Memoirs of a Geisha - A good movie!

I am not really a very big cinema person who goes to see all the movies that are well promoted. However compared to Netherlands I go much more often (it is cheaper lah :) and I have more time as well).

Now I went to see the “Memoirs of a Geisha” and I have to say that I was very impressed. Am I getting old that there are so many good movies I like or the movie industry is getting better?

I really like this movie because it leaded me in a world which was quite unfamiliar for me, the story was nice and it showed characters in a very cool and NOT cheesy way. It highlighted different values in a very good way. Values that are very important for me (like loyalty). Just discovered that I would be very comfortable with Japan and I have a bit of passion now to find out more about the fundamental values of the Japanese.

Besides the story the setting was quite nice and the whole movie was filmed and edited in a very nice way with attention to details and to the expressions/actions of the people. Some might say that the movie is too log, but that’s why is so enjoyable, because it pays attention to the details.

I think it is a must see movie. If not for its artistic value, then for the nice Asian girls featured in it :) (Ok, this sentence is for those who always piss me off with their stupid questions about how Asian girls are).

(My music for the day: Faithless: Insomnia)

Sunday afternoon mood: Everloving

Sometimes I can't express how I feel, I just associate my feelings with some melodies. Like the "Sunset girl" from ATB for example. Today my feeling is "Everloving" from Moby. And I played this song hundred times and I put the speakers to the maximum (and I have good speakers finally). I hope the neighbours will get into the mood and won't call the police :) Anyway, I do not care, I am EVERLOVING today!!!

Random question of the day!

Has anybody thought about why is that in all toilets you have symphonic music? I mean we have these fancy toilets in the office but they always play symphonic music. And in most of the hotels around the world you have symphonic music in the toilets.

Is there a scientific explanation that this helps you to do your things better or helps you to find your inner peace in the toilet? Why don’t they put some other songs?

I like symphonic music, it is not a complaint. Just want to figure this out. There has to be something behind this phenomen.

Egy szenvedély margójára (only in hungarian)

A tengerpartot járó kisgyerek
mindíg talál a kavicsok közt egyre,
mely mindöröktől fogva az övé,
és soha senki másé nem is lenne.

Az elveszíthetetlent markolássza!
Egész szive a tenyerében lüktet,
oly egyetlen egy kezében a kő,
és vele ő is olyan egyedűl lett.

Nem szabadúl már soha többé tőle.
A víznek fordul, s messze elhajítja.
Hangot sem ad a néma szakitás,
egy egész tenger zúgja mégis vissza.

Mostantol huvosebb napok jonnek... Levalnak lassan rolam a dolgok, igy leszek egyszerre megis boldog. Es ha az egi hataron innen elszamoltat az Isten, nekem vamolni valom nincsen. A bunoket, mindet banom es ha lehet ujracsinalom. Tettem amit hittem, velem megtortent a minden. Pont.

The truth about Singapore

I got some very funny and true stuff about Singapore :) You can find one example below, and the complete set if you click here.

I sent the file to my colleagues as well, and my boss replied that I am really brave sending this to Singaporeans and after her signature she put a "death" sign for me... :):):) This is really shows that all these things are very true :) She is funny:)

Note: If you don't understand the jokes, it means that you need to spend some time in Singapore!

Malaysia - Truly Asia

I have been several times to Malaysia and I have to tell that is a fantastic place. But if Malaysia is truly Asia, then Romania is truly Europe, because there are a lot of similarities between the two countries in terms of economy, different system. But of course in the same time they are totally different.

First time I was in Malaysia was in my first weekend just after I arrived to Singapore. We went to Rawa island. This is a small place with palm trees, few places to sleep, a cool bar, white sand, crystal clear water, colourful fishes and a lot of silence :). It is the ultimate chill out place. The perfect place for meditation, reflection, is the place where you can find your inner peace. If need to characterize in one world, it would be "Serenity". Ok, ok, this not that similar to Romania :)

I was also in Kuala Lumpur (twice). It is a very lively city, a bit like Bucharest and a bit like Barcelona, a mix of these two cities in terms of feelings. I really feel home there, though I never had enough time to explore it properly. Probably just need to go there for a weekend and just go around and explore all the little streets and funky places. It is quite different from Singapore, so it is a good place to visit when you feel that the perfectness of Singapore is getting boring.

For the New Year's Eve I have been to Langkawi, an other sexy island of Malaysia. It is a big island with a lot of small island around. It is a quite famous resort, so you can find a lot of things to do and try there . Mostly we just chilled, but there are definitely more things to do.

We got into the new year on a beach with a huge campfire, just sitting in the sand and drinking Champaign. That was very cool and relaxing. The more exciting things came actually the next days and not in New Year's Eve. After getting some suntan we went kayaking. It was really cool to go around an island and feel the beauty and see the sunset on the sea. I was really tired after that, but was really really cool. Just rediscovered my passion for the watersport and definitely made a new year resolution to start a sailing class.

But in terms of sports, the Para sailing was the best. Basically you have a parachute and you are tied to a motorboat which goes around the sea and you see the surroundings from above. It is extremely cool. You feel that you fly :):):):) And you see all the things from above, it is just amazing. It is funny, it is very hard to describe these experiences. It is something that you just have to try yourself. So if you are in Langkawi (and not only), then you have to try this.

The trip was really nice to Langkawi, but the most important thing was that besides feeling the beach vibes, I also rediscovered the sunset girl. Let's call her from now on the "Little mermaid", it fits better the surrounding of Langkawi:).

However, I should write about Malaysia. Just the last comparison between Malaysia and Romania. In both countries there are monkeys. In Malaysia the ones you can see on the picture below. In Romania.... you know what I am talking about... tooo much of monkey business there :).

Customer service of the governments

Romanian Style:

My parents wanted to go to Hungary, but their passport was expiring in less then 3 months. OF course they could not go, because there is a stupid rule in Romania, that if your passport expires in less then 3 months, you can't leave the country. This seems to be odd for me, because expiry date means that you can use it until it expires and not till 3 months before. And should be your responsibility to come back in the country before it expires, or you should be able to apply for a new passport in a foreign country at the embassy if you wish so (in the case of Romania I am sure it takes this a while).

Singaporean Style:

The Government notifies you via e-mail about the fact that your passport will expire soon and advises you to apply online for an extension or a new passport. You apply online for a new passport and you get it in a very easy way.

Conclusion:
There are governments (like the Singaporean) understanding the fact that in return for the taxes people pay, they have to offer quality services for their "customers" and they have to act just like any service provider company.

There are other governments (like the Romanian) still thinking that as a citizen you have an obligation to pay taxes, without getting good service for your money. That probably explains why people are not willing to pay their taxes and tax fraud is fairly high. A lot to learn from Singaporeans...

If there are no changes in Romania in the very next period regarding this, it means that the prime minister and the internal affairs minister are not reading my blog :):):)