Big Wave Bay

Big Wave Bay
Not just another beach!

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Butterfly Park

My Dear Wonderful Ones,
Hong Kong, as I have said over and over and over is a place that continues to surprise me.  I have the great fortune to live near the Shing Mun country park, 44 sq km of jungle, mountains, wildlife, and a butterfly park.  Yep located in the park is an area where some, in my opinion, smart people, planted some odontenema cuspidatum, which are reknowned for attracting butterflies, in a concentrated area and set up some nice walk ways.  Hong Kong is home to @240 species of butterflies.  Some are as big as bats.  While I don't consider myself an expert on butterflies, I do find this little treasure of a park very interesting.  Below are a few samples of the butterflies that frequent it:

Entrance to the park.  Free of charge and open.  My kind of price and environment.


A Great Mormon.







Great Morman.


Paris Peacock.

Common Indian Crow
A little territorial dispute between a few butterflies erupted while I was at the park.  A butterfly fight.  Terrible.




Ok you are right if you determined that this is not a butterfly.  Just thought I would throw it in as a bonus picture.  And it is not at the butterfly park either.  But this monster of a spider, located on lamma island, is about as big as a man's hand.  I thought its colors were beautiful in a creepy way.

Amazing what God has created.

Have a great week.

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk

Saturday, August 23, 2014

A Road Less Traveled By...


The Road Not Taken

BY ROBERT FROST
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Hello Most Excellent Ones,
Ok I am going to go out on a limb here and give my own interpretation of Robert Frost's famous poem.  Probably not accurate, but art is in the eye of the beholder.  In our journey through this time on Earth we have opportunities to do the "safe," "reasonable," thing, one whose outcome is fairly predictable, or we can choose to go a little "dangerous," an "adventure," not sure where it will lead us.  Four years ago I took the road less traveled by.  I gave up the security of a home, job, church, close proximity to friends, and family and headed to Hong Kong.  There were many who said they never would have done what I did.   Yet it was pretty safe.  It was only a two year deal, I could always come back.  But after the two year deal was done, I decided to continue on my journey on the "one less traveled by."  No question, there has been some tough times; some hard setbacks; yet as I travel down this road, "my one less traveled by,"  I can certainly claim that what I have experienced and seen has been above and beyond my imagination. I have learned and experienced so much.  It has made all the "difference" in seeing the World and "life," from a different perspective. For that I am very grateful.  I am also grateful  that this world is full of good people, people who despite innumerable flaws and regrets (like me), press on and help make my journey down the road I have chosen, an interesting and truly beautiful one.  So thank God for a beautiful World.  It is amazing what He has made.  And for the rest of my life I am looking forward to seeing and experiencing new parts of the road "less traveled by."

God bless you all and have a great week.

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk  

Here are a few roads I have traveled on over the last few years:   





Trans-Canada highway, Alberta Rockies.

The Alberta prairie.


Crowsnest Pass.

Near Waltersdorf, Germany.

On the trails near Heidelberg, Germany.

Alt Stadt, Heidelberg, Germany.

Tubbingen, Germany.

Vienna, Grinzing, Austria

Near downtown Vienna, Austria.

Hong Kong (above and below)

Hutong, Beijing, China

Chek Hun, China

Out in the desert of Qatar.

Doha, Qatar

Lombok, Indonesia

Southern tip of Taiwan


On the road through Cambodia.








Friday, August 15, 2014

The Amazing Face

Hello Most Excellent Ones,
In my travels over the last few years I have seen some wonderful manmade and natural sites.  For that I am very grateful.  Yet, the best part of travelling for me are the people.  There are many, many great people out there and they all have interesting faces.  In fact, in their own way, they are all beautiful.  Here are a few "face" quotes, which I thought were quite profound:

Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love?' These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will be many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.

What gives me the most hope every day is God's grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.

Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.

I think a big test we all face in life on a regular basis is that discouragement test. Life's not always fair, but I believe if you keep doing the right thing, God will get you to where you are.

What a privilege to be here on the planet to contribute your unique donation to humankind. Each face in the rainbow of colors that populate our world is precious and special.


The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart.

Below are some samples of the beautiful faces I have seen over the last few years.  

Happy.



 Friendly.


 Lyrical.


 Concentrating.



 Whimsical.



 Joy.


 Glee.


 Pondering.


 Hard.


Anxious.

 Safe.



 Controlled.



 Worried.



 Peace.



 Shy.



 Compassionate.



 Opinionated.



 Despair.



Humble.


Amused.


Comfortable


 Cool.


Giddy


 Philosophical


Contemplative.


Have a great week everyone.

Love adios and ping on!

Dirk