Patagonia

阿根廷南部又名Patagonia。其地势气候皆独具一格，与阿根廷其他部分全不一样。在我看来，称之为鬼域也不为过。

地偏极南，常年如冬，且刮风刮得实在厉害。我们到的时候，应属其夏。但照样是雨雪纷飞。风一刮起，彷佛要把人吹飞。我从不曾如此希望自己体重能够重些。但在被吹倒的时候（我竟然真的真的被吹倒！），我真有点后悔之前没吃多点。

如此极端的气候，自然造就了绮丽非凡的风景。冰川、大峡谷、雪山连脉、一望无际的草原，皆气势壮阔。这是个弱肉强食的地方，爬山过谷，沿途可见食剩的动物尸身与白骨，在在提醒我们这个地域的野蛮。

这里最初的居民属游牧民族。爬了几次这里的险山，几次差点被风吹走后，实在难以想象他们是如何在如此险峻的环境下生存。夏天以如此，何况冬天。现代已如此，何况以前。至少我在淋了一天的雨雪后还有个热水澡可洗。那以前呢？

他们留下了许多石壁画，多为单纯地将手形印上。历经八千年，颜色依旧鲜明如昔。彷佛只为了证明他们存在过。

据闻，他们是一个凶悍的民族。在欧洲统治者企图南下侵占此地时，他们凭智凭勇，悍守此地整三百年之久。尽管生活环境恶劣，又或许因为生活环境恶劣，他们长得极为高大雄壮，身形如巨。欧洲探险家见之，称他们为巨人，Patagones。Patagonia这个名字由此而来，为巨人之地。

可惜，这民族至今已频临灭亡。那身骑骏马，一身傲骨的风采，已不可见。徒留无数传奇与Patagonia的寒风凌厉。

P/S:游历了南美洲近八个星期，只有此地让我想写一写。也不知道是不是因为那风实在是太厉害，吹得我头晕。

话闲聊

白驹过隙。

今天带了一个团。就绕着校园一圈，简单介绍。一个团员问我来了多久了。算一算，近一个月了。身边的新朋友说，感觉上却好像很久了。团员惊讶，才一个月就能带团了？呵，一个月，却感觉真的熟悉很多了。而且，新人往往知道新人最迫切想知道什么，和不知道什么。

转眼，夏季就快过了。

很快，就不能穿之前因为是老师所以不能天天穿的清凉亮眼衣服了。才几个月呢。有点不甘心。不过，就能披上好久没披的暖暖美美秋衣。

父母朋友在埋怨我好久没写了，看到这，一定说我一写就写一些穿什么衣服的废话。

其实最近真的没在干嘛。所以一定要写，也就只能说一些废话了。

最近，就是每天煮煮饭、熬熬汤。嫁为人妇，不就是洗手做羹汤咯。最精彩的是拿了车，能去亚洲超市买菜的那一天，终于能买到枸桔子、蜜枣、当归、人参，能好好熬一锅肉骨莲藕汤。一连喝了三天，简直是这几周的最高点。而且还能买到紫菜！

兴奋到忘了拍照。其实，03年后就很久没有在煮了饭后拍照留念了。少了那份新鲜和单纯。几年后看到平的同屋，是一对孪生兄弟，在每一次煮了饭后都拍照留念时，会心一笑。下面这一张照，说是拍那一碟没什么特别的西红柿炒豆腐，不如说因为这一天，阳光明媚，映得一碟红艳灿烂的菜很亮眼，心情好，就照一张吧。

最近的活动最主要就是看医生。无病无痛的一个人，这几周却不断地往诊所跑，不但很罪过，而且很冤枉。而且老是打针抽血的，把好好的一个人折腾得没病都痛了。预防针左右打，血也左右抽，前前后后上上下下打了六个针！明明健健康康好好的人，怎么想都很白搭。

再来就是几个周末的小小出游。主要是在费城的古城绕，了解一下这个国家的历史。平绕得很闷，可见以前很讨厌历史。其实也还好啦。有些还蛮有趣的。

如这条街道，是全美国最古老的居家街。有超过三百年的历史了，改头换面了好几次，现在红瓦绿叶堂皇，可当初，一间小小的房子得挤下二十多人时，却不知是如何的灰暗？

这张有点朦胧的照，是Independence Hall，是美国独立宣言签订之处。中间那张平平无奇的椅子有个相当壮宏的名字，叫The Chair of the Rising Sun，是华盛顿的椅子哦。 椅子上端有半个太阳。据说那时富兰克林端详了半天，一直无法判断这半个太阳究竟是日出还是日落。在签订美国宪法时，他终于决定这半个太阳，是旭日东升，而非夕阳西下。这个有些破烂的椅子，也从此著名。

除了小小出游外，日子多都在忙碌和不忙碌间过。这里网线还蛮快的。偶尔就在网上看一些戏。那天在看星光三班时，偶然间听到这一首歌。

远离家乡 不甚唏嘘 幻化成秋夜
而我却像落叶归根 坠在你心间

夏天要过了呢。而如今日般的艳阳将渐渐少见了吧。其实也还好啦。就不知为何，今日有些惆怅。

买了一束金葵，算是对夏天，和那长年都是夏的家乡的一个回眸吧。

今天带了这么一个团，对着十余个人讲话，忽然间还蛮怀念对着我那几班小瓜讲话的日子。刚考了期中考，不知那些小瓜怎么了？

得天独厚

在台湾。

共十二天的家庭之旅。

台湾的风景，说漂亮，也并非最漂亮的。但，十分享受这一次的旅游。风景是其次。难得的，是家人的共处。

从我八岁那次的珀斯之行后，我们一家人，就没再一起出游了。平时在新，两个长大的孩子，不在家的时间比在家的时间多。学校、工作、朋友、玩乐，件件都剥夺了一天二十四小时的几近二十小时。在家，多是睡觉。虽然说逢年过节，在妈妈的召唤下，都会一家人聚餐，但像这样一连好几天都一起玩，真的蛮难得的。

这几天在花莲，太鲁阁的大峡谷确实是鬼斧神工。但，真正难得的，是一家人在走山道时，能好好的聊天。

太鲁阁共走了四个步道。最长的走了约两个多小时。走得辛苦，出来后导游却说我们走的是太鲁阁百多个步道五个级别中最轻松的一级步道。让人有被骗得感觉。

记忆是一个很奇妙的事。

走山道时忆起以前小时候妈妈每周日拉着全家爬武吉知玛山的痛苦回忆。如此刻骨铭心，弟弟竟然不复记忆。在台北经过一家售卖钻石的店。入店试戴钻戒时，细心的店小姐注意到手背上的细细刮痕。都泛白了。问是不是被猫刮伤。才记起，那是小时候跟弟弟打架时刮伤的。出店跟弟弟说起，他却是怎么都记不住。

不知为何，想起鲁迅的《风筝》，虽然是完全两回事。

记忆，若一个人记得，另一人不记得，那，是否真的存在？如梦非梦。似是，而非。

爸妈都很喜欢台湾。尤其是花莲的纯朴，要山，山高林翠绿。要水，水蓝浪淘沙。

自己觉得，台湾好玩，在它的人。景色还是在其次。但人都热情，说的话也亲切。玩起来，就比较有滋味。

接下来，会回台北四天。最期待的，是我们这一个圈子若到台北必去朝圣之诚品。

这几天，照片都拍得不少。但我弟都在他部落格放得蛮多的，我就贪个懒，只放一张聊作代表好了。真的想看照片的，就去我弟那看咯。

照片是花东沿海路的景色，绿的绿，蓝的蓝，还真的蛮好看的。途中我们经过一家名为“拙而奇”的艺术家具店。店主艺术家专用海岸捡的材料，如石头与木材等，制成家具，形状特异。比较是艺术品。但就有点怪异，不太符合我的口味。可却真的羡慕这个艺术家。店靠海背山。往前看是太平洋碧海，近得可闻海浪声。往后望是沿海山脉的绿山，空气清新带咸。身处天境不说，从事的还是自己喜爱的艺术。且听闻脾气有些怪异，不喜爱的顾客还拒卖其作品。让人有点怀疑，此君是人是仙。

人各有命吧。

花莲这个地方，靠着太平洋，三面环山，景致绮丽，不就是得天独厚？

一家四口能一起出游，一路上都被人称好幸福。这，其实也是得天独厚了。

p.s./今天泡汤时想起老公，那时在关子岭时泡泥浆温泉。这老公最厉害就是忘记我们共处的时光和游玩的记忆。就不知道，几天没通电话，是不是就忘了有个老婆了。

西马之旅

刚知道要带一班中二生去西马时，确实是心不甘情不愿的。无端端中了箭，又是临时的通知，就这样杀掉我半个假期。本已排满的行程就这样打散了。

但，事情从不如自己所预料的。

原以为自己手机设有环游，过了关卡才知道没有。一批学生中，认识的数不完一只手。同游的老师中，没有一个是熟悉的。不知不觉，仿佛与世隔绝。

在没办法联络任何人的情况下，只能任由脑袋空空。反正，想再多，什么也做不了。所跟的班级的级任老师办事效率高，基本上我只需要人在就好。对景点没什么兴趣，因此，连走马看花都称不上。除了几次吃饭时与其他老师寒暄之外，我，都是静谧的。三天下来，真的什么都没做，完全没用到脑。就，改了三班的作文。

绕了一圈，这三天，竟然成了我好久以来第一次真真正正的假期。

安安静静，什么都没想了三天。原来，这，是一种幸福。

Rockies

Now Playing: Winter Wonderland – Diana Krall

Sitting at a window seat in the rustic Num-Ti-Jah Lodge, looking out to a winter storm, giant flakes falling on a snow-covered frozen lake…

This is an unplanned detour in our Canadian Rockies trip… we were going to head straight to Jasper via the Icefield Highway, but the bad weather and increasingly large snowflakes changed our mind and we decided to stay the night at the only available lodge on the highway next to Bow Lake and Glaciers… a rustic lodge meant as a retreat, it has no tv and no cellphone reception. However, it do have wireless internet! Well, at least P isn’t going to be bored out of his mind and make noises.

This is a lovely place though, filled with antique furniture made out of deer antlers and comfy sofas and window seats… the view outside is amazing… mountains and lakes all covered with several feet of snow… Christmas pines everywhere… it is the perfect place to curl up with a book and a journal (or a laptop computer with wireless access)… I don’t really mind this detour which is going to set us back a day… P can make one more day anyway for his leave. It just means a longer vacation!

It’s so tranquil here… the snow makes it impossible for us to do anything outside and for anything to get to us… a place to truly just stop…

We had a fun four days before at Banff and Lake Louise… Banff was just exciting, with trail walks up snowy pathways and catwalks to frozen waterfalls and dog-sledding in the snow. The several drives down Lake Minnewaka and Lake Vermillion were simply breathtaking, especially amidst the salmon pink sunrise… The town was sweet, an avenue all lit in Christmas lights and a different sushi place every night… Lake Louise was simply stunning and gorgeous, a vast expense of ice edged with glaciers and mountains… we couldn’t see the emerald of Emerald Lake, but it did glitter with ice…Natural Bridge and Kicking Horse Creek was striking, it’s a scene we often saw before during our summer vacations, but to see the creek and stones all covered with snow… the rushing of water amidst the ice… its simply amazing…

And the drives from place to place… ranged with the mountains and pines and lakes… all frosted and iced, silver and white vistas… its like a black and white photo at some points…. the views are so dramatic… its so unbelievable and nothing like we ever experienced…

And we still have three more days in Jasper to look forward to before we start our drive home…

New York Memories…

Was talking to a friend who is in New York and it brought back so many memories… The friend doesn’t enjoy New York, which is sad. I know many of my friends don’t like New York, thinking it too citified and populated and dirty… I do admit New York is all those faults and more,,, but there is more to New York that. Nothing beats New York for the sheer sense of life and living… there’s always something going on and there’s always something to do… its happening and exciting and there is no place that makes you feel as alive as the city of the Big Apple. And there are the little oasis that are scattered around Manhattan…

Always remember the days I spent wandering around Central Park… the breezy day in summer surrounded by all the green… reading a book by the lake in the calming and soothing shade and the Angel of the Waters in view….. the snow scattered lawns and the crystal blue sky in December… the chill and crisp air and watching people walking dogs…. Sipping tea in a quaint café in East Village in between digging through the various vintage shops… the delicious salmon dinner by the fireside in a brownstone restaurant…. Rockefeller with its Christmas lights… the warmth of the golden-hued Astor Hall in the library in winter…Canal Street with its market wares and the smell of freshly roasted honey nuts…. Bryant Park in summer filled with people for the Broadway concert under the stars and in December with its Christmas fair… Times Square with its billboards and its lights… Chelsea with its art galleries and the museum mile providing different things to see every day… the Hudson in the evening when the waters turn rose and navy….Little Korea with its Asian stores and themed restaurants…Brooklyn Heights and Bridge with its incredible view…the Cloisters in spring with its blossoms of every color… even Harlem and its gospel choirs on Sunday…and Strand… a place I can spent an entire day in itself….and the magic of Broadway itself….

How can anyone not like New York? The pure character and chameleon-like facades… changing with every different area …from Wall Street and the Financial Center to East Village to the Upper West Side to Soho and Chinatown to Fifth Ave to Harlem and to Brooklyn…And so easily accessible via the admittedly stinky subway. New York is everything from the gritty street life and cozy street cafes to elegant boulevards and enchanting theatres. It doesn’t aim to please and it doesn’t need to. And most of all, it doesn’t short-change you for the experience as long as you dare to explore… and you can never ever say you are bored in New York…

I do agree that the frenzied pace of the city makes it unsuitable for one to retire in or to live in long-term… but I simply can’t resist its allure… New York sparkles and shines and it’s so easy to fall for… I remember I once told P, I want to stay in Boston but live in New York…

Taiwan

Back from Taiwan…. Really enjoyed the week of backpacking with P…hostels and different itineraries every day… Missed these days of travel that we did in Europe which was 2 years ago already… P still remembered the strains of songs we created during the Europe days… traveling in the states just isn’t the same when we had permanent “homes”.

Spent 4 days in Tainan and 3 days in Taipei… Deliberately did this so that we’ll have more days in the country… Stayed in a Home-stay owned by a couple and it was like staying with their family. So very homey, complete with picking up their two kids everyday from school and playing with the kids at night. The couple was very warm and welcoming… The dad was also our personal guide and chauffer for the four days, bringing us to different sights everyday and ensuring that we get the full Tainan experience, from lotus blossom fields to the bamboo groves and tea fields mountains to the seaside coastal areas of oyster and salt fields… Different landscape every single day….It made our entire trip much easier and way more informative… and we had an experience of a kind of the lives of the people there…

First day was a rainy day… we went to GuanZi Ling… visited two ancient temples and had a free vegetarian lunch at one of the temples… it was a quiet day… the calming sense of old temples and the light drizzle…

We visited the lotus blossoms the second day… the reason we came to Tainan… because it’s the lotus and water lilies season… fields and fields of pink and white lotus in bloom and fragrant water lilies of every color with the backdrop of gold rice fields… Had a chance to pick the water lilies and drink the flower essence as well. Did the famous Guan Zi Ling mud hot springs and spa at night… so comfy…. Also went up to see the night lights after…

Went to Xi Tou Mountains the third day. It’s a mountain with tea fields at the top and covered in bamboo groves… We actually visited the tea fields owned by friends of our host family… so its not a tourist sight and we had the place all to ourselves… at the top of the mountains with a breathtaking view of tea fields and cloud-covered mountains…. With only the tea pickers in sight… it was ethereal…..

Last day was spent by the sea…. Took a ferry out to see how oysters are grown and harvested before barbequing fresh oysters… naturally salted by the salty sea water and so sweet by itself… attempted to climb a salt mountain afterwards which is much harder than we thought… the salt was loose and slippery and the also coarse and rough on the hands… wanted to give up halfway but two guys that already attempted the climb twice (they wanted to try to climb the mountain from different sides !?! ) told us to try and climbed up again behind us to support us. The view on top of the salt fields and fish ponds surrounded the area was worth it, but the sense of satisfaction is even better. We slid our way down, thankful that our jeans were thick enough : )

There are other little things as well… catching fireflies at night… visiting a cow farm and drinking milk freshly squeezed… a gorgeous sunset over a lake created by a dam… a Chatres-like hostel area of a local university… overall Tainan is a beautiful place…

The quiet and country pace of Tainan made us unused to the bustle and polluted air of Taipei… which is perhaps why we didn’t really like the city all that much… although we had happy memories of Shilin Night Market (where we spent out first night before taking the train to Tainan… loved the yummy foods and the relaxed atmosphere of the teahouse where we spent an hour sipping tea and listening to music). Spent our second night at Xi Meng Ting shopping… bought a sports bag that I have been looking for forever and clothes… Spent 3 hours in Eslite Bookstore (I love that bookstore!)… would have stayed longer if not for P complaining…

Escaped to Yang Ming Shan the next day…Trekked up to JuanSi waterfalls and Qing Tian Gang Grasslands…. It was a easy trek under the cooling green canopy and with a soundtrack of rushing spring waters… QingTian Gang is an amazingly rolling grasslands of several scenic tops with a cooling breeze… but the next trek up to Seven Stars Garden and Dream Lake wasn’t as easy… it was a killing trek up steep, crumbling steps under the hot noon sun… but the view is breathtaking… Trekked across the mountain to the other side of Yang Ming Shan before doing another hot spring and taking the bus down to the city… went to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall which is like one huge community centre… P couldn’t believe his eyes when a father and son holding badminton rackets walked in to the square and proceeded to play badminton right in front of us in on the road! Had dinner at Ding Tai Fung… the original store brimming with customers and a long queue.

Last day was spent at the Palace Museum and its amazing collection depicting the development of pottery glazing and various fine arts… went to Taipei Story House after that… a cute little house with a changing exhibition and this time it happened to be one on Wu Xia, my fave topic!

Overall, it was a wonderful week… tiring yes, but fulfilling too… and it made us feel like young students again…

Bintan

Had three divine days in Bintan…. Beautiful beaches, clear waters and the softest white sands imaginable and the greenest tropical trees for a contrast… and a lovely horizon where the skies and seas dissolved into each other…

Idyllic days… a blissful three hour spa on the first day… such indulgence… loved the room with all the rustic touches and the heavenly scent and a view of the beach. I could sit there and sip sunflower tea all day…

Did water-skiing and jetski the second morning. Water-skiing was fun, the adrenaline rush and the feel of flying on water… but jet-skis beats it hands down with the pure speed and easy fun! It’s like motorcycle on water with the additional benefit of accelerating all the way.

Spent the day relaxing by the swimming pool with a book and ice-cream and dips in the pool when it got warm… and P buzzing around my ears all afternoon like a mosquito without a book to entertain him :p

Went for a walk along the beach… climbed the rocks for a view of breakers crashing against the rock… and walked from one point of the beach to the other.. the waves crashing around our bare feet… and sun glittering on the sea… picked up two pieces of coral with intricate designs… Went for a swim at sunset…swam towards the setting sun with the warmth of the sun rays on my back…

It was a wonderful three days and two nights of being pampered and looked after…felt like a princess…

Greece

Finally finished arranging my Greece Photos … brought me a trip down memory lane, seeing as it’s been five years since the trip (see how much I procrastinate!)

Greece will always have a special place in my heart… its one of the places I visit and actually want to return and stay forever (Switzerland and Boston are the only two other places). Love the isles and the Aegean, Mykonos with its gentle allure of blue and white calming spirit and Santorini with its irresistible fiery volcanic beauty… the windmills and clear waters and the glitter of the cities at the edge of the cliffs….Love wandering about Athens… never knowing if you are going to happen on one of the historical archeological sites buried under the city…living among the ancient civilization…with the Acropolis in view whenever you lift your head…

I just want to go back…

Snow

Now Playing: Seasons of Love – Original Broadway Cast

Happy, wonderful snowy day today….

Woke up to a snow-covered Boston…went out to find that its still snowing, light and steady snow that covered the ground rapidly… When we got out of the T, the snow was getting icier and we wondered if its going to snow the whole day…

Watched Rent, the film version. It was as fabulous as the musical itself… they cut some parts but somehow, the real-life shots of Ave A itself, the iron-cast building Mark and Roger stayed in, the subway and the nightclub Mimi danced in… everything made the entire telling more coherent and realistic than the musical….not to say that that the film version is better thou.. they both have their qualities…loved Mark’s film at the end. Its what I missed seeing in the musical. It made for a very good conclusion of the show… and Mimi was gorgeous!

Emerged from the show to discover that the snow has actually gotten heavier! Huge flakes of the snow falling over Boston Common and its really gigantic flakes… we can see crystal designs..… It was stunning, the Christmas lights twined in the trees sparkling through the crystal flakes… We originally wanted to walk to the library but decided to opt for taking the T instead….Trinity looked like a snow-covered cottage through the blurred snowy view….…

Had a good haul in the library… even found a book on a shelf that I was on reserve for… althou what is it doing on the shelf when I already reserved it several weeks earlier is anyone’s guess…. I did a twirl on the lobby while waiting for the books and the librarian laughed and said that the snow is making me so happy that I’m dancing! Well, books and snow are always an intoxicating mix for me : )

We went to Copley Mall for lunch at the sushi bar and a spot of window shopping… originally wanted to adjust the bracelet P got for me for X’mas but discovered that there’s a 2 week wait… decide to wear it by hooking it through one of the loops instead… by now, there’s a wind to contend with together with the snow…. In the trek from the library to the mall, I can literally feel the icy chips striking at my face… it hurts like a blizzard! The roads are all covered and one can barely see the steps up to the library… We came out all frosted like an icing cake and I was laughing the whole time… its so fun 🙂

Went to the Coop to buy a couple of books that I wanted to get for the flight home… Wicked by Maguire and Brokeback Mountain… By now, the snow have cleared and the air was crystal clear… the scenery seems extra-defined, the silver-tipped trees and pristine powder-laden pathways and lawns…and a beautifully soft rose-gold sunset in the distance even though its barely 4pm…

Topped it all off with a warm bath, which after a freezing day is absolute bliss…

Film, music, books, snow, sushi, warmth and P by my side through it all… all my favorite things in the world…it’s a wonderful Christmas…

p/s: just discovered that the national weather service in taunton issued a winter storm warning of a snowfall of 6 or more inches for a 12-hour period from sunrise onwards…”anyone planning travel should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to modify travel plans”… guess we were too late for that *grins*