DARLING REDEFINED

So there is this anti-G20 protest around downtown Toronto over the weekend. I have been following the progress of the protest in Toronto Star blog all day. You can view more pictures in Globe and Mail . I rather read about the riot than watching the slaughtering of Mexico in World Cup Match against Argentina. The peaceful protest turned violent yesterday with the involvement of the anarchist group called Blackbloc. Windows in McDonalds, Starbucks, Nike and Adidas were smashed. Not to mention about 4 cop cars were torched. Suddenly downtown Toronto look like downtown Baghdad eh?

So what are the people actually protesting about? Honestly I have not find any answer to that yet. At first it looked like an anti-neoliberalism protest given the fact that the protest are organized in conjunction with the G20 summit. Soon more and more group with different causes started to join in and the protest turn into a massive and diverse movement that covers issues such as:

1. Worker's Union
2. Homeless and Poverty movement
3. Anti- neoliberalism/globalization. or Anti-big corporations etc
4. Women's right /maternal health
5. Legalization of Marijuana
6. Native rights
7. Some movement of immigrants though I am not sure what their causes are
8. Socialism/Communism
9. Peace movement
10. some group also address Tibetan, Ethiopian political problems
11. Quebec separatist movement
12. One guy tried to protest against the H1N1 vacine
13. Religious movements

14.Gay right movement

15. Anti slavery

and the list goes on...
not to mention the Flower Power and hippies are there too

Can someone please enligthen me with the main reason of the massive protest please. For I do not know. But I believe violence is really not the solution to the problem...with a few words the political authority can easily divide the movement if the wish to. We learn from Gandhi that the key to a succesful movement is civil disobedience (starving oneself, silent gathering, or any other tactics to win sympathies)... and of course Unity. Looking forward to the outcome of the protest and what Harper has to say about this.

By my dad that is. I was asking for Gawai pictures from my brother and my dad asked him to send the photos of our big family taken in my grandma's house. He said, " Send this picture to your sister so that Daniel can see the family ". Woo...what does that signal? :D Are they beginning to accept him as the prospective member of the family ? :D. I really hope so. Crossing my fingers now...

It is THAT time of the year again, the mass exodus from the university... make way for students on summer holiday!!! So where are you going or have been for the summer break? Are you homebound to Malaysia. As for me I decided to stay in this side of the world for the summer. Just for fun. I took Latin and ballroom dance class for a month now and I must say it is a very worthwhile experience. I need to master Salsa pronto so I can dance with him in a Salsa club soon :D I am still counting down the days for my own holiday escapade. Gosh I reaally realllly can't wait any longer. Wish I could fly there right now, and finally be reunited with my dearest after 6 long months. By the way here are some pictures of Mexico :)

On top of Basilica de Guadalupe, overlooking Mexico City

Angels on top of the hill near the Basilica

Mountain on the way to Queretaro.

Souvenir sellers in Teotihuacan. Their expressions are priceless. Behind those eyes you can see the hardship of life.

On top of the Pyramid of the Moon looking toward the Aisle of the Deads and Pyramid of the Sun

Pyramid of the Sun. Ever watched Apocalypto? The Aztecs used to sacrifice men on top of the pyramid.

Walking on the Aisle of the Dead towards Pyramid of the Moon.

Tourists on the Pyramid of the Moon

Typical Street in Tequisqiapan, Mexico

A native Indian souvenir seller selling handmade dolls, blankets,zarape and carved pumpkins.

A Mexican restaurant in Tequisqiapan.

Around the central plaza in Tequisqiapan. It is a a very small yet classic Mexican town. The whole town looks like a movie set.

A church in Tequisqiapan. Doesn't it remind you of Nacho Libre?

The Mariachis in San Juan del Rio. Too bad they are not performing that day.

I believe this is a replica of Mayan ruins outside of the Museum in Mexico City

The ancient Aztec pictogram

The famous Mayan calendar that predicts the end of civilization in 2012. The Mayans were obssessed with time and their calendar accurately predicted date of the arrival of the Spaniards in Mexico hundreds of years after the calendar was made. Only time will tell if the Mayans were right.

This is Taxco. The town is famous for its silver mines and white buildings. Pretty congested with tourists. If you are looking for cheap silvers, this is the place to go. There are more silver stalls than food stalls on the street.

The other view from Basilica de Guadalupe overlooking Mexico City.