Mindset of an eagle

anYBOdy ther3 !?

2010-03-21T16:46:00.002+01:00

Hello anyone and everyone,

Its been a while....a bunch of years since I posted anything on this blog.
Just wanted to let you know that I am alive...so is Lila and we are having
a little one arriving this month. So thats really cool and we are very exited.
Also thought to post this to see if anyone would find his/her way back to
this blog. Any ideas for baby names welcome... although we more or less made up
our mind already, but you never know :)
I'll post more on this blog if there is interest for it.
Facebook seems to be the popular way to go though these days...
I've got some nice things to say sometimes that I maybe wouldn't say
on Facebook...at least I think so....
Well thats all for now.
Oh yeah, we are in Holland right now.
Really looking forward to this summer!
Over and OUT
~Lucas~

ps. Picture from last summer: In Algeria

Lila :-)

2006-05-18T16:54:00.001+02:00

~Lila in Gozo~

The 2 of us near Azure Window.

Lila @ work.

Magnificent Tigers

2006-04-10T14:53:00.000+02:00

WOW!!! These are my favorite animals.
I will write more about them later. They are so beautiful.
These two seem to have decided to stick around each other.
Hope you like this awsome picture as much as I do!
I dedicate this one to you Lila ;-)

Continued...
So here I am again...its been a while, I know.
Just try combining exams and making arrangements
for your wedding some time...its pretty stressful at times
and doesn't leave you with much time for blogging!
Anyways I wanted to update this blog a bit.

The reason that these are my favorite animals is that to
me they portray such majesty and gracefulness.
What a beautiful fur they have! Kind of golden-orange
with white patches and black stripes.
They walk swiftly on their huge paws, usually in utter
silence. Nowadays they are almost impossible to find
in the wild. I'm not sure I'd want to meet one in the
wild though ;-) Although I'm sure if I would see one
I'd almost feel like hugging it, but I guess once they
show their huge sharp teeth and claws this feeling
would quickly dissapear!

Tigers are fierce hunters. The biggest member of the
cat family moves through its territory alone and hunts
at night. Using its keen vision and hearing, along with
a powerful sense of smell, the tiger sneaks on its prey
stealthily. Those stripes help to camouflage tigers.
Tigers run extremely fast over short distances and can
leap over 10 feet in a single bound!
They can see 6 times better at night than humans.
After a meal, the tiger has a long drink of water, and an
even longer nap...
Ok, that's all for now.

The Siberian or Amor Tiger; an amazing animal.
I certainly hope we do not need to add it to the list of
extinct species any time soon!
Kind regards,
~Lucas~

MV Doulos

2006-03-31T01:31:00.000+02:00

This is a picture of me in front of the MV Doulos in Bremen. It's been quite a while since I was last on the ship. The last time was in Malta ('05) and after that there was the suprise visit of Logos Hope here in Malta (ended up staying for 4 months, till June '05!!). My brother Jaco phoned at 1700 H one day stating they (that is Logos Hope -he was chief mate at the time) were gonna arrive at around 2000 H. So I think I ended up doing the shortest line-up in OM history:-) I suggested recalling the ship "Logos HopeFULLY"! Unfortunately they rejected my preposition.... I thought they might honour it, having sailed on Logos II for a few years as well and all.....;-)

At any rate, the three years I spent on board the ships were
really amazing and I learnt a lot and saw many countries.
I had th privilige to do many different jobs and I really liked life
as a sailor, but not as an occupation for the rest of my life.
I've always loved ships and the sea, perhaps because my
ancestors in Holland were fisherman...must be something that
runs inthe blood (perhaps that could also explain my dislike of fish)....
When I was a teenager I considered joining the Dutch navy for a while, but I'm happy I never did, because I would have missed out on something that is a lot more fulfilling. As the ships had a big impact on my life I'm sure I'll write more about it sooner or later. Probably more sooner than later.... If you have any nice ship stories you'd like to share, let me know ok!

For more up to date information on the ships just check out the links on the side>>
Warm greetings from Malta,
~Lucas~

Jordan

2006-03-30T13:50:00.000+02:00

Destination: JORDAN

As Lila is in Jordan I thought I'd do a little research about this country. Perhaps it is
not a top tourist destination, but as I did
a little research I came to the conclusion it
could very well be, if only the Middle East
didn't have the reputation of well...let's say not being exactly "peacefull". Many times I have been told that Jordanian people are very hospitable and once again that was confirmed by Lila the other day. In her words: "people here are very nice!" So she's having a nice time there and that makes me happy.
Thank you Jordan! ; ) شكرا

I could find the following information on Jordan, but I don't know 100%
if it's al true so if I'm wrong feel free to correct me.

People:
98% Arab (60% Palestinian, many refugees), Circassians, Chechens, Armenians, Bedouins.
Religion:
92% Sunni Muslim, 4% Shiite Muslim, 4% Christian.
History of the region:

Pre 20th Century History
Until the early 20th century, Jordan was part of Palestine, of which a part is now the State of Israel. The area is home to one of the oldest civilisations in the world - archaelogical finds from the west bank of the Jordan River have been dated at around 9000 BC. From 3000 BC the area was inhabited by the Canaanites and Amorites, and after them the armies of Sargon, king of Sumer and Akkad. Around 1800 BC Abraham led a group of nomads from Mesopotamia and settled in the mountains of Canaan (which roughly corresponds to present-day Israel). By 1023 BC the Israelites had formed a kingdom, led by Saul and then David, who captured Jerusalem and made it his capital. The unstoppable Roman Empire took Israel in 63 BC and placed it under the control of a series of consuls, including Herod the Great and Pontius Pilate. It was at this time that Jesus lived and preached in the area. The increasing insanity of the Empire under Caligula prompted a series of Jewish uprisings, which lasted for years but were finally crushed when Jerusalem was razed and the province of Palestine decreed. This defeat marked the end of the Jewish state and the beginning of the Diaspora, the scattering of the Jewish people.

In 331 AD Emperor Constantine became a Christian and gave his official stamp of approval to the previously illegal religion. Suddenly everyone wanted to know about the Holy Land, and a rash of buildings, including the churches of the Holy Sepulchre and the Nativity, sprang up all over Palestine to mark sites of religious importance. But Christianity's hold over the country was not to last long - in 638 AD Jerusalem fell to Caliph Omar and was declared a Holy City of Islam, on the grounds that the Prophet Mohammed had ascended to heaven from atop the Temple Mount. Christians around the world raised their hackles at this desecration, and by 1099 they'd scrounged together a crusading army and occupied Jerusalem, murdering everyone they could get their hands on and beginning nearly 100 years of Christian rule. But by 1187 the Muslims again had the upper hand - after decades of Christian/Muslim scuffling, the Islamic Mamluks knocked over the last Crusader stronghold in 1291.
The next 500 years were some of the quietest Palestine has seen. Empires rose and fell, and control of the country changed hands with monotonous regularity, eventually coming to rest in the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Much of desert Jordan sidestepped all this change and remained a Bedouin stronghold.

Modern History
When the Ottoman Empire collapsed after WWI, Britain took control of Palestine and created the state of Transjordan, under the rule of King Abdullah.
In 1948 Israeli Arabs and Jews went to war with one another. While everyone was distracted, Transjordan snapped up the West Bank and part of Jerusalem, then renamed itself Jordan. In 1953 King Hussein took the throne and Jordan entered a boom period, with a rise in tourism and plenty of aid flowing in from the USA. The Six Day War of 1967 put paid to Jordan's burgeoning tourist industry when Israel retook the West Bank and half of that huge drawcard, Jerusalem. In six days Jordan lost its money spinner and its agricultural land, and replaced them with a few thousand refugees as Palestinians streamed in from the Occupied Territories. By the 1970s, the PLO component of the refugee population was threatening King Hussein's power, and a bloody internal war began, ending when most of the radicals moved to Lebanon.
In 1994 Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty, agreeing to drop economic barriers and cooperate on security and water. This has raised concerns among Palestinians that they will be eased out of the region, as Israel and Jordan divide the spoils between themselves. At the same time, Jordan has been increasing its links with Yasser Arafat's Palestine National Authority and working toward agreements with them. In recent years Jordan has also restored relations - cut during the 1991 Gulf War - with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. King Hussein had begun moving the country towards democracy; the Islamic Action Front (with its links to the Muslim Brotherhood and fairly fundamentalist policies) has been the most successful party so far, but his death in February 1999 has left the future uncertain. King Hussein had named his eldest son, King Abdullah II, successor to the throne just weeks before dying, although the Constitution stipulates that both parents of the king must be Arab and Muslim by birth (Abdullah's mother was a British citizen who embraced Islam prior to marrying King Hussein).

Recent History
King Abdullah, the sort of monarch who enjoys dressing up as a taxi driver and talking with his subjects incognito, has the growing support of the international community as well as most Jordanians, including the large and influential Palestinian community. Under his reign, Jordan has moved closer to Israel with a 2002 deal to pipe water from the Red Sea to the shrinking Dead Sea at a cost of 800000000, and a 2004 deal to develop a desert science centre on their mutual border. At the same time, ties with Egypt and Syria have been strengthened.
The first independent elections in 2003 saw a majority of seats go to independent royalist candidates. There were signs, however, that Jordan's 'each-way bet' foreign policy was under pressure. In October 2002 a senior US diplomat was assassinated in Amman, and the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad was bombed in August 2003, killing 11 people. The following month the central bank reversed its decision to freeze Hamas bank accounts.

Ok that's pretty much as far as we'll go on the modern history of Jordan.
It will be interesting to follow the developments of Jordan and the region now that there is
a Hamas led government in the Palestinian territories and Kadima has one elections in
Israel and they stated that they want to define once and for all Israels borders by 2010.
We'll see what happens. I'm sure what happens in one country of the region affects all the
others as wel.

Here are a few more images.

<

A Deminer, with a M19 Anti-tank mine

(one of the many left over from the wars).

Petra, the ancient and Biblical city.

...and a few more random pictures from Jordan..... ; )

Amman, a Jordanian Bedouin and Aqaba

I'll try to visit this country sometime, but first a few other countries... If you get a chance to
visit let me know how you liked it please and you can send me some pictures perhaps.
When Lila gets back I might add a few of hers as she took the digital camera.
Kind greetings from Malta,
~Lucas~

~Mindset of an Eagle~

2006-03-29T11:45:00.000+02:00

Eagle, close up>
Eagle in flight \/

Wow, what a magnificant animal! As I promised before I would write a bit about the mindset
of an eagle. Eagles have always fascinated me ever since I went for the first time to the United States. Recently I was reminded of my fascination with these huge birds by an inspirational online message by John di Lemme. Eagles are amazing birds and in my oppinion they are
the most majestic birds on earth. Unlike many other birds when confronted by a storm the
eagle does not fly to the ground or some "safe haven" but it flies up and rises above the storm.
Many times in life this is the reason why we don't accomplish much, because as soon as we are confronted by a storm we tend to "fly to the ground", rather then soar above the storm.
In this way, with all the challenges in life, we would never get very far in life would we?
Unfortunately this is the way how many people live and I have also often been like that.
Now I am determined though to change my mindset and be like an eagle. You see the eagle
doesn't look at what others are doing, but remains focused on his target/ goal.
Therefore this animal may be called the champion amongst birds!
So let us not be lazy, negative or unfocused anymore, but rather be like the eagle;
undistracted and lazer focused with a spirit of expectation!
If we do this, great things will happen in our lives.

Some facts about eagles:
-Eagles may use the same nest year after year, adding more twigs and branches each time.
One nest was found that had been used for 34 years and weighed over two tons!
-The bald eagle can fly 20 to 40 mph in normal flight and can dive at speeds over 100 mph.
-Bald eagles can actually swim! They use an overhand movement of the wings that is very much like the butterfly stroke.
-Eagles have excellent eyesight and may be able to see six to eight times better than humans!
-Large eagles can hit their prey very hard. A bald eagle can strike with twice the force of a rifle bullet.
-The Philippene monkey-eating eagle is the second largest eagle in the world.
- Bald eagles mate for life. Average life span is 30 years.
-The eagle is aided in flight because its bones are hollow. Unbelievably, the total weight of an eagle skeletal system is only half the weight of its feathers! With a wingspan of seven to eight feet and a wide and rudder-like tail, the eagle was built to master the skies.

Ok, thats all for now on eagles and having the mindset of an eagle...more will follow later...
Today I still have many other things to do so its time to say goodbye, till next time.
At any rate don't be like a pidgeon who spend their lives
shaking about their mono-synaptic brain...or so it would seem to me :)
They hang out with the same crowd and get nowhere.
SOAR like an eagle!
Warm greetings from Malta,
~Lucas~

Countries I've been to from 1984-2006

2006-03-28T20:43:00.000+02:00

Countries I've been to 1984-2006:

Yes, it does look like I'll need to visit the Southern hemisphere more!
Asia and Australia look a bit left out hu?
Well 50 counties isn't all that bad is it? Man there are a lot of countries!
I've visited only just over 1/5th of all the counties out there.
So that means I've got to visit about 200 more countries if I want to say
that I visited all countries! Hmmm, that's going to cost a pretty penny...
Here are some of the countries I would love to visit after this year:
Sudan, India, South Africa, Iraq, Australia, NZ, Peru and Afghanistan.
We'll see what the Big Boss says ;-)
Take care fellow world citizens!
Sincerely,
~Lucas~

To Blog or not to Blog?

2006-03-28T19:06:00.000+02:00

So I started blogging...
Inspired by my little big sister :)
Actually I'm not quite sure yet what I'm gonna do with this blog. I still need to give that some thought.

I'm sure it will be interesting though.
Today I'm feeling a bit lonely, just as the day before and the day before that...

Yeah...you guessed it... Lila is on a trip.

This time she's in Jordan and I wish so badly I could have gone with her, but unfortunately that is not the case.
When the Doulos was in Jordan I also wished I could have been there.
At any rate next time anyone I know is going to Jordan I'm also going!
We say in Dutch "3 maal is scheepsrechts." In English you say "3 times is the charm" right?
Are you wondering about "the mindset of an eagel"? Well I'll explain next time alright :)
Did any of you ever wish to be a breeze of wind...just kind of floating around randomly?
Its a funny thing with a breeze...it just kind of comes into existance, then it just wonders
around and eventually it dissapears or fades out completely. It is invisible, but you can feel it. You can touch it but you can't hold it.

Is this nattering what I'm doing now? I was just looking through the dictionary and came across the word "natter".
"natter; when people natter they talk casually for a long time about unimportant things."
While I'm at it let me look up the word "breeze"
"breeze; 1. a breeze is a gentle wind 2. If you breeze into a place or position, you enter it
in a very casual or relaxed manner "
The second sort of refers to me when it concerns blogging! ...I guess I breezed into it :)
Well people on that note I'll sign out. I wish each one who reads this the following Irish
Blessing:
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Kind greetings from Malta,
~Lucas~