Sabah

I'm in Sabah folks. Leisuring for awhile in KK before proceeding to Sampoerna tonight for a dive in Sipadan!!! Yaaahooooo!!!

Nostalgic Marcell

I'm a fan of Marcell, an R&B singer from Indonesia long before he became famous. When he was a sinetron (miniseries in Indonesian) star, and he scored the number Ketika Kau Menyapa, I knew this man would be big. Ok... ok... I ain't fortune teller or no musician, but there was this sense that I will be his fan for sometime. And when he did the duet with Shanty for Hanya Memuji, I know that this man's music is evergreen.

And he proved it right.

Last night, I caught his performance live at Planet Hollywood. With two albums in hand, Marcell charmed me, am not sure of others, but judging from the response of a throng of other patrons, he sure indeed did a great job.

I like Marcell's music not because of its high quality nor the charismatic ooze that he brought along his charming personality, it was the meaning of it and how each of his song bring meaning to my experience.

The song Firasat particularly, is an exceptional one. That was the song when I discovered love. And that is the song that I would give to my love one. Of which I did.

And I know many people who use the song nostalgically. 20 years down the road, I bet I still enjoy it. Maybe more than ever.

Am not going to YouTube it here. Go and explore it yourself. The exploration makes it even more worthwile. Listen to their words.

My Photography Skills Appreciated

I logged on to my flickr account as I wanted to delete some pictures but to my surprise, I received an email from NowPublic, an online media site (www.nowpublic.com) requesting for the usage of the photo I took at The Louvre, Paris.

I know that this is not a big deal for some of you. But to me, hey, to know that there are people out there who think that my photography skills are at least media-worth quality, it's cool!

This are the pictures of the Lourve that I took and posted on Flickr.



And this is the email that NowPublic sent to me asking for my permission.



This certainly makes my Monday brighter.

Visual Chronology of My Journey

Starting backward. London - Paris - Florence - Rome - Frankfurt - Rothernburg - Salzburg - Munich.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9313494@N05/

Of Being Romantic and Sensitive

Some friends labelled me as overly sappy and melancholic. Yes, check my ipod songs collection. I enjoy listening to the likes of Glenn Fredly and Marcell, but I like Weezer and Arctic Monkeys too. But has that changed over the course of years? Or even months?

A small group of people, nowadays, have labelled me as being rather insensitive, lack in romance and passion and the most brutal among all, heartless. Are these terms being used loosely or have I really shown tendencies of becoming one?

It shook me a little this morning when someone reminded me of the latter. Well, I'm partially to be blame as my cheeky nature hasn't been much erased. Oh, but I dont want it erased anyway as that is the essence of who Bartho is. Cheekiness and Bartho are synonymous.

Pardon my ignorance, accept my plead. I'll only change to be the best.

Of Not Knowing What To Write

I guess the happier you are, the less disgruntled you be, there's nothing much to report in this blog.

Life has been wonderful. Overwhelming infact. I have to constantly remind myself not to be too buried and take small steps instead. Don't want to reach climax unnecessarily. The journey has been particularly interesting.

Am I Addicted to Blogging?

74%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Minneapolis Singles from Mingle²

Of Zits on My Face

You can tell that I'm not taking care of my facial groom enough as zits are mushrooming on my right cheek. I don't want to blame any hormone imbalances as I dont think at this age one should be experiencing that, though at times, the inner desire can still be quite raging. Hehe...

I was looking in the mirror while I showered this morning and darn, there are more zits! My suspect is that the lack of sleep syndrome or the inconsistent pattern of it (hehe... dont ask the cause) but on second thought, it added texture or roughness to it, shedding the flawless jambu look (If I were a jambu to begin with... haha). Should I visit the facial saloon and quickly have a derma fix? Naaa... Should I invest in some high-end Takeshi Kaneshiro-endorsed products and burn a big hole in my pocket? Naaa...

I think I want to look like myself now. Commercial portrayals of good looking men are just another advertising tactics to tap onto the ever-growing market of beauty-conscious contemporary men. It shocked me when my sales manager said that he washed his face with Lancome Men products and moisturized it every night. A colleague in Singapore admitted that his secret to a wrinkle-free face was due to SKII.

I dont deny that these items do play quite significant roles in your groom and presentation, but I realise that the one thing that I should focus even more has got to be the inner inside. Be happy, let go of any worries and trust me, you'll get rid of the wrinkles away.

So, some zits on the face ain't too bad anyway, eh.

Terms of Endearment

I notice that people tend to use a lot of terms of endearment when they are happy. When people are happy, everything turns up positive and nice.

I use a lot of terms of endearment. And i think they are cute. Some may regard them as 'mengayat' but I think they are just ways of how I'm expressing my gratitude and favor towards people I like.

Here are some that I often use:

1. Pumpkin
2. Muffin
3. Ikan
4. Pie
5. Blue Berry
6. Cup cake
7. Labu

And people have used these on me too. I hope they were on the same intention. Here are some:

1. Sweet Tart
2. My Peter Pan
3. Sunshine
4. Sang Suria
5. Bitter Gourd (heheh... this one funny)
6. Top of the chart

I know these sound mushy and all. But hey, I like mushyness.

So, what are your terms of endearment?

I'm Back on Safe Ground - Tribute to Family and Friends

Hi folks:

It's my first day at work. Was bombarded with 1215 emails! That's about 121 emails in the 10 working days while I was gone. Hmmm... Three things... 1) am a much needed man in the office, 2) they are all spams or 3) am just vain and asked people to send me emails! Haha...

Has been a long day today. I haven't gone through all my emails yet and at the same time, a bunch of them came bombarding into my inbox. It's now 7.47pm and am still in the office. Getting a short break by updating this blog.

Anyway, my life has been an exciting journey so far. I was just on YM with a dear friend just now and we chatted about what makes us a happy person. It dawned to me that in order for you to be happy, you need to make someone happy too. There's no single direction.

I have moved on from my past, though yes, I admit, that memories, good ones, with brightlight do pop in once in awhile. I think it's just natural. But, great enough, I'm blessed with a great family and friends who care much for me. Thank God for that. And a fish to swim with in my life journey. Ikan - you are a great fish who helps me to see that I'm actually blessed with so much love. You all have been a savior to my gritty darkness.

So, I'm back on safe ground. Safe as in back to the familiar. Having been away for close to 3 weeks made me feel that I'm so grateful to be in this land called home. All the glitters of Munich, Salzburg, Frankfurt, Rome, Florence, Paris and London are nothing compared to our own home although it is sometimes tainted with anger, hatred and jealousy. You all made me what I am. My mak and my family, all my friends, and now ikan and even brightlight, thanks for the friendship and the occasional arguments and bickering.

It made me who Bartho is. Bartho who feels great to be back on the safe ground.

Day... I Lost Count... hehehe... but I'm in London now

I am now in London. At Leicester Square to be exact. It has been a pretty exhilirating experience. In a way, I'm glad that I'm in an English speaking land. After two weeks in German, Austria, Italy and France, I think I had enough endeavours in foreign lands. Honestly, I'm quite looking forward to go home. London is more of a transition and it's the most familiar spot to home compared to other cities I've been. I went with my friend who is currently working here in London to have a Malaysian meal last night. Mine... it was so great to have a bowl of Mee Udang. And we then headed to catch a movie, The Simpsons. The irony of it, an American movie full with yankees' nuances and two Malaysians are watching it in London. Haha. It was an ok movie. And one thing I noticed, the moviegoers here have no respect of others as they did not switch off their cellphones! The cinema itself is nothing compared to our TGV or Cineleisure. Ours are much more comfortable. That, in a way, makes me feel proud, in a shallow way somehow. Haha....

Ok-lah... I just dont know what to write anymore. I am going to Covent Garden to see some street performances while waiting for my friend to come back from work to catch Billy Elliot the musical. We got the cheapest tickets and, yes, they are far behind... hehe....

Day 7 and 8 - Rome and Firenze... in style...

I had a chat with two other backpackers at the hostel lobby today while waiting for breakfast. One from New York and one from Hong Kong. They have both been on the road for more than two weeks. The one from Hong Kong is heading home tomorrow out of Rome, while the yankee will head to many other European countries till summer is gone.

It was funny when we were discussing places that we have visited, it came to a point where everyone was missing home! It hit me right as I felt the same way! Homesick! It is not that am not enjoying the trip, I do very much, it struck me when I miss the familiar. The nasi ayam, the convenience of driving, the comfort of being home. But then again, this is a trip! What will it not be without a little of a hassle!

I am currently in Firenze, or better known in the English world as Florence. This place seems to be more touristy than Rome, I guess because it much smaller in scale. Saw the naked David... funny to see people crowding the statue and shoot a photo a static oversized carved marble in the form a naked man! Nevertheless, it was amazing to see how intricate the Renaissance era was with the grandeur of the buildings, statues, flooring and everything else that surrounds it. It was very fascinating.

Oh yea... yesterday, while I was still in Rome, I visited the Vatican City and had a chance to witness with my own eyes Michelangelo's ceiling painting. It was funny to see everyone in the hall of Sistine Chapel with their neck up admiring the beauty, more like the grandeur of his creation. To me, it was more of how westerners cleverly commercialize their assets and turn some old ceiling (yes, it was beautiful) into something breathtaking. Talking about strategic marketing. Tips for those who manage KLCC. And those at Tourism Malaysia. With clever marketing, a box of matches can be cool. Or say a bottle of water... yes, I am still harping about the fact that it is RM9 a bottle here... get Paris Hilton or even our own Siti to touch it. I bet the price goes up higher.

One more thing. It's amazing to know that in Italy, there are more than 1.5 million Muslims. They are everywhere especially in big cities. The operator of this internet cafe is one. I greeted him with Assalamualaikum hoping to get some discounts (hehehe... cheapskate). Ironic it is as Italy is where Catholicism is with Pope and what not and Islam is actually growing in this country.

Okaylah. As I said to many others, I'm missing nasi. Very much. Nasi with all the lauk-pauk. Those who know Baloh at Damansara Perdana, yeaa... that type of nasi.

Later people.

Day 6 Pixs

Rome, Frankfurt and some old ones worth sharing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9313494@N05/

Day 6 - Rome

Rome is culturally and historically rich but it does not click with me. The Colloseum, the Pantheon, the Republica and all the other ancient ruins and Renaissance legacies are interesting, but I guess this city itself is too comical. Italians (yes, just like the popular belief) are very good looking (and imagine in the hot summer!!) but are very arrogant. I spent almost 2 hours trying to sort out the best option (read: cheapest option) to Firenze or better known as Florence. None of the folks at the tourist information center is friendly. Even people on the street, when I got lost, are not worth even asked at the first place. But why do people still flock in the side of the world? Well, including yours truly, I guess I was mesmerized by all the media glitteries of the excitement the country brings. It could also be the weather. It was reported that it is one of the hottest summer recorded. 38 degrees Celcius!! And a bottle (small size mind you) of water costs 2 Euro! That is like RM9 for a bottle of water you buy at the Petronas Gas station! Ok... ok... dont convert.

Anyway, Colloseum was huge! I didnt even pay to go in as the line was so long. But I went around it, hehe... and then headed to the Forum. It was amazing actually to see the place where western civilization began. (Tetiba je teringat Russell Crowe dalam Gladiator... hehe)...

Okaylah... i gotta go. I took more photos but nanti lah ya. Penat sebab I have been walking since 8am this morning. It is now 4.20pm.

And yes, i want to makan nasi, lauk ikan especially. :-)

Tomorrow, I am visiting the Pope. Hehe.

Day 5 - Still in Frankfurt

Visited a museum earlier. Didnt see much as I became bored. Guess am not that cultured after all eh? Cant write long. A bit busy rearranging my trip. I thought of cancelling my flight out of Rome to Paris and took either the train or bus so that I can take the scenic route.

My flight to Rome is at 8 today but I need to leave Frankfurt around 5.

Later.

Day 2 and 3 and 4 - Munich, Salzburg, Rothernburg and now, Frankfurt

Hey folks...

As promised, am writing again from Deutschland. Am now sitting in a cybercafe near the hotel, trying to get used to this computer keyboard. Damn it! It's so different from the normal English type. Anyway, it's now 10pm and it's only about to get dark. It has been a HOT HOT summer where at one point, when I was in Rothernburg, where my sister is now, the temperature reached it's peak at 38 celcius! Damn it! I could have stayed in KL and get that kind of heat! And here, there's no ABC, cincau, sirap limau to quench my thirst down. I am so wanting to go home... hehe.

Did I tell you that i've lost weight a little? I guess lugging the backpack contributed to it. Thanks Amir! Though I dont get to run with you, at least it keeps me in shape a little. I know I need to play catch up. And you Rizal, stop running so much!

Ok, back to my trip. Of all the four German cities I visited (ok, ok... Salzburg is in Austria... yes abang Jril, it is where the Sound of Music was filmed... hehe), Rothernburg touches my heart most. Quaint little town, I must say with only about 12000 population! Goodness! And everything was so relaxed. Wining (or more like beering for them Germans), eating at the patio, waiting for the cuckoo bird to come out at the town's Big Ben... everyone looks happy! With me practically spending substantial years of my life in the hustle-bustle KL, it was a soothing experience to have to do things at a slower-pace. Honestly, it's nice. It's nice to be able to move slower and to think wisely. Guys, this break makes me think. Really. Off all the things I've done. Especially on why am I so 'gigih' at times. I know Nertasya is smirking.

Alright lah. I gotta go. I need to sleep early tonight. Am visiting a museum tomorrow. Cultured-kan? Hehehe... It's one of the things that I wanted to do. Some of Monet's valuable masterpieces are on display in Frankfurt museum. I dont want to miss them. Got this 2 day Franfurt Am pass that enables me to travel anywhere within Franfurt via train, bus or tram for only Euro 12. And ya... discounts to many museum entrances.

Till then. As the Germans would say, Jooz, Afi da zein!

And oh ya, the Germans are friendly, contrary to the popular belief of them being nasty and arrogant. That's more of the French? No? Wait till I get there.

And one more... photos can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9313494@N05/

Please put in your comments both on blogspot and flickr. Trust me, it's so nice to hear news from home.

Day 1 - Munich: Wilkommen!

This one was from the old blog... I put it here to maintain its the sequence...

Gutten Tag! It's been a long tiring journey from KL this morning. I got dropped off by a friend (thanks buddy!) in the wee hour of Subuh to embark on a long-haul flight to Munchen transiting in Munchen, or more fondly known to us as Munich. I am now in the hotel lobby typing this entry at about 12am. Tired I am, but suffering from this jet lag, hence my eyes are wide open but my body tells me to rest.My dear sister was waiting for me at the airport and took me around the city till about 11pm. Oh yea... in the summer, sunset is at about 10pm in Germany! Cool. I cant endure the exhaustion anymore and told my sister to call it a day. She's now dozing off in the room as we both have an early headstart tomorrow at 640am to Salzburg Austria before heading back to Rothernburg where my sister lives.There's nothing much in Munich in my 4 hours observation . It looks like KL. Infact, KL has more roughness to it. Munich is rather sterile. It embodies the new German with skyscrappers intertwined with old churches and museums. Oh ya... not to mention, itäs summer, so the locals are out and about doing what Germans do best, drinking beer!I cant post pixs at the moment as the PC in this hotel does not have a USB port hence I cant transfer. But I'll do it as soon as I hit Rothernburg tomorrow.Later people!

Bartho in Europe

As many of you know, I am now in Europe. I've decided to keep a journey of my stay in Europe on this blog so that my hommies back home and whereever they are (I know you guys are jetsetters) can keep track of my well being... if that interests you... but I know you guys will... coz you guys are my hommies!!!

New Chapter

Folks:

I've decided to migrate my blog to this one. The old one had too much of sadness. Haha. This one should shed some smile and laughter.