1st January, 2021

 

小島活過每一天，城中人間伏塵囂

今天聽到這一個動人真事。 哥哥數年前跑到一個老遠的小島過著樂天知命的生活，早上出海打魚，下午回島做飯給客人，賺夠一天的工資就是圓滿了一天的生活，晴天又過一天，雨天又過一天，吃多吃少也總是活著的一天，不問天有多高，不聞地有多厚， 水平線上無邊無涯，恰如他壯濶胸襟，蔚藍翠綠伴衣懷。

這天哥哥得知妹妹一家三口，為剩餘的三數個口罩面對那煩囂都市下的恐慌。不發一言，趕忙跳上船，到另一大島後，騎著單車，去最近的城鎮撲買口罩。假如可以像戲劇般情節發展下去，應該最後可以做到。 世事無常，哥哥遍尋不果，一個口罩都找不到。哥哥沒料到原來這麼簡單的城市物品變得遙不可及。

落破的一天，回到島上已繁星滿空，東來之風帶點涼意問道：可讓我吹散你今天的憂愁？ 這時電話傳來一段信息，哥哥的友人找到一些口罩，明天就可以送到妹妹家中。這夜這小島又回復過往的平靜。 然而活在世界另一端，我們的夜晚又可再回復平靜?  有幸能聽到我認識多年的這位朋友，還有他的妹妹，來了這段舒發人深省的這一天故事。

雲浮惋嘆，雲下城淌淚.

雲外看雲下。活過一世紀，無根曾令你發奮圖強，發光發熱。日子遠去，溫飽忘掉知足，也忘掉過去的努力。 

如今，熱你不能熬，冷你不能耐，世界變得好像要繞著你運行。 萬事不順，百般抱怨，錯永遠在別人身上，活在單色世界裡，沈醉在自吹自擂的昨日光輝，幻聽世人對你的頌讚，統統變成給你自己傲慢的麻醉藥。自滿的虛榮給大國棋手把玩，甘願活在那無色毒藥中，灌飲世世代代。

無根的你偶上同根的他，相見不好，同住更難。更不想面對尋根的她。迷惘紛擾在擁擠街道上橫衝直撞。恐懼擔憂把你發狂怒叫，更忘情地麻醉，更荒誕地塗毒下去。戀上你的面具，遮蓋你的自卑，害怕失去你的偽裝。難以放下。

雲浮惋嘆，萬物同根生，無識於無根，無別於同根，無問於尋根。血濺進你心裡化淚，何苦讓你的心淌淚。

Mr. Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Embroidery

Moon river

A simple hug and a simple smile, to the end of 2015

The Christmas in this place is just simple with some white bears for you to hold.  Nothing fancy and nothing electronic.  Smile is a smile.  

小月度麵 - 度小月台南擔仔麵，北京王府井新東安廣場

清末年間，民生不好過，大地東南之濟， 有一大島，每遇七至九月颱風天，島上漁民出海作業的日子少了，故稱七至九月為小月。 為謀生計，中南部一姓洪漁民，提著擔挑賣麵，小碗麵上有鮮蝦一隻，肉燥加小蔥，鮮香撲鼻 －就為世人所知的擔仔麵。 日子雖難過，但總也想法子去過。洪老先生，你這小碗麵，度過那些小月，却教人好好面對生活任何難關，寓意深遠。今天小月度麵，回歸大地，好讓十三億小口，一嘗百年前洪老先生這碗擔仔麵。

除了擔仔麵，還有鳳梨苦瓜排骨湯，鹽酥骨，南瓜泡菜，小紅茄，全都不負小月其名。

On 102/F

A cross

A wedding, on a sunny fine day.

I was very happy to see this wedding and so the couple was given happy blessing along on the road.  Apparently they welcome my photo taking for them and I used my single right hand to press the shutter while my left hand waved for my happy sound for them.

June in Cannes, Cote d'Azur, French Riviera

The first time out of the past many times that I could have visited this city in summer time.  It was so hot to 30 degree celsius.  The city has become so different - vibrant, crowded and lively (more shops opened and a crowded beach).

Jian Guo Road and East 3rd ring, Beijing

15 years ago, I came here pretty often.  Back then there weren't such high rise buildings as on all the below photos (except the Soho modern town - photo 2).  Wet market and furniture places were around here.  A very rapid growth.

April, 2015, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This city has changed so much that over the past 20 years it's been surrounded by many high rise buildings.  Behind the modern glamour, the city has become less safe than 20 years ago.  I was warned from not showing my personal belongings in the street.  Yet, more and more taxi drivers asked for a flat fee instead of metered charges.  After all, I still enjoy my time in KL, especially in seeing some old friends.

Swissotel the Stamford, Singapore

Had a tough time with the room for a bathroom problem that the toilet bowl had some influx of dirty water coming in from another pipe.  So the front office promptly upgraded to this suite, but another "water" problem came - the wall cried over night (photo 6).  Quite sad to see this hotel running down in this way.  Was once my preferred choice and in the old days I could just pay S$130 (when it's still 2.5 to US$).  Back then it was a Westin managed hotel.  However, the convenience is still a factor for me to choose this one after so many years.

凍咖啡，熱咖啡，學進心屝裡

每天早上習慣喝一杯熱咖啡， 今早却來了一杯昨夜剩下一半的凍咖啡。 原來妳知道我一直絮絮不休對著週遭朋友說著凍咖啡與熱咖啡相反的食療效益，甚至對著一些洋人也這樣說。

這凍咖啡只不過是你所述說的其一， 先菜後肉，低溫烹調等等，都早巳在我心頭上。 

感謝那年妳的凍咖啡，祝妳一路好走，洽似妳的名字，如金一樣的好，閃耀87個年頭！

A meal I often enjoy at home

I'd prefer cooking some simple dishes during festivals so that we can remember where we came from.    So I made steamed spare ribs in garlic and black beans and stir fried celery with pan fried fish patty in slices.  This year I made some sticky rice dumpling as dessert.  So many years ago I used to make it a lot for my grand ma.  

Coffee Alley, Chung Hsiao E. Road, Taipei

The coffee culture and western cuisine have been growing rapidly in Taipei but I really can't appreciate this kind of food and drink places.  Apparently the menu and the deco. resembles The Classified.  I'd prefer the classic style of Taiwanese tea house.  This coffee alley has been a talk of town in HK with long lines.  After I tried this one in Taipei, I found it very disappointing.  The coffee is too milky and their signature berry frosty drink too sweet (and the funny thing the shop waitress warned me of this drink being very sour as it's a berry).  The waffle isn't good either - the inside isn't done well and the outside is just a look as if it was quite crispy.  It wasn't at all.  I'd just go back to those classic Taiwanese restaurants.