m!L@No Ag@!N

I just came back from Milan last night, while 28th May is jus a normal working day at Milan, 27th May was full of pleasing and relaxing highlights. Well, never expect myself to revisit Milan again after my March visit with my family. This time I am back for an overnight business trip. Since the incident happened in the office last week, I am now free for another project, and while waiting for the project, there are some requests to help our office in Milan to support their business development.

I arrived early in the midday and spent the whole afternoon and evening wondering around the city. It was warm and humid, not so much of sun, but I could feel the stickiness on my skin all the time. I strolled from Hilton hotel (where I stayed) towards the city center. Although this is my 3^rd trip to Milan already but I still never stop discover new shops and eating place.

The shops along Corso Buena Aires are quiet pocket friendly and things are uniquely Milan or at least made in Italy. I got 2 pairs of shoes at a price that you would never believe for real leather. Due to the increase heat, I decided to take a metro instead of carry on walking.

It is only a short ride to Duomo, as soon as I arrived, I immediately check out the Luini store for the panzerotti, I ordered one takeaway and eat it at the Piazza Duomo.

After the snack, with the weather I bought 3 scopes Gelato as a treat, the pineapple, Lemon and berries are yummy for a warm weather.

It was a relaxing day, got a few ‘acquisitions’ aka 2 pair of shoes, one blouse and one trouser but no damage on my pocketJ.

Same place, different season, different occasion thus make Milan very charming again for me.

A Relaxing Weekend

24th May 2008

Another day on the beach. Today, we have an appointment with Johannes’ friend Michiel who has been to China for 6 months and just returned home.

We had our late lunch at our favorite hangout place at the Scheveningen old port. It was a lovely afternoon sitting at the terrace and enjoying the excellent food and company. There were lots of conversations to catch up the last 6 months. After the lunch, we decided to take a stroll at the beach and turned out to be a very pleasant afternoon.

The stroll on the sandy beach is great that it actually burns extra energy and by the time we reached the usual promenade, we are up for pancakes. There were some kinds of bachelor party going on as well, which were entertaining.

Since the weather is too good to resists, we sat down at the beach and while Michiel and Johannes sleeping, I enjoyed the music and reading of my book.

The Victory belongs to the Righteous one

Finally after a roller coaster and dramatic week at work, the justice is finally revealed. The moment of truth has set me free and restore my reputation and the justice is done as it is in heaven. During this period, God has put these verses in my heart and assured me through Jeremiah 31. 16 This is what the LORD says: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded," declares the LORD. "They will return from the land of the enemy. 17 So there is hope for your future," declares the LORD. "Your children will return to their own land.

Thank You Lord for You have fight the battle for me and the victory comes from You.

The Word of Life

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your word that come forth like a living waters. Thank You for Your comfort and thank You for showing me that You care for me. Thank You for the Rhema word in Proverbs 16 that describes my state of mind right now. Thank You for guidance and advice through these Words. Above all else, thank You for being with me.

Proverbs 16

1 To man belong the plans of the heart,
but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him,
but motives are weighed by the LORD.

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.

4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD,
he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

8 Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.

9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.

10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth should not betray justice.

11 Honest scales and balances are from the LORD;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.

12 Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.

13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value a man who speaks the truth.

14 A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
but a wise man will appease it.

15 When a king's face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to choose understanding rather than silver!

17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
he who guards his way guards his life.

18 Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.

20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,
and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

21 The wise in heart are called discerning,
and pleasant words promote instruction.

22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it,
but folly brings punishment to fools.

23 A wise man's heart guides his mouth,
and his lips promote instruction.

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.

26 The laborer's appetite works for him;
his hunger drives him on.

27 A scoundrel plots evil,
and his speech is like a scorching fire.

28 A perverse man stirs up dissension,
and a gossip separates close friends.

29 A violent man entices his neighbor
and leads him down a path that is not good.

30 He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity;
he who purses his lips is bent on evil.

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained by a righteous life.

32 Better a patient man than a warrior,
a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the LORD.

Freedom to Choose

After what happened last week, today I am about to make a choice. A choice that is going to determine my career but the choice is simple.

I thanked God that there is a blessings of choice and He has given us the freedom to choose.

Dear Lord, whatever choice I made today, I submit it to You knowing that is the best choice for me.

Amen.

So many things happen this week, this is how I feel now

What would one do on a warm and sunny day?

Today must be the most active day for me this year for me, with the temperature soaring to 27 to 28 degree high, one must be awoke from the winter hibernation. The best place to enjoy this sort of weather and temperature has to be the beaches. The traffic to the beaches was chaotic the last few days, but today was alright when we drive to Kijkduin. The beach were quite crowded but we still manage to find a spot for ourselves to enjoy the sun, sands and the breeze.

Later in the afternoon, as if we have not enough exposure to the sun we continue our active day by cycling from home to Noord Aa to catch the late afternoon sun around the lake and later a bit of gardening before we called it a day. Well, it has been a lovely and warm long weekend and in fact the last public holiday in the Netherlands before the Christmas. Hopefully we will continue to be active and sportive throughout the spring and summer days.

Who is on the cross?

We spotted this somewhere around the Charlie Checkpoint and the remains of the Berlin Wall. At first glance this is rather humorous but on second thought who is this icon on the cross?? This is what I meant by the new wave of arts that sweeping across Berlin.

The Dividing Wall

This was the former barrier surrounding West Berlin and a symbol of the Cold War, built on August 13, 1961. It was opened peacefully on November 9, 1989 and torn down by the end of 1990, as Communism collapsed and the cold war ended. Today there are only few remains left to be seen. I had a mixed feeling after I visited this area. Checkpoint Charlie is almost not existed now apart from some photos explaining the situation. The sharp blazer on the iron fence and the wall that divided the East and West for years are incomprehensible for me. It is a bit hard for me to relate and identify what the Berliners have gone through must be very miserable…

A city that is divided into two overnight, imagine if you just happened to visit a family or a friend at the other side of the city and ended up unable to return to your home due to this sudden wall? I am sure such incident happened in reality and I hope Berliners would have recovered from this tragic memory…

Berliner Arts

Although the Berlin Wall has divided the East and West Berlin, but it has also brought forth a new artistic or graffiti wave to this city. Every where you go, there area always some sculpture, monuments and some displays at the road side. Despite of the East side of the wall remained with white paint, the west side of the wall has been then serve as a free drawing board for artists to express themselves...