43 HOURS FROM DOUBLE TREE HILTON KUALA LUMPUR TO MY FRIENDS HOME IN MIAMI FLORIDA USA. A STORY

It was bright and early when I appeared at the Executive Lounge and the Manager, Ms SS was waiting for me.

Two promising things happened with breakfast. I have been wanting to eat some IDLYS and this was the first chance in a week that I had seen them at the Lounge or the Makan Kitchen. Then the chef had a special .. Chakshouka, the Tunisian dish which has become the iconic breakfast item in Israel.

She walked down to the entrance of the Intermark Building in which the Hotel is situated. A wonderful friendship with Ms SS.

BraBra helped me with the luggage, as usual a carry on and a backpack

Singapore Changi Airport Star Alliance Gold Lounge 

Arriving at Jakarta International Airport Soekarno Hatta

Plaza Premium Lounge at CGK airport

A very helpful Ms Christma working at the Japan Airlines counter at CGK airport

Drappier owns 56 ha and farms an additional 40 ha in the Aube in the south of the Champagne region, far from the bright lights of Reims and Epernay

While large Champagne houses such as Mumm, Moët et Chandon and Veuve Clicquot may use grapes from as many as 80 different vineyards in the Champagne region to create a consistent house style, Grower Champagnes tend to be more terroir-focused, sourced from a single vineyard or closely located vineyards around a village, .

En from Thailand found this bottle of champagne.. the taste of the earth (terroir) was evident in this Grower Champagne 

It was so good to refresh at the Shower at Sakura Lounge at Narita International Airport 

A lovely private seat on this 787 aircraft on the 12 hour flight to New York Seat 5K

Gaining one day as we cross the International Date Line in the Easterly direction 

Flying over Manhattan to land at JFK International Airport in New York 

A nice little repas at the Greenwich Lounge at JFK 

Miami at last ..

My British sister and her jamaican husband with whom I stay when I am in Miami, welcomed me with a nice Jamaican dish: Curried Goat and Rice.

I had the greatest desire to read HAFEZ the iranian grand poet when i got here .. it felt good to try and understand one ghazal of his 

the most relevant words of his written so many hundreds of years ago after a trip like this 

Stanza 7 Ghazal 216

Our only good and happy times were the times spent with friends, the rest of life was spent in fruitlessness and neglect

HAFEZ. HIS INFLUENCE ON YOUR MIND CENTURIES AND THOUSANDS OF KILOMETRES APART

 Recuperating from the long trip from Kuala Lumpur to Miami, I decided to use the silence to incorporate some poems of Hafez into my life 

On the first night back in Miami after a 43 hour long journey with some absurd encounters with the security officials (We do not issue electronic visas, but you need visa to go through here!) and delightful Japanese cuisine and hospitality, I was offered some Jamaican Goat Curry

and i began to read Hafez

The next day, a good friend fell ill, and I concentrated to help him find a diagnosis and then decided to ask Hafez (fal e hafez) how I can help him

or in general how can I help him?

I opened the Ghazals of Hafez and this one appeared

Is this ghazal 210 or 216?

google cant help you ?

you can use a on line translator, and the translation is not satisfactory

To translate Hafez is very difficult I am told and to understand him , it is even more difficult, especially if you are a foreigner.

The American translator quoted: Fouchéron thinks this complex, dlicate ghazal is an elegy on the death of someone close.

You can imagine, how difficult it is to look for a translation of Hafiz and even more difficult to find an interpretation.

Through academic.edu I was able to find a person from Mashhad who provided me an explanation which satisfied me.

I am a lover of poetry Iranian and in other languages and after a while, you can understand the irregularities of a bad translation even if you do not know the original language.

Thank you, you from the land of Hafez.

The ghazal of Hafez says that we lose what we love, but we can still be patient and hopeful...

Please search Ghazal 216

can you please translate it at your leisure 

Of course, Do you want the interpretation or the meaning?

This is a sad ghazal and says that I lost something/someone who was great and had many good qualities...

I will send you the full text and various interpretations

The meaning of Ghazal (216) in order of lines

That beloved one, because of whose presence our house was safe and secure like angels, was flawless like an angel and there was no evil in her/ him 

The heart said that I will stay in this city with his hope.

or (the second meaning is that I will spread his good smell all over the city.)

the poor man did not know that his beloved is going on a journey.

In this world, the secret of my heart was revealed because the way and custom of this world has always been disclosure

That wise and desired beloved of mine, who was skilled and polite as well...

(Continuation of the previous verse) The incompatible horoscope stole him from me.  Yes sir!  What can be done?!  This incident was the result of bad luck at the time

(I cannot translate exactly what Hafez said.  But it gives about the same meaning)

O heart, accept the excuse of the beloved that you have nothing, but he/ she was famous and had a royal crown in the country of the righteous

Our only good and happy times were the times spent with friends, the rest of life was spent in fruitlessness and neglect

Walking next to the stream, roses, grass and flowers had a wonderful purity.  But it's a pity that all that precious happiness was fleeting

O nightingale, it is fitting that you destroy yourself from the pain of envy, because your lover (the flower) flirted and made love with the morning breeze at dawn

Every treasure of happiness that God gave to Hafez was due to the blessing of his night and morning prayers

Interpretation of this sonnet in your horoscope

 It has been a while since you feel that you have faced problems.  You may have trouble and resentment for a short time, but don't worry, it will be resolved soon.  Sometimes you spend your time on useless things and feel regret after missing opportunities.  Know that happiness is not always stable and you should appreciate your friends in gatherings.  You love someone and he is like a precious treasure to you and you are ready to lose everything for him.  But why all this extravagance?  Appreciate the money you have earned, you cannot satisfy all his wishes.  Do not forget to pray and always ask God for your heart's desire to make you Needless again

I had needed Hafez's help

After reading the above notes and explanations, I consulted with my friend who had fallen ill.

As Meleau-Ponty had said: Context is very important. 

A dear friend of many years, a good person has fallen ill.

I decided to light candles to bring light in the lives of people who are near and dear to me 

So that I have the right sense and ability to counsel them. 

Five hours later, the candles were still burning, a nice and wonderful affirmation 

Thank you, Hafez

and through his words, I can affirm, my care for those who are sick, I can find meanings in my relationships with the friends who are associated with ghazal.

Our only good and happy times were the times spent with friends, the rest of life was spent in fruitlessness and neglect

Stanza 7

This ghazal brings me close to Mashhad in Iran and Bauru in Brasil.

KUALA LUMPUR. A 15 YEAR OLD RETURNS AS AN ADULT . NO NOSTALGIA BUT WITH GOOD REMEMBERANCE

 Today has been a wonderful day for me in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, as each of the past few days have been. I do not wish to think of my imminent departure to the other side of the world, I am sure I would manage to come back soon and yet another stay at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel .

Here is my story of Love about Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia.

My voice in these videos are not very clear because of the traffic, so i will write what was in my mind .(you may wish to turn down the volume of the videos)

I decided to do a pilgrimage to the site of my fist visit to Kuala Lumpur.

Believe it or not, the travelling bug has been with me forever. At a very tender age, I was sent off to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. I was told to get off the train and go outside and wait  . 

The vista has not changed much. Both the Railway station and what was then the British Residency still command attention and its regency. The ornate persiannate architecture was borrowed from the Moghuls of India by British architects.

I had a wonderful experience in the railway car, a memorable one and unfortunately everything is covered by the dreamy rememberance in the mist of oblivion. 

A fine introduction into the world of magic for a boy with a tender mind. Thank you,

I remember the smell of the earth, the trees and the leaves and perhaps the large tree at the end of the road where now a bus stop stands is the same one, smiling at this return of a prodigal son

Intoxicated as I was my trip, the lush rubber trees that would follow me through my other journeys. I waited there, with the heat of the tropical sun on my skin and waiting for a volkswagen beetle car which would take me to a country town in the state of Pahang , Temerloh. Paradoxically enough, many years later I returned to the same town, now larger in size, to go on a boat ride upstream to meet with the original inhabitants of Malaysia, the Negrito people , the Batek. When I arrived at their camp after a two hour boat ride and a long hike, I told the elder that I had come to see him, his reaction was : you came all the way to see me ?

I enjoy the freedom of the tropics in Temerloh. I became friendly with the shop keepers and it was where I discovered Murtabak, a thin south indian bread of possible arab origin. I remember the middle aged indian man with his hot plate in front of him, weaving his dough into a delicious bread sometimes with an egg inside.

yes I am back to you KL 

and the charm you put on me has worked

as I wandered around the world..

as i was walking towards the place where i stood that many moon ago, a wonderful message arrived from Brasil. I stood in my track as I read it and tears began welling up in my eyes 

[12:30 AM, 2/27/2023]  Na minha opinião eu pude perceber desde que começamos a conversar que esse sempre foi um traço muito marcante da forma como você interpreta as relações interpessoais e também como vê as pessoas isoladamente, você sempre demonstrou esse tipo de preocupação ou cuidado com as pessoas, você pode estar refinando isso ou tendo uma percepção mais apurada e isso faz parte da nossa busca em nos tornarmos melhor para nós e consequentemente para os outros

[12:32 AM, 2/27/2023] Eu me lembro de quando você não teve uma experiência boa quando pediu um café em um aeroporto e você percebeu que a garçonete não estava bem depois você descobriu que ela estava com muitos problemas em casa, quando muitos poderiam ter apenas reclamado do atendimento (e de fato é isso que acontece) você teve um olhar humano e se preocupou em de alguma forma tornar o dia dela um pouco melhor e isso sempre pode ser feito ou tentando com atitudes pequenas para nós mas grandiosas para quem recebe

IF YOU ARE A FRQUENT FLIER, IT IS GOOD TO HAVE STATUS WITH YOUR PREFERRED AIRLINE. IF YOU DONT TRAVEL OFTEN, DONT WORRY

 Since the post-pandemic rush to travel took us to busier airports and congested aircrafts, the idea of having a preferred status has come into focus and also to learn about the strategies of the airlines to milk you out of the most money.

Luggage

Apart from my trips to Cuba when I travel with two large suitcases and a carry on and a back pack, my international travels are usually light. If you are not careful you could end up paying hundreds of dollars extra for taking your luggage. 

Airline ploy: Get their credit card, pay for the ticket using that credit card, then you would be allowed one checked bag free.

Because of my status with American Airlines, i do not pay for the extra luggage to Cuba

Space at the airports 

To enter the lounge of your choice at airports you frequent often is a great benefit and to me, one of the best benefits of maintaining your Frequent Flier Status. Most of the USA based lounges are rather lacklustre, two of them stand out: Flagship Lounge by American Airlines and Centurion Lounge by American Express 

The chance to sit quietly or alone and enjoying a drink or a repas without standing in line is a great benefit indeed .

On my recent (my fourth International trip this year so far) trip, I was able to use the following Lounges 

Flagship Lounge at Miami International

Flagship Lounge at NY JFK (now renamed Greenwich Lounge)

Air France Lounge at JFK 

Sakura Lounge at NRT  Tokyo

Plaza Premium Lounge at KUL Kuala Lumpur 

Star Alliance Gold Lounge at Singapore Changi

Plaza Premium Lounge at CGK Jakarta 

Sakura Lounge at NRT 

Greenwich Lounge at JFK 

The best champagne was at the Flagship Lounge both in Miami and JFK, Piper-Heidsieck

The best service was at the Sakura Lounge in Tokyo Narita 

I was also able to take a shower and freshen up in ready for the 12 hour trip to JFK from NRT at Sakura Lounge 

Food at the Lounges:

The above at the Star Alliance Gold Lounge at Singapore Changi. It was good to taste Singapore Laksa (above)

The Plaza Premium Lounge at the satellite terminal at Kuala Lumpur International tend to be crowded and the food selections are limited. I did have a nice curry with spicy condiments.

At the Plaza Premium Lounge, I did not have time to enjoy a meal plus I was preparing my stomach for the oncoming Japanese flight with its excellent cuisine, but i managed to taste Prawn Krapoks, which reminded me of a nice holiday in Brunei during my adolescent years.

I like the sensation of boarding the aircraft with slight sensation of hunger and apetite so that i can look forward to my meal and enjoy it very much. So when I was at the Sakura lounge on my return I purposely did not but enjoyed a long nice shower in the lounge.

The 12 hour flight went very smoothly. I could enjoy the wifi on air and the japanese food offered was of better quality than the so called "japanese" restaurants in USA or Europeans( usually ran by Chinese or Koreans, as the popularity of their own cuisines have decreased dramatically)

I was connecting to Miami and I tried the Greenwich lounge once again and I was not disappointed 

Here are some more pictures of Lounges on my way from Miami to Kuala Lumpur 

So it is important that you have status while flying. US based airlines always on the look out for making money for their CEOs and investors, always find ways to leech money out of the passengers whether you are elite flier or not.

One example is that, if you are flying domestically, your status will not get you into the Lounge, but you can buy a day pass.

Better seat selection, no baggage fees are important benefits of being an Elite. I find that in the USA, the services on the ground are better than the services on the air (they come nowhere near Qatar Airways or Japan Airlines), so elite passengers get treated better if there is a delay or cancellation. Waiting time on the telephone is shorter for elite passengers as well.

Since I do not fly much inside the USA, my "domestic" flights mainly to La Habana (cubans may not like calling them domestic??) and their eagerness to monetize everything, I have decided not to strive to reach Elite flying with any of the USA based airlines unless it comes to me by vicarious means.

I would like to acquire/maintain 

Qatar Airways 

Air France 

frequent flier status. Once LATAM joins Skyteam, i would credit their flights to Air France. Qatar Airways status will allow me to enjoy Flagship lounge, my main benefit at Miami airport.

So, this third international trip is over. I have enjoyed flying 

Japan Airlines, Air France

(the other airlines flown : TAP air portugal, Iberia , Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, American Airlines)

and enjoyed lounges in. Miami New York JFK

Paris. Madrid. Lisbon. Casablanca. Tokyo. Jakarta. Singapore  Kuala Lumpur Tunis 

I am grateful