最近每天在聽五月天的新專輯，看了他們在香港的演唱會，突然悟到他們的歌有一個永恆的主題——抓住青春，追逐夢想。這個大概很多歌迷都發現了。更厲害的是，他們怎樣在一個主題上變奏，始終貫徹理念。
《後青春期的詩》專輯內有幾首曲目都是以年輕人的角度出發，到了第十首《如煙》突然筆鋒一轉，設定人在臨終一刻回眸追憶，後悔沒有抓緊年輕歲月。演唱會上，緊接《如煙》之後的是《孫悟空》，彷彿歌者在惘然消逝後重生，盼望和戰友們再一次奮鬥。除了西遊記人物，平凡上班族和吸血鬼也都成了五月天的敘事者，唱出困於現狀的失意和對未來的寄望。
看了兩年他們的演唱會，每次都會感覺受到鼓舞，想要為自己的人生再努力看看。但是曲終人散，相信大部分人回到辦公室那幾尺之地，生活還是沒有甚麼變化。也許，我們喜歡五月天，喜歡所有的偶像，是出於羨慕，因為他們做到了我們永遠都做不到的。
在五月的最後一天，這個博客，捲土重來了。
read more...
5/20/2009
5/18/2009
京城印象—國校門下
國校門下
到鳥巢服務的奧運義工，都統一住在北京大學，原因是該場館的義工幾乎都是北大的學生。在這樣的機緣下，我有機會接觸到這些萬裏挑一的精英。原來還擔心精英都是眼睛長在額頭上的，結果發現他們大部分都十分平易近人。
雖說他們謙虛，但是說起學校光輝的過去來，可是絕不含糊的。所有新生都得參觀校史館，瞭解他們進入的是一所多麼了不起的學府。一位念生物科學的男同學向我娓娓道來北大的歷史，由清末創校到五四運動，以至百周年校慶時冠蓋名士雲集的盛況，言談間盡是自豪。他如數家珍似的介紹北大的著名學者，包括國學大師季羨林先生。學術界向有「北季南饒」之說，饒即饒宗頤先生，與香港淵源甚深。那位同學說起兩位先生年前的一次會面，表情洋溢著嚮往之意。我當下暗忖，香港高校中知道饒老高名的，不知又有幾人？
北大未名湖畔的園林曾經歸屬皇家，至今仍驕傲地冠著「鏡春」、「朗潤」等雅緻的名字。歷史的沉澱產生了學生的自豪和歸屬感。北大除了承攬鳥巢的義務工作外，其校內場館也是乒乓球的比賽場地。男同學解說道：「你看，奧運是一件國事，乒乓球是咱們的國球，而北大則說得上是國校。」雖然不清楚實情究竟是否如此，但是從學生的自信看來，「國校」這個稱號北大是當之無愧的。
read more...
到鳥巢服務的奧運義工，都統一住在北京大學，原因是該場館的義工幾乎都是北大的學生。在這樣的機緣下，我有機會接觸到這些萬裏挑一的精英。原來還擔心精英都是眼睛長在額頭上的，結果發現他們大部分都十分平易近人。
雖說他們謙虛，但是說起學校光輝的過去來，可是絕不含糊的。所有新生都得參觀校史館，瞭解他們進入的是一所多麼了不起的學府。一位念生物科學的男同學向我娓娓道來北大的歷史，由清末創校到五四運動，以至百周年校慶時冠蓋名士雲集的盛況，言談間盡是自豪。他如數家珍似的介紹北大的著名學者，包括國學大師季羨林先生。學術界向有「北季南饒」之說，饒即饒宗頤先生，與香港淵源甚深。那位同學說起兩位先生年前的一次會面，表情洋溢著嚮往之意。我當下暗忖，香港高校中知道饒老高名的，不知又有幾人？
北大未名湖畔的園林曾經歸屬皇家，至今仍驕傲地冠著「鏡春」、「朗潤」等雅緻的名字。歷史的沉澱產生了學生的自豪和歸屬感。北大除了承攬鳥巢的義務工作外，其校內場館也是乒乓球的比賽場地。男同學解說道：「你看，奧運是一件國事，乒乓球是咱們的國球，而北大則說得上是國校。」雖然不清楚實情究竟是否如此，但是從學生的自信看來，「國校」這個稱號北大是當之無愧的。
read more...
京城印象—你們香港人
你們香港人
「你們在香港是不是常常會在街上碰到明星啊？」這是北京的大學生對香港人提問頻率最高的問題。你想了一想說，小明星是遇見過，大的倒真是沒見過。他們流露出失望，然後馬上追問你見過哪些小明星。你努力記起有過一面之緣的電視台某某究竟叫甚麼，擠出一兩個名字，然後訝異來自各省各市的同學居然都知道。「這個誰就是跟那個誰傳緋聞的那個，他拍過甚麼劇……」
當香港的小女生都在追看台日韓劇的時候，還有人那麼熱衷於港劇，這還是讓香港人感到欣慰的。「香港很會造星。」你聽到這樣的恭維，在腦海中迅速搜索最近幾年表現突出的男女新人。除了感覺香港娛樂業發達外，同學們的潛台詞恐怕就是香港是個彈丸之地了。當你告訴他們坐港鐵上班或上學也不出個把小時，他們會有點吃驚──沒想到香港就這麼小！北京從四環進三環路都不止這個時間。
那香港人平時上學上班是不是都說英語啊？這是出現頻率第二高的問題。別的還有：你們要上語文課嗎？學古文嗎？那中國歷史要不要學？看得懂簡體字嗎？「你們說普通話，我們一聽就知道是香港人。可是我覺得你的普通話還是說得比一般香港人好多了。」一般香港人指的是接受採訪的明星。這樣的評價算是肯定你的語文能力了，不過後續是「但是你的英文說得比中文要好。」
read more...
「你們在香港是不是常常會在街上碰到明星啊？」這是北京的大學生對香港人提問頻率最高的問題。你想了一想說，小明星是遇見過，大的倒真是沒見過。他們流露出失望，然後馬上追問你見過哪些小明星。你努力記起有過一面之緣的電視台某某究竟叫甚麼，擠出一兩個名字，然後訝異來自各省各市的同學居然都知道。「這個誰就是跟那個誰傳緋聞的那個，他拍過甚麼劇……」
當香港的小女生都在追看台日韓劇的時候，還有人那麼熱衷於港劇，這還是讓香港人感到欣慰的。「香港很會造星。」你聽到這樣的恭維，在腦海中迅速搜索最近幾年表現突出的男女新人。除了感覺香港娛樂業發達外，同學們的潛台詞恐怕就是香港是個彈丸之地了。當你告訴他們坐港鐵上班或上學也不出個把小時，他們會有點吃驚──沒想到香港就這麼小！北京從四環進三環路都不止這個時間。
那香港人平時上學上班是不是都說英語啊？這是出現頻率第二高的問題。別的還有：你們要上語文課嗎？學古文嗎？那中國歷史要不要學？看得懂簡體字嗎？「你們說普通話，我們一聽就知道是香港人。可是我覺得你的普通話還是說得比一般香港人好多了。」一般香港人指的是接受採訪的明星。這樣的評價算是肯定你的語文能力了，不過後續是「但是你的英文說得比中文要好。」
read more...
京城印象—奧林匹克
奧林匹克
九二年奧運會最後一天，我在電視上看到一座有三個尖頂的銅色教堂，認識到美麗的巴塞隆那。九六年的印象很模糊了，也許是因為時差的關係。兩千年九月剛開學沒多久，聖火在悉尼點燃，接下來十多天我都無心向學，中午要挑有電視的餐廳，放學後則歸心似箭。那一屆，我迷上了澳洲飛魚科比，蒐集了所有關於他的報導。二零零四年，我和大部分香港人一樣，發揮我們潛藏的愛國心，在家裏為中國隊助威打氣。
今年七月下旬，我以奧運會義工的身分飛到了北京。第三天早上還沒到七點，第一次進入鳥巢。那天並沒有實際的工作，大家於是坐在觀眾席上發呆。場館大屏幕重複播放著歷屆奧運的精彩片段，吸引了百無聊賴的我，其中有數幕讓我感到一陣莫名的感動。那並非運動員獲勝，振奮人心的瞬間，而是他們落敗後痛哭掉淚的畫面。我試著想像，處於世界競技的巔峰，雖然拼盡全力但仍失之毫釐，究竟會是種怎樣的心情？
我想到奧運會追求的是「更快、更高、更強」。旁人經常問我，為何要大老遠跑到北京當奧運義工，我的答案曾經是想要接近喜愛的運動員，又或者是為了中國的榮耀。現在，我好像比較能明白奧運真正的意義了。所有挑戰人類極限的運動員，不論勝負，都是了不起的人物。我非常榮幸能夠為他們的盛會服務。
read more...
九二年奧運會最後一天，我在電視上看到一座有三個尖頂的銅色教堂，認識到美麗的巴塞隆那。九六年的印象很模糊了，也許是因為時差的關係。兩千年九月剛開學沒多久，聖火在悉尼點燃，接下來十多天我都無心向學，中午要挑有電視的餐廳，放學後則歸心似箭。那一屆，我迷上了澳洲飛魚科比，蒐集了所有關於他的報導。二零零四年，我和大部分香港人一樣，發揮我們潛藏的愛國心，在家裏為中國隊助威打氣。
今年七月下旬，我以奧運會義工的身分飛到了北京。第三天早上還沒到七點，第一次進入鳥巢。那天並沒有實際的工作，大家於是坐在觀眾席上發呆。場館大屏幕重複播放著歷屆奧運的精彩片段，吸引了百無聊賴的我，其中有數幕讓我感到一陣莫名的感動。那並非運動員獲勝，振奮人心的瞬間，而是他們落敗後痛哭掉淚的畫面。我試著想像，處於世界競技的巔峰，雖然拼盡全力但仍失之毫釐，究竟會是種怎樣的心情？
我想到奧運會追求的是「更快、更高、更強」。旁人經常問我，為何要大老遠跑到北京當奧運義工，我的答案曾經是想要接近喜愛的運動員，又或者是為了中國的榮耀。現在，我好像比較能明白奧運真正的意義了。所有挑戰人類極限的運動員，不論勝負，都是了不起的人物。我非常榮幸能夠為他們的盛會服務。
read more...
10/15/2008
京城印象—拍照
拍照
外國的朋友認為，亞洲人特別喜歡拍照。我在北京所見的似乎印證了這個說法。首都博物館正在舉行中華國寶展，排隊的人龍很長，進去的人多，可是出來的人少。進去以後，我終於明白隊伍為何移動得那麼慢，原來每套展品前都有好幾個等著照相的人，他們每看到國寶，二話不說的就拿相機或手機照幾張相，嘀咕了一兩句漂亮，立刻鎖定下一個展品。考慮到場館燈光比較暗，又不許使用閃光燈，照片的質素可想而知。何不乾脆到網上下載？
拿著相機的人似乎擁有某種特權。如果有人在你肩上拍了拍，你回頭看見一隻大手一揮，另一隻手拿著相機，那你就該識趣點，別老看文字介紹了，站一邊去吧。
不過，當他們進入「鳥巢」觀看奧運開幕式的三次彩排，就沒有任何優待了。開幕式的內容是高等機密，大會事先提醒了觀眾不許拍照，但心存僥倖的人還不少。義工們嚴陣以待，一發現有拍照的就馬上穿越人群，請拍照者刪掉相片。他們最典型的反應是「沒事，我只拍了一張」和「我根本沒拍到」，義工要堅持立場，才能讓他們動手刪除，之後還要小心複查有沒有漏網的相片。
開幕式當晚禁令解除，閃光燈亮個不停。不少觀眾一整夜都忙著把片刻回憶化作永恆，透過小屏幕看一幕幕大場景。有時候，用眼睛見證，也許會看到更美。
read more...
外國的朋友認為，亞洲人特別喜歡拍照。我在北京所見的似乎印證了這個說法。首都博物館正在舉行中華國寶展，排隊的人龍很長，進去的人多，可是出來的人少。進去以後，我終於明白隊伍為何移動得那麼慢，原來每套展品前都有好幾個等著照相的人，他們每看到國寶，二話不說的就拿相機或手機照幾張相，嘀咕了一兩句漂亮，立刻鎖定下一個展品。考慮到場館燈光比較暗，又不許使用閃光燈，照片的質素可想而知。何不乾脆到網上下載？
拿著相機的人似乎擁有某種特權。如果有人在你肩上拍了拍，你回頭看見一隻大手一揮，另一隻手拿著相機，那你就該識趣點，別老看文字介紹了，站一邊去吧。
不過，當他們進入「鳥巢」觀看奧運開幕式的三次彩排，就沒有任何優待了。開幕式的內容是高等機密，大會事先提醒了觀眾不許拍照，但心存僥倖的人還不少。義工們嚴陣以待，一發現有拍照的就馬上穿越人群，請拍照者刪掉相片。他們最典型的反應是「沒事，我只拍了一張」和「我根本沒拍到」，義工要堅持立場，才能讓他們動手刪除，之後還要小心複查有沒有漏網的相片。
開幕式當晚禁令解除，閃光燈亮個不停。不少觀眾一整夜都忙著把片刻回憶化作永恆，透過小屏幕看一幕幕大場景。有時候，用眼睛見證，也許會看到更美。
read more...
7/17/2008
London Adventure - Part Six
January 25, 2008 (Fri)
We set out a bit late this day. I had meant to visit the Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral, but either one would cost over ₤10. Well it isn’t that they’re not worth it, given the Tower’s UNESCO heritage status, but in our rather tight schedule, it’s not economical to spend a whole lot of money and stay there for just, say, an hour.
Just as we were about to go over the Millennium Bridge, I glimpsed the sign “Café Rouge” at the street corner! That’s the French restaurant C had a delicious orange wine duck dish. Of course we grasped the great discovery and went for lunch. We couldn’t find the duck dish on the menu, so I asked the waiter if they serve such a dish for lunch. He pointed it out – Confit de Canard. We ordered that along with a fillet on top of RATATOUILLE (oh come on, you get what I mean here) and some clams/mussels (I can’t distinguish between them) for entrée.
The mussel further raised our expectation – it was better than average. The duck leg was absolutely delicious! You can easily split the meat with your spoon. It’s not in the least overcooked. Dip it in the orange wine sauce. Heavenly. The potato that came along also matched well with the sauce. The fillet and ratatouille can’t compare with the duck. Not because they turned cold when I started eating them, but I thought Remy the rat would’ve cooked the ratatouille better. It’s unfair, I know. By the way, Café Rouge has branches all over the UK.
The Borough Market was a bit smaller than I expected. I was charged with the mission to buy farm honey back home. We went past a stall that sold burger (presumably a famous one), the “fish market” which sold fish & chips (not bad, we tried the fish finger). I couldn’t resist the temptation of some freshly made yogurt with fruit, despite the fact I had yogurt almost everyday. The little plump glass bottles were just too cute, and you could see the fruit in the bottom. I bought four bottles for ₤3.5, including my favorite blueberry flavor, strawberry, orange/tangerine/mandarin and a remaining flavor which I can’t recall. (Memory, you see, is unreliable.)
We had a roasted cheese sandwich along the way. That was not what we intended to have. A stall was selling a whole plate of burned cheese. They basically burned or heat up the intersection of a half piece of cheese and mix it with other veggies. The roasted cheese sandwich was a little bit overdone.
Ah ha, there it was, the honey. I asked the gentleman where the honey came from and he said it was from Somerset. From the Sedgemoor Farm. He went on to tell me if I continued west from Somerset, I’d arrive at Devon and further west, at Cornwall. It was a nice country in the west. He was a nice gentleman! I smiled and told him I’d like very much to visit that part of England some day. Oh yes he advised me to try putting in honey in porridge. That’s why when I saw a stall selling organic porridge with prunes, I bought it almost instantly, despite a price tag of ₤4.5.
Some people asked visitors to try out olives. I wish I had tried. The snack called “Turkish delight” was no delight at all. It was just some over sweetened marshmarrow-like candy. When I passed by the yogurt stall again, a lady with a sandwich in hand went over to the yogurt seller and said something like, “Have a bite and tell me what you think.” The guy ate it and thought for a moment. I guessed the lady had a new delicacy coming out and she’d want to have her friends try out first. It’s a tiny episode, but you get the feeling that people in this market are all very friendly.
At South bank the wind was strong. We looked for the bus stop of RV1 that would take us to the Royal Festival Hall. We asked a gentleman at another bus stop for direction, and he kindly offered us. He said, actually if you walk along the river, you’d be there in just 15 minutes. We said, but it’s too cold to walk there. And then he made a gesture and joked like “No way!”. But it was really freezing.
The name “Royal Festival Hall” deceived me. The place looked just like Shatin Town Hall to me. Over 80% of the visitors and audience there were again, old people. It was like a cultural center for the aged. The London Philharmonic Orchestra concert began at 7:30 and I had my yogurt as dinner. I hate that you have to pay ₤3 for the program note for whatever show. I was clueless about the first song. It turned out to be Beethoven’s overture, but it sounded very modern. The Bartok violin concerto was a real trial. My eyelids were drooping. Old people fell asleep and so did N.
Dvozak’s Symphony No. 9 was what I went there for. I’d say the rendering this time was a bit faster and more passionate than the previous recordings I had listened to. It was 9:30 when the concert finished. We took the Bakerloo line at the Waterloo station to King’s Cross. The rest was like the previous night.
read more...
We set out a bit late this day. I had meant to visit the Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral, but either one would cost over ₤10. Well it isn’t that they’re not worth it, given the Tower’s UNESCO heritage status, but in our rather tight schedule, it’s not economical to spend a whole lot of money and stay there for just, say, an hour.
Just as we were about to go over the Millennium Bridge, I glimpsed the sign “Café Rouge” at the street corner! That’s the French restaurant C had a delicious orange wine duck dish. Of course we grasped the great discovery and went for lunch. We couldn’t find the duck dish on the menu, so I asked the waiter if they serve such a dish for lunch. He pointed it out – Confit de Canard. We ordered that along with a fillet on top of RATATOUILLE (oh come on, you get what I mean here) and some clams/mussels (I can’t distinguish between them) for entrée.
The mussel further raised our expectation – it was better than average. The duck leg was absolutely delicious! You can easily split the meat with your spoon. It’s not in the least overcooked. Dip it in the orange wine sauce. Heavenly. The potato that came along also matched well with the sauce. The fillet and ratatouille can’t compare with the duck. Not because they turned cold when I started eating them, but I thought Remy the rat would’ve cooked the ratatouille better. It’s unfair, I know. By the way, Café Rouge has branches all over the UK.
The Borough Market was a bit smaller than I expected. I was charged with the mission to buy farm honey back home. We went past a stall that sold burger (presumably a famous one), the “fish market” which sold fish & chips (not bad, we tried the fish finger). I couldn’t resist the temptation of some freshly made yogurt with fruit, despite the fact I had yogurt almost everyday. The little plump glass bottles were just too cute, and you could see the fruit in the bottom. I bought four bottles for ₤3.5, including my favorite blueberry flavor, strawberry, orange/tangerine/mandarin and a remaining flavor which I can’t recall. (Memory, you see, is unreliable.)
We had a roasted cheese sandwich along the way. That was not what we intended to have. A stall was selling a whole plate of burned cheese. They basically burned or heat up the intersection of a half piece of cheese and mix it with other veggies. The roasted cheese sandwich was a little bit overdone.
Ah ha, there it was, the honey. I asked the gentleman where the honey came from and he said it was from Somerset. From the Sedgemoor Farm. He went on to tell me if I continued west from Somerset, I’d arrive at Devon and further west, at Cornwall. It was a nice country in the west. He was a nice gentleman! I smiled and told him I’d like very much to visit that part of England some day. Oh yes he advised me to try putting in honey in porridge. That’s why when I saw a stall selling organic porridge with prunes, I bought it almost instantly, despite a price tag of ₤4.5.
Some people asked visitors to try out olives. I wish I had tried. The snack called “Turkish delight” was no delight at all. It was just some over sweetened marshmarrow-like candy. When I passed by the yogurt stall again, a lady with a sandwich in hand went over to the yogurt seller and said something like, “Have a bite and tell me what you think.” The guy ate it and thought for a moment. I guessed the lady had a new delicacy coming out and she’d want to have her friends try out first. It’s a tiny episode, but you get the feeling that people in this market are all very friendly.
At South bank the wind was strong. We looked for the bus stop of RV1 that would take us to the Royal Festival Hall. We asked a gentleman at another bus stop for direction, and he kindly offered us. He said, actually if you walk along the river, you’d be there in just 15 minutes. We said, but it’s too cold to walk there. And then he made a gesture and joked like “No way!”. But it was really freezing.
The name “Royal Festival Hall” deceived me. The place looked just like Shatin Town Hall to me. Over 80% of the visitors and audience there were again, old people. It was like a cultural center for the aged. The London Philharmonic Orchestra concert began at 7:30 and I had my yogurt as dinner. I hate that you have to pay ₤3 for the program note for whatever show. I was clueless about the first song. It turned out to be Beethoven’s overture, but it sounded very modern. The Bartok violin concerto was a real trial. My eyelids were drooping. Old people fell asleep and so did N.
Dvozak’s Symphony No. 9 was what I went there for. I’d say the rendering this time was a bit faster and more passionate than the previous recordings I had listened to. It was 9:30 when the concert finished. We took the Bakerloo line at the Waterloo station to King’s Cross. The rest was like the previous night.
read more...
London Adventure - Part Five
January 24, 2008 (Thurs)
We started out early this day, casually strolling in the parks. There it was, Peter Pan’s statue, which brought back memory of the movie “Finding Neverland”. (Oh that would be where Johnny Depp sat writing in the movie!) Hyde Park’s more serene than the Central Park, and less claustrophobic, as it’s not surrounded by skyscrapers or the hustle and bustle. An ideal exercise ground for dogs, and a paradise for dog-lover like me.
After what seemed like a never-ending walk (over-exercise), we finally saw the exit to Buckingham Palace and four horses. The guards in red robe and golden helmet rode past us on handsome horses. We walked on to a crowded plaza. I tried to squeeze in the crowd to catch a glimpse to no avail. People in front of me were just too tall. After 15 minutes or so, finally some movements came. I didn’t stay through the whole guard-changing ceremony. It was windy. The marching band was awesome though, giving their pomp and circumstance music. What I liked most was the horses.
We took the C1 bus to Knightsbridge, getting off one or two stops before as the roads were congested. Didn’t have time to admire the exterior of Harrod’s. We made our way through to the bargain sale section. The ₤1 zone had: diary, coin bags and child PVC bags!
Feeling hungry and curious at the French cake shop Laduree, we went there for lunch. (I’m sorry for forcing N to have dessert for lunch with me) I had: tarte citron, macaron pommes caramel (sweetened apple and macaron), a mini raspberry macaron and hot chocolate with cream aside. The chocolate was good, macaron a tiny disappointment, citron tart too sugary but I liked the apple. Bought crème brulee from the food hall. It cost just ₤1 something but it’s a real treat.
Around 3 or 4pm we rushed to Westminster Abbey. With the rare blessing from the sun, we took beautiful pictures of the Big Ben. Westminster Abbey! How many times have I read about it? Elizabeth I lay there, with her half-sister, in a tomb. Intriguingly, her arch-rival Mary Queen of Scotland lay just a few meters from her, in a delicately embroidered tomb. What stories lie beneath? Two rivals share the same graveyard.
At the Poets’ Corner I came across some familiar names: Byron, Dickens, Handel, Purcell, Robert Browning (I didn’t really know him), Shakespeare, Jane Austen, etc. The epitaph on Anthony Trollope’s burial stone read something like he bade adieu to those who cared to read what he had written. Well I’ve swallowed one out of his many novels. Oscar Wilde’s name was there in the windows, but I wasn’t aware.
Because of The Da Vinci Code, we began to look for Newton’s tomb at the Nave. There he was, on the left of the altar, seated on marble with a globe above his head. Who else were there? Winston Churchill, FD Roosevelt and an unknown British soldier killed in the Great War.
The sun has already set when we departed. We then moved to Charing Cross Station and ate at Pizza Express before The Importance of Being Earnest at 7:30. We were upgraded to the last row of the dress circle (we were supposed to sit in the front row of the upper circle) as there were fewer audience than expected.
The actors spoke fast! Had to stay focused to catch what they were saying. I had the advantage of having read the script once (but have forgotten most). I was a bit slow at laughing. Ha ha. The perfect British accent is the best friend to Wilde’s drama for the English upper class. Lady Brecknell and Jack Worthing’s conversation in the first act was just as I envisioned. Now looking at Wilde’s play in live motion, I find the plot lacking – one can easily guess what the ending will be. He just filled the lines with his ingenious wit. The audience was mostly senior citizens. They enjoyed the hilarious lines immensely, bursting into laughter from time to time. During the two intermissions, for it was a three-act play, the audience rushed to get Haagen Dazs ice-cream, selling at ₤3 each and some beverages at the bar.
read more...
We started out early this day, casually strolling in the parks. There it was, Peter Pan’s statue, which brought back memory of the movie “Finding Neverland”. (Oh that would be where Johnny Depp sat writing in the movie!) Hyde Park’s more serene than the Central Park, and less claustrophobic, as it’s not surrounded by skyscrapers or the hustle and bustle. An ideal exercise ground for dogs, and a paradise for dog-lover like me.
After what seemed like a never-ending walk (over-exercise), we finally saw the exit to Buckingham Palace and four horses. The guards in red robe and golden helmet rode past us on handsome horses. We walked on to a crowded plaza. I tried to squeeze in the crowd to catch a glimpse to no avail. People in front of me were just too tall. After 15 minutes or so, finally some movements came. I didn’t stay through the whole guard-changing ceremony. It was windy. The marching band was awesome though, giving their pomp and circumstance music. What I liked most was the horses.
We took the C1 bus to Knightsbridge, getting off one or two stops before as the roads were congested. Didn’t have time to admire the exterior of Harrod’s. We made our way through to the bargain sale section. The ₤1 zone had: diary, coin bags and child PVC bags!
Feeling hungry and curious at the French cake shop Laduree, we went there for lunch. (I’m sorry for forcing N to have dessert for lunch with me) I had: tarte citron, macaron pommes caramel (sweetened apple and macaron), a mini raspberry macaron and hot chocolate with cream aside. The chocolate was good, macaron a tiny disappointment, citron tart too sugary but I liked the apple. Bought crème brulee from the food hall. It cost just ₤1 something but it’s a real treat.
Around 3 or 4pm we rushed to Westminster Abbey. With the rare blessing from the sun, we took beautiful pictures of the Big Ben. Westminster Abbey! How many times have I read about it? Elizabeth I lay there, with her half-sister, in a tomb. Intriguingly, her arch-rival Mary Queen of Scotland lay just a few meters from her, in a delicately embroidered tomb. What stories lie beneath? Two rivals share the same graveyard.
At the Poets’ Corner I came across some familiar names: Byron, Dickens, Handel, Purcell, Robert Browning (I didn’t really know him), Shakespeare, Jane Austen, etc. The epitaph on Anthony Trollope’s burial stone read something like he bade adieu to those who cared to read what he had written. Well I’ve swallowed one out of his many novels. Oscar Wilde’s name was there in the windows, but I wasn’t aware.
Because of The Da Vinci Code, we began to look for Newton’s tomb at the Nave. There he was, on the left of the altar, seated on marble with a globe above his head. Who else were there? Winston Churchill, FD Roosevelt and an unknown British soldier killed in the Great War.
The sun has already set when we departed. We then moved to Charing Cross Station and ate at Pizza Express before The Importance of Being Earnest at 7:30. We were upgraded to the last row of the dress circle (we were supposed to sit in the front row of the upper circle) as there were fewer audience than expected.
The actors spoke fast! Had to stay focused to catch what they were saying. I had the advantage of having read the script once (but have forgotten most). I was a bit slow at laughing. Ha ha. The perfect British accent is the best friend to Wilde’s drama for the English upper class. Lady Brecknell and Jack Worthing’s conversation in the first act was just as I envisioned. Now looking at Wilde’s play in live motion, I find the plot lacking – one can easily guess what the ending will be. He just filled the lines with his ingenious wit. The audience was mostly senior citizens. They enjoyed the hilarious lines immensely, bursting into laughter from time to time. During the two intermissions, for it was a three-act play, the audience rushed to get Haagen Dazs ice-cream, selling at ₤3 each and some beverages at the bar.
read more...
London Adventure - Part Four
January 23, 2008 (Wed)
We saw some delicate clocks and the cute Lewis Chessmen at a temporary gallery at British Museum. And then the Japanese collection, and an original painting by China’s Gu Kaizhi.
The restaurant "Fifteen" was located near Old Street Station, away from the bustling downtown. We ordered lamb Pappardelle (a kind of broad and flat pasta) and seafood risotto, cooked by Jamie Oliver’s apprentice and chefs. The lamb was yummy.
The walk uphill to Greenwich’s Royal Observatory was painful for exhausted young people, but the Meridian Line and the scenery were worth the sweat. Descending downhill, we reached the Old Royal Navy College, built by Christopher Wren (the same guy who designed St. Paul’s). I was blown out by the Painted Hall (which appeared in the movie Amazing Grace, which I haven’t seen yet). You would believe in the illusionary carvings and decorations on the pillars and window pane, because they looked so real. The ceiling featured the royal family with deities and personifications of the twelve horoscopes. Exquisite. Would’ve been better to visit the hall (which was free) in broad daylight. But it was windy and freezing cold that day.
We then commuted to Piccadilly Circus. There we visited the upscale food retailer Fortnum & Mason, opened in 1707. The packaging of food items was delicate, and the goodies were pricey. The building was old – I feel like going back to the Victorian age. We found a bargain corner and grabbed some nougats with excellent packaging. I bought some shortbread as well.
Time to rush to Victoria station for the musical. We devoured apple pie, raspberry tart and sandwiches from Paul (yes, that French pastry shop again). Our ₤15 tickets sent us to the last row, to the farthest left. Luckily no one sat next to us, so we moved over to the center. The show was truly ‘phenomenal’ (quoting from promotion leaflet)! I won’t offer any spoiler here. At intermission I gasped to my companions, “OMG this show is AWESOME!”. The last song in the first half was “Defying Gravity”, the most well-known song from this musical I guess. The story continued with a little rush in the second half, though, especially toward the end. On the whole it’s as great as the “Cats” I saw in Philly’s Walnut Street Theater. The acting, lighting, costume, singing and songs all live up to the show’s popularity.
read more...
We saw some delicate clocks and the cute Lewis Chessmen at a temporary gallery at British Museum. And then the Japanese collection, and an original painting by China’s Gu Kaizhi.
The restaurant "Fifteen" was located near Old Street Station, away from the bustling downtown. We ordered lamb Pappardelle (a kind of broad and flat pasta) and seafood risotto, cooked by Jamie Oliver’s apprentice and chefs. The lamb was yummy.
The walk uphill to Greenwich’s Royal Observatory was painful for exhausted young people, but the Meridian Line and the scenery were worth the sweat. Descending downhill, we reached the Old Royal Navy College, built by Christopher Wren (the same guy who designed St. Paul’s). I was blown out by the Painted Hall (which appeared in the movie Amazing Grace, which I haven’t seen yet). You would believe in the illusionary carvings and decorations on the pillars and window pane, because they looked so real. The ceiling featured the royal family with deities and personifications of the twelve horoscopes. Exquisite. Would’ve been better to visit the hall (which was free) in broad daylight. But it was windy and freezing cold that day.
We then commuted to Piccadilly Circus. There we visited the upscale food retailer Fortnum & Mason, opened in 1707. The packaging of food items was delicate, and the goodies were pricey. The building was old – I feel like going back to the Victorian age. We found a bargain corner and grabbed some nougats with excellent packaging. I bought some shortbread as well.
Time to rush to Victoria station for the musical. We devoured apple pie, raspberry tart and sandwiches from Paul (yes, that French pastry shop again). Our ₤15 tickets sent us to the last row, to the farthest left. Luckily no one sat next to us, so we moved over to the center. The show was truly ‘phenomenal’ (quoting from promotion leaflet)! I won’t offer any spoiler here. At intermission I gasped to my companions, “OMG this show is AWESOME!”. The last song in the first half was “Defying Gravity”, the most well-known song from this musical I guess. The story continued with a little rush in the second half, though, especially toward the end. On the whole it’s as great as the “Cats” I saw in Philly’s Walnut Street Theater. The acting, lighting, costume, singing and songs all live up to the show’s popularity.
read more...
London Adventure - Part Three
Exhausting day. Four hours to and four hours back from Oxford had drained the energy out of us. We didn’t have much time there. Luckily tourist spots are compacted in Oxford. The students at Christ Church had just finished lunch at the famed Dining Hall when we arrived. I wondered what it would’ve felt like to dine there with the portraits of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I staring down at you. Must’ve felt fabulous. We had some stroll in the colleges to look for funny stone gargoyles that we saw in the postcards. Left Oxford at 4pm.
read more...
read more...
訂閱：
文章 (Atom)
文章
