in the city lead a decent life, the villagers in the suburb one barely have clean water to survive, ironically it's only couple kilometres away from the city.  Thousands of houses along the river bank heading to Tonle Sap Jetty, they cook and drink from the same source - River. 

Kids are smudgy by glance, I pressume it was due irregular wash. They often play at the river and they look just dirty from face to the toe. Most of them hardly with clothes  on as washing and bathing are luxury chores.  I wonder how to keep up their hygienic factor without clean water.

Houses are made of straws and woods and only a few made of concrete cements and bricks. The tiny houses are the place where they live, cook, sleep, play, raise kids. Due to large publicity, water pump built at every two houses. Villagers derive the limited source of water for their basic cleaning. Donors are mainly from Italy, Germany, USA, some wealthy Cambodian etc. Where are the donors from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand etc? I got no idea, perhaps fund raiser never reached Asia Pacific. 

  

 I feel heartache by seeing them leading an unhealthy and unhygienic living conditions as compared to where we're today. Orphanages are also a common phenomenon in Siem Reap not to mention in this village. Most parents died resulted from war, handicap resulted from land mines, poor living conditions. Glad to learn few orphanages has been supported by some religion community, at least they have shelter, food and little education athough poor condition as compared to their neighbourhood - in the city.

Flood just swooped them few months ago, villagers travelled in muds. Walk or cycling are mode to school took approximately an hour. They look very adorable but deep in their eyes there were many queries. They got no difference from kids in anywhere in the big city, but why are they suffering? Don't be surprised they look smudgy all year long (my unreconcile empathy arise again><). This is life I guess, a bit cliche but true, they couldn't choose the country to born to just like we couldn't pick parents to begin with.

  

By passing the 10km journey, we finally reached the jetty heading to the Floating Village (Tonle Sap), it's 30km from the jetty, cost USD20 per head. The lake is stink like public toilet however in larger scale. As we travel nearer to the destination the smell is unbearable but imagine nearly 2000 of populations living by this stinking lake day by day, year by year. These are Vietnamese who stranded in Cambodia resulted from the chronic war. Fishing to survive, the mother and kids are usually ridding in the boat or some in a steel made pail to beg for money from the tourist. 


Whilst fortunate one snuggle in nice warm bed and unlimited nutritious food supply at home, babies counting by months have to beg for living (They required to cry, crawl on the platform to attract simpathy). What an irony is that the government turn the life of poor villagers into tourist attraction.

Many tourist 'feeding' the poor by the platform attracted more  villagers come by, there were mostly mother and children. Tourist thrown some packet junks which I believed are snacks (hopefully), causing a slight commotions. Where are their father? They could be died from the war resulted single mother with babies/children to beg for survival. Watching the scene from the lookout point (no I didn't join the rest at the 'feeding' platform', I find it humiliating as if feeding the fish in the pond). One question lingering in my mind, is that ethical to feed the poor in that manner if you have a helping heart?

I stopped by a floating kiosk, brought some mineral water at higher price (according to the vendor, the profits made will be supporting the poor around this region) and some instant noodles (there is no crackers and breads) and deliver to a christian school also an orphanage as depicted, one and the only. I hope my little donation able to keep their stomach warm for sometime?

A 9 x 8 feets boat is basically their shelter for bedding, dinning, playing, drinking, bathing and toileting.  What's more to those strieving for few thousand feets bungalow? kids as small as 5 years old carry out their chores by travel  slightly further to collect clean water but from the same lake.

To my surprises, there are orphanages living by this stinking lake.  How would these orphans live when other kids who has own home (boat) are barely survived? They are dirty at glance ( I know I mentioned this many times, perhaps I have the urged to clean them up), living in the lake where no clean drinking water often resulted stomachache and diarrhoea. Wet and stink are part of their life. Where are their parents? Where is their home? What's their future?

At the end of the story, you might wonder do these vietnamese (mostly) has a choice to go back homeland? Answer is, Barely. They classified as illegal immigrants and barely have the fund to go back nor they still have a home back in their homeland.

  

Well. This is life of poor villagers in Siem Reap. The chronic wars resulted poor country, the chronic wars resulted homeless kids (orphan), the chronic wars resulted poor living condition. 80% of the villagers are fishing to survive, these people are more unfortunate compared to some rural province in China, if you've been to any.

Although the stories are sad, however there found hope - natural resources - OIL. I sincerely hope the country would develop well like other third world countries. Citizen no longer suffer and kids have healthy growing environment like the precious children in many cities.

Notes:

I extracted this from my FB notes, wrote sometime back after my trip in Nov 2011. Whilst clearing my notes, I decided to share it here. It was written based on the mental Images  from the trip, ya we lost the camera on the last day of travelling. Post images garnered from local tourism sites as a reference of what I see. It's eye-opening for myself and my little one, it brings enormous educational and personal values. 

 

Movie Review: The Avengers

This was second attempt for Mirror Mirror sadly it was discontinued. So we opted for second best instead: The Avengers. Reviews from friends of this movie seems good,  so may as well give it a try.

The movie do aroused interests in town, cinema hall was full (even the first 3 rows!), we sit back and awaiting for an exciting show or rather mind blowing one. However 2 hours and 15 mins sitting in tells me the movie is kind of crappy. In conclusion it's dissapointing.

Apparently this is an American-boy comic adapted show, using an old storyline encompasses vague catalyst in the entire production. The unknown energy source landed on earth led 'semi-god' Loki and aliens to take advantage to detroy the earth which I don't understand why or maybe he just trying to invade and rule the Earth. The course of invasion pulled all the superheroes in one place to defy the Earth Ordeal - To be destructed.

Too much of 'non-english' (scientific/mechanical terms) confused me and lost intermittently. The whole movie was badly directed, no cohesiveness and the whole war zone happened for the sake of happening. What led the aliens to attack earth? for the unknown power source? or rulling the earth?

The movie consist of Hulk, American Captain, Iron Man, Thor, black widow, hawkeye. Too many superheroes led me to wonder do they ran out of ideas of making alien armagadon show? Are these heroes supposely co-existing in the same era (apparent it does as it was adapted from Marvel Comic published in 1963) Or the director merely group them into one to salvage the cost of past productions? I don't see the strength of each of this hero.

Frankily since this was a vintage comics, which means most of us were not as smart as kids today whom have access to load bank of informations, the storyline was fairly outdated. Should the show meant to show the super power of each hero which I don't see much, so what's there to shout about? I don't know. Yeah The Avengers WAS something in the West, those were the days.

What stunts does the Iron Man carried? someone who could fly and fight against the aliens battleship only with mechanical armor on. Hulk, American Captain, Thor, black widow and hawkeye could basically fight from the ground and their super power isn't impressive, AT ALL. On the other hand Hulk super thwarts against the alien battleships makes him standout. Other than that, I don't see much heroism played by Thor, Black widow and hawkeye.  

The only thing I felt impressive was Scarlett Johansson. She is a pretty thing, everyone knows, thought she was just going to be another blonde bombshell but turnout to be she-could-be-quite -"actionable!" (Thumbs up). 

My eye candy was Chris Evan, holly cow, look at his body (I'm not THAT 6 packs fanatic, of course everyone made the effort to have 6 packs is a plus point). I would say he has a perfect muscular body in every part of him, broad frame, arms, legs, upper and lower body. OK, I have to emphasize here Not Every 6 packs guy have proportionate figure. But his, basically perfect! not to mention his look, errrhem! drooling..

Frankily I still don't understand why gather so many heroes in an movie and the overal cause of the battlefield.  It's simply plain as it lacked of components like human sentiments, personal values, heart-touching scenes, sorry to say it 's  plain battling. Perhaps this is boy-men's thing which I couldn't appreciate, I would seriously prefer to Battleship which watched recently.