我们去Balur的路上路过一个集市，皮克斯的司机正好是那村子出来的，所以我们就要求他带我们去逛一下，他欣然应允了，并十分自豪的show us around。
集市分为两大部分，一半是买卖牛羊的，另一半则像中国的菜市场。集市中间的地方还搭有大凉棚供应早饭和茶。买卖牛羊的地方挤了很多人，好像全是男子，涌在一起，估计是在讨价还价。有很多小羊羔，长得很可爱，只是很脏。卖菜的大多是干瘦的老头老太，满脸的褶子，有的喝着tea masala，一脸饱经风霜的样子。皮克斯拿着他那硕大的相机边看边拍，我总是不好意思直接拍人，只能拿着相机跟在皮克斯的后面偷偷揿两张。老头老太看我们拍，都是无动于衷，面无表情的，只有那些年轻的小姑娘，会不好意思地笑一笑。皮克斯似乎拍到几张美女照，本来问他要照片赞助我的blog的，估计他在国内玩疯了，早把这事忘得一干二净了。
菜市场里除了卖菜，还有就是卖印度spice和薰香的了。不知道为什么印度人会这么喜欢那些spice，我尝试了好几种，几乎就没什么喜欢的，现在想想也真难为我吃了六个星期的印度菜，自己也觉得佩服自己了。:P印度薰香我倒是很喜欢，在集市买才10Rupee一包，还非常的好闻，比我后来专门去Bombay (gift) store买要便宜多了，我和皮克斯一人买了一包。
去Balur和Halebid的一天是非常快乐的一天，因为憋了那么久，天天是英文，我终于有机会讲了一天的中文！用皮克斯的话来说，他乡遇故知啊！还有听了一路印度神的故事，皮克斯是一个很好地story teller，讲起故事来绘声绘色的，这篇由他写来一定比我的有趣很多。
回城的一路则是紧张惊险，从halebid回班加罗尔的路只有一条lane，路又窄，经常有大卡车堵在前面。而我们的司机可谓是印度007了，不停的开到马路对面去超车，而且是以120公里的时速！120公里可有80迈啊，在101这样好的高速上都有警察抓，他竟然在印度这么坡的路上开，还不停到马路对面去，我又是靠右边坐在司机后方，经常性的我们的车就窜过隔离线，然后就眼睁睁的看这一辆大卡车直冲我迎面而来，吓得我是全身绷紧，吱呀乱叫！在印度坐车心脏承受能力一定要很强才可以！好在路边也有让人放松的风景--稀奇古怪的路标。我正紧张的时候，皮克斯说你看那路标，然后我俩就东倒西歪的笑倒在后座上。看过行人过马路的路标吗？在美国都是三角标记，里面画一人慢慢走过斑马线。在这里倒也是三角标记，只是那里面的人不是用走的，而是画着一小人儿狂奔过马路，身后还有两点烟，笑死我了！
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Bangalore Diary （23） -- Balur & Halebid (2)
庙里有很多当地的孩子，由老师领着成群结队的进来拜祭，个个都很虔诚的样子。我想，怪不得印度教这么普及，原来全是从娃娃抓起啊！
我和皮克思走到庙前，仔细观摩神像。神像边有一个老和尚守立在那儿，不停的有孩子走过去接受祝福。每个小孩子都走过去伸出手掌，见那老和尚嘴里喃喃的颂着什么，然后给每个小孩子前额上点一个红点，再往他们手心里倒上一点圣水。每个小孩都将手心里的圣水一饮而尽，并将手心顺着头发抹一下，将剩余的圣水全都擦在头发上，然后会站在一旁很虔诚的拜一拜。
我俩正在一旁看的起劲呢，被老和尚发现了，招呼我们过去，给我俩头上也一人点了一个红点，然后让我们伸开手掌，去接圣水。我和皮克斯每人右手里都揣着个大相机，于是不约而同的伸出了左手。在一旁看热闹的小孩子纷纷叫起来，要用右手，右手啊！于是我们换了右手，接过圣水。老和尚笑嘻嘻的看着我们，说喝了吧！我和皮克斯面面相觑，心想这可咋办呢，谁知道这是什么水啊，喝了会不会坏肚子呢？（当然，这么想对印度神可是有些失礼了，呵呵。）不过周围围了一圈小孩子盯着我们看，我也没办法偷偷将水倒掉，只好捧着手掌，送到嘴边，假模假式的喝了一口，其实我也只不过用嘴唇碰了一下而已，没敢喝进去。走出来偷偷问皮克斯，哎，你喝了吗，我可没敢喝。嗯，我喝了一点儿。真的！什么味道？没什么味道啊！正说着呢，老和尚从庙里跟了出来，对着我说，"Something, leave me something!" 感情要钱呢，我往他的大铜盆里扔了20Rupee，然后出门给小孩子拍照去了。
Tip1: 我以前一直以为印度人前额上的红点是代表他/她已经结婚了。到了印度后发现小孩额头上也有红点，后来问过同事才知道点在眉心的红点并不代表是否成婚，这是一种宗教习俗。印度教认为人的灵魂藏在眉心后，为了保护它，才将它隐藏在红点后面。而点在头顶发迹处的红点才代表已婚，也只有女的才有。
Tip2: 去看印度庙一定要一大早或傍晚去，因为全是石板地，而印度庙里是不准穿鞋的，要是光着脚，到了中午，估计就只能被烫得乱蹦了。
我们临走前在Halebid还去看了一个Jain Temple。我以前压根就没听说过Jain，还是皮克斯告诉我说，Jain是佛的好朋友，与佛相辅相成的。后来了解到，Jain其实就是苦行僧，他们认为得道就一定要suffer。Jain分两种，一种裸身修行，另一种则身穿白袍修行。所以若你路上看见有人身穿白袍，赤脚拄拐而行，估计就是Jain了。
我和皮克思走到庙前，仔细观摩神像。神像边有一个老和尚守立在那儿，不停的有孩子走过去接受祝福。每个小孩子都走过去伸出手掌，见那老和尚嘴里喃喃的颂着什么，然后给每个小孩子前额上点一个红点，再往他们手心里倒上一点圣水。每个小孩都将手心里的圣水一饮而尽，并将手心顺着头发抹一下，将剩余的圣水全都擦在头发上，然后会站在一旁很虔诚的拜一拜。
我俩正在一旁看的起劲呢，被老和尚发现了，招呼我们过去，给我俩头上也一人点了一个红点，然后让我们伸开手掌，去接圣水。我和皮克斯每人右手里都揣着个大相机，于是不约而同的伸出了左手。在一旁看热闹的小孩子纷纷叫起来，要用右手，右手啊！于是我们换了右手，接过圣水。老和尚笑嘻嘻的看着我们，说喝了吧！我和皮克斯面面相觑，心想这可咋办呢，谁知道这是什么水啊，喝了会不会坏肚子呢？（当然，这么想对印度神可是有些失礼了，呵呵。）不过周围围了一圈小孩子盯着我们看，我也没办法偷偷将水倒掉，只好捧着手掌，送到嘴边，假模假式的喝了一口，其实我也只不过用嘴唇碰了一下而已，没敢喝进去。走出来偷偷问皮克斯，哎，你喝了吗，我可没敢喝。嗯，我喝了一点儿。真的！什么味道？没什么味道啊！正说着呢，老和尚从庙里跟了出来，对着我说，"Something, leave me something!" 感情要钱呢，我往他的大铜盆里扔了20Rupee，然后出门给小孩子拍照去了。
Tip1: 我以前一直以为印度人前额上的红点是代表他/她已经结婚了。到了印度后发现小孩额头上也有红点，后来问过同事才知道点在眉心的红点并不代表是否成婚，这是一种宗教习俗。印度教认为人的灵魂藏在眉心后，为了保护它，才将它隐藏在红点后面。而点在头顶发迹处的红点才代表已婚，也只有女的才有。
Tip2: 去看印度庙一定要一大早或傍晚去，因为全是石板地，而印度庙里是不准穿鞋的，要是光着脚，到了中午，估计就只能被烫得乱蹦了。
我们临走前在Halebid还去看了一个Jain Temple。我以前压根就没听说过Jain，还是皮克斯告诉我说，Jain是佛的好朋友，与佛相辅相成的。后来了解到，Jain其实就是苦行僧，他们认为得道就一定要suffer。Jain分两种，一种裸身修行，另一种则身穿白袍修行。所以若你路上看见有人身穿白袍，赤脚拄拐而行，估计就是Jain了。
Bangalore Diary （22） -- Balur & Halebid (1)
Dec 2, 2006
Balur Vishnu & Lakshmi's Temple
一早５点半，我就爬起床。今天约好和皮克斯一起去Balur和Halebid看印度庙。Balur离班加罗尔差不多有200公里远，所以6点半皮克斯的车就准时到我旅馆来接我了。
我对印度教是一无所知，加上懒，去之前也从未做过什么功课。还好是和皮克斯一起去的，皮克斯对佛教很有研究，来印度前又专门学习了一下印度教，所以在去Balur的路上给我饿补了一通，加上我回去后又向我的印度同事虚心请教了一番，在这也就我所知的现学现卖一下吧！
印度教里主要的有三大神：Brahma, the creator（创造之神）；Vishnu, the preserver（保护之神）；和Shiva, the destroyer（毁灭之神）。印度教里大大小小有上千个神，很多都是这三个神的化身(Avatar)。像我们众所周知的名字，诸如Rama, Krishna都是Vishnu的Avatar。Vishnu的老婆叫Lakshimi。Shiva的老婆叫Parvati，Parvati有着别的神所没有的能力，她可以杀死任何一个神，而别的神则是互相杀不死的。Shiva和Parvati所生的儿子则是我们经常能看见的象头神Geneish(a)了。Vishnu的坐骑也很有名，叫Garud(a)，我经常在印度的汽车上看见这个名字。包括印尼的航空公司也叫做Garuda airline。
Tip：说到这要讲一下印度名字的学问。像象头神，我总是很困惑于不知道该怎样讲他的名字，因为我听有人叫他Geneish，有人叫他Geneisha。后来问过同事，知道这是南方和北方的发音差别，南方喜欢在单词后面加一个a。所以北方人管象头神叫Geneish，南方人叫Geneisha。同样，我去的Bandipur National Park，要是和南方人讲，就得说Bandipura了。
坐落在Balur的是Vishnu和Lakshimi的庙，在Halebid的是Shiva和Parvati的庙，两座庙均全部由石头精心雕刻而成，历时百年左右，十分精致壮观，我个人认为非常值得参观。
壁上的浮雕栩栩如生，真难以想象这样精致的雕刻是怎样在一块石头整体上完成的。而这样的雕像在庙里则有上百成千个之多。
Balur Vishnu & Lakshmi's Temple
一早５点半，我就爬起床。今天约好和皮克斯一起去Balur和Halebid看印度庙。Balur离班加罗尔差不多有200公里远，所以6点半皮克斯的车就准时到我旅馆来接我了。
我对印度教是一无所知，加上懒，去之前也从未做过什么功课。还好是和皮克斯一起去的，皮克斯对佛教很有研究，来印度前又专门学习了一下印度教，所以在去Balur的路上给我饿补了一通，加上我回去后又向我的印度同事虚心请教了一番，在这也就我所知的现学现卖一下吧！
印度教里主要的有三大神：Brahma, the creator（创造之神）；Vishnu, the preserver（保护之神）；和Shiva, the destroyer（毁灭之神）。印度教里大大小小有上千个神，很多都是这三个神的化身(Avatar)。像我们众所周知的名字，诸如Rama, Krishna都是Vishnu的Avatar。Vishnu的老婆叫Lakshimi。Shiva的老婆叫Parvati，Parvati有着别的神所没有的能力，她可以杀死任何一个神，而别的神则是互相杀不死的。Shiva和Parvati所生的儿子则是我们经常能看见的象头神Geneish(a)了。Vishnu的坐骑也很有名，叫Garud(a)，我经常在印度的汽车上看见这个名字。包括印尼的航空公司也叫做Garuda airline。
Tip：说到这要讲一下印度名字的学问。像象头神，我总是很困惑于不知道该怎样讲他的名字，因为我听有人叫他Geneish，有人叫他Geneisha。后来问过同事，知道这是南方和北方的发音差别，南方喜欢在单词后面加一个a。所以北方人管象头神叫Geneish，南方人叫Geneisha。同样，我去的Bandipur National Park，要是和南方人讲，就得说Bandipura了。
坐落在Balur的是Vishnu和Lakshimi的庙，在Halebid的是Shiva和Parvati的庙，两座庙均全部由石头精心雕刻而成，历时百年左右，十分精致壮观，我个人认为非常值得参观。
壁上的浮雕栩栩如生，真难以想象这样精致的雕刻是怎样在一块石头整体上完成的。而这样的雕像在庙里则有上百成千个之多。
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Bangalore Diary （21） -- 浪漫的法国人 （7）
回到旅馆，已经快一点了。JP送我到房间门口，问我能不能借用一下卫生间洗个澡，换一件衣服，他不想穿着dress shirt上飞机。我犹豫了一下，答应了！
JP洗好澡出来，头发湿漉漉的搭在脑门上，很cute的样子，让人不禁有些动心！他走上来，拥了拥我，我说，不早了，你该走了。
如果我早两天认识你就好了！
我笑笑不语。
如果我今天不走，待过周末会怎么样？
不会怎么样，因为我一早要和朋友去看印度庙，会很晚回来，即使你留下，也见不着我的。所以，你还是走吧！（不知道，我不知道会怎样，会陷阱去吗？也许，一个人被迫滞留在一个陌生的国家，有人表示关爱，是很容易陷进去的！可是，结束后呢？等待我的又会是什么？失落？还是伤心？我有能力承受吗？）
JP不说话，只是用他那双褐色的大眼睛看着我。我看着他亮晶晶的双眼，心里开始一点点软化，可惜，我是过于理智的人。于是，转过头，你该走了，要不然就赶不上飞机了，我也该睡了，一早五点半要起床的！JP眼里的光暗了下去，对不起，打扰你休息了！我使劲抱了抱他，走吧，祝你旅途愉快！
送到房门口，JP说，可惜我美国没有项目做，但我欧洲亚洲经常飞的，你都去那里出差，也许我们还有机会见面？
我笑笑，我只是一个小小的工程师而已，不可能像销售一样整天飞来飞去的。我连是否还会来班加罗尔出差都不知道，所以见面的机会近乎于零的。
好吧，JP轻叹一口气，从口袋里拿出一张名片，递给我，这上面有我的手机号，如果你到法国，一定来找我！
好，我会！
JP长久的紧紧地拥了我一下，我走了，你好好睡觉吧，祝你明天玩得开心！我轻轻碰了碰他的脸颊，嗯，祝你一路顺风！
关上门，想，这也许是故事最好的结局。生活就像黑巧克力，甜中带苦，而那稍稍的苦涩，才是最让人回味的地方。
Bon Voyage, JP!
JP洗好澡出来，头发湿漉漉的搭在脑门上，很cute的样子，让人不禁有些动心！他走上来，拥了拥我，我说，不早了，你该走了。
如果我早两天认识你就好了！
我笑笑不语。
如果我今天不走，待过周末会怎么样？
不会怎么样，因为我一早要和朋友去看印度庙，会很晚回来，即使你留下，也见不着我的。所以，你还是走吧！（不知道，我不知道会怎样，会陷阱去吗？也许，一个人被迫滞留在一个陌生的国家，有人表示关爱，是很容易陷进去的！可是，结束后呢？等待我的又会是什么？失落？还是伤心？我有能力承受吗？）
JP不说话，只是用他那双褐色的大眼睛看着我。我看着他亮晶晶的双眼，心里开始一点点软化，可惜，我是过于理智的人。于是，转过头，你该走了，要不然就赶不上飞机了，我也该睡了，一早五点半要起床的！JP眼里的光暗了下去，对不起，打扰你休息了！我使劲抱了抱他，走吧，祝你旅途愉快！
送到房门口，JP说，可惜我美国没有项目做，但我欧洲亚洲经常飞的，你都去那里出差，也许我们还有机会见面？
我笑笑，我只是一个小小的工程师而已，不可能像销售一样整天飞来飞去的。我连是否还会来班加罗尔出差都不知道，所以见面的机会近乎于零的。
好吧，JP轻叹一口气，从口袋里拿出一张名片，递给我，这上面有我的手机号，如果你到法国，一定来找我！
好，我会！
JP长久的紧紧地拥了我一下，我走了，你好好睡觉吧，祝你明天玩得开心！我轻轻碰了碰他的脸颊，嗯，祝你一路顺风！
关上门，想，这也许是故事最好的结局。生活就像黑巧克力，甜中带苦，而那稍稍的苦涩，才是最让人回味的地方。
Bon Voyage, JP!
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Bangalore Diary （20） -- 浪漫的法国人 （6）
I-Bar坐落在班加罗尔另一个五星大酒店Park Hotel的底层，是我喜欢的酒吧之一。它不像Athena那样在地下全封闭式的，也没有Athena那样拥挤。I-Bar一侧的墙上有玻璃门，穿过门，有一个小庭院，院子有些像Royal Afghan的情调，也有几棵高挺的棕榈树和幽兰的游泳池。只是游泳池的水和地面是水平的，坐在边上感觉就像在水面上似的。
JP熬到十点多还没来得及吃晚饭，于是我俩就在游泳池边挑了个座位坐下。他点了自己要吃的，我要了一杯马蒂尼。然后我们就开始天南地北的开聊起来，说实话，除了前一晚Group Dinner时随便聊了几句，知道他们公司是制造飞机引擎的，我们还真没怎么聊过。JP趁着做销售之便，去过的地方还挺多，中国也去过有4个城市，但是没去过上海，不过他知道的中文单词比我的法语单词还要少，虽然我法国一次没去过！除了会卖飞机引擎，他还会开飞机。说他在前一个公司出差，算下来去一些欧洲国家的机票比自己开飞机还要贵，于是他就自己开飞机带着同事去出差，飞了大概半年，换了新上司，觉得不安全被勒令禁止。聊完飞机我们又开始聊sports，听上去这家伙还挺atheletic的，滑雪是double diamond，golf的handicap分也不错，竟然还会打羽毛球和乒乓。可惜没有时间较量，不知可信度有多少。
聊着聊着，快11点了，JP还没吃完，我催他，快吃啊，一会儿club就要关门了。JP开始指责班加罗尔的夜生活太差，11点半night just starts啊！是啊，要在上海，这伙正是最热闹的时候呢！就是，Biarritz（JP住得town，在法国西南部）有一个临海的club，临海的一面全是大窗，那才叫酷呢！你什么时候来法国，一定要来Biarritz，我开飞机带你兜一圈，晚上我们还可以去clubbing！
11点多了，我们终于将动嘴吧转成了动身体，地点也由室外挪如室内！今天的DJ据说还是从三番来的，音乐不错，又一杯酒下肚，人很快high起来。舞池里人不多，我和JP站在舞池当中，顺着音乐舞动着身上每一个关节。JP的舞跳得不赖，还时不时能顺着我的步子配合我一下，用国内流行的话语说，瞒有互动性的！正跳的起劲呢，音乐声嘎然而止，11点半了，扫兴！
我和JP满头大汗的坐在游泳池边的小凉亭里休息，JP又开始往我耳朵里送糖衣炮弹了，你舞跳得真不错，很sexy。谢谢，你也不赖啊！嘿，都快12点了，你该去机场了吧！没事，晚上我的assistant打过电话来，说飞机延迟到4点起飞了！
JP熬到十点多还没来得及吃晚饭，于是我俩就在游泳池边挑了个座位坐下。他点了自己要吃的，我要了一杯马蒂尼。然后我们就开始天南地北的开聊起来，说实话，除了前一晚Group Dinner时随便聊了几句，知道他们公司是制造飞机引擎的，我们还真没怎么聊过。JP趁着做销售之便，去过的地方还挺多，中国也去过有4个城市，但是没去过上海，不过他知道的中文单词比我的法语单词还要少，虽然我法国一次没去过！除了会卖飞机引擎，他还会开飞机。说他在前一个公司出差，算下来去一些欧洲国家的机票比自己开飞机还要贵，于是他就自己开飞机带着同事去出差，飞了大概半年，换了新上司，觉得不安全被勒令禁止。聊完飞机我们又开始聊sports，听上去这家伙还挺atheletic的，滑雪是double diamond，golf的handicap分也不错，竟然还会打羽毛球和乒乓。可惜没有时间较量，不知可信度有多少。
聊着聊着，快11点了，JP还没吃完，我催他，快吃啊，一会儿club就要关门了。JP开始指责班加罗尔的夜生活太差，11点半night just starts啊！是啊，要在上海，这伙正是最热闹的时候呢！就是，Biarritz（JP住得town，在法国西南部）有一个临海的club，临海的一面全是大窗，那才叫酷呢！你什么时候来法国，一定要来Biarritz，我开飞机带你兜一圈，晚上我们还可以去clubbing！
11点多了，我们终于将动嘴吧转成了动身体，地点也由室外挪如室内！今天的DJ据说还是从三番来的，音乐不错，又一杯酒下肚，人很快high起来。舞池里人不多，我和JP站在舞池当中，顺着音乐舞动着身上每一个关节。JP的舞跳得不赖，还时不时能顺着我的步子配合我一下，用国内流行的话语说，瞒有互动性的！正跳的起劲呢，音乐声嘎然而止，11点半了，扫兴！
我和JP满头大汗的坐在游泳池边的小凉亭里休息，JP又开始往我耳朵里送糖衣炮弹了，你舞跳得真不错，很sexy。谢谢，你也不赖啊！嘿，都快12点了，你该去机场了吧！没事，晚上我的assistant打过电话来，说飞机延迟到4点起飞了！
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Bangalore Diary （19） -- 浪漫的法国人 （5）
叮铃铃，一阵铃声把我从睡梦中吵醒，接起电话，原来是morning call，已经8点15分，该起床上班了。
9点30，司机准点来旅馆门口接我，我提着电脑包，正准备出门，被前台叫住，“Ms Grace, here is a message for you!”我接过写有我名字的信封，抽出里面的信，原来是JP留的。匆匆一览，问前台，留信的guest还在吗？没有，ma'am，guest已经check out了。噢，ok。
坐上车，我拿出信仔细看了一遍。
Dear Grace,
Thank you very much for the evening.
I had a very good time. I wish you a very good day and hope to see you tonight for a great dance.
JP
没想到JP还挺细心的，会想到给我留message，不愧是法国人啊！一个小举动，让我对他的印象又恢复的好一些。想想包里的那块黑巧克力，一丝笑意涌上嘴角。
到了公司，又是培训又是忙着和皮克斯联系周末出去玩的事，转眼就把JP忘在了爪哇国。
晚上回到旅馆，order好room service，开始坐在电脑前码字。码了没一会儿，电话又响了，接起电话，是JP。上来先和我道歉，说印度的客户太面了，一个单谈到现在还没签好，不过已是最后阶段了，估计还有一小时到九点就能结束了。怕我等，跟我说一声。我心想，我倒也没有特意等你，不过能有心打这番电话，使我对他的印象分又稍稍回升了一些。
九点多，有人敲门，打开门一看，是JP，估计是刚刚回来，还柃着个电脑包。对不起啊，有些晚了，我要先去Francois那里洗个澡，换件衣服，然后我们去I-Bar，跟你说一声。我想也好，反正周末晚上通常都是我的clubbing night！JP走后，我开始换上clubbing outfit。正换着呢，电话又响了，我想这家伙可真急啊，澡洗得比我衣服换得还快。提起电话，不是JP，是Francois！怎么谁都知道我房间号啊，郁闷！原来Francois想趁着周末出去转转，向我打听去Bandipur的情况。
快十点时，又有人敲门，开门一看，JP一个人衣冠楚楚的站在门外，笑吟吟的看着我。Francois呢？哦，他，临时决定不去了！
9点30，司机准点来旅馆门口接我，我提着电脑包，正准备出门，被前台叫住，“Ms Grace, here is a message for you!”我接过写有我名字的信封，抽出里面的信，原来是JP留的。匆匆一览，问前台，留信的guest还在吗？没有，ma'am，guest已经check out了。噢，ok。
坐上车，我拿出信仔细看了一遍。
Dear Grace,
Thank you very much for the evening.
I had a very good time. I wish you a very good day and hope to see you tonight for a great dance.
JP
没想到JP还挺细心的，会想到给我留message，不愧是法国人啊！一个小举动，让我对他的印象又恢复的好一些。想想包里的那块黑巧克力，一丝笑意涌上嘴角。
到了公司，又是培训又是忙着和皮克斯联系周末出去玩的事，转眼就把JP忘在了爪哇国。
晚上回到旅馆，order好room service，开始坐在电脑前码字。码了没一会儿，电话又响了，接起电话，是JP。上来先和我道歉，说印度的客户太面了，一个单谈到现在还没签好，不过已是最后阶段了，估计还有一小时到九点就能结束了。怕我等，跟我说一声。我心想，我倒也没有特意等你，不过能有心打这番电话，使我对他的印象分又稍稍回升了一些。
九点多，有人敲门，打开门一看，是JP，估计是刚刚回来，还柃着个电脑包。对不起啊，有些晚了，我要先去Francois那里洗个澡，换件衣服，然后我们去I-Bar，跟你说一声。我想也好，反正周末晚上通常都是我的clubbing night！JP走后，我开始换上clubbing outfit。正换着呢，电话又响了，我想这家伙可真急啊，澡洗得比我衣服换得还快。提起电话，不是JP，是Francois！怎么谁都知道我房间号啊，郁闷！原来Francois想趁着周末出去转转，向我打听去Bandipur的情况。
快十点时，又有人敲门，开门一看，JP一个人衣冠楚楚的站在门外，笑吟吟的看着我。Francois呢？哦，他，临时决定不去了！
Monday, December 18, 2006
Bangalore Diary （18） -- 浪漫的法国人 （4）
到了门口，我在JP的注视下打开门，进门转身，准备和JP说晚安，谁知这家伙已经斜倚在我的门框上，不像要走的架势。我当然不想他顺势就跟进屋，只好一手拉着门，一手撑着墙，堵在门口。JP开始有一搭没一搭得跟我说话，你很酷的一个女孩儿啊，我本来没想你会这么爽快就答应来吃晚饭的呢，而且一下就和我同事打成一片啊！我想，坏了，不会是因为我答应去吃晚饭给他造成错觉了吧，让他以为我很随便的。可我这人就这样，想了就做了，可能还是需要像别的女孩学学，故作姿态，摆摆矜持的比较好。我连忙解释，是啊，你看这不是正赶着我还没吃晚饭又正好饿得要死嘛，有人请吃饭，总比自己一个人叫room service要好啊，是不是？急于表明我是因为要吃饭才去吃饭的，而不是因为他才去吃的，其实也是，正好碰上是他，估计换个李四那会儿来邀我，我也照吃不误。
JP在门口跟我耗了一会儿，开始哀求,你看我都在门口站半天了，让我进去坐一会儿吧！我想这家伙怎么这样啊，于是义正言辞的告诉他，不行！为什么？因为我不信任你。为什么不信任我？因为你是陌生人，我不信任陌生人。那谁是你可以信任的呢？我的朋友们。我也是你的朋友啊。你不是。为什么我不是啊？因为我和你不熟。那你让我进去坐，我们俩再说说话，不就熟了嘛！我倒！
没办法，我只能下最后通牒了。我要睡觉了，你也早点回去睡吧，我可关门了啊！JP终于觉得没戏了，说好吧，晚安！然后张开双臂，拥我入怀，给我一个法式晚安，左一下，右一下，接着又左一下，右一下，我还没反应过来呢，他已从脸颊亲到了脖子，还意犹未尽的在往我的肩膀挪呢。我一把把他推开，你喝多了，我要睡了，再见！JP瞪着褐色的大眼睛，盯着我看了一会儿，突然来了一句，我去拿黑巧克力给你吃吧！我@#$%^&*，ft！他还真转身就走，我说你留着自己吃吧，我睡了，回来可没人给你开门啊！
我反锁上门，进卫生间去洗漱。过了没两分钟，门铃还真响了，我摒着气，没吭声。又过了大约5分钟，我听听外面没动静了，悄悄把门打开，探头张望。从门框的一角，JP伸出头，一脸坏笑得看着我，还是舍不得不开门吧！说着，塞给我一块黑巧克力。我拿过来一看，虽不是我最喜欢的牌子，可也是不错的一种，挺不住还是收下了。我冲他一笑，又怕他赖着不走，连忙换上严肃的表情。他抱了抱我，说不打扰你了，睡个好觉，我明晚找你去跳舞！Ft，他还记着呐。我说，嗯，你也好好睡吧，祝你明天顺利签单。我正要关门，见他走出两步，又转回头对我说，你笑起来很好看的，我喜欢。
JP在门口跟我耗了一会儿，开始哀求,你看我都在门口站半天了，让我进去坐一会儿吧！我想这家伙怎么这样啊，于是义正言辞的告诉他，不行！为什么？因为我不信任你。为什么不信任我？因为你是陌生人，我不信任陌生人。那谁是你可以信任的呢？我的朋友们。我也是你的朋友啊。你不是。为什么我不是啊？因为我和你不熟。那你让我进去坐，我们俩再说说话，不就熟了嘛！我倒！
没办法，我只能下最后通牒了。我要睡觉了，你也早点回去睡吧，我可关门了啊！JP终于觉得没戏了，说好吧，晚安！然后张开双臂，拥我入怀，给我一个法式晚安，左一下，右一下，接着又左一下，右一下，我还没反应过来呢，他已从脸颊亲到了脖子，还意犹未尽的在往我的肩膀挪呢。我一把把他推开，你喝多了，我要睡了，再见！JP瞪着褐色的大眼睛，盯着我看了一会儿，突然来了一句，我去拿黑巧克力给你吃吧！我@#$%^&*，ft！他还真转身就走，我说你留着自己吃吧，我睡了，回来可没人给你开门啊！
我反锁上门，进卫生间去洗漱。过了没两分钟，门铃还真响了，我摒着气，没吭声。又过了大约5分钟，我听听外面没动静了，悄悄把门打开，探头张望。从门框的一角，JP伸出头，一脸坏笑得看着我，还是舍不得不开门吧！说着，塞给我一块黑巧克力。我拿过来一看，虽不是我最喜欢的牌子，可也是不错的一种，挺不住还是收下了。我冲他一笑，又怕他赖着不走，连忙换上严肃的表情。他抱了抱我，说不打扰你了，睡个好觉，我明晚找你去跳舞！Ft，他还记着呐。我说，嗯，你也好好睡吧，祝你明天顺利签单。我正要关门，见他走出两步，又转回头对我说，你笑起来很好看的，我喜欢。
Bangalore Diary （17） -- 浪漫的法国人 （3）
酒足饭饱，我是撑得都要站不起来了，JP还在order dessert。虽说印度的甜点都甜的发腻，可冰淇淋还是很合我口味的。当我心满意足的抿着发甜的嘴唇时，发现JP正看着我傻笑呢。我看看他，扬了扬眉。他说我们去clubbing吧。我冲他嘿嘿一笑，说，你喝高了吧，你以为在法国呐，这里可是班加罗尔啊，现在已经11点了，两年前班加罗尔下了新规定，所有饭店，酒吧到11点半就禁止卖酒了，因此所有的club到11点半也就全关门了。当然也有例外，在班加罗尔所谓七星级的大酒店Leela Palace Hotel地下，有一个club叫Athena，因为有关系，所以可以开到12点半。JP听到这儿，赶紧说，我们就去那儿吧！François也想去呢！我酷爱clubbing，听了当然有些动心，可是想了一下说，算了，今天肯定来不及，你还没有买单呢，买单要15分钟，从门口叫车过去要差不多二，三十分钟，等到那儿也差不多12点了，蹦塔不了几分钟就该关门了。话说到这儿，本来故事也就结束了。听过那多一句嘴的笑话吗？估计我也喝高了，就加了一句，说若你不是明天要走，我们可以明晚（星期五）晚上去clubbing啊！然后就看见JP眉开眼笑的看着我，说，好啊，我是明天半夜两点的飞机，我有充分时间clubbing的。我@#$%^&*，嗯，啊，那...好，明天...再看吧。
法国人可真能吃，甜点玩了还要再点茶和咖啡，磨磨蹭蹭都过了午夜了才买单，我明天还要上班呢！到了酒店门口，凉风阵阵，法国老太太拿出大红的披肩一抖，老先生就体贴的替她围上了，真温馨，看得我特羡慕！老太太转过身和我告别，左一下脸颊，右一下脸颊，年纪虽大，可皮肤却保养得很好，又让我羡慕一把。我站在门口目送他们离去，晚风袭过，我不禁双手拥了一下肩。JP在一旁看到，说你冷啊，可惜我今天只单穿了一件衬衫，否则我一定把衣服脱给你。我斜眼看看他，没作声，心想要真关心我怕我着凉就脱衬衫啊，脱不了何必嘴上假献殷勤呢？糖衣炮弹给谁送的呀？
回到旅店，进了电梯，JP说我那里有黑巧克力，你要不要吃？黑巧克力？我的眼睛亮了一下。是啊，70%以上黑的，我最喜欢了，每次出差都带着的，你要不要上我那儿去吃？我有的时候觉得JP跟间谍似的，他怎么就知道我这两天正好特别馋黑巧克力呢？本来想托皮克斯带的，可皮克斯给带的是truffle，不是我最喜欢的那种70%以上黑的巧克力。糖衣还是炮弹？用我engineer的逻辑迅速分析了一下，觉得还是炮弹可能性大。算了吧，今天太晚了，明天还要上班呢，下次再说吧，谢谢你！JP倒也没有勉强，只是说那好，我送你回房间吧！不用了，你明天不也要上班的吗，我就多两层楼而已，我自己可以回房间！JP没吭声，电梯到了他那层，他没下，一直跟到了我房间门口。
法国人可真能吃，甜点玩了还要再点茶和咖啡，磨磨蹭蹭都过了午夜了才买单，我明天还要上班呢！到了酒店门口，凉风阵阵，法国老太太拿出大红的披肩一抖，老先生就体贴的替她围上了，真温馨，看得我特羡慕！老太太转过身和我告别，左一下脸颊，右一下脸颊，年纪虽大，可皮肤却保养得很好，又让我羡慕一把。我站在门口目送他们离去，晚风袭过，我不禁双手拥了一下肩。JP在一旁看到，说你冷啊，可惜我今天只单穿了一件衬衫，否则我一定把衣服脱给你。我斜眼看看他，没作声，心想要真关心我怕我着凉就脱衬衫啊，脱不了何必嘴上假献殷勤呢？糖衣炮弹给谁送的呀？
回到旅店，进了电梯，JP说我那里有黑巧克力，你要不要吃？黑巧克力？我的眼睛亮了一下。是啊，70%以上黑的，我最喜欢了，每次出差都带着的，你要不要上我那儿去吃？我有的时候觉得JP跟间谍似的，他怎么就知道我这两天正好特别馋黑巧克力呢？本来想托皮克斯带的，可皮克斯给带的是truffle，不是我最喜欢的那种70%以上黑的巧克力。糖衣还是炮弹？用我engineer的逻辑迅速分析了一下，觉得还是炮弹可能性大。算了吧，今天太晚了，明天还要上班呢，下次再说吧，谢谢你！JP倒也没有勉强，只是说那好，我送你回房间吧！不用了，你明天不也要上班的吗，我就多两层楼而已，我自己可以回房间！JP没吭声，电梯到了他那层，他没下，一直跟到了我房间门口。
Bangalore Diary （16） -- 浪漫的法国人 （2）
晚饭是在班加罗尔四大超豪华五星酒店之一的Windsor Sheraton Bangalore。那里有一个非常好的室外餐厅，Royal Afghan。我们的位子就在游泳池边上。头上顶着凉棚，身边是幽蓝的水面，周围矗立着几棵高挺的棕榈树。晚风吹过，碧波荡漾，树影婆娑，很是浪漫的一个环境。
晚餐包括我在内一共有八个人。除了我和JP外，还有五个法国人和一个南非人。还好我是靠着那个南非人坐的，否则我一共不到十个的法语单词最多也就能撑个一分钟，而法国人的英文真不怎么灵，相比之下，JP就算说得不错的了！
在座除了我之外，还有另一位女士--一位风度极好的法国老太太。老太太穿着一身大红丝绸的印度传统服装，抹着鲜红的指甲油，脖子手腕上挂满了金灿灿的首饰。要是一般的什么人，我肯定觉得这身打扮巨俗，可老太太的这一身却驾驭的优雅自如，趁着她一头短而俏丽的银发，一举一动都很显贵族气息，一看就是一位养尊处优的老太太。我不由自主摸摸自己的一头短发，day dreaming两分钟。老太太旁边坐着一位老先生，个子很高，也是满头银发，穿着亚麻的浅蓝色衬衫和银灰的羊绒背心，稍微腆着点肚子，绅士派头很大的样子。问过JP，知道这两是一对，老太太是法国人，老先生原本是英国人，但一直常驻在法国。
老太太似乎对我很感兴趣，使劲拉着我聊天，她的英文说得很慢，带着一股英国腔。问我怎么来印度的，在哪上的学，学的什么，在美国多长时间了，是不是以后打算永久留在那里。我老老实实回答着，至于最后一条，我说我不知道。我还真是不知道，我一直想去欧洲什么国家再待个几年，法国最好，学学法语，再顺便把欧洲玩一圈，不是走马观花的玩，而是细嚼慢咽极奇小资的那种，可以融入到当地的生活，能够品位一般游客看不到的风俗民情。接着day dreaming五分钟，估计我白日做梦的同时还呓语了，JP在一旁插嘴说，就是就是，不要象那些美国人，觉得两个星期就能把欧洲全玩完似的。老太太也夸我说着主意不错，她和老先生就是世界各地的跑，他们已经在印度旅居六年了，越南啊，澳洲啊什么的，亚太地区也玩得差不多了。听得我是羡慕不已！我问她有没有去过中国，她说他们三十多年前就去过了，老先生的公司在苏州有个厂（老资本家了，怪不得风度翩翩的），那时还没有什么外国人来中国，老先生去厂里看机器，老太太就自己借个自行车到处去转悠，把厂领导下个半死，说出事可是要担负国际责任的啊，估计把接待外宾当政治任务完成的！老太太说她所到之处，总是引起围观，先还没觉得，后来发现人们都在看她的手指甲，说大概没什么中国人见过指甲油的。我心想，那不全是因为文化大革命吗？要是你解放前去逛逛霞飞路，到处纸醉金迷的，没准你还嫌自己土呢！当然话不能这么讲的，于是我想起我以前一个以色列同事去中国玩的情形--说他十多年前去中国西南的山区玩，大热天穿短裤走在田间，被正在种田的小孩冲上来拔他腿上的毛并指着他大笑的滑稽故事，就拿出来当笑话讲了。不过当然没有讲他那时学会的第一句中文是“换床单！”
谈笑风生中，酒已经干掉一瓶了，菜才刚刚开始上。不愧是法国人，个个能喝，整个晚上一瓶接着一瓶的，不知最后干掉了多少瓶，我只知道我自己差不多干掉了有半瓶多。
JP order了非常丰盛的晚餐，我appetizer还没有吃完，就已经被打倒了！后面的主食都只是象征性的尝了一下而已。一分价钱一分获，大酒店的饭就是比我住的酒店要好吃很多，我心满意足的用餐巾抹了抹油光光的嘴，心想出来蹭饭是个多明智的选择啊！
晚餐包括我在内一共有八个人。除了我和JP外，还有五个法国人和一个南非人。还好我是靠着那个南非人坐的，否则我一共不到十个的法语单词最多也就能撑个一分钟，而法国人的英文真不怎么灵，相比之下，JP就算说得不错的了！
在座除了我之外，还有另一位女士--一位风度极好的法国老太太。老太太穿着一身大红丝绸的印度传统服装，抹着鲜红的指甲油，脖子手腕上挂满了金灿灿的首饰。要是一般的什么人，我肯定觉得这身打扮巨俗，可老太太的这一身却驾驭的优雅自如，趁着她一头短而俏丽的银发，一举一动都很显贵族气息，一看就是一位养尊处优的老太太。我不由自主摸摸自己的一头短发，day dreaming两分钟。老太太旁边坐着一位老先生，个子很高，也是满头银发，穿着亚麻的浅蓝色衬衫和银灰的羊绒背心，稍微腆着点肚子，绅士派头很大的样子。问过JP，知道这两是一对，老太太是法国人，老先生原本是英国人，但一直常驻在法国。
老太太似乎对我很感兴趣，使劲拉着我聊天，她的英文说得很慢，带着一股英国腔。问我怎么来印度的，在哪上的学，学的什么，在美国多长时间了，是不是以后打算永久留在那里。我老老实实回答着，至于最后一条，我说我不知道。我还真是不知道，我一直想去欧洲什么国家再待个几年，法国最好，学学法语，再顺便把欧洲玩一圈，不是走马观花的玩，而是细嚼慢咽极奇小资的那种，可以融入到当地的生活，能够品位一般游客看不到的风俗民情。接着day dreaming五分钟，估计我白日做梦的同时还呓语了，JP在一旁插嘴说，就是就是，不要象那些美国人，觉得两个星期就能把欧洲全玩完似的。老太太也夸我说着主意不错，她和老先生就是世界各地的跑，他们已经在印度旅居六年了，越南啊，澳洲啊什么的，亚太地区也玩得差不多了。听得我是羡慕不已！我问她有没有去过中国，她说他们三十多年前就去过了，老先生的公司在苏州有个厂（老资本家了，怪不得风度翩翩的），那时还没有什么外国人来中国，老先生去厂里看机器，老太太就自己借个自行车到处去转悠，把厂领导下个半死，说出事可是要担负国际责任的啊，估计把接待外宾当政治任务完成的！老太太说她所到之处，总是引起围观，先还没觉得，后来发现人们都在看她的手指甲，说大概没什么中国人见过指甲油的。我心想，那不全是因为文化大革命吗？要是你解放前去逛逛霞飞路，到处纸醉金迷的，没准你还嫌自己土呢！当然话不能这么讲的，于是我想起我以前一个以色列同事去中国玩的情形--说他十多年前去中国西南的山区玩，大热天穿短裤走在田间，被正在种田的小孩冲上来拔他腿上的毛并指着他大笑的滑稽故事，就拿出来当笑话讲了。不过当然没有讲他那时学会的第一句中文是“换床单！”
谈笑风生中，酒已经干掉一瓶了，菜才刚刚开始上。不愧是法国人，个个能喝，整个晚上一瓶接着一瓶的，不知最后干掉了多少瓶，我只知道我自己差不多干掉了有半瓶多。
JP order了非常丰盛的晚餐，我appetizer还没有吃完，就已经被打倒了！后面的主食都只是象征性的尝了一下而已。一分价钱一分获，大酒店的饭就是比我住的酒店要好吃很多，我心满意足的用餐巾抹了抹油光光的嘴，心想出来蹭饭是个多明智的选择啊！
Bangalore Diary （15） -- 浪漫的法国人 （1）
Nov 30th, 2006, Thursday
今天下班比较早，也没有出去吃晚饭，打算晚上好好码字的。回到旅馆，还不到八点，拿出Room Service Menu，从前翻到后，又从后翻到前，看了足足20分钟，就是挑不出什么好吃的。旅馆里的饭我把能吃得几乎都吃过一遍了，剩下的都不知是一些什么东东了。我正犹豫着呢，房间里的电话响了，这个时候谁会给我打电话呢？
拿起听筒，里面的人说着一口带有浓重口音的英文，我听了半天也没搞清是怎么回事，终于听到了一个关键词"Elevator"。原来是昨天在电梯里碰见的法国人。说来很巧，我湾区的球友“烤鸭英雄"--皮克斯也来班加罗尔出差，昨天晚上正好和他碰头吃饭，酒足饭饱后我回到旅馆已快12点了。进了电梯发现还有两人在，打了声招呼，互报了下国籍，原来是两个法国人。在我卖弄完我所知为数不多的几个法语单词之一的"Merci"后，大家互道晚安，各自回房就寝。今天，其中的一个就打电话到我房里来了。我ft，印度的旅馆太不保障Customer Privacy了。我住的旅馆好歹还是个四星呢，那法国人不仅查到了我的房间号，连我姓啥名啥，以及我在哪家公司上班都知道了！！！搞清是什么人后，听他说话就不那么费尽了。原来他想请我吃饭，我心想不愧是法国人啊，真直接，literally的一面之交就要请人吃饭啊！我连他长什么样都没印象了！法国人听出我的犹豫，连忙说，他明天就要走了，今天他还有几个同事一起吃饭，想邀请我一块去！废话，不早说，原来是Group Dinner啊，我正饿着呢，又不用自己掏钱，白吃谁不吃！
换了件衣服，来到楼下，lobby的沙发里正坐着昨晚在电梯里碰到的那两个法国人中年轻的一个。互相寒暄过后，让他报上姓名来。原来这个法国老叫JP，是个销售，今天借请客户的名义请自己公司同事吃饭，顺便把我也请了，赞！我环顾四周，只见他一个人，便问JP怎么只有你一个人啊，你说的那些同事呢？JP说“哦，我已把他们先打发去饭馆了，我们俩自己去多好。可惜我今天说好要请客的，否则我们可以单独行动！”我@#$%^&，ft！法国人都这样的么？
今天下班比较早，也没有出去吃晚饭，打算晚上好好码字的。回到旅馆，还不到八点，拿出Room Service Menu，从前翻到后，又从后翻到前，看了足足20分钟，就是挑不出什么好吃的。旅馆里的饭我把能吃得几乎都吃过一遍了，剩下的都不知是一些什么东东了。我正犹豫着呢，房间里的电话响了，这个时候谁会给我打电话呢？
拿起听筒，里面的人说着一口带有浓重口音的英文，我听了半天也没搞清是怎么回事，终于听到了一个关键词"Elevator"。原来是昨天在电梯里碰见的法国人。说来很巧，我湾区的球友“烤鸭英雄"--皮克斯也来班加罗尔出差，昨天晚上正好和他碰头吃饭，酒足饭饱后我回到旅馆已快12点了。进了电梯发现还有两人在，打了声招呼，互报了下国籍，原来是两个法国人。在我卖弄完我所知为数不多的几个法语单词之一的"Merci"后，大家互道晚安，各自回房就寝。今天，其中的一个就打电话到我房里来了。我ft，印度的旅馆太不保障Customer Privacy了。我住的旅馆好歹还是个四星呢，那法国人不仅查到了我的房间号，连我姓啥名啥，以及我在哪家公司上班都知道了！！！搞清是什么人后，听他说话就不那么费尽了。原来他想请我吃饭，我心想不愧是法国人啊，真直接，literally的一面之交就要请人吃饭啊！我连他长什么样都没印象了！法国人听出我的犹豫，连忙说，他明天就要走了，今天他还有几个同事一起吃饭，想邀请我一块去！废话，不早说，原来是Group Dinner啊，我正饿着呢，又不用自己掏钱，白吃谁不吃！
换了件衣服，来到楼下，lobby的沙发里正坐着昨晚在电梯里碰到的那两个法国人中年轻的一个。互相寒暄过后，让他报上姓名来。原来这个法国老叫JP，是个销售，今天借请客户的名义请自己公司同事吃饭，顺便把我也请了，赞！我环顾四周，只见他一个人，便问JP怎么只有你一个人啊，你说的那些同事呢？JP说“哦，我已把他们先打发去饭馆了，我们俩自己去多好。可惜我今天说好要请客的，否则我们可以单独行动！”我@#$%^&，ft！法国人都这样的么？
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
My Indian Birthday!
It's my birthday today! And I'm still in Bangalore! Since I cannot get back, I have to spend my birthday in India. Good thing is that I have been here for a few weeks, so I'm not too lonely here.
The tradition here is exactly opposite from what's in US. In US, usually the birthday person will be taken out by his/her friends or coworkers for dinner or lunch. But here, everyone is asking me to give them a treat. So I have to take my co-workers here out for lunch! :( I miss US.
My right hand has been shaken by at least twenty to thirty people today. Since whoever knows it's your birthday today, he/she will come to shake your hand and say "many happy returns of the day" then ask for some treat. So I have shaken hands with all my indian co-workers here, the security manager, the HR person, the door boy, the Art Emporium sales guy etc. Good thing is that they are not French, otherwise, I'll have to be kissed on both sides of my cheeks for many many times.
But I do get a Birthday cake here even though there is no candle. My co-workers here cannot get a candle for me because I kept my age as a secret from them. They tried very hard to guess my age, even asking me some tricky questions about it. But I'm just not telling! :P
I even got a gift from the dev team here, a sandwood Geneish, which I always want to get one! I like it a lot!
At night, I went dinner with our VP Engineer and QA Manager who both are visiting Bangalore here. The VP Engineer is my boss's boss's boss -- so it's like my great-grand-boss. I took them to Ebony, a very nice Indian restaurant on top of Ivory Hotel. Those two people are hilarious, talking jokes all the time. We had a very good dinner. After that they left for US and I'm all alone again!
The tradition here is exactly opposite from what's in US. In US, usually the birthday person will be taken out by his/her friends or coworkers for dinner or lunch. But here, everyone is asking me to give them a treat. So I have to take my co-workers here out for lunch! :( I miss US.
My right hand has been shaken by at least twenty to thirty people today. Since whoever knows it's your birthday today, he/she will come to shake your hand and say "many happy returns of the day" then ask for some treat. So I have shaken hands with all my indian co-workers here, the security manager, the HR person, the door boy, the Art Emporium sales guy etc. Good thing is that they are not French, otherwise, I'll have to be kissed on both sides of my cheeks for many many times.
But I do get a Birthday cake here even though there is no candle. My co-workers here cannot get a candle for me because I kept my age as a secret from them. They tried very hard to guess my age, even asking me some tricky questions about it. But I'm just not telling! :P
I even got a gift from the dev team here, a sandwood Geneish, which I always want to get one! I like it a lot!
At night, I went dinner with our VP Engineer and QA Manager who both are visiting Bangalore here. The VP Engineer is my boss's boss's boss -- so it's like my great-grand-boss. I took them to Ebony, a very nice Indian restaurant on top of Ivory Hotel. Those two people are hilarious, talking jokes all the time. We had a very good dinner. After that they left for US and I'm all alone again!
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Bangalore Diary （15） -- 独自进餐
又一个晚上，独自进餐。滞留在印度已经整整四个星期了，一个人在异地，不得不尽可能的去适应这边的生活。曾几何时，我是那么害怕独自一人在外用餐，害怕一人坐在餐馆里面对人来人往，害怕旁边桌子的谈笑风生，害怕别人写在脸上的怜悯“Poor girl, she looks so lonely！"经过这些天的磨练，似乎不那么恐惧了！一个人也尝试的去各种各样的餐馆享受这里的佳肴。
记得那日在我下榻旅馆的饭店，我坐下点好菜，要了一杯Pina Colada。环顾四周，人们欢言笑语，成双成队，只有我一人独自坐着默默地饮着酒。那个印度领班女孩看出了我的寂寞，好心走了过来陪我聊天。她那天心情很好，说了很多。说她刚刚通过一轮空姐的面试，还剩下最后一轮了，很快就可以实现她最大的梦想！看着她年轻兴奋的脸，我由衷替她高兴。多好啊，为自己的梦想在奋斗！想想自己，除了会白日做梦，好像自己的人生中从没有设定过什么十分明确的目标。从小到大，只知道好好读书，读好书可以出国继续深造。然后盲目的随大流从机械转入了电脑行业，一作就是六年。花了六年时间，才发现自己并不喜欢这一行，也并不适合这一行，现在只是为了这一份可以养活自己的收入在工作，死气沉沉，没有任何激情。想要转行，可是不知道自己到底喜欢什么？也许去做和人打交道的活可能好一些，因为我是这么怕孤独... 我沉默着，思绪翻飞，印度女孩把我拉回现实，说那位在餐馆唱歌的先生很喜欢我，要为我唱一首歌。一个女人，被人欣赏，无论欣赏你的人是老印还是老美，虚荣心总是能得到一定的满足。我的心情稍稍好起来，回给唱歌的先生一个灿烂的微笑，他给我唱的歌叫“Your smile" :)在歌声中，我听到印度女孩对我说“Miss Grace，you have at least one friend here, me！”那以后，我觉得独自用餐似乎并不是那么可怕。
今晚，又一个人来到一家日本餐馆。餐馆里人头济济，只剩下唯一一个叭台的座位。要了一杯红酒，坐下慢慢啜饮。耳旁嘈杂的日语声，我用心地研究着眼前的圣诞树并耐心的等着我的order。孤独感总是在不经意中悄然滋长起来，并一下占据整个心灵，彻底摧毁精心搭起的堡垒。我失望的发现我还是那么的害怕独处。也许是眼前的圣诞树，让人倍感孤寂，每逢佳节倍思亲吧。希望有人来找我说话，可又不愿随便和陌生人搭讪，一时我只觉得手足无措，只能赶快吃完饭，失败者一般逃也似的离开了餐馆。
为什么所有有关寂寞的歌都是和爱情有关呢？只有爱过，才会寂寞吗？
记得那日在我下榻旅馆的饭店，我坐下点好菜，要了一杯Pina Colada。环顾四周，人们欢言笑语，成双成队，只有我一人独自坐着默默地饮着酒。那个印度领班女孩看出了我的寂寞，好心走了过来陪我聊天。她那天心情很好，说了很多。说她刚刚通过一轮空姐的面试，还剩下最后一轮了，很快就可以实现她最大的梦想！看着她年轻兴奋的脸，我由衷替她高兴。多好啊，为自己的梦想在奋斗！想想自己，除了会白日做梦，好像自己的人生中从没有设定过什么十分明确的目标。从小到大，只知道好好读书，读好书可以出国继续深造。然后盲目的随大流从机械转入了电脑行业，一作就是六年。花了六年时间，才发现自己并不喜欢这一行，也并不适合这一行，现在只是为了这一份可以养活自己的收入在工作，死气沉沉，没有任何激情。想要转行，可是不知道自己到底喜欢什么？也许去做和人打交道的活可能好一些，因为我是这么怕孤独... 我沉默着，思绪翻飞，印度女孩把我拉回现实，说那位在餐馆唱歌的先生很喜欢我，要为我唱一首歌。一个女人，被人欣赏，无论欣赏你的人是老印还是老美，虚荣心总是能得到一定的满足。我的心情稍稍好起来，回给唱歌的先生一个灿烂的微笑，他给我唱的歌叫“Your smile" :)在歌声中，我听到印度女孩对我说“Miss Grace，you have at least one friend here, me！”那以后，我觉得独自用餐似乎并不是那么可怕。
今晚，又一个人来到一家日本餐馆。餐馆里人头济济，只剩下唯一一个叭台的座位。要了一杯红酒，坐下慢慢啜饮。耳旁嘈杂的日语声，我用心地研究着眼前的圣诞树并耐心的等着我的order。孤独感总是在不经意中悄然滋长起来，并一下占据整个心灵，彻底摧毁精心搭起的堡垒。我失望的发现我还是那么的害怕独处。也许是眼前的圣诞树，让人倍感孤寂，每逢佳节倍思亲吧。希望有人来找我说话，可又不愿随便和陌生人搭讪，一时我只觉得手足无措，只能赶快吃完饭，失败者一般逃也似的离开了餐馆。
为什么所有有关寂寞的歌都是和爱情有关呢？只有爱过，才会寂寞吗？
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Bangalore Diary （14） -- 生病
Thursday, Nov 16th, 2006
早不生，晚不生，偏偏要赶着人在印度的时候生病。还是自己不好，本来喉咙就有些不舒服，为了瞅个新鲜，前一天晚上还和同事去Clubbing，待到11点半才回的旅馆。今天又一大早赶到公司去interview，本来下午还有两个interview的，可是浑身难受，喉咙疼到不行，用手一摸，喉咙两边各一个大肿块，连喝水也困难。想想还是老命要紧，于是skip了下午的interview，叫司机把我送回了旅馆。
现在只有我自己留守在班加罗尔了，我们Dev Director和QA Manager刚刚打道回府，剩下我一人无亲无故孤零零的在一个陌生的第三世界国家的旅馆里躺着生病。不晓得是不是感冒，没有体温计也不知道有没有发烧，但是因为喉咙实在太过难受，还是问旅馆要了热水，把我老妈给带的感冒药每样都吃了一遍，然后就躺在床上强迫自己睡觉。可是一安静下来闭上眼睛，喉咙就显得越发的肿大和疼痛，千万不要是什么大病啊！回来的时候问司机，最近的医院在哪里，司机尽然不是很清楚，只知道一个要开30来分钟才到的医院。要是生大病需要住院可怎么办啊，又没有人可以照顾我，也不知道这边医院的设施是否齐全，更何况都不知道我的医疗保险能不能cover这里的医院。我一个人躺在床上，越想越害怕，越想越觉得自己可怜，眼泪一下就涌了出来，不敢哭出声，因为喉咙会痛。一个人闷着越哭越伤心，所有不顺心的事一下全都涌上了心头，觉也没法睡了。后来怕哭得有些止不住了，就打开电视找喜剧片看，给自己分分神。可能是哭累了，也可能是感冒药的作用，看着看着就迷迷糊糊地睡着了。
半夜出了两身汗，早上醒来，以为会感觉好点，可是喉咙的肿大与疼痛一点也没有减小，于是发了电子邮件给印度的Dev Manager和HR以及我美国的老板，告诉他们我生病了，今天不能正常工作。
前一晚因为难受，连晚饭也没吃，于是决定下楼去餐厅填一点肚子，顺便去问前台哪里有医院。吃罢饭，向前台要了体温计和热水送去我房间，再向他们打听附近哪里有医院。前台一听说我生病了，倍加关心，说你回房间吧，我们会给安排医生的，你用不着去医院。我想在旅馆里看病得多贵啊，于是推托说我可没有印度钱（我那时刚来没多久还没换钱呢），我拿什么付医生呢？旅店大堂经理上来说没事，我们会take care的！于是我回房间，量了体温，还好，只是低烧，把我老妈给带来的感冒药又吃了一通，似乎还是没什么成效。不一会儿，电话进来了，原来大堂经理给我联系了医生电话会诊，先进啊！医生在电话里问过我所有症状，然后说没什么大事，只是有些水土不服，加上可能有些过度疲劳吧，我给你配点药就好了，我会跟你旅馆联系让他们来拿药的。挂了电话，我暗自赞叹印度服务业的周到！又过了些许时间，有人摁我的门铃，原来药已拿到。紧接着医生的电话又跟进来，告诉我那两种药该怎么吃，然后说多休息就好了，不碍事的。果然药到病除，中午吃得药，到傍晚时喉咙就消肿好多，也没有那么疼了，最后拿到账单一看一共才150多Rupee，合4美刀不到，真便宜，赞印度的服务业！
星期五一天，在我发出email之后，陆续收到了印度这边Dev Manager和HR的慰问email，也有印度同事打电话到旅馆来问有什么需要帮忙的，还有美国朋友的关心，后来也收到我美国老板的email问候，感觉人情温暖，也暗自庆兴自己的人缘还不太差，原来独自一人在印度其实也并不那么孤独！
早不生，晚不生，偏偏要赶着人在印度的时候生病。还是自己不好，本来喉咙就有些不舒服，为了瞅个新鲜，前一天晚上还和同事去Clubbing，待到11点半才回的旅馆。今天又一大早赶到公司去interview，本来下午还有两个interview的，可是浑身难受，喉咙疼到不行，用手一摸，喉咙两边各一个大肿块，连喝水也困难。想想还是老命要紧，于是skip了下午的interview，叫司机把我送回了旅馆。
现在只有我自己留守在班加罗尔了，我们Dev Director和QA Manager刚刚打道回府，剩下我一人无亲无故孤零零的在一个陌生的第三世界国家的旅馆里躺着生病。不晓得是不是感冒，没有体温计也不知道有没有发烧，但是因为喉咙实在太过难受，还是问旅馆要了热水，把我老妈给带的感冒药每样都吃了一遍，然后就躺在床上强迫自己睡觉。可是一安静下来闭上眼睛，喉咙就显得越发的肿大和疼痛，千万不要是什么大病啊！回来的时候问司机，最近的医院在哪里，司机尽然不是很清楚，只知道一个要开30来分钟才到的医院。要是生大病需要住院可怎么办啊，又没有人可以照顾我，也不知道这边医院的设施是否齐全，更何况都不知道我的医疗保险能不能cover这里的医院。我一个人躺在床上，越想越害怕，越想越觉得自己可怜，眼泪一下就涌了出来，不敢哭出声，因为喉咙会痛。一个人闷着越哭越伤心，所有不顺心的事一下全都涌上了心头，觉也没法睡了。后来怕哭得有些止不住了，就打开电视找喜剧片看，给自己分分神。可能是哭累了，也可能是感冒药的作用，看着看着就迷迷糊糊地睡着了。
半夜出了两身汗，早上醒来，以为会感觉好点，可是喉咙的肿大与疼痛一点也没有减小，于是发了电子邮件给印度的Dev Manager和HR以及我美国的老板，告诉他们我生病了，今天不能正常工作。
前一晚因为难受，连晚饭也没吃，于是决定下楼去餐厅填一点肚子，顺便去问前台哪里有医院。吃罢饭，向前台要了体温计和热水送去我房间，再向他们打听附近哪里有医院。前台一听说我生病了，倍加关心，说你回房间吧，我们会给安排医生的，你用不着去医院。我想在旅馆里看病得多贵啊，于是推托说我可没有印度钱（我那时刚来没多久还没换钱呢），我拿什么付医生呢？旅店大堂经理上来说没事，我们会take care的！于是我回房间，量了体温，还好，只是低烧，把我老妈给带来的感冒药又吃了一通，似乎还是没什么成效。不一会儿，电话进来了，原来大堂经理给我联系了医生电话会诊，先进啊！医生在电话里问过我所有症状，然后说没什么大事，只是有些水土不服，加上可能有些过度疲劳吧，我给你配点药就好了，我会跟你旅馆联系让他们来拿药的。挂了电话，我暗自赞叹印度服务业的周到！又过了些许时间，有人摁我的门铃，原来药已拿到。紧接着医生的电话又跟进来，告诉我那两种药该怎么吃，然后说多休息就好了，不碍事的。果然药到病除，中午吃得药，到傍晚时喉咙就消肿好多，也没有那么疼了，最后拿到账单一看一共才150多Rupee，合4美刀不到，真便宜，赞印度的服务业！
星期五一天，在我发出email之后，陆续收到了印度这边Dev Manager和HR的慰问email，也有印度同事打电话到旅馆来问有什么需要帮忙的，还有美国朋友的关心，后来也收到我美国老板的email问候，感觉人情温暖，也暗自庆兴自己的人缘还不太差，原来独自一人在印度其实也并不那么孤独！
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Bangalore Diary （13） -- 走走看看 （3）
High Court
穿过Cubbon Park就来到了卡州大法院(High Court of Karnataka)。一栋红色的砖楼看上去十分气派，二楼的平台上经常有穿着黑衣，带着白色假头套法官摸样的人坐着饮茶，一幅旧时英国绅士的派头。
Vidhana Soudha
卡州大法院的对面是国会大厦(Parliament House -- Vidhana Soudha)。很宏伟的一座楼，可惜不让进去参观，只能在铁栏杆外远眺一下了。
班加罗尔的天气是说变就变，我中午出来时还阳光灿烂的，走到Cubbon Park就开始阴云密布了。穿过High Court，来到Vidhana Soudha时开始下起了雨，刚开始只是淅淅沥沥的小雨，我没有带伞，也不是特别着急，觉得抗一下就行了。结果还没来得及拍照呢，小雨顷刻就转成了瓢泼大雨。我四处张望，也看不见有什么地方可以避雨的，只见远处有一辆大巴停在那，不管三七二十一，我就冲了上去。巴士是双层的，上面也没什么人，问了一下司机和售票员，发现这是一辆豪华旅游大巴，专门作city tour的，叫做City Swap。一张票300Rupee，在市内大约走上十几个景点，可以随时Hop on, Hop off。一张票在周末两天都有效。我想想不赖，看着窗外的大雨，觉得享受一下巴士tour也不错，反正这么大雨也不可能在外面走，于是就找了一张靠车头的位置一屁股坐了下来。结果把大雨等成了中雨，中雨等成了小雨，也不见大巴有开的架势。每次问售票员都说快了，没几分钟就开了。眼看着外面的雨差不多停了，我想想算了，还是自己走吧，于是就hop off。庆幸的是我还没买票呢！
City Swap
一个人走了一伙儿，发现天色又开始黑起来，倒霉，又要下雨了，还是在一个前不着村后不着店的地方。刹时豆大的雨点就开始打在我的头上，我一面往大树下跑，一面暗自在心里骂自己，“谁叫你主意这么多变的，老老实实在大巴上待这作City Tour也不至于在这受罪啊！”站在大树下，我紧紧地把我的书包抱在胸前，里面可是有不少gadgets啊，两个相机，加上我的IPod，有些财迷，宁可自己淋湿了，也舍不得这些宝贝。雨水从树叶的空隙中落在我的头上，滑落到我的衣服裤子上，逐渐沁透到皮肤上，冷风吹过，起了一身身鸡皮疙瘩。抓着我的书包，心里祈祷，“Vishnu，基督，安拉，佛啊，保佑我千万不要在印度生病吧！”雨逐渐小下去，我已淋成了名副其实的落汤鸡，看看自己的狼狈样，想想还是回旅馆吧，悻悻的往回走。马路上积满了水，汽车开过溅得一身一身的，不在乎了，反正衣服鞋子也早已湿透了。冲回到旅馆，要了热水，给自己灌下去一杯老妈给带的感冒冲剂，终于暖和过来了！
穿过Cubbon Park就来到了卡州大法院(High Court of Karnataka)。一栋红色的砖楼看上去十分气派，二楼的平台上经常有穿着黑衣，带着白色假头套法官摸样的人坐着饮茶，一幅旧时英国绅士的派头。
Vidhana Soudha
卡州大法院的对面是国会大厦(Parliament House -- Vidhana Soudha)。很宏伟的一座楼，可惜不让进去参观，只能在铁栏杆外远眺一下了。
班加罗尔的天气是说变就变，我中午出来时还阳光灿烂的，走到Cubbon Park就开始阴云密布了。穿过High Court，来到Vidhana Soudha时开始下起了雨，刚开始只是淅淅沥沥的小雨，我没有带伞，也不是特别着急，觉得抗一下就行了。结果还没来得及拍照呢，小雨顷刻就转成了瓢泼大雨。我四处张望，也看不见有什么地方可以避雨的，只见远处有一辆大巴停在那，不管三七二十一，我就冲了上去。巴士是双层的，上面也没什么人，问了一下司机和售票员，发现这是一辆豪华旅游大巴，专门作city tour的，叫做City Swap。一张票300Rupee，在市内大约走上十几个景点，可以随时Hop on, Hop off。一张票在周末两天都有效。我想想不赖，看着窗外的大雨，觉得享受一下巴士tour也不错，反正这么大雨也不可能在外面走，于是就找了一张靠车头的位置一屁股坐了下来。结果把大雨等成了中雨，中雨等成了小雨，也不见大巴有开的架势。每次问售票员都说快了，没几分钟就开了。眼看着外面的雨差不多停了，我想想算了，还是自己走吧，于是就hop off。庆幸的是我还没买票呢！
City Swap
一个人走了一伙儿，发现天色又开始黑起来，倒霉，又要下雨了，还是在一个前不着村后不着店的地方。刹时豆大的雨点就开始打在我的头上，我一面往大树下跑，一面暗自在心里骂自己，“谁叫你主意这么多变的，老老实实在大巴上待这作City Tour也不至于在这受罪啊！”站在大树下，我紧紧地把我的书包抱在胸前，里面可是有不少gadgets啊，两个相机，加上我的IPod，有些财迷，宁可自己淋湿了，也舍不得这些宝贝。雨水从树叶的空隙中落在我的头上，滑落到我的衣服裤子上，逐渐沁透到皮肤上，冷风吹过，起了一身身鸡皮疙瘩。抓着我的书包，心里祈祷，“Vishnu，基督，安拉，佛啊，保佑我千万不要在印度生病吧！”雨逐渐小下去，我已淋成了名副其实的落汤鸡，看看自己的狼狈样，想想还是回旅馆吧，悻悻的往回走。马路上积满了水，汽车开过溅得一身一身的，不在乎了，反正衣服鞋子也早已湿透了。冲回到旅馆，要了热水，给自己灌下去一杯老妈给带的感冒冲剂，终于暖和过来了！
Bangalore Diary （12） -- 走走看看 （2）
Gandhi Park
班加罗尔虽说交通混乱，但因为城市并不算太发达，空气污染不是很严重，大部分的情况下都是蓝天白云的，比起上海来说要好很多倍。城市里的绿化也不错，经常能在马路中间看见一个个矗立着塑像的小花园，很是干净漂亮。甘地公园就坐落在MG马路边，里面的园林花木修剪得十分整齐，门票也只不过2Rupee而已。
St Marks Cathedral
印度是一个宗教系统繁多的国家，有印度教，基督教，伊斯兰教，佛教。只可惜虽说印度是佛教的发源地，现在在印度本土信佛的人几乎快要灭迹了，我到处走走，也只看见印度庙宇，基督教堂以及穆斯林的清真寺，佛教的庙宇还真不知道在哪里。St Marks Cathedral就在我的旅馆St Marks Hotel不远的地方，同在St Marks St上。
Cubbon Park
Cubbon Park是班加罗尔两大公园之一。周末的早晨人员颇多，多是拖家带口的逛公园，当然也有情侣来这里约会的。公园满大，是晨跑的好去处。我来来回回走了至少有两次，经常会有路过的行人或小孩和我大声打招呼。虽说印度北边靠近尼泊尔的地方有长得和中国人一摸一样的印度人，估计我还是能被人一眼认出是外国人吧，不知是不是和我的胸前总挂着相机有关。有一回我独自走在Cubbon Park里，迎面走来一群老印，为首的一个冲着我走过来问我“Do you want to take my picture?” 我是丈二和尚摸不着头脑，又想照，又怕他是要敲我竹杠，于是反问他“For what?”他看了我半天，也不知听懂没，就怏怏地走掉了。回去问了好几个印度同事，说从没遇见过这样的事。倒是后来碰到一个旅居在印度六年的法国老太太告诉我是怎么回事。原来这边还是穷，有很多人没有相机，又喜欢被照相，所以就会问别人帮他们照，每次照完都郑重其事的要人把照片给他们，却又从不留地址。法国老太太碰着多次了，那些人都不是为了要钱的，我这么想倒是显得自己有些小心眼了，惭愧啊，下次碰上一定好好为他们照几张。
班加罗尔虽说交通混乱，但因为城市并不算太发达，空气污染不是很严重，大部分的情况下都是蓝天白云的，比起上海来说要好很多倍。城市里的绿化也不错，经常能在马路中间看见一个个矗立着塑像的小花园，很是干净漂亮。甘地公园就坐落在MG马路边，里面的园林花木修剪得十分整齐，门票也只不过2Rupee而已。
St Marks Cathedral
印度是一个宗教系统繁多的国家，有印度教，基督教，伊斯兰教，佛教。只可惜虽说印度是佛教的发源地，现在在印度本土信佛的人几乎快要灭迹了，我到处走走，也只看见印度庙宇，基督教堂以及穆斯林的清真寺，佛教的庙宇还真不知道在哪里。St Marks Cathedral就在我的旅馆St Marks Hotel不远的地方，同在St Marks St上。
Cubbon Park
Cubbon Park是班加罗尔两大公园之一。周末的早晨人员颇多，多是拖家带口的逛公园，当然也有情侣来这里约会的。公园满大，是晨跑的好去处。我来来回回走了至少有两次，经常会有路过的行人或小孩和我大声打招呼。虽说印度北边靠近尼泊尔的地方有长得和中国人一摸一样的印度人，估计我还是能被人一眼认出是外国人吧，不知是不是和我的胸前总挂着相机有关。有一回我独自走在Cubbon Park里，迎面走来一群老印，为首的一个冲着我走过来问我“Do you want to take my picture?” 我是丈二和尚摸不着头脑，又想照，又怕他是要敲我竹杠，于是反问他“For what?”他看了我半天，也不知听懂没，就怏怏地走掉了。回去问了好几个印度同事，说从没遇见过这样的事。倒是后来碰到一个旅居在印度六年的法国老太太告诉我是怎么回事。原来这边还是穷，有很多人没有相机，又喜欢被照相，所以就会问别人帮他们照，每次照完都郑重其事的要人把照片给他们，却又从不留地址。法国老太太碰着多次了，那些人都不是为了要钱的，我这么想倒是显得自己有些小心眼了，惭愧啊，下次碰上一定好好为他们照几张。
Monday, December 04, 2006
Bangalore Diary （11） -- 印度交通
边问边走，路上不停的有Rickshaw司机停下车来想揽我的生意。Auto Rickshaw在班加罗尔算是主要交通工具之一了，它实际上是一种三轮摩托，漆成明黄色，相当于班加罗尔普通百姓用的的出租车。只是它不像摩托车一样靠汽油来运行，而是用的煤气，每辆车后面都装有和家里烧饭用的一摸一样的煤气罐。为了体验生活，我还特地去坐了一回，后来想想身后的煤气罐心里怪害怕的，在班加罗尔满大街都是抽烟的，坐着Rickshaw岂不是跟坐着一个巨型移动炸弹似的！不过Rickshaw的价钱十分便宜，起步价2公里12Rupee，之后每公里6Rupee，每辆车上还装有计价器，从我的旅馆到我公司二十几分钟的路也不过30左右Rupee，而公司每天给我派的车这么早上来接我去上班一次，可是要花上四百多Rupee呢！当然做Rickshaw感觉要差好多了，不仅噪声大，而且因为两边没有门窗，一路上都在各样车子的废气中穿行，搞得灰头土脸的。而且Rickshaw的司机也非常精，若是路程太近，多会推托说不认识不去，和上海有的出租汽车司机差不多。
班加罗尔也有一般的出租汽车，但价格不菲，和公司派给我用得差不多价钱，而且不是随叫随停的，一般都得打电话到出租汽车公司去预定才叫得到。在路上很容易区别出租车和私家车，私家车的牌照是白底黑字而出租车的牌照则是黄底黑字的。据我所知出租汽车不是按公里计价的，而是按小时计，最少两小时，大约400多Rupee，所以我每次从酒店叫车出去，司机总会问我要不要在目的地守候等我，因为drop off和等两小时再载我回来的价钱是一样的。租一天八小时80公里之内根据车型不同大约1000-1500Rupee不等，之后则需配extra。
我印度同事上班的主要交通工具是Rickshaw和摩托车，有私家车的人占很小一部分。私家车在印度也算是奢侈品了。这里最popular的车是suzuki和hyundai，他们都和印度有合作在这里生产一种小型汽车，卖得也相对便宜，大约3，4lacs一辆。lac是这里常用的一个货币单位，1 lack = 100，000Rupees。所以3，4lacks差不多要7000-9000美刀。而一辆Honda Civic则差不多要8，9lacs，比起美国差不多快要贵一倍，而相对于印度的人均收入则更是昂贵了。
班加罗尔的公共汽车我可是没敢尝试。光是每天上下班时我看看就已经惨不忍睹了。那些公共汽车大都没有门，每天早上都是拥挤不堪，有不少人吊在车门外。记得从Mysore回班加罗尔的路上，曾有一辆长途大巴开在我们车的前面，车屁股后面的梯子上都爬满了人，那些人就站在梯子上用手抓着横栏，高速路上车速不慢，要是稍不留神松了手，可就死悄悄了，看得人心惊胆战的。
印度的交通混乱也算是臭名昭著了，和国内一样，司机是从不让行人的。虽然马路上画了车道分隔线，但从没有人遵守，大部分的汽车不仅车内没有安全气囊，连后座上也没有安全带。但话又说回来，虽说这边人开车横冲直撞的，但平时还真没有看到什么交通事故，不像在美国，三天两头就能在Highway边看到有事故发生。想来是因为在美国大家开车都中归中局的，看到绿灯行红灯停，也很少注意两旁的车辆，所以一旦有一辆没有遵守规矩，就很容易导致车祸发生。而在印度因为没有人遵守any rule，所以每个人开车都是左盼右顾，小心翼翼，因为随时就有可能有车子从一旁插过来或从正对面冲过来，需要采取应急措施。所以每个人都练就一身的随机应变的开车功夫，会尽量减小冲击损失。不过我是死也不会在印度开车了，有司机的感觉真好！
班加罗尔也有一般的出租汽车，但价格不菲，和公司派给我用得差不多价钱，而且不是随叫随停的，一般都得打电话到出租汽车公司去预定才叫得到。在路上很容易区别出租车和私家车，私家车的牌照是白底黑字而出租车的牌照则是黄底黑字的。据我所知出租汽车不是按公里计价的，而是按小时计，最少两小时，大约400多Rupee，所以我每次从酒店叫车出去，司机总会问我要不要在目的地守候等我，因为drop off和等两小时再载我回来的价钱是一样的。租一天八小时80公里之内根据车型不同大约1000-1500Rupee不等，之后则需配extra。
我印度同事上班的主要交通工具是Rickshaw和摩托车，有私家车的人占很小一部分。私家车在印度也算是奢侈品了。这里最popular的车是suzuki和hyundai，他们都和印度有合作在这里生产一种小型汽车，卖得也相对便宜，大约3，4lacs一辆。lac是这里常用的一个货币单位，1 lack = 100，000Rupees。所以3，4lacks差不多要7000-9000美刀。而一辆Honda Civic则差不多要8，9lacs，比起美国差不多快要贵一倍，而相对于印度的人均收入则更是昂贵了。
班加罗尔的公共汽车我可是没敢尝试。光是每天上下班时我看看就已经惨不忍睹了。那些公共汽车大都没有门，每天早上都是拥挤不堪，有不少人吊在车门外。记得从Mysore回班加罗尔的路上，曾有一辆长途大巴开在我们车的前面，车屁股后面的梯子上都爬满了人，那些人就站在梯子上用手抓着横栏，高速路上车速不慢，要是稍不留神松了手，可就死悄悄了，看得人心惊胆战的。
印度的交通混乱也算是臭名昭著了，和国内一样，司机是从不让行人的。虽然马路上画了车道分隔线，但从没有人遵守，大部分的汽车不仅车内没有安全气囊，连后座上也没有安全带。但话又说回来，虽说这边人开车横冲直撞的，但平时还真没有看到什么交通事故，不像在美国，三天两头就能在Highway边看到有事故发生。想来是因为在美国大家开车都中归中局的，看到绿灯行红灯停，也很少注意两旁的车辆，所以一旦有一辆没有遵守规矩，就很容易导致车祸发生。而在印度因为没有人遵守any rule，所以每个人开车都是左盼右顾，小心翼翼，因为随时就有可能有车子从一旁插过来或从正对面冲过来，需要采取应急措施。所以每个人都练就一身的随机应变的开车功夫，会尽量减小冲击损失。不过我是死也不会在印度开车了，有司机的感觉真好！
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Driving in Bangalore/India
| this is watsup... the worst traffic you could say... but see how the traffic keeps moving without an accident. | |
I was going to write something about the traffic/transportation/driving in Bangalore until I saw this article. This is so hilarious, and it's written by a Dutchman who spent two years in Bangalore, India, as a visiting expert.
Driving in Bangalore / India
For the benefit of every Tom, Dick and Harry visiting India and daring to drive of Indian roads, I am offering a few hints for survival. They are applicable to every place in India except Bihar, where life outside a vehicle is only marginally safer.
Indian road rules broadly operate within the domain of karma where you do your best, and leave the results to your insurance company. The hints are as follows: Do we drive on the left or right of the road? The answer is "both". Basically you start on the left of the road, unless it is occupied. In that case, go to the right, unless that is also occupied. Then proceed by occupying the next available gap, as in chess. Just trust your instincts, ascertain the direction, and proceed. Adherence to road rules leads to much misery and occasional fatality. Most drivers don't drive, but just aim their vehicles in the generally intended direction.
Don't you get discouraged or underestimate yourself except for a belief in reincarnation; the other drivers are not in any better position.
Don't stop at pedestrian crossings just because some fool wants to cross the road. You may do so only if you enjoy being bumped in the back.
Pedestrians have been strictly instructed to cross only when traffic is moving slowly or has come to a dead stop because some minister is in town. Still some idiot may try to wade across, but then, let us not talk ill of the dead.
Blowing your horn is not a sign of protest as in some countries. We horn to express joy, resentment, frustration, romance and bare lust (two brisk blasts),or just mobilize a dozing cow in the middle of the bazaar.
Keep informative books in the glove compartment. You may read them during traffic jams, while awaiting the chief minister's motorcade, or waiting for the rainwater to recede when over ground traffic meets underground drainage.
Occasionally you might see what looks like a UFO with blinking colored lights and weird sounds emanating from within. This is an illuminated bus, full of happy pilgrims singing bhajans. These pilgrims go at breakneck speed, seeking contact with the Almighty, often meeting with success.
Auto Rickshaw (Baby Taxi): The result of a collision between a rickshaw and an automobile, this three-wheeled vehicle works on an external combustion engine that runs on a mixture of kerosene oil and creosote. This triangular vehicle carries iron rods, gas cylinders or passengers three times its weight and dimension, at an unspecified fare. After careful geometric calculations, children are folded and packed into these auto rickshaws until some children in the periphery are not in contact with the vehicle at all. Then their school bags are pushed into the microscopic gaps all round so those minor collisions with other vehicles on the road cause no permanent damage. Of course, the peripheral children are charged half the fare and also learn Newton's laws of motion enroute to school.
Auto-rickshaw drivers follow the road rules depicted in the film Ben Hur, and are licensed to irritate.
Mopeds: The moped looks like an oil tin on wheels and makes noise like an electric shaver. It runs 30 miles on a teaspoon of petrol and travels at break-bottom speed. As the sides of the road are too rough for a ride, the moped drivers tend to drive in the middle of the road; they would rather drive under heavier vehicles instead of around them and are often "mopped" off the tarmac.
Leaning Tower of Passes: Most bus passengers are given free passes and during rush hours, there is absolute mayhem. There are passengers hanging off other passengers, who in turn hang off the railings and the overloaded bus leans dangerously, defying laws of gravity but obeying laws of surface tension. As drivers get paid for overload (so many Rupees per kg of passenger), no questions are ever asked. Steer clear of these buses by a width of three passengers.
One-way Street: These boards are put up by traffic people to add jest in their otherwise drab lives.
Don't stick to the literal meaning and proceed in one direction. In metaphysical terms, it means that you cannot proceed in two directions at once. So drive as you like, in reverse throughout, if you are the fussy type. Least I sound hypercritical, I must add a positive point also.
Rash and fast driving in residential areas has been prevented by providing a "speed breaker"; two for each house. This mound, incidentally, covers the water and drainage pipes for that residence and is left untarred for easy identification by the corporation authorities, should they want to recover the pipe for year-end accounting.
Night driving on Indian roads can be an exhilarating experience for those with the mental make up of Genghis Khan. In a way, it is like playing Russian roulette, because you do not know who amongst the drivers is loaded. What looks like premature dawn on the horizon turns out to be a truck attempting a speed record. On encountering it, just pull partly into the field adjoining the road until the phenomenon passes.
Our roads do not have shoulders, but occasional boulders. Do not blink your lights expecting reciprocation. The only dim thing in the truck is the driver, and with the peg of illicit arrack (alcohol) he has had at the last stop, his total cerebral functions add up to little more than a naught. Truck drivers are the James Bonds of India, and are licensed to kill. Often you may encounter a single powerful beam of light about six feet above the ground. This is not a super motorbike, but a truck approaching you with a single light on, usually the left one. It could be the right one, but never get too close to investigate. You may prove your point posthumously.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Bangalore Diary （10） -- 走走看看 （1）
因为是来班加罗尔出差，所以天天有司机接送，每天又都是很腐败的又吃又喝，然后就坐在那儿整整一天，感觉身上狂张瞟。好不容易到了周末，下决心要好好出去走一走，顺便拍点片子。
于是周六中午，我吃好breakfast buffet，带上我的相机，柃上一大瓶水，准备出发了。St Marks Hotel和Cubbon Park以及Vidhan Soudha都不远，所以我决定徒步参观一下。问旅馆的前台要了一本City Info，里面带有详细的班加罗尔地图，研究了一下路线，觉得很容易找到，满怀自信的上路了。
谁知一出门我就转晕了，地图是很详细，我路线也研究得非常清楚，可是街上怎么找也没有路标，我ft，想不明白为什么还要印地图呢？地图再详细没有路标也还是白搭啊！刚开始时，我还到处拿着地图问路，结果所有人都指着地图对我说你可以走这条路然后那条路就到了。废话，看着地图我也知道啊，就是和马路对不上号！只能采取勤问政策了，我每到一个路口就抓住一个人狂问，终于在百折不挠中来到了Cubbon Park。后来问这边的印度同事，没有路标他们是怎么get around的，被告知，问路也算是印度的一大社交了。还好问路在这里属于common sense，所以路上的行人都很nice，会很耐心的告诉你怎么走。
Anyway，一边问路一边东张西望的走着。沿街有一些卖食物的小摊子，经常有一大群黑黑的老印围着一圈，一人左手托着一个盛满稀糊糊米饭的大盘子，用右手五指在盘子里捞着吃。而街的另一边则是一排人对着墙撒尿，估计吃饱喝足就地解决了。随地小便对于印度人来说不知算不算习俗，我住的地方算是市中心了，出去走走还到处能看见随地撒尿的，他们似乎也一点儿不避讳街上行人来回从他们身边经过，感觉整条大街跟公共厕所似的。
MG Road
MG Road，算是班加罗尔的downtown区域。这条街上有两家大书店以及不少好饭店，留作以后再详细介绍吧。好不容易才找到一个路标，即使并不是很美丽，我也很希奇的拍照留念了。路标大得惊人，生怕别人错过似的。后来我发现，其实有一些中型的马路也有路标，只是路标上没有英文，只有当地的蝌蚪文，对我来说是一无是处了。后来和印度同事聊天，学到蝌蚪文也有很多种之分，除了印度文（Hindi）之外，还有班加罗尔所在州的当地蝌蚪文，而且并不是每个印度人都认识这些蝌蚪文的。我同事中，从班加罗尔附近的城市过来的则认识，若从北方像Punjabi这样的地方来得也只能当天书看了。
于是周六中午，我吃好breakfast buffet，带上我的相机，柃上一大瓶水，准备出发了。St Marks Hotel和Cubbon Park以及Vidhan Soudha都不远，所以我决定徒步参观一下。问旅馆的前台要了一本City Info，里面带有详细的班加罗尔地图，研究了一下路线，觉得很容易找到，满怀自信的上路了。
谁知一出门我就转晕了，地图是很详细，我路线也研究得非常清楚，可是街上怎么找也没有路标，我ft，想不明白为什么还要印地图呢？地图再详细没有路标也还是白搭啊！刚开始时，我还到处拿着地图问路，结果所有人都指着地图对我说你可以走这条路然后那条路就到了。废话，看着地图我也知道啊，就是和马路对不上号！只能采取勤问政策了，我每到一个路口就抓住一个人狂问，终于在百折不挠中来到了Cubbon Park。后来问这边的印度同事，没有路标他们是怎么get around的，被告知，问路也算是印度的一大社交了。还好问路在这里属于common sense，所以路上的行人都很nice，会很耐心的告诉你怎么走。
Anyway，一边问路一边东张西望的走着。沿街有一些卖食物的小摊子，经常有一大群黑黑的老印围着一圈，一人左手托着一个盛满稀糊糊米饭的大盘子，用右手五指在盘子里捞着吃。而街的另一边则是一排人对着墙撒尿，估计吃饱喝足就地解决了。随地小便对于印度人来说不知算不算习俗，我住的地方算是市中心了，出去走走还到处能看见随地撒尿的，他们似乎也一点儿不避讳街上行人来回从他们身边经过，感觉整条大街跟公共厕所似的。
MG Road
MG Road，算是班加罗尔的downtown区域。这条街上有两家大书店以及不少好饭店，留作以后再详细介绍吧。好不容易才找到一个路标，即使并不是很美丽，我也很希奇的拍照留念了。路标大得惊人，生怕别人错过似的。后来我发现，其实有一些中型的马路也有路标，只是路标上没有英文，只有当地的蝌蚪文，对我来说是一无是处了。后来和印度同事聊天，学到蝌蚪文也有很多种之分，除了印度文（Hindi）之外，还有班加罗尔所在州的当地蝌蚪文，而且并不是每个印度人都认识这些蝌蚪文的。我同事中，从班加罗尔附近的城市过来的则认识，若从北方像Punjabi这样的地方来得也只能当天书看了。
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Bangalore Diary （9） -- Mysore
Mysore其实没什么好玩的。我们上午去参观了Tippu Sultan的墓以及Tippu Sultan成功围剿英国军队的城堡。下午去参观了著名的Mysore Palace。
我们每到一个地方，就会有老印上来要做向导，价钱从100Rupee到350Rupee不等。Rupee和美刀的兑换率差不多是43:1，所以算下来才几块美金雇一个向导，我们又是三个人，所以每次也就都雇了。其实雇和不雇对我来说是差不多的，第一，做向导的老印可能教育程度都不算太高，因此英文带有浓重的印度口音，咕噜咕噜的，经常听得我是不知所云。第二，印度的人名地名都又臭又长，向导一说完，我立马就忘了，所以说也是白说。第三，我向来对历史的兴趣一般般，所以压根也没仔细去听。三个地方比较下来，我相对喜欢Tippu Sultan的墓多一些。整个墓有些像小型的泰姬陵，白色的大理石，底座的顶梁柱则由一块块黑色的one piece的大理石凿成的，据说还是从中东进口的。墓地里有三口棺木，Tippu Sultan自己，和他的父母。Tippu Sultan的墓和Mysore Palace都必须是光着脚进去参观的。火辣辣的太阳晒得地面温度也不低，经常是烫得我们龇牙咧嘴的。看看周围的老印走在上面却都是神定自若的，也不知是否他们的脚皮要比我们的厚一些。
每一个旅游景点外都会有一帮小孩在卖东西，多是卖一些明信片之类的小玩意儿。这些小孩很会缠人，能一直跟着你跟很远。不过至少他们是在卖东西，也不会用手来拉你，比起国内的小叫花们要文明很多。不过这些小孩也都挺精的，我们三个人中，只缠着我们的QA Manager，谁叫她是一blonde呢。后来觉得，和我们QA manager一块出门真好，没有她在小孩会来缠我，有她在，我就轻松很多啦！
QA Manager是一个典型的美国伶家大女孩型，长得很cute，一头金发加上蓝绿色的大眼睛以及洋娃娃般的长睫毛，在印度很引人注目。我们在Mysore逛的时候，经常会有一帮子学生样的年轻男女迎面走来，对着我们的QA Manager大叫"Hello"，然后就躲在一旁偷偷窃笑，搞得她很不知所措的样子。QA Manager是很天真的那种类型，这次来印度也算是她officially第一次出国了，护照也是在来印度两个礼拜前才申请下来的。说起她的天真，我不禁又可以为blonde的joke再添加一笔了。我们当天在“Mysore memories"吃的中饭，(actually, 那家饭店不错，只是名字不太好听，叫起来像My sore memories.)吃完饭，dev director拿出American Express付账，QA Manager惊讶了半天，说原来American Express在这里也能用啊！后来我们才搞明白，原来有人逗她玩说American Express，顾名思义当然只能在亚美利家用啦，她还就真信了！
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Bangalore Diary （8） -- 看电影
新的007在全球上映了，我这个James Bond的大粉丝当然不能错过啦。正好有印度同事来问我要不要晚上一起看电影，我自然兴高采烈的答应下来。
印度看电影是需要提前买票的，像007这种大热片更是需要提前一个礼拜去买票。还好印度跟中国差不多，一切都是靠关系，我同事神通广大，中午时分就搞定两张当天晚上的票。电影院是在一个高级shopping mall的顶楼，晚上7点的电影，我们六点来钟去门口取票。门口已经是一条长长的巨龙了，还好我同事又一次利用了他的关系，直接去里面将票取了出来，省了我们排队的辛苦。
随便填了点肚子后，我们准备进场了。同事拿着票走在前面，我紧巴巴的跟着。到了门口，都是武装警卫，放我同事进去后，开了我一眼，说上另外一边去。原来在印度进电影院是需要搜身的，男的从左边进，由男性警卫搜身，女的得从右边进场，当然站在右边搜身的是一排女性警卫了。说到这里，不得不提一下印度的security system。因为长期和巴勒斯坦的冲突，印度的security system十分紧密，我每天上班司机开车进公司，都会有警卫人员检查车子下面有没有炸弹。公司大约5层高的小楼，每层都有大门，一定要有badge才可以进得去。警卫则是24/7的守在那里，真是倍感安全啊。不过话又说回来，看个电影还得搜身也有点太过了。Anyway，打开我的backpack，再用探测仪上下照了我一通，终于放我入场。难怪7点钟的电影，对号入座的票，同事还是说要6点3刻进场呢！
进入电影院坐下，环顾四周，除了座位稍微小点，和美国电影院也差不多。开始放广告了，每个广告前都会先放一张写满蝌蚪文的黄黄的纸，问同事，被告知这是广告的许可单，证明这个广告被审批通过，可以公映。我急忙问那电影是不是也要审批呢？有裸露情节怎么办呢？不出我所料，答案当然是是了。有裸露情节当然是要被砍掉了，完了完了，这可是Bond, James Bond啊，估计床戏全被砍了，郁闷。
电影快开始放映了，来了一对印度中年男女，座位在我们里面，得从我们前面挤进去。那女的估计得有250磅，穿着橘黄色的纱丽，使劲往里挤。电影院的位子很小，我看看她，紧张的抓紧我的书包，把脚往后缩。她可好，一脚就踩在了我的右脚尖上，还足足停了至少有两秒。250磅啊，我盯着她背后腰上露出的层层肥肉痛得嗷嗷乱叫，她跟没反应似的，理都没理我，就自顾自挤进去坐下了。我ft，脚原来是白踩的啊！同事说，没办法，你在印度，有些事是需要expected的，对这种人，只能以其人之道还治其人之身。可是，可是，即使我跑过去踩她一脚，甚至于双脚在她脚上跳，估计也只是隔靴搔痒，体重摆在那儿啊，只能自认倒霉吧！
电影终于开始了。自打一开始，我身边两人就开始说话，不知是哪国的人，估计不是英语国家的，看电影就跟参加研讨会似的，被我恶狠狠的瞪了一眼，声音渐小，可过不一会儿，又大了起来。我连瞪几次，眼珠都快掉了，只能作罢，融入到我的剧情中去。看了一半正紧张呢，突然想起了印度音乐，银幕也一下变得漆黑。我@#$%^&*，在印度看电影原来还有中场休息，ft!!!
大约十分钟的中场休息，电影又在没有任何预知的情况下悄没声的开始了。人们开始往回挤，这次我可是几乎把脚都缩到椅子上面来了，总算没被踩着。眼看临近尾声了，真相快要大白了，电影突然转成了无声电影。只见坏人被一抢打中，倒地爬行，嘴里哼哼唧唧的不知在说什么，我心里那个急啊，就是没辙。不一会儿坐在我前面的老印担当起了配音任务，哇哇叫着替坏蛋疼呢，到也挺生动的！只是整个大结局就消失在无声无息里了，估计回去我还得重新看一便！
印度看电影是需要提前买票的，像007这种大热片更是需要提前一个礼拜去买票。还好印度跟中国差不多，一切都是靠关系，我同事神通广大，中午时分就搞定两张当天晚上的票。电影院是在一个高级shopping mall的顶楼，晚上7点的电影，我们六点来钟去门口取票。门口已经是一条长长的巨龙了，还好我同事又一次利用了他的关系，直接去里面将票取了出来，省了我们排队的辛苦。
随便填了点肚子后，我们准备进场了。同事拿着票走在前面，我紧巴巴的跟着。到了门口，都是武装警卫，放我同事进去后，开了我一眼，说上另外一边去。原来在印度进电影院是需要搜身的，男的从左边进，由男性警卫搜身，女的得从右边进场，当然站在右边搜身的是一排女性警卫了。说到这里，不得不提一下印度的security system。因为长期和巴勒斯坦的冲突，印度的security system十分紧密，我每天上班司机开车进公司，都会有警卫人员检查车子下面有没有炸弹。公司大约5层高的小楼，每层都有大门，一定要有badge才可以进得去。警卫则是24/7的守在那里，真是倍感安全啊。不过话又说回来，看个电影还得搜身也有点太过了。Anyway，打开我的backpack，再用探测仪上下照了我一通，终于放我入场。难怪7点钟的电影，对号入座的票，同事还是说要6点3刻进场呢！
进入电影院坐下，环顾四周，除了座位稍微小点，和美国电影院也差不多。开始放广告了，每个广告前都会先放一张写满蝌蚪文的黄黄的纸，问同事，被告知这是广告的许可单，证明这个广告被审批通过，可以公映。我急忙问那电影是不是也要审批呢？有裸露情节怎么办呢？不出我所料，答案当然是是了。有裸露情节当然是要被砍掉了，完了完了，这可是Bond, James Bond啊，估计床戏全被砍了，郁闷。
电影快开始放映了，来了一对印度中年男女，座位在我们里面，得从我们前面挤进去。那女的估计得有250磅，穿着橘黄色的纱丽，使劲往里挤。电影院的位子很小，我看看她，紧张的抓紧我的书包，把脚往后缩。她可好，一脚就踩在了我的右脚尖上，还足足停了至少有两秒。250磅啊，我盯着她背后腰上露出的层层肥肉痛得嗷嗷乱叫，她跟没反应似的，理都没理我，就自顾自挤进去坐下了。我ft，脚原来是白踩的啊！同事说，没办法，你在印度，有些事是需要expected的，对这种人，只能以其人之道还治其人之身。可是，可是，即使我跑过去踩她一脚，甚至于双脚在她脚上跳，估计也只是隔靴搔痒，体重摆在那儿啊，只能自认倒霉吧！
电影终于开始了。自打一开始，我身边两人就开始说话，不知是哪国的人，估计不是英语国家的，看电影就跟参加研讨会似的，被我恶狠狠的瞪了一眼，声音渐小，可过不一会儿，又大了起来。我连瞪几次，眼珠都快掉了，只能作罢，融入到我的剧情中去。看了一半正紧张呢，突然想起了印度音乐，银幕也一下变得漆黑。我@#$%^&*，在印度看电影原来还有中场休息，ft!!!
大约十分钟的中场休息，电影又在没有任何预知的情况下悄没声的开始了。人们开始往回挤，这次我可是几乎把脚都缩到椅子上面来了，总算没被踩着。眼看临近尾声了，真相快要大白了，电影突然转成了无声电影。只见坏人被一抢打中，倒地爬行，嘴里哼哼唧唧的不知在说什么，我心里那个急啊，就是没辙。不一会儿坐在我前面的老印担当起了配音任务，哇哇叫着替坏蛋疼呢，到也挺生动的！只是整个大结局就消失在无声无息里了，估计回去我还得重新看一便！
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Bangalore Diary （7） -- 去Mysore路上
Sunday, Nov. 12, 2006
一大早六点不到，我就起了床，因为要和我们公司的dev director和QA manager一起去Mysore。班加罗尔的交通堵塞是臭名昭著的，即使是周末也不例外。所以我们和司机约好一早6点45分就来旅馆接我们。
早早得上了路，路上行人不多，觉得还挺神清气爽的。班加罗尔的气候非常好，终年温度都在15到30摄氏度左右，真和加州有些相像。以前总听说在印度，公司旅馆里都特别现代化，但一出门就牛羊当道。我这次倒是没有看到这样的情况，至少在班加罗尔城内，没怎么见过牛羊，野狗倒是不少，满地乱窜。后来问这边的同事，说以前没有这么多野狗的，以前会有专人抓这些野狗，然后带到野外处死。后来有人抗议说不人道，现在对野狗就听之任之了，所以晚上一个人走路一定要小心。想想很不合理，难道在印度狗命比人命还值钱吗？
从班加罗尔到Mysore新修了一条高速公路。车开在上面很平稳，有些像从上海开往闵行的大路。同行的dev director十年前就来过这，说现在的路比以前好多了，以前就是一条土路，坑坑洼洼的，汽车还得同大象抢道。我们倒是没有同大象抢道，只是两条lane的马路，经常要么一辆车开在lane中间挡着谁也不能过，要么有三，四辆车挤着并行。中间还有一段路，开着开着就发现一辆大巴对着我们就冲过来了，原来对面的车行道没有任何标记的突然就封了，致使逆行的车辆全开到了我们的lane上来。以前只觉得国内人开车猛，到了印度才知道国内只能算是小儿科了。从班加罗尔到Mysore120多公里的路都是在这样的有惊无险中开过去了。
路上还看见一种灰白色的动物，说大不大，说小不小，大多瘦骨嶙峋的，头上还有两只略弯的犄角。起先我以为是牛，但此物比我见过的牛要小很多，说是羊又似乎要大些。一直搞不清到底是什么，最后经过和QA manager的仔细探讨，我们把它定为Big Goat。接下来的问题是关于goat有男女之分吗？还是goat就是公羊，而sheep才是母羊呢？我们俩正激烈的探讨着，做在前座得dev director回过头来，说，那玩意儿叫“Bull”，我ft！闹半天，原来我牛羊不分啊！
一大早六点不到，我就起了床，因为要和我们公司的dev director和QA manager一起去Mysore。班加罗尔的交通堵塞是臭名昭著的，即使是周末也不例外。所以我们和司机约好一早6点45分就来旅馆接我们。
早早得上了路，路上行人不多，觉得还挺神清气爽的。班加罗尔的气候非常好，终年温度都在15到30摄氏度左右，真和加州有些相像。以前总听说在印度，公司旅馆里都特别现代化，但一出门就牛羊当道。我这次倒是没有看到这样的情况，至少在班加罗尔城内，没怎么见过牛羊，野狗倒是不少，满地乱窜。后来问这边的同事，说以前没有这么多野狗的，以前会有专人抓这些野狗，然后带到野外处死。后来有人抗议说不人道，现在对野狗就听之任之了，所以晚上一个人走路一定要小心。想想很不合理，难道在印度狗命比人命还值钱吗？
从班加罗尔到Mysore新修了一条高速公路。车开在上面很平稳，有些像从上海开往闵行的大路。同行的dev director十年前就来过这，说现在的路比以前好多了，以前就是一条土路，坑坑洼洼的，汽车还得同大象抢道。我们倒是没有同大象抢道，只是两条lane的马路，经常要么一辆车开在lane中间挡着谁也不能过，要么有三，四辆车挤着并行。中间还有一段路，开着开着就发现一辆大巴对着我们就冲过来了，原来对面的车行道没有任何标记的突然就封了，致使逆行的车辆全开到了我们的lane上来。以前只觉得国内人开车猛，到了印度才知道国内只能算是小儿科了。从班加罗尔到Mysore120多公里的路都是在这样的有惊无险中开过去了。
路上还看见一种灰白色的动物，说大不大，说小不小，大多瘦骨嶙峋的，头上还有两只略弯的犄角。起先我以为是牛，但此物比我见过的牛要小很多，说是羊又似乎要大些。一直搞不清到底是什么，最后经过和QA manager的仔细探讨，我们把它定为Big Goat。接下来的问题是关于goat有男女之分吗？还是goat就是公羊，而sheep才是母羊呢？我们俩正激烈的探讨着，做在前座得dev director回过头来，说，那玩意儿叫“Bull”，我ft！闹半天，原来我牛羊不分啊！
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Bangalore Diary （6） -- 住所
一阵长啸声，把我从睡梦中惊醒过来。我抬头看看窗外，天还是墨墨黑的。打开灯，看了看手表，还不到早上五点，我一共才睡了一个多小时。关上灯，拉紧床罩，想再睡一会儿吧。可任凭哈欠打得泪流满面，我辗转反侧的就是睡不着。只好眼睁睁的瞪着窗子，在火车的声声轰鸣里，将黑夜等成了黎明。我爬起身来，去厕所用凉水洗了把脸，打开反锁的门，来到厅里。一晚上没有怎么喝过水，嗓子干得快要冒烟了。看着桌角上的那杯水，我的脑海里猛烈的做着思想斗争。喝，还是不喝，这可是个生存问题。感觉我都快赶上上甘岭的战士了。最终对水的欲望战胜了对安全的理智，but I didnot 100% loose my mind yet。我没有用小老印的杯子，而是回房间拿了那只从飞机上带下来的小塑料盒，去厨房到了水，牛饮而尽。有了第一回，就没有什么可以害怕的了，于是我一而再，再而三，给自己灌下了好几盒水。时间还早，小老印们都还没起床呢。我又回到自己的房间里，翻出带来的小说读了起来。
终于熬到小老印们都起了床，已经是差不多早上八点了。让door boy给公司security manager打电话，活生生把security manager从床上给揪了起来，让他帮我去查我们公司其他来出差的同事住在哪。（我来之前就听说我们公司还有另外两名同事--一个QA Manager和一个Dev Director这个星期也在这。所以我想还是和他们同住一家hotel比较安全。）
door boy很是勤快，起床后就开始打扫卫生，把房间里里外外都打扫得十分干净，还帮我把外套，包包都挂在了衣橱里，而我则像阔太太似的坐在沙发上看HBO。过了一会儿，cook跑来问，"Madam，早饭想要吃什么？”我正饿着呢，也就毫不客气的点名要toaster, scrambled eggs and fruit juice。看来印度的等级制度还是很厉害的，door boy估计是最低级了的吧，因为他还得听cook使唤，出门去为我买所有早饭的原材料。说实话，现在想一想，如果guest house本身的条件不是那么差的话，住在那其实还是不错的，真是有点旧社会仆役成群的架势。不过在当时，我只一心想着怎么去住hotel，好好洗个热水澡再美美睡上一觉的。我就一直坐在沙发上看HBO放的老电影"Die Hard"，只听见cook在厨房里一阵忙活，不多一会儿，door boy将餐桌设置好了，过来请我"Madam, breakfast is ready!"早餐是四片已经涂好黄油的烤面包片，鸡蛋，还有用新鲜葡萄榨出来的葡萄汁，十分丰盛。我邀请cook和door boy一起进餐，他们却推辞说他们会等我吃完后再吃的。果然，在我狼吞虎咽的消耗掉早饭后，door boy收拾干净桌子，和cook在厨房里享用了他们的早饭。
上午十一时，security manager终于打电话来，说我的两名同事正在公司呢。我问他hotel的事怎么样了，他却说他不能做主，会帮我联系印度的dev manager的，不过如果我愿意，可以去公司和我那两名同事汇合。我想正好可以去问一下我的同事住在那一家hotel，并且给我的电脑充充电。于是让security manager派了辆车过来，我带上我的电脑去了公司。
到了公司见到我那两名美国同事，感觉跟见到亲人似的，向他们吐了一通苦水，得到一致同情。他们正好就住在我前一天晚上美国同事告诉我的那家hotel，我打电话到hotel去询问，周末这两天还有空房间，我正要预定时，印度这边的dev manager打电话进来了。电话里我态度明确，说guest house我是不会去住了，怎么能让我一个女生和几个男老印住一块儿呢，况且火车吵得人根本就不可能睡觉。结果这老兄倒好，说了一句让我目瞪口呆的话，他说，现在房间紧，可能一时定不着，要不你先去和我妈住吧！我@#$%^&*，ft!!!他还在电话那头叽里呱啦呢，我好不容易回过神来，把他打住，说不用麻烦你妈了，我已经查过hotel，至少周末两天有空，我自己用卡订，剩下的事到星期一HR的人回来再说吧。他还在那里不甘心地说，你美国的卡这边的hotel可能不收的，要是卡有问题，打电话给我还是住我妈那儿吧。@#$%^&*，不知道他到底什么意思啊！！！
Anyway，最后的结果当然是我自己用卡订了St Mark's hotel的房间。然后冲回guest house，拿了我的行李，和door boy and cook告了别，直奔hotel住下。终于洗上了一个热水澡，美美的睡了一下午，来之不易啊！
终于熬到小老印们都起了床，已经是差不多早上八点了。让door boy给公司security manager打电话，活生生把security manager从床上给揪了起来，让他帮我去查我们公司其他来出差的同事住在哪。（我来之前就听说我们公司还有另外两名同事--一个QA Manager和一个Dev Director这个星期也在这。所以我想还是和他们同住一家hotel比较安全。）
door boy很是勤快，起床后就开始打扫卫生，把房间里里外外都打扫得十分干净，还帮我把外套，包包都挂在了衣橱里，而我则像阔太太似的坐在沙发上看HBO。过了一会儿，cook跑来问，"Madam，早饭想要吃什么？”我正饿着呢，也就毫不客气的点名要toaster, scrambled eggs and fruit juice。看来印度的等级制度还是很厉害的，door boy估计是最低级了的吧，因为他还得听cook使唤，出门去为我买所有早饭的原材料。说实话，现在想一想，如果guest house本身的条件不是那么差的话，住在那其实还是不错的，真是有点旧社会仆役成群的架势。不过在当时，我只一心想着怎么去住hotel，好好洗个热水澡再美美睡上一觉的。我就一直坐在沙发上看HBO放的老电影"Die Hard"，只听见cook在厨房里一阵忙活，不多一会儿，door boy将餐桌设置好了，过来请我"Madam, breakfast is ready!"早餐是四片已经涂好黄油的烤面包片，鸡蛋，还有用新鲜葡萄榨出来的葡萄汁，十分丰盛。我邀请cook和door boy一起进餐，他们却推辞说他们会等我吃完后再吃的。果然，在我狼吞虎咽的消耗掉早饭后，door boy收拾干净桌子，和cook在厨房里享用了他们的早饭。
上午十一时，security manager终于打电话来，说我的两名同事正在公司呢。我问他hotel的事怎么样了，他却说他不能做主，会帮我联系印度的dev manager的，不过如果我愿意，可以去公司和我那两名同事汇合。我想正好可以去问一下我的同事住在那一家hotel，并且给我的电脑充充电。于是让security manager派了辆车过来，我带上我的电脑去了公司。
到了公司见到我那两名美国同事，感觉跟见到亲人似的，向他们吐了一通苦水，得到一致同情。他们正好就住在我前一天晚上美国同事告诉我的那家hotel，我打电话到hotel去询问，周末这两天还有空房间，我正要预定时，印度这边的dev manager打电话进来了。电话里我态度明确，说guest house我是不会去住了，怎么能让我一个女生和几个男老印住一块儿呢，况且火车吵得人根本就不可能睡觉。结果这老兄倒好，说了一句让我目瞪口呆的话，他说，现在房间紧，可能一时定不着，要不你先去和我妈住吧！我@#$%^&*，ft!!!他还在电话那头叽里呱啦呢，我好不容易回过神来，把他打住，说不用麻烦你妈了，我已经查过hotel，至少周末两天有空，我自己用卡订，剩下的事到星期一HR的人回来再说吧。他还在那里不甘心地说，你美国的卡这边的hotel可能不收的，要是卡有问题，打电话给我还是住我妈那儿吧。@#$%^&*，不知道他到底什么意思啊！！！
Anyway，最后的结果当然是我自己用卡订了St Mark's hotel的房间。然后冲回guest house，拿了我的行李，和door boy and cook告了别，直奔hotel住下。终于洗上了一个热水澡，美美的睡了一下午，来之不易啊！
Friday, November 17, 2006
Bangalore Diary （5） -- Guest House
可能是因为班加罗尔的IT公司太多，而Hotel系统又跟不上，公司一时订不到可以住一个月的旅馆，决定让我住公司的Guest House。我去之前就有同事警告我说能不住Guest House就不住Guest House，那是给老印住的。我当时没有怎么多想，想给老印住的也就是味道大点吧。想当年我去New Mexico玩住的Days Inn，味道也极大，我不是也照样坚持了两夜么，说什么也不会比那差吧！
20分钟后，车子驶入一个有警卫的大门。一个光着脚板的小老印下楼来接我，带着我和我的行李到了三楼。进了门，我才发觉guest house和我想的相差甚远，印度公司的HR没有告诉我这是一个3 bedrooms apartment，而且除了我之外，还有另一个听说是从马来西亚来的所谓guest也住在那，只是他的房门一直是紧闭的，直到我走也没见过他的面。除此之外，这个帮我搬行李的小老印还有另外两个他叫做cook的小老印也住在那儿。3个小老印一间，马来西亚guest一间，剩下一间就是我的了。客厅还算干净，走进卧室一看，床铺得很整齐，可是掀开床罩一看，白色的床单和枕套上到处都是锈色的stain，毯子也像是不知被多少人盖过似的。床罩是深色的大花，看不出来脏还是干净。我的卧室倒是带有卫生间，可是里面空空如也，没有任何洗漱用品。我经过20多小时的颠簸，本想好好洗个热水澡美美睡上一觉的，这一看，让我的心情一下沉到冰点。这时，公司的Security Manager打电话来check我有没有安全到达，我趁机complain了一把，可惜被告知HR管这事的人整个周末都不在，让我今晚就先在guest house住下，明天再作打算。看看时间都快一点了，我也不知道哪里有hotel，只好作罢，心想只能将就一晚，明天一定要搬去住hotel。
后来得知这个给我拿行李的小老印其实是door boy，有些像佣人一样，是专门为住在guest house里的guest服务的。那两个cook也是专门为guest烧饭的。
看着床单实在是恶心，我跑去问door boy有没有干净床单。door boy的英文很不灵，每每还要叫cook出来帮忙给他做翻译，原来并不是每个老印的英文都很好的，也只有受过一定教育的老印英文才比较流利。door boy最终搞明白之后打看柜子拿出所有的床单，我看看都半斤八两，只能作罢。这时cook指着他们身上盖着的那一条说你是不是想要这条。我看着他惊讶得都说不出话来了，心想这也许就是culture shock吧，他们把自己的东西让给你，对于他们来说，可能是最好的礼物。可对于我来说，这是根本就不可能接受的东西。我连忙谢过说不用了，回到了自己的房间。
看着肮脏的毯子，虽然我已十分的疲乏，可就是不想睡在那张床上。于是我又抱着我的电脑回到客厅。客厅里可以接线上网，打开电脑连上网，发现我的电池剩下不多了，而印度的插座和美国的完全两样，是那种三个圆圆孔的。虽然我老爸有先知之明，给我带了插头转换器，还说他在英国就用这种，想来印度曾是英国的殖民地，因该差不了多少。可是他给我的插头转换器都是扁角的，怎么也对不上号啊，郁闷！只能在有限的电池下尽量高效率的工作了，我先在网上找到我在美国的同事，让他们帮我打听了他们一般出差来住的旅馆。然后又在网上找到了旅馆的预定电话以及价格。然后发信给我老板以及印度这边的HR和Dev Manager，告诉他们目前的住宿条件不acceptable，明天我要换去住旅馆。再给我老爸老妈发信告诉他们我已平安到达班加罗尔，一切都还好，让他们放心。期间door boy都时不时地出来问我有什么事要他做的，我因为心情不好，脸色可能有些臭臭的，小老印看着我一幅紧张的有些不知所措的样子。我想这事跟他没有什么关系啊，是HR的人办事不力啊，于是笑笑对他说，那你去给我拿杯水，然后早点去睡吧，我没事的。小老印从桌上拿起一个一看就是被他们自己刚用过的还盛着半杯水的杯子，拿到水龙头下冲了一下，又到了一杯水给我拿来了。我看看他说，没事了，你去睡吧。小老印回屋睡了，我在厅里一直待到电池耗尽为止，而那杯水也一直原封未动待在餐厅的桌角上。
回到房间里，反锁上门，我对着床发愁。口渴得要命，可是不敢喝小老印到的水，来之前所有人都警告说印度的水不可以乱喝的。想起来包里还有一小盒飞机上带下来的水，连忙拿出一饮而尽。卧室正对着铁路，每隔一阵，就会有一辆火车拉着长笛喧嚣而过。不敢睡在床单上，也不想用毯子，床罩花花的看不出脏不脏，就扯了两条，一条垫在身下当床单，一条盖在身上，再拿出我自己的外套盖在上面。我和衣蜷缩在两层床罩中，睁着眼睛在黑夜里瞪着天花板，想想发生的一切，滚烫的泪水不由自主地就滑落下来。我一面安慰自己明天就会好的，一面警告自己，本来就渴，还把体内的水分就这么浪费了，多不值啊。就这样，在火车的轰鸣声中，我迷迷糊糊地睡着了。
20分钟后，车子驶入一个有警卫的大门。一个光着脚板的小老印下楼来接我，带着我和我的行李到了三楼。进了门，我才发觉guest house和我想的相差甚远，印度公司的HR没有告诉我这是一个3 bedrooms apartment，而且除了我之外，还有另一个听说是从马来西亚来的所谓guest也住在那，只是他的房门一直是紧闭的，直到我走也没见过他的面。除此之外，这个帮我搬行李的小老印还有另外两个他叫做cook的小老印也住在那儿。3个小老印一间，马来西亚guest一间，剩下一间就是我的了。客厅还算干净，走进卧室一看，床铺得很整齐，可是掀开床罩一看，白色的床单和枕套上到处都是锈色的stain，毯子也像是不知被多少人盖过似的。床罩是深色的大花，看不出来脏还是干净。我的卧室倒是带有卫生间，可是里面空空如也，没有任何洗漱用品。我经过20多小时的颠簸，本想好好洗个热水澡美美睡上一觉的，这一看，让我的心情一下沉到冰点。这时，公司的Security Manager打电话来check我有没有安全到达，我趁机complain了一把，可惜被告知HR管这事的人整个周末都不在，让我今晚就先在guest house住下，明天再作打算。看看时间都快一点了，我也不知道哪里有hotel，只好作罢，心想只能将就一晚，明天一定要搬去住hotel。
后来得知这个给我拿行李的小老印其实是door boy，有些像佣人一样，是专门为住在guest house里的guest服务的。那两个cook也是专门为guest烧饭的。
看着床单实在是恶心，我跑去问door boy有没有干净床单。door boy的英文很不灵，每每还要叫cook出来帮忙给他做翻译，原来并不是每个老印的英文都很好的，也只有受过一定教育的老印英文才比较流利。door boy最终搞明白之后打看柜子拿出所有的床单，我看看都半斤八两，只能作罢。这时cook指着他们身上盖着的那一条说你是不是想要这条。我看着他惊讶得都说不出话来了，心想这也许就是culture shock吧，他们把自己的东西让给你，对于他们来说，可能是最好的礼物。可对于我来说，这是根本就不可能接受的东西。我连忙谢过说不用了，回到了自己的房间。
看着肮脏的毯子，虽然我已十分的疲乏，可就是不想睡在那张床上。于是我又抱着我的电脑回到客厅。客厅里可以接线上网，打开电脑连上网，发现我的电池剩下不多了，而印度的插座和美国的完全两样，是那种三个圆圆孔的。虽然我老爸有先知之明，给我带了插头转换器，还说他在英国就用这种，想来印度曾是英国的殖民地，因该差不了多少。可是他给我的插头转换器都是扁角的，怎么也对不上号啊，郁闷！只能在有限的电池下尽量高效率的工作了，我先在网上找到我在美国的同事，让他们帮我打听了他们一般出差来住的旅馆。然后又在网上找到了旅馆的预定电话以及价格。然后发信给我老板以及印度这边的HR和Dev Manager，告诉他们目前的住宿条件不acceptable，明天我要换去住旅馆。再给我老爸老妈发信告诉他们我已平安到达班加罗尔，一切都还好，让他们放心。期间door boy都时不时地出来问我有什么事要他做的，我因为心情不好，脸色可能有些臭臭的，小老印看着我一幅紧张的有些不知所措的样子。我想这事跟他没有什么关系啊，是HR的人办事不力啊，于是笑笑对他说，那你去给我拿杯水，然后早点去睡吧，我没事的。小老印从桌上拿起一个一看就是被他们自己刚用过的还盛着半杯水的杯子，拿到水龙头下冲了一下，又到了一杯水给我拿来了。我看看他说，没事了，你去睡吧。小老印回屋睡了，我在厅里一直待到电池耗尽为止，而那杯水也一直原封未动待在餐厅的桌角上。
回到房间里，反锁上门，我对着床发愁。口渴得要命，可是不敢喝小老印到的水，来之前所有人都警告说印度的水不可以乱喝的。想起来包里还有一小盒飞机上带下来的水，连忙拿出一饮而尽。卧室正对着铁路，每隔一阵，就会有一辆火车拉着长笛喧嚣而过。不敢睡在床单上，也不想用毯子，床罩花花的看不出脏不脏，就扯了两条，一条垫在身下当床单，一条盖在身上，再拿出我自己的外套盖在上面。我和衣蜷缩在两层床罩中，睁着眼睛在黑夜里瞪着天花板，想想发生的一切，滚烫的泪水不由自主地就滑落下来。我一面安慰自己明天就会好的，一面警告自己，本来就渴，还把体内的水分就这么浪费了，多不值啊。就这样，在火车的轰鸣声中，我迷迷糊糊地睡着了。
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Bangalore Diary （4） -- 接机
出了机场，差不多快半夜十二点了。公司派了车来接我，说有司机会举着写了我名字的牌子在机场外等我。我拖着我的大箱子，疲惫不堪的走出了机场小楼。一出门，我不禁又倒抽一口气，楼外黑压压一片，到处都是举着牌子的老印，而且，全是清一色男性。我顺着过道一步一步挪过去仔细看着两旁的牌子，生怕错过写着我名字的那一张，但走了一圈后还是没有找着。只好拖着我的大箱子返回再从头来过。只觉得所有的眼睛都齐刷刷的盯在我身上，班加罗尔在印度的南部，所以这里的老印都比较黑，衬托之下就显得他们的眼白特别白，感觉黑夜下一双双眼白瞪着我，让我觉得背后凉飕飕的。因为我来回走了两次，有人以为我没车，企图把我揽去坐他的车子，让我不仅又concern起我的安全问题来。好在这时，我看到了写有我名字的牌子，只是司机把我当男生了，写了一个大大的“MR”，怪不得我第一次错过了！
紧赶慢赶得跟着司机，向我们的车走去。机场外根本就没有什么停车场，车子全部都随便停在马路两旁，使本来就不怎么宽敞的马路显得更为拥挤，交通秩序非常混乱，到处都是喇叭鸣笛声。街道两旁也十分破旧，感觉一点也不像刚走出一个城市的国际机场，而像是进了中国某农村的长途汽车站。在高低不平的路上走了大约３分钟，司机把我带到了车旁，车子停在一厂房门口，门口正有几个小老印在装货。司机发动起车来后发觉我们给那装货的卡车堵在里面根本出不去，于是下去和那几个搬货的小老印去交涉。他们叽里呱啦地说着Hindi，我是一头雾水，不过看那架势，货车是不会让了。小老印又从厂门内叫出一中老印，司机又上前去和他交涉了半天，估计这中老印该是这个厂的领导干部之类的。还是领导干部好说话，只见他手指挥了挥，货车就稍稍移动了一点，给我们留下个极其狭窄的缝隙，正好让我们的车子可以驶出。终于又上路了！
紧赶慢赶得跟着司机，向我们的车走去。机场外根本就没有什么停车场，车子全部都随便停在马路两旁，使本来就不怎么宽敞的马路显得更为拥挤，交通秩序非常混乱，到处都是喇叭鸣笛声。街道两旁也十分破旧，感觉一点也不像刚走出一个城市的国际机场，而像是进了中国某农村的长途汽车站。在高低不平的路上走了大约３分钟，司机把我带到了车旁，车子停在一厂房门口，门口正有几个小老印在装货。司机发动起车来后发觉我们给那装货的卡车堵在里面根本出不去，于是下去和那几个搬货的小老印去交涉。他们叽里呱啦地说着Hindi，我是一头雾水，不过看那架势，货车是不会让了。小老印又从厂门内叫出一中老印，司机又上前去和他交涉了半天，估计这中老印该是这个厂的领导干部之类的。还是领导干部好说话，只见他手指挥了挥，货车就稍稍移动了一点，给我们留下个极其狭窄的缝隙，正好让我们的车子可以驶出。终于又上路了！
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Bangalore Diary （3） -- 出发了
２００６年十一月十日上午六时，我拖着大大的行李箱出发去了上海浦东国际机场。因为对印度的不了解，我老爸老妈把什么都给我带上了。老爸去药店里给我配了治感冒和拉肚子的药，还专门去买了雷达蚊香片让我把家里的电蚊香一并带着，生怕他们的宝贝女儿被印度的蚊子咬了得疟疾。老妈给准备了充分的饼干和零食，还让我带上洗脸毛巾和洗澡大浴巾，说不知印度的东西是否干净。总之，我的大箱子里除了我为数不多的几件衣服，相机和一些小说，就是我老爸老妈沉甸甸的爱心了。
一整天没有睡觉，在飞机上和候机厅消耗了N顿meal以及３部半电影，飞机于当地时间１０点多降落于班加罗尔国际机场。一进入海关大厅，着实震惊了一把，一个字，破！（下次还是不要坐新航好了，从新航的班机出来，反差简直是太大了！）说是大厅，其实也就是一个小破屋子，灯光像是很没有力气的闪烁着，前边一排counter坐着三五个工作人员在审查入关的人，房间后面有几排椅子可供旅客坐下等候及休息用，椅子有些像国内大学学生食堂的长条椅，塑料靠背的，漆成了橘红色。椅子没有钉在地上，不小心一碰就歪在了一旁。墙上贴着几张有些剥落的大海报，写着“Welcome to India!”等字样！
印度的海关工作人员看来办事效率不高，经过漫长的等待，终于入了关来到Baggage Claim。等行李处是一片混乱，有两条行李带，可是问过后知道只有我们这一班航班，于是我不停的跑东跑西，不知我的爱心大箱会从哪一条行李带出来。等行李的地方不怎么通风，天气也颇为闷热，加上飞机上的印度餐，行李处充满了浓郁的印度气息，让我不觉得有些头疼起来。突然身边的老印开始叫了起来，夹杂着英文的Hindi，我大概猜测出是有人拿了他的行李就要走，让我的心不禁一紧，想我的箱子怎么还没出来啊，不会是因为在海关等候多时行李被人拿了吧！左等右等，行李也没有出来，我一整天没怎么睡觉，加上房间内空气闷热以及浓烈的印度气味，我觉我都快要趴在地上了。就在我快要撑不住时，我的视线里出现了那支绿色的Samsonite爱心大箱。谢天谢地，箱子还在，没有被人拿走，phew！
一整天没有睡觉，在飞机上和候机厅消耗了N顿meal以及３部半电影，飞机于当地时间１０点多降落于班加罗尔国际机场。一进入海关大厅，着实震惊了一把，一个字，破！（下次还是不要坐新航好了，从新航的班机出来，反差简直是太大了！）说是大厅，其实也就是一个小破屋子，灯光像是很没有力气的闪烁着，前边一排counter坐着三五个工作人员在审查入关的人，房间后面有几排椅子可供旅客坐下等候及休息用，椅子有些像国内大学学生食堂的长条椅，塑料靠背的，漆成了橘红色。椅子没有钉在地上，不小心一碰就歪在了一旁。墙上贴着几张有些剥落的大海报，写着“Welcome to India!”等字样！
印度的海关工作人员看来办事效率不高，经过漫长的等待，终于入了关来到Baggage Claim。等行李处是一片混乱，有两条行李带，可是问过后知道只有我们这一班航班，于是我不停的跑东跑西，不知我的爱心大箱会从哪一条行李带出来。等行李的地方不怎么通风，天气也颇为闷热，加上飞机上的印度餐，行李处充满了浓郁的印度气息，让我不觉得有些头疼起来。突然身边的老印开始叫了起来，夹杂着英文的Hindi，我大概猜测出是有人拿了他的行李就要走，让我的心不禁一紧，想我的箱子怎么还没出来啊，不会是因为在海关等候多时行李被人拿了吧！左等右等，行李也没有出来，我一整天没怎么睡觉，加上房间内空气闷热以及浓烈的印度气味，我觉我都快要趴在地上了。就在我快要撑不住时，我的视线里出现了那支绿色的Samsonite爱心大箱。谢天谢地，箱子还在，没有被人拿走，phew！
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Bangalore Diary （2） -- 准备工作
去之前就想好，既然那么难去一次印度，一定要好好利用一下这次机会，把能去玩的地方都好好看一看。于是兴冲冲的冲到上海最大的书店，准备买一本介绍印度的旅行手册。书店里有各式各样的自助旅行手册，亚洲的有去新马泰，缅甸，越南，尼泊尔等等，但找来找去，就是没有去印度的。问了书店的工作人员，发现他们就根本没有去印度的旅行手册，郁闷！看来还真没有什么中国人从中国去印度旅行的，不知是因为签证太困难，还是机票费太贵呢？
书买不着，只能自己在网上做功课了。先查了一下印度和中国的时差，发觉印度的时间设置得十分奇怪，和我所知的任何一个国家都不相同，它和中国差两个半小时，和美国西部时间差１３个半小时，不知它怎会有差半个小时的。还是我孤陋寡闻吧，不知还有什么其他国家也有差半个小时的。
在网上功课做得越多，心里越觉得凄凉。网上所有老中对印度的评论，几乎没有一个好的，都说那里又脏又破，尽是一些欺骗敲诈外国游客的故事，而且似乎还有安全问题。我连忙向我在印度的前同事发信，告诉他我大约的计划，结果被浇了一盆凉水，被告知不要一个人在印度旅行，即使是参加旅行社，也要和当地人同行才可。说得让我觉得去一次印度，犹如羊入虎口之感觉！于是我立马向我老板发信，向他表明我对安全问题的concern。没想到老板对我的concern十分重视，特地让印度的dev manager打电话给我，再三表明我去那不会有任何危险，出门都会有车接车送，若想要去shopping也尽量会找人陪同的，说得我不禁又飘飘然了，感觉自己像个VIP似的！
书买不着，只能自己在网上做功课了。先查了一下印度和中国的时差，发觉印度的时间设置得十分奇怪，和我所知的任何一个国家都不相同，它和中国差两个半小时，和美国西部时间差１３个半小时，不知它怎会有差半个小时的。还是我孤陋寡闻吧，不知还有什么其他国家也有差半个小时的。
在网上功课做得越多，心里越觉得凄凉。网上所有老中对印度的评论，几乎没有一个好的，都说那里又脏又破，尽是一些欺骗敲诈外国游客的故事，而且似乎还有安全问题。我连忙向我在印度的前同事发信，告诉他我大约的计划，结果被浇了一盆凉水，被告知不要一个人在印度旅行，即使是参加旅行社，也要和当地人同行才可。说得让我觉得去一次印度，犹如羊入虎口之感觉！于是我立马向我老板发信，向他表明我对安全问题的concern。没想到老板对我的concern十分重视，特地让印度的dev manager打电话给我，再三表明我去那不会有任何危险，出门都会有车接车送，若想要去shopping也尽量会找人陪同的，说得我不禁又飘飘然了，感觉自己像个VIP似的！
Monday, November 13, 2006
Bangalore Diary （１） -- 印度签证
因为回美的签证出了些岔子，老板又一直想让我去给我们公司在班加罗尔分公司的工程师作培训，于是就趁机派我去印度出差一个月。可能是因为射手座的关系，虽说一个人跑到这么个人生地不熟的地方心里总是有些惴惴不安，可还是止不住的兴奋。毕竟，第一，我的工作目前还是保住了，资本家们并没有因为我一时不能回去干活就把我一脚给踹开了，也同时证明了我还有被利用的价值。第二，印度毕竟是四大文明古国之一，虽说我对印度的了解寥寥无几，但就冲着那美丽的泰姬陵，我觉得也是要值得一去的。
于是老板一声令下，我就开始跑前跑后的去忙印度的签证和去班加罗尔的机票了。先打电话去印度大使馆咨询情况，因为我是从上海签，看看需要准备些什么材料。电话打过去是大使馆的中国工作人员接的，告诉我签证需要带上印度公司的邀请信，中国公司的派遣信，身份证，护照及签证费。我把我的情况一说明，工作人员就闷在那头了，其实我也只不过是说了我是一直在美国工作，没有了身份证而已。然后我的情况就被她定为不可以在中国申请去印度的签证，说什么因为没有身份证可以证明我的身份。我简直要被她的无知给气晕了，本人还是拿着中国护照的中国公民，护照难道不能证明我的身份了，简直岂有此理。和她理不清，只能第二天直接打电话给印度领事，领事听完我的申诉，操着浓重的印度口音，说没问题，来签吧。我问他需要什么材料，他只回答带钱就可以。
隔天拿到了印度分公司Fedex来的邀请函，我就直冲了印度大使馆。一直以为没有什么中国人会要去印度出差的，没想到去了后还颇有些人在，只能拿了号，坐下排队等。好在我随身带着我的手提电脑，打开搜索一番，居然有没有加密的无线上网，让我偷乐了好一伙儿。等待的时间就在网上浏览中消磨了。接受签证的是在印度大使馆工作的中国作人员，一番交涉，她又对我的情况搞不清楚了，我只好搬出印度领事，告诉她我已跟领事直接通过话，领事说没问题的。结果她还非要再去问一遍领事，出来后告诉我说，可以申请印度签证，但是我们公司想要我申请的两年内多次往返签证不可以申请，只能给我两个月的一次往返签证，说是所有中国公民都只能申请这一种签证。没辙，两月一次就两月一次吧，这次先去摸摸底再说吧。想不通为什么印度对中国卡得这么严，这么破的一个地方，谁会想留在那儿不成！
签证要三天后才能拿回，我开始在网上查机票。一直以为，中国离印度这么近，飞机应该５，６个小时就到的，从上海到新加坡也不过这点时间，班加罗尔还在新加坡的北面呢。结果看来中印的关系不怎么友好，除了签证的问题，似乎也没有直飞的飞机。看下来最满意的还是新航，早上８：４０从上海出发，在新加坡转机去班加罗尔，只是要在新加坡等６个小时，晚上当地时间１０点到达。加上等机时间，总共要花差不多１５，６个小时，比从旧金山飞回上海时间还长。而且票价也比从旧金山回上海还贵，差不多１０００多美刀！好在我的机票是公司可以报销的，也就乐得享受一下新航的超级服务了！
于是老板一声令下，我就开始跑前跑后的去忙印度的签证和去班加罗尔的机票了。先打电话去印度大使馆咨询情况，因为我是从上海签，看看需要准备些什么材料。电话打过去是大使馆的中国工作人员接的，告诉我签证需要带上印度公司的邀请信，中国公司的派遣信，身份证，护照及签证费。我把我的情况一说明，工作人员就闷在那头了，其实我也只不过是说了我是一直在美国工作，没有了身份证而已。然后我的情况就被她定为不可以在中国申请去印度的签证，说什么因为没有身份证可以证明我的身份。我简直要被她的无知给气晕了，本人还是拿着中国护照的中国公民，护照难道不能证明我的身份了，简直岂有此理。和她理不清，只能第二天直接打电话给印度领事，领事听完我的申诉，操着浓重的印度口音，说没问题，来签吧。我问他需要什么材料，他只回答带钱就可以。
隔天拿到了印度分公司Fedex来的邀请函，我就直冲了印度大使馆。一直以为没有什么中国人会要去印度出差的，没想到去了后还颇有些人在，只能拿了号，坐下排队等。好在我随身带着我的手提电脑，打开搜索一番，居然有没有加密的无线上网，让我偷乐了好一伙儿。等待的时间就在网上浏览中消磨了。接受签证的是在印度大使馆工作的中国作人员，一番交涉，她又对我的情况搞不清楚了，我只好搬出印度领事，告诉她我已跟领事直接通过话，领事说没问题的。结果她还非要再去问一遍领事，出来后告诉我说，可以申请印度签证，但是我们公司想要我申请的两年内多次往返签证不可以申请，只能给我两个月的一次往返签证，说是所有中国公民都只能申请这一种签证。没辙，两月一次就两月一次吧，这次先去摸摸底再说吧。想不通为什么印度对中国卡得这么严，这么破的一个地方，谁会想留在那儿不成！
签证要三天后才能拿回，我开始在网上查机票。一直以为，中国离印度这么近，飞机应该５，６个小时就到的，从上海到新加坡也不过这点时间，班加罗尔还在新加坡的北面呢。结果看来中印的关系不怎么友好，除了签证的问题，似乎也没有直飞的飞机。看下来最满意的还是新航，早上８：４０从上海出发，在新加坡转机去班加罗尔，只是要在新加坡等６个小时，晚上当地时间１０点到达。加上等机时间，总共要花差不多１５，６个小时，比从旧金山飞回上海时间还长。而且票价也比从旧金山回上海还贵，差不多１０００多美刀！好在我的机票是公司可以报销的，也就乐得享受一下新航的超级服务了！
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Moody
Feel very depressed today. Cried some. Very lonely. No one to rely on, everyone seems very distant, physically and mentally. Try to cheer myself up, but not working.
Stressed, cried more.
Feel my heart is hanging in the air by a very thin string, it sways back and forth, going to drop into the abyss.
Empty, lonely and helpless. Cried more.
Caught a cold, don't want to do anything. Easily gets annoyed. Bad mood.
Stressed, cried more.
Feel my heart is hanging in the air by a very thin string, it sways back and forth, going to drop into the abyss.
Empty, lonely and helpless. Cried more.
Caught a cold, don't want to do anything. Easily gets annoyed. Bad mood.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Bad lucks all come together
I'm stuck here now. I went to Guangzhou the day before for my visa interview, but I didn't get it. I was told that they need a background check on me even though I have been in and out of US for about 10 times with no background check needed before. I think the consular decided not to give me the visa even before he interviewed me. I don't know how long exactly the background check can take, I heard it could take up to 3 months or even longer, so I won't be able to go back to US right now. My work, my house, my life ...
My flight for coming back to Shanghai was delayed today, I waited for over 4 hours at the airport. All other flights coming back to Shanghai are on time except for mine. I finally got home at midnight.
I got diarrhea last night. It's not a very good feeling while you are having diarrhea on the airplane.
I'm mentally and physically very tired now. :(
My flight for coming back to Shanghai was delayed today, I waited for over 4 hours at the airport. All other flights coming back to Shanghai are on time except for mine. I finally got home at midnight.
I got diarrhea last night. It's not a very good feeling while you are having diarrhea on the airplane.
I'm mentally and physically very tired now. :(
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Barbary Coast Trail (7) -- Bank of Canton
The next stop on the map is Bank of Canton, which is located at 743 Washington Street (between Grant Avenue & Kearney Street). It took us quite some time to find it, because it's not Bank of Canton any more. In 2002, United Commercial Bank acquired Bank of Canton of California. That's why we kept passing the bank without noticing it until finally we matched the address of the bank.
The former Bank of Canton
The pagoda-like building on the corner of Grant Avenue and Washington Street is formerly occupied by the Bank of Canton. It was built in 1909 as the Chinatown telephone office. From 1894 to 1949 there was a Chinese language telephone service which operated independently of the central San Francisco exchange; calls were put through manually. In 1847 the first San Francisco newspaper, the "California Star", was printed here.
The former Bank of Canton
The pagoda-like building on the corner of Grant Avenue and Washington Street is formerly occupied by the Bank of Canton. It was built in 1909 as the Chinatown telephone office. From 1894 to 1949 there was a Chinese language telephone service which operated independently of the central San Francisco exchange; calls were put through manually. In 1847 the first San Francisco newspaper, the "California Star", was printed here.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Barbary Coast Trail (6) -- Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory
San Francisco Chinatown is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. Even though I'm Chinese, I have never really walked around Chinatown. So it's a great opportunity for me to explore the oldest and one of the most historic Chinatowns this time. Established in the 1850s, SF Chinatown has been featured in popular culture, such as in film, music, photography, and literature. To me, the Chinatown doesn't look like anywhere in modernized China, it only looks similar to those scenes I've seen in the movie which talks about China at the beginning of the 20th century. I guess there is not much change to Chinatown after it's built at the gold rush time, amazing!
There are all kinds of shops in Chinatown, I think you can get whatever you want here, from small daily use stuff like bowls or hair product to expensive watches or jewelries. What attracts people to shop here is that most of the stuff sold here are very cheap comparing to other stores' price. Since everything is made in China, I guess those store owners have their exclusive sources to import the goodies with a very cheap price. H bought a nice wooden Samurai sword for only 10 bucks. He carried it in his backpack with the sword head sticking out of the backpack. He looked like a Ninja to me for the rest of the day. :P
SF Chinatown History Timeline
In Chinatown, beside the Barbary Coast Trail bronze medallion, there is also this kind of Chinatown bronze sign embedded in the sidewalk. (My feet are not included with the sign. :P) Following this sign, we arrived at Rose Alley.
Here, tucked inside a storefront on tiny Ross Alley, some 20,000 fortune cookies a day are handmade by two women, each manning a conveyor belt of what look like miniature waffle irons. The factory opened in August 1962, and though there are other fortune cookie bakeries in the city, this is the only one where the cookies are still made by hand, the old-fashioned way.
There are all kinds of shops in Chinatown, I think you can get whatever you want here, from small daily use stuff like bowls or hair product to expensive watches or jewelries. What attracts people to shop here is that most of the stuff sold here are very cheap comparing to other stores' price. Since everything is made in China, I guess those store owners have their exclusive sources to import the goodies with a very cheap price. H bought a nice wooden Samurai sword for only 10 bucks. He carried it in his backpack with the sword head sticking out of the backpack. He looked like a Ninja to me for the rest of the day. :P
SF Chinatown History Timeline
In Chinatown, beside the Barbary Coast Trail bronze medallion, there is also this kind of Chinatown bronze sign embedded in the sidewalk. (My feet are not included with the sign. :P) Following this sign, we arrived at Rose Alley.
Here, tucked inside a storefront on tiny Ross Alley, some 20,000 fortune cookies a day are handmade by two women, each manning a conveyor belt of what look like miniature waffle irons. The factory opened in August 1962, and though there are other fortune cookie bakeries in the city, this is the only one where the cookies are still made by hand, the old-fashioned way.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Lost
A couple of days ago, I went to People's Square to meet some friends. I went there a little early so that I can walk around myself. It was Sunday, so there were many people on the square, young people making out on the park bench, kids rollerblading on the square, foreigners walking in and out of the Shanghai museum. It's very humid, hot and cloudy that day. Sky was pure grey the whole day.
I used to come to People Square a lot. My grandparent's house was only about a few blocks away from People Square, I came to visit them often when I was a little kid with my parents. But now their old house is replaced by a very expensive high rise building where no kid-memory was kept there. When I was in high school, I had to take bus to school everyday because my parent's house is very far from my high school. It's so far that we didn't have direct bus line from my home to the school, so I had to transfer at People Square. The bus is always always crowded. I remembered there are a few times that I tried to get off the bus, I squeezed myself out of the crowd to get to the door, but my big backpack was still stuck in the crowd behind me. I had to use all my strength trying to pull it out, a couple of times the straps was completely pulled broken off from the backpack.
I was walking around absently by myself with all the memories flashing back in front of my eyes. People were chatting, kids were screaming and laughing, buses were honking. I was surrounded by all kinds of noises. Suddenly I felt very lonely and lost.
Every time I come back to visit, I feel lost. Not that I don't know the streets any more, it's just that I don't feel I belong to here -- the place where I spent my childhood and youth. It's a weird feeling, I feel like I belong to nowhere, I don't feel this is my home, even though my parents are still living here. But I also don't feel that US is my home, because I don't have a family or root there. It is a very scary feeling, you feel yourself so tiny, and the tiny you can't find your spot in such a big universe. You were like a microorganism, floating in the air while nobody knows and cares.
Where do I belong to? Where is my spot?
I used to come to People Square a lot. My grandparent's house was only about a few blocks away from People Square, I came to visit them often when I was a little kid with my parents. But now their old house is replaced by a very expensive high rise building where no kid-memory was kept there. When I was in high school, I had to take bus to school everyday because my parent's house is very far from my high school. It's so far that we didn't have direct bus line from my home to the school, so I had to transfer at People Square. The bus is always always crowded. I remembered there are a few times that I tried to get off the bus, I squeezed myself out of the crowd to get to the door, but my big backpack was still stuck in the crowd behind me. I had to use all my strength trying to pull it out, a couple of times the straps was completely pulled broken off from the backpack.
I was walking around absently by myself with all the memories flashing back in front of my eyes. People were chatting, kids were screaming and laughing, buses were honking. I was surrounded by all kinds of noises. Suddenly I felt very lonely and lost.
Every time I come back to visit, I feel lost. Not that I don't know the streets any more, it's just that I don't feel I belong to here -- the place where I spent my childhood and youth. It's a weird feeling, I feel like I belong to nowhere, I don't feel this is my home, even though my parents are still living here. But I also don't feel that US is my home, because I don't have a family or root there. It is a very scary feeling, you feel yourself so tiny, and the tiny you can't find your spot in such a big universe. You were like a microorganism, floating in the air while nobody knows and cares.
Where do I belong to? Where is my spot?
Barbary Coast Trail (5) -- Old St. Mary’s Cathedral
Erected six years after the beginning of the Gold Rush. Towering over the corner of Grant Avenue and California Street is Old St. Mary's Cathedral, the first cathedral built in California, 1854. Just a block-and-a-half from the Chinatown Gate, Old St. Mary's also hosts a popular series of lunchtime classical chamber music concerts Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Old St. Mary's was designed by architects William Craine and Thomas England, who followed the instructions of the church's Bishop, Joseph Sadoc Alemany, to replicate a cathedral in his hometown of Vich, Spain. The new cathedral, built mostly with Chinese labor, had parapets on either flank, surmounted with embrasures and buttresses finished cut-stone pinnacles. Inside, a vaulted ceiling with groin arches rises above a Carrara marble altar imported from Rome.
The original plan included a steeple, but fear that an earthquake would send it toppling into the street led the designers to change the plans, leaving only a bell tower.
Granite, quarried in China, was used around the base of the structure to deflect rainwater, while bricks minted in New England for the outer walls came around Cape Horn as ship ballast.
In keeping with its tradition of community involvement, the church is home to several Twelve-Step groups and a vibrant gay and lesbian ministry, and holds a regular Saturday for Engaged Couples, a one-day, all-day series of presentations focusing the engaged couples' attention on the meaning of marriage from a Roman Catholic perspective.
Old St. Mary's was designed by architects William Craine and Thomas England, who followed the instructions of the church's Bishop, Joseph Sadoc Alemany, to replicate a cathedral in his hometown of Vich, Spain. The new cathedral, built mostly with Chinese labor, had parapets on either flank, surmounted with embrasures and buttresses finished cut-stone pinnacles. Inside, a vaulted ceiling with groin arches rises above a Carrara marble altar imported from Rome.
The original plan included a steeple, but fear that an earthquake would send it toppling into the street led the designers to change the plans, leaving only a bell tower.
Granite, quarried in China, was used around the base of the structure to deflect rainwater, while bricks minted in New England for the outer walls came around Cape Horn as ship ballast.
In keeping with its tradition of community involvement, the church is home to several Twelve-Step groups and a vibrant gay and lesbian ministry, and holds a regular Saturday for Engaged Couples, a one-day, all-day series of presentations focusing the engaged couples' attention on the meaning of marriage from a Roman Catholic perspective.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Barbary Coast Trail (4) -- Union Square
As soon as we found the first Bronze Medallion, it is a lot easier for us to identify the rest. The medallions are actually everywhere along the trail path -- huge, shiny, nicely engraved, very easy to follow.
Bronze Medallion
Following the bronze medallion, the next visiting spot is Union Square, which locates at Powell and Post.
Union Square is the heartbeat of San Francisco itself -- ever changing, eternally celebrating, yet firmly rooted in its glorious past. Two years before the Gold Rush, in 1847, Jasper O'Farrell created a design for San Francisco, with Union Square as a public plaza. By the 1880s, it was a fashionable residential district, and in 1903, the towering monument was added, topped by the bronze goddess Victory, modeled after Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, known for her enormous influence in the San Francisco art community. After the great earthquake of 1906, Union Square became San Francisco's premier shopping district, and, by the 1930s, the site of the world's first underground parking structure. Today, as a result of an international design competition and a $25 million renewal, Union Square is reborn. It's the obvious place to meet, enjoy coffee, or just let the world go by. Featured are a large central plaza with a terraced performance state and lawn seating...four grand entrance corners bordered by signature palms...a café pavilion with outdoor seating...visitor information and ticketing services...and four magnificent light sculptures; and, of course, Victory, surveying the vitality of one of the world's great cities.
Union Square. Macy's is right next to union square, and Cheese Cake Factory is on the top floor of the building.
Across Powell Street from Union Square, there is St Francis Hotel, which is the first hotel build around Union Square. It was first built in 1905. But just one year after it's built, in 1906, the great earthquake and fire destroyed all builds around union square. St Francis hotel was rebuilt and expanded after that.
St Francis Hotel
Timeline of Union Square history
Bronze Medallion
Following the bronze medallion, the next visiting spot is Union Square, which locates at Powell and Post.
Union Square is the heartbeat of San Francisco itself -- ever changing, eternally celebrating, yet firmly rooted in its glorious past. Two years before the Gold Rush, in 1847, Jasper O'Farrell created a design for San Francisco, with Union Square as a public plaza. By the 1880s, it was a fashionable residential district, and in 1903, the towering monument was added, topped by the bronze goddess Victory, modeled after Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, known for her enormous influence in the San Francisco art community. After the great earthquake of 1906, Union Square became San Francisco's premier shopping district, and, by the 1930s, the site of the world's first underground parking structure. Today, as a result of an international design competition and a $25 million renewal, Union Square is reborn. It's the obvious place to meet, enjoy coffee, or just let the world go by. Featured are a large central plaza with a terraced performance state and lawn seating...four grand entrance corners bordered by signature palms...a café pavilion with outdoor seating...visitor information and ticketing services...and four magnificent light sculptures; and, of course, Victory, surveying the vitality of one of the world's great cities.
Union Square. Macy's is right next to union square, and Cheese Cake Factory is on the top floor of the building.
Across Powell Street from Union Square, there is St Francis Hotel, which is the first hotel build around Union Square. It was first built in 1905. But just one year after it's built, in 1906, the great earthquake and fire destroyed all builds around union square. St Francis hotel was rebuilt and expanded after that.
St Francis Hotel
Timeline of Union Square history
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Barbary Coast Trail (3) -- Powell Street
The Cable car starting point is located at Powell and Market Street. I didn't really take Cable Car for visiting before; just like that I have stayed in Shanghai for so many years, I've never really been to the famous Yu Garden. 真是越近在眼前的东西越不怎么在意啊!
Until the day I walked the Barbary Coast trail, I just realized that I have been stupid for such a long time. I always thought that the cable car is just like the tram -- it is powered by the engine in the tram but runs along the rail. H was teasing me quite a lot on that. :P Now I learned that it runs by the cable underground. Of course, Cable car has to be run by Cable, literally, how stupid I was! The cable kept running underground all the time, the cable car just grabs the cable when it needs to run, and looses the grip and brakes when it needs to stop. It doesn't have a power inside at all! If you look closely between the gap of the rail, you can see the cable running underground. We did that a few times, staring at the ground to see how cable works, then people stopped next to us, trying to find out what we were looking at, they may wonder whether we found a gold mine there! :P A new gold rush age!
Cable car @ Powell street
It is also interesting to see how Cable car makes a U-Turn at the station. Since the rails (back and forth) are pretty close to each other, and cable car size is not small, it's kind of hard for Cable car to make a U-turn after it comes back to the station. So a big turning wheel with rail is built on the ground. The wheel's diameter is about the Cable car's size. And the rail is connected to the one side of rail first, when Cable car gets on the big wheel, the whole wheel will be turned certain degrees by human force, so that the rail will connect to the other side of rail and cable car can keep on going. It is pretty amazing to see how it works.
Walking along Powell street, there are very nice antique shops along the street. I love the window design there. Maybe I shall study to be a window designer.
The antique shop has lots of interesting stuff, like those very delicate carved elephant trunks, it looked to me like the very precious Chinese antiques. I wondered how they get those. By robbering or stealing from China during the Qing Dynasty?
In front of an antique shop.
Monkey A: Hear no evil
Monkey B: See no evil
Grace: Think no evil
Monkey C: Speak no evil
Until the day I walked the Barbary Coast trail, I just realized that I have been stupid for such a long time. I always thought that the cable car is just like the tram -- it is powered by the engine in the tram but runs along the rail. H was teasing me quite a lot on that. :P Now I learned that it runs by the cable underground. Of course, Cable car has to be run by Cable, literally, how stupid I was! The cable kept running underground all the time, the cable car just grabs the cable when it needs to run, and looses the grip and brakes when it needs to stop. It doesn't have a power inside at all! If you look closely between the gap of the rail, you can see the cable running underground. We did that a few times, staring at the ground to see how cable works, then people stopped next to us, trying to find out what we were looking at, they may wonder whether we found a gold mine there! :P A new gold rush age!
Cable car @ Powell street
It is also interesting to see how Cable car makes a U-Turn at the station. Since the rails (back and forth) are pretty close to each other, and cable car size is not small, it's kind of hard for Cable car to make a U-turn after it comes back to the station. So a big turning wheel with rail is built on the ground. The wheel's diameter is about the Cable car's size. And the rail is connected to the one side of rail first, when Cable car gets on the big wheel, the whole wheel will be turned certain degrees by human force, so that the rail will connect to the other side of rail and cable car can keep on going. It is pretty amazing to see how it works.
Walking along Powell street, there are very nice antique shops along the street. I love the window design there. Maybe I shall study to be a window designer.
The antique shop has lots of interesting stuff, like those very delicate carved elephant trunks, it looked to me like the very precious Chinese antiques. I wondered how they get those. By robbering or stealing from China during the Qing Dynasty?
In front of an antique shop.
Monkey A: Hear no evil
Monkey B: See no evil
Grace: Think no evil
Monkey C: Speak no evil
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Vacation!
I'm going back to China for about two and a half weeks. Pity that blogspot is blocked there, also some of other my favorite sites. :( But I'll try to use remote desktop to access those. :P
正好又是吃大闸蟹的季节，兴奋中！
正好又是吃大闸蟹的季节，兴奋中！
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Barbary Coast Trail (2) -- Hallidie Plaza
Hallidie Plaza
Hallidie Plaza is located at Powell and Market Street. I always pass that area, but have never known it has a name before. The cable car station is right next to the plaza. Therefore there are lots of street vendors who are selling souvenirs to the tourists around the plaza.
Some street performers dancing around Hillidie plaza. Behind it, it's my favorite store -- Forever 21. (有装嫩之嫌 :P)
Bronze medallion
We walked around Hallidie plaza, watched the street performance, and browsed the souvenirs. Right while we were enjoying our moment, we suddenly remembered that we haven't seen one bronze medallion yet. So we started our search. We looked at the street corner, and went to check under each street vender's cart. We had no idea how it should look like and how big it should be. In my imagination, it's a small round yellow thing, kind of rusted and dusted, lying in some corner unnoticeable. We went to ask the street vender, hoping that they may have ever seen such a thing. Sadly no one has ever heard of it. We were about to give up, then I noticed there is this huge shiny thing lying in the middle of the walkway. I didn't even think that will be it because it's so big and shiny, and nicely engraved. It just looked too good to be true. But it has "Barbary Coast Trail" boldly and clearly carved on it, THAT'S IT -- our "Barbary Coast Trail" bronze medallion! 踏破铁鞋无觅处，得来全不费功夫！
The first bronze medallion we found，one arrow pointing to the way we come from, the other pointing to the way we need to go. Very clear instruction, excellent road guide, not like the rocks piled up by the rangers in the national park, this road sign will always give you a correct direction!
Andrew Hallidie
Andrew Hallidie is the father of the cable car. He promoted the first cable line in the world, the Clay Street Hill Railroad.
Andrew was born in London. His father held several patents for the manufacture of metal wire ropes. Hallidie had hurt his health through overwork, so he and his father visited California in 1852. Later his father returned to Britain Hillidie remained in California. Andrew Hallidie mined, surveyed, blacksmithed, and built bridges. He became the first person to make wire rope in California. He built many suspension bridges in northern California. His cables were critical elements of suspension bridges, mine hauling systems, and an endless cable ropeway for industrial purposes which Hallidie patented in 1867. An important feature of the ropeway was a "grip wheel", a driving sheave with clips around its perimeter to keep the cable from slipping. Hallidie later used the grip wheel on the Clay Street Hill Railroad.
Various stories claim that Hallidie conceived of the idea of the cable railway while watching horses struggle to haul cars up Jackson Street, from Kearny to Stockton Street. The horses had to be whipped cruelly. They would sometimes slip and be dragged back down the hill. This may be true, but Hallidie took over an existing proposal for a cable railway from Benjamin H Brooks, who had not been able to find financing for his plan. In any event, Hallidie built a model cable railway and obtained financing from three partners. He received his first cable car-related patent on 17-Jan-1871. He had surveyed California Street for his line, but decided that it would be less expensive to build on Clay Street, and that Clay Street came closer to the peak of Nob Hill and so would offer a better demonstration of the system. Hallidie and his partners worked hard to sell stock in the line and did not have much success. The line and the grip which bears Hallidie's name were designed by engineer William E Eppelsheimer. The franchise demanded that a test run take place no later than 01-Aug-1873. The first test run actually took place early in the morning on 02-Aug-1873, but the city did not void the franchise. Most accounts say that the first gripman hired by Hallidie looked down the steep hill from Jones and refused to operate the car, so Hallidie took the grip himself and ran the car down the hill and up again without any problems. The line started regular service on 01-Sep-1873 and was a financial success. Hallidie's patents, managed by a Cable Railway Trust, made him rich.
Hallidie Plaza is located at Powell and Market Street. I always pass that area, but have never known it has a name before. The cable car station is right next to the plaza. Therefore there are lots of street vendors who are selling souvenirs to the tourists around the plaza.
Some street performers dancing around Hillidie plaza. Behind it, it's my favorite store -- Forever 21. (有装嫩之嫌 :P)
Bronze medallion
We walked around Hallidie plaza, watched the street performance, and browsed the souvenirs. Right while we were enjoying our moment, we suddenly remembered that we haven't seen one bronze medallion yet. So we started our search. We looked at the street corner, and went to check under each street vender's cart. We had no idea how it should look like and how big it should be. In my imagination, it's a small round yellow thing, kind of rusted and dusted, lying in some corner unnoticeable. We went to ask the street vender, hoping that they may have ever seen such a thing. Sadly no one has ever heard of it. We were about to give up, then I noticed there is this huge shiny thing lying in the middle of the walkway. I didn't even think that will be it because it's so big and shiny, and nicely engraved. It just looked too good to be true. But it has "Barbary Coast Trail" boldly and clearly carved on it, THAT'S IT -- our "Barbary Coast Trail" bronze medallion! 踏破铁鞋无觅处，得来全不费功夫！
The first bronze medallion we found，one arrow pointing to the way we come from, the other pointing to the way we need to go. Very clear instruction, excellent road guide, not like the rocks piled up by the rangers in the national park, this road sign will always give you a correct direction!
Andrew Hallidie
Andrew Hallidie is the father of the cable car. He promoted the first cable line in the world, the Clay Street Hill Railroad.
Andrew was born in London. His father held several patents for the manufacture of metal wire ropes. Hallidie had hurt his health through overwork, so he and his father visited California in 1852. Later his father returned to Britain Hillidie remained in California. Andrew Hallidie mined, surveyed, blacksmithed, and built bridges. He became the first person to make wire rope in California. He built many suspension bridges in northern California. His cables were critical elements of suspension bridges, mine hauling systems, and an endless cable ropeway for industrial purposes which Hallidie patented in 1867. An important feature of the ropeway was a "grip wheel", a driving sheave with clips around its perimeter to keep the cable from slipping. Hallidie later used the grip wheel on the Clay Street Hill Railroad.
Various stories claim that Hallidie conceived of the idea of the cable railway while watching horses struggle to haul cars up Jackson Street, from Kearny to Stockton Street. The horses had to be whipped cruelly. They would sometimes slip and be dragged back down the hill. This may be true, but Hallidie took over an existing proposal for a cable railway from Benjamin H Brooks, who had not been able to find financing for his plan. In any event, Hallidie built a model cable railway and obtained financing from three partners. He received his first cable car-related patent on 17-Jan-1871. He had surveyed California Street for his line, but decided that it would be less expensive to build on Clay Street, and that Clay Street came closer to the peak of Nob Hill and so would offer a better demonstration of the system. Hallidie and his partners worked hard to sell stock in the line and did not have much success. The line and the grip which bears Hallidie's name were designed by engineer William E Eppelsheimer. The franchise demanded that a test run take place no later than 01-Aug-1873. The first test run actually took place early in the morning on 02-Aug-1873, but the city did not void the franchise. Most accounts say that the first gripman hired by Hallidie looked down the steep hill from Jones and refused to operate the car, so Hallidie took the grip himself and ran the car down the hill and up again without any problems. The line started regular service on 01-Sep-1873 and was a financial success. Hallidie's patents, managed by a Cable Railway Trust, made him rich.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Barbary Coast Trail (1) -- US Mint (Mission + 5th)
The U.S. Mint is the starting point of the Barbary Coast Trail. It locates at Mission and 5th ave. When I first heard about U.S. Mint, I was wondering why mint is so important in American history, because I don't think many people like to eat mint except for mint flavored gum. :P 后来才得知，此mint非彼mint啊！Mint has another meaning which I've never known before -- mint can also be a verb, to make coins out of metals.
The United States Mint at San Francisco plays an important role in US's coinage. Although it does not currently produce circulating coins, it is the exclusive manufacturer of regular proof and silver proof coin sets that set the standard for numismatic excellence with their brilliant artistry, fine craftsmanship and enduring quality. With the California Gold Rush underway in 1849, the United States Mint was overwhelmed with the task of turning all that gold into coins. Also, transporting it all to Philadelphia for coining was both time-consuming and hazardous. So in 1850, President Millard Fillmore recommended that a branch of the United States Mint be established in California. Congress approved the plan in 1852, and the San Francisco Mint was born. In 1854, the San Francisco Mint opened its doors and began converting miners' gold into coins, producing $4,084,207 in gold pieces by December of that first year alone. The new mint soon outgrew the small brick building in which it was housed. In 1874 it moved to an imposing new facility, with walls of stone, resembling an ancient Greek temple. The Mint's production of coins was uninterrupted for 32 years, until the disastrous earthquake of 1906. Because the gas works were partially destroyed, operations stopped temporarily. But the beautiful, solidly constructed Mint building survived both the earthquake and the ensuing firestorm. In fact, the Mint was the only financial institution capable of operating immediately after the disaster and became the treasury for disaster relief funds, performing other emergency banking services as well. Coining operations resumed soon afterward and continued in this building until 1937, when Mint workers moved to a larger, more modern facility, the present United States Mint at San Francisco. Today, the United States Mint at San Francisco does not accommodate visitors, as all space is needed for personnel and machinery.
The United States Mint at San Francisco plays an important role in US's coinage. Although it does not currently produce circulating coins, it is the exclusive manufacturer of regular proof and silver proof coin sets that set the standard for numismatic excellence with their brilliant artistry, fine craftsmanship and enduring quality. With the California Gold Rush underway in 1849, the United States Mint was overwhelmed with the task of turning all that gold into coins. Also, transporting it all to Philadelphia for coining was both time-consuming and hazardous. So in 1850, President Millard Fillmore recommended that a branch of the United States Mint be established in California. Congress approved the plan in 1852, and the San Francisco Mint was born. In 1854, the San Francisco Mint opened its doors and began converting miners' gold into coins, producing $4,084,207 in gold pieces by December of that first year alone. The new mint soon outgrew the small brick building in which it was housed. In 1874 it moved to an imposing new facility, with walls of stone, resembling an ancient Greek temple. The Mint's production of coins was uninterrupted for 32 years, until the disastrous earthquake of 1906. Because the gas works were partially destroyed, operations stopped temporarily. But the beautiful, solidly constructed Mint building survived both the earthquake and the ensuing firestorm. In fact, the Mint was the only financial institution capable of operating immediately after the disaster and became the treasury for disaster relief funds, performing other emergency banking services as well. Coining operations resumed soon afterward and continued in this building until 1937, when Mint workers moved to a larger, more modern facility, the present United States Mint at San Francisco. Today, the United States Mint at San Francisco does not accommodate visitors, as all space is needed for personnel and machinery.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Barbary Coast Trail -- Preface
Before the trail starts, let’s review some history of San Francisco.
The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California and the fourteenth-largest in the United States. It is located on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and has traditionally been the focal point of the San Francisco Bay Area.
October 9, 1776, the Spanish became the first Europeans to settle in San Francisco, establishing a mission named for Francis of Assisi. With the advent of the California Gold Rush in 1848, the city entered a period of rapid growth. After being devastated by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt and is today one of the most recognizable cities in the world.
Golden Gate Bridge
October 2000, Grace stepped on the land of San Francisco and started her career as a software engineer.
September 2006, Grace is still living in this area as a software engineer, but she discovered the Barbary Coast Trail and took a self guided tour. From that trail, she learned more things about San Francisco than what she has learned in the past 6 years! She starts to love this city more and more now!
The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California and the fourteenth-largest in the United States. It is located on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and has traditionally been the focal point of the San Francisco Bay Area.
October 9, 1776, the Spanish became the first Europeans to settle in San Francisco, establishing a mission named for Francis of Assisi. With the advent of the California Gold Rush in 1848, the city entered a period of rapid growth. After being devastated by the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Francisco was quickly rebuilt and is today one of the most recognizable cities in the world.
Golden Gate Bridge
October 2000, Grace stepped on the land of San Francisco and started her career as a software engineer.
September 2006, Grace is still living in this area as a software engineer, but she discovered the Barbary Coast Trail and took a self guided tour. From that trail, she learned more things about San Francisco than what she has learned in the past 6 years! She starts to love this city more and more now!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Barbary Coast Trail
Have you ever known that there is a marked trail in the city of San Francisco? Well, I have never heard of that until about two weeks ago, even though I have been in the Bay Area for about 6 years now. And yes, it is called "Barbary Coast Trail"!
What is "Barbary Coast Trail"? And why is it so special to be mentioned here? If you are a curious person as I am, you may already have googled it! But here, I will tell you my own expierence of this "Barbary Coast Trail", first handed! ;)
The Barbary Coast Trail is a 3.8 mile walk through the heart of historic San Francisco. As a pathway to San Francisco's past, a series of bronze medallions and arrows embedded in the sidewalk connect the trail’s 20 historic sites, which are shown in the following map (click on the map to see the whole map).
You may wonder now how I got to know about this trail, since I'm one of those kind who need to read "History for Dummies". :P But I have resources other than reading about it myself. My dearest friend H was surfing online and happened to see an introduction of this trail. He told me about it, I'm not particularly interested in history, but one thing really interests me is that you have to follow the bronze medallions to guide through all 20 historic sites. Since all medallions are embedded in the sidewalk, there is a good chance that they can be blocked by the street vender's cart. So you have to really look for them when you walk along the trail. Since neither of us knows how this medallion looks like, plus I just finished "Angle and Demon", the whole thing sounds an adventure to me. So we decided to explore the trail.
What is "Barbary Coast Trail"? And why is it so special to be mentioned here? If you are a curious person as I am, you may already have googled it! But here, I will tell you my own expierence of this "Barbary Coast Trail", first handed! ;)
The Barbary Coast Trail is a 3.8 mile walk through the heart of historic San Francisco. As a pathway to San Francisco's past, a series of bronze medallions and arrows embedded in the sidewalk connect the trail’s 20 historic sites, which are shown in the following map (click on the map to see the whole map).
You may wonder now how I got to know about this trail, since I'm one of those kind who need to read "History for Dummies". :P But I have resources other than reading about it myself. My dearest friend H was surfing online and happened to see an introduction of this trail. He told me about it, I'm not particularly interested in history, but one thing really interests me is that you have to follow the bronze medallions to guide through all 20 historic sites. Since all medallions are embedded in the sidewalk, there is a good chance that they can be blocked by the street vender's cart. So you have to really look for them when you walk along the trail. Since neither of us knows how this medallion looks like, plus I just finished "Angle and Demon", the whole thing sounds an adventure to me. So we decided to explore the trail.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
【寻找上海】巨鹿路 (旧文）
【寻找上海】巨鹿路 于2006.03
小时候总是喜欢去外婆家，外婆家在巨鹿路一弄八号二楼。解放前，整栋房子都是外公的，文革时分给了好几家住户，好在外婆和邻里的关系都出得不错，还时不时和隔壁阿杜阿尼的姆妈及住在亭子间的张师母一起搓麻将，还记得他们最大的赌注就是两毛钱。
那时候喜欢去外婆家玩是因为有和我年纪差不多的表弟，会和表弟一起在天井里玩好人坏人的游戏，我总是争着做好人的。有的时候外婆会给零花钱让我和表弟去弄堂门口的小卖部买雪糕吃。记得弄堂门口还有一个老虎灶，好像是两分钱一瓶热水吧，谁家想要洗澡了就会去老虎灶泡开水。水房和厨房一样，都在楼下，是公用的。不过每家都有自己的煤气灶，一到吃饭时间厨房里就挤得不可开交，邻里之间各显身手，楼道里飘满了百家香。
后来房子拆迁，外公外婆就搬来和我父母一起住了。刚开始时他们旧时的邻居还来我们家看过外公外婆，又过了些年，大家都上了年纪，不怎么来往了，也就外婆偶尔会和他们通通电话。
我上大学时外公外婆都相继过时了，现在有时我还会想起他们，有时在梦中还会梦到巨鹿路一弄八号的老石窟门房子。只可惜那老房子早就不在了，取而代之的是一栋高楼。我也还是喜欢我记忆中的巨鹿路。
小时候总是喜欢去外婆家，外婆家在巨鹿路一弄八号二楼。解放前，整栋房子都是外公的，文革时分给了好几家住户，好在外婆和邻里的关系都出得不错，还时不时和隔壁阿杜阿尼的姆妈及住在亭子间的张师母一起搓麻将，还记得他们最大的赌注就是两毛钱。
那时候喜欢去外婆家玩是因为有和我年纪差不多的表弟，会和表弟一起在天井里玩好人坏人的游戏，我总是争着做好人的。有的时候外婆会给零花钱让我和表弟去弄堂门口的小卖部买雪糕吃。记得弄堂门口还有一个老虎灶，好像是两分钱一瓶热水吧，谁家想要洗澡了就会去老虎灶泡开水。水房和厨房一样，都在楼下，是公用的。不过每家都有自己的煤气灶，一到吃饭时间厨房里就挤得不可开交，邻里之间各显身手，楼道里飘满了百家香。
后来房子拆迁，外公外婆就搬来和我父母一起住了。刚开始时他们旧时的邻居还来我们家看过外公外婆，又过了些年，大家都上了年纪，不怎么来往了，也就外婆偶尔会和他们通通电话。
我上大学时外公外婆都相继过时了，现在有时我还会想起他们，有时在梦中还会梦到巨鹿路一弄八号的老石窟门房子。只可惜那老房子早就不在了，取而代之的是一栋高楼。我也还是喜欢我记忆中的巨鹿路。
Friday, October 06, 2006
雨
今年的雨季似乎来得格外的早，才刚刚到10月份，就开始阴雨连绵了。年初的雨停得也比往年晚很多，夏天只有短短的两三个月，白白守着这么好一个游泳池和jacuzzi，整整一年只下了一趟水，可真有点辜负了住这么luxary apartment的房租了。
并不是很喜欢雨天，潮湿的气候总是令人心情不好，像天空一样灰蒙蒙的。唯一喜欢下雨的时候是在闷热的夏天午后，狂风大作，大颗大颗的雨点打在窗台上，并从未关紧的窗缝中延伸进来，溅上一桌子的水。那时最惬意的事就是躺在已经陈旧的发黑的竹席上睡午觉了。身下冰凉的竹席，身上裹着单薄的毛巾被，听着密集的雨点声，总能让人迅速进入梦乡去神游四方。一觉醒来雨停了，可以闻见空气中湿润的青草气息，令人神清气爽。屋外的建筑，树木，经过雨水的冲刷，显得格外的鲜明，似乎整个世界也变的美丽起来。
黄梅雨季是最让心烦的季节了。雨总是稀稀拉拉的下个不停，像小姑娘受到了小伙子的邀请，想要去dating，却扭扭捏捏的不给人一句痛快话，不如夏日午后的雷阵雨那样来得痛快淋漓。梅雨季节的天气十分闷热，即使刚洗过澡，也会觉得身上粘唧唧的，衣服总是贴着皮肤，很不爽，头发似乎也总是油的出水，恨不得全剃光了的好。晚上睡觉盖着被子，也觉得潮乎乎的，到处散发着一股霉味，也许叫做“黄霉雨季”更为恰当。
加洲是没有黄梅雨季的，夏天是旱季，自然也没有了夏日午后的雷阵雨。加州的雨总是在天气微凉的晚秋开始细细密密的下下来，延续一整个冬天，也使草地由夏天的枯黄转为初春的嫩绿。因为怕冷，所以不喜欢冬雨。冬雨给人一种极其萧瑟的感觉，每当想起冬雨，出现在眼前的就是这样一幅画。大雨下在偌大一个空空旷旷的停车场上，到处白花花的一片，几棵小树撑着光秃秃的枝杈孤零零的矗立在停车场上，让人觉得手脚冰凉，不尽想把冬衣裹紧再裹紧。
晚秋的雨却是另有一番情趣。喜欢散步在晚秋雨中的林荫道上，因为有树叶挡着，不怎么会淋湿，只是偶尔会有在树叶上聚积的大滴雨点落入脖子，冰的让人不禁打一个寒颤。走累了在树下稍稍停留，深吸一口气闻闻青草的香味，缓缓吐出可以看见嘴前的那片白雾，知道是深秋了。街上积了水，如果是傍晚，可以看见倒映在水中的街灯，橙橙黄黄，影影烁烁，十分美丽。只可惜加州基本上只有冬夏两季而没有什么秋天的，趁着冬天来临前好好享受这秋雨吧！
并不是很喜欢雨天，潮湿的气候总是令人心情不好，像天空一样灰蒙蒙的。唯一喜欢下雨的时候是在闷热的夏天午后，狂风大作，大颗大颗的雨点打在窗台上，并从未关紧的窗缝中延伸进来，溅上一桌子的水。那时最惬意的事就是躺在已经陈旧的发黑的竹席上睡午觉了。身下冰凉的竹席，身上裹着单薄的毛巾被，听着密集的雨点声，总能让人迅速进入梦乡去神游四方。一觉醒来雨停了，可以闻见空气中湿润的青草气息，令人神清气爽。屋外的建筑，树木，经过雨水的冲刷，显得格外的鲜明，似乎整个世界也变的美丽起来。
黄梅雨季是最让心烦的季节了。雨总是稀稀拉拉的下个不停，像小姑娘受到了小伙子的邀请，想要去dating，却扭扭捏捏的不给人一句痛快话，不如夏日午后的雷阵雨那样来得痛快淋漓。梅雨季节的天气十分闷热，即使刚洗过澡，也会觉得身上粘唧唧的，衣服总是贴着皮肤，很不爽，头发似乎也总是油的出水，恨不得全剃光了的好。晚上睡觉盖着被子，也觉得潮乎乎的，到处散发着一股霉味，也许叫做“黄霉雨季”更为恰当。
加洲是没有黄梅雨季的，夏天是旱季，自然也没有了夏日午后的雷阵雨。加州的雨总是在天气微凉的晚秋开始细细密密的下下来，延续一整个冬天，也使草地由夏天的枯黄转为初春的嫩绿。因为怕冷，所以不喜欢冬雨。冬雨给人一种极其萧瑟的感觉，每当想起冬雨，出现在眼前的就是这样一幅画。大雨下在偌大一个空空旷旷的停车场上，到处白花花的一片，几棵小树撑着光秃秃的枝杈孤零零的矗立在停车场上，让人觉得手脚冰凉，不尽想把冬衣裹紧再裹紧。
晚秋的雨却是另有一番情趣。喜欢散步在晚秋雨中的林荫道上，因为有树叶挡着，不怎么会淋湿，只是偶尔会有在树叶上聚积的大滴雨点落入脖子，冰的让人不禁打一个寒颤。走累了在树下稍稍停留，深吸一口气闻闻青草的香味，缓缓吐出可以看见嘴前的那片白雾，知道是深秋了。街上积了水，如果是傍晚，可以看见倒映在水中的街灯，橙橙黄黄，影影烁烁，十分美丽。只可惜加州基本上只有冬夏两季而没有什么秋天的，趁着冬天来临前好好享受这秋雨吧！
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Fragile Love
She asked "Do you love me?"
He answered "Yes, I love you, very much!" He didn't lie, he does love her indeed, but his love has nothing to do with family and responsibility.
Love, void and immaterialized, is what he can give her. Family and responsibility, real and materialized, are NOT what he can provide her.
She understands that the relationship between them cannot afford anything, not even the touch of breeze. It's so fragile, like a sand castle carelessly built up by a kid, any external force, even just a little puppy tottering by, it will collapse completely. The only thing which still ties them together is their passion and love, she has never loved anyone like she does for him, she thinks this is the true love, at least from her side. But passion will fade, love can die too, there is no other bond between them. Like a loosely tied knot, with the gentlest touch, it will fall into two parts.
He answered "Yes, I love you, very much!" He didn't lie, he does love her indeed, but his love has nothing to do with family and responsibility.
Love, void and immaterialized, is what he can give her. Family and responsibility, real and materialized, are NOT what he can provide her.
She understands that the relationship between them cannot afford anything, not even the touch of breeze. It's so fragile, like a sand castle carelessly built up by a kid, any external force, even just a little puppy tottering by, it will collapse completely. The only thing which still ties them together is their passion and love, she has never loved anyone like she does for him, she thinks this is the true love, at least from her side. But passion will fade, love can die too, there is no other bond between them. Like a loosely tied knot, with the gentlest touch, it will fall into two parts.
Friday, September 15, 2006
意义与过程
人生的终点是死，是空无，在终点找不到意义。于是我们只好说：意义在于过程。
可是，当过程也背叛我们的时候，我们又把眼光投向终点，安慰自己说：既然结局一样，何必在乎过程？
I guess human being is just a contradictory animal, which always try to find any excuse for their unreasonable behaviors.
归根结底，我觉得人就是一矛盾体，还不停的给自己任何的行为找理由罢了。
可是，当过程也背叛我们的时候，我们又把眼光投向终点，安慰自己说：既然结局一样，何必在乎过程？
I guess human being is just a contradictory animal, which always try to find any excuse for their unreasonable behaviors.
归根结底，我觉得人就是一矛盾体，还不停的给自己任何的行为找理由罢了。
幸福
世上还是有幸福的，那就是我们业已失去的一些非常平凡的价值。在病人眼里，健康是福。在受难者眼里，平安是福。可是，在我们尚未失去它们时，我们却并不引以为幸福。人心固重难而轻易，舍近而求远，所以幸福是难的。
逃避
身处一种旷日持久的灾难之中，为了同这灾难拉开一个心理距离，可以有种种办法。乐观者会尽量“朝前看”，把眼光投向雨过天晴的未来，看到灾难的暂时性，从而怀抱一种希望。悲观者会尽量居高临下地“俯视”灾难，把它放在人生虚无的大背景下来看，看破人间祸福的无谓，从而产生一种超脱的心境。倘若我们既非乐观的诗人，亦非悲观的哲人，而只是得过且过的普通人，我们仍然可以甚至必然有意无意地掉头不看眼前的灾难，尽量把注意力放在生活中尚存的别的欢乐上，哪怕是些极琐屑的欢乐，只要我们还活着，这类欢乐是任何灾难都不能把它们彻底消灭掉的。所有这些办法，实质上都是逃避，而逃避常常是必要的。
如果我们骄傲得不肯逃避，或者沉重得不能逃避，怎么办呢？
剩下的唯一办法是忍。
我们终于发现，忍受不可忍受的灾难是人类的命运。接着我们又发现，只要咬牙忍受，世上并无不可忍受的灾难。
摘自周国平经典作品 《妞妞：一个父亲的札记》
如果我们骄傲得不肯逃避，或者沉重得不能逃避，怎么办呢？
剩下的唯一办法是忍。
我们终于发现，忍受不可忍受的灾难是人类的命运。接着我们又发现，只要咬牙忍受，世上并无不可忍受的灾难。
摘自周国平经典作品 《妞妞：一个父亲的札记》
Monday, September 11, 2006
Chaotic minds
Life is just like a running river. It rushes through the earth, doesn't even have enough time to pause a little so that it can smell the frangrance of the little wild flowers and enjoy the beautiful butterflies along the banks. I feel my life is out of pace right now, I want to buy some time, let it stop for me for a while, so I can think and act and gain control back of my own life.
It's my own fault to loose the control of my life, I was just being too lazy, don't want to take care of it, and let it go wherever it wants, now it's kinda out of my control, so I need to think a way to gain it back.
I feel like there are so many things in my mind, my life, my job, my relationship... My time seems always occupied, even though I don't feel like that I have accomplished anything. I read my blog from a year ago, I don't feel like I grow any wiser in the past year, my life seems staying in the same spot, I still feel like I'm wasting my precious life. I really feel the urgent to take a break and to think it through now.
What will be my future like? What will you see when you think of your future? Big house? Stable life? Interesting job? Someone you love and who loves you next to you? That's what I want, but that's not what I see. Sometime, the image of my future just flashes in front of my eyes unexpectedly, without me knowing it or thinking about it. Especially when I'm in a semi-unconscious state, like just before I fall into sleep, or sometime when I read the word "future", it will appear, like a mirage -- I saw myself standing on a big cruise, wind blows on my short hair and white wind coat. The cruise tours around the world, it goes around and around, but never stops. I know I always want to travel the world, but I feel there is something not right in the image, I don't see smile on my face, I'm standing there by myself with all the people partying around me, but I feel extremey lonely. Even though I see the world, but no one is there to share with. This image really scares me, is that the life I want? Is that the life I'll get? I hope not!
My friend asked me how far I can go to get what I want in a relationship? How much can I bear with or sacrifice in order to get it? I don't know, I don't have a clear answer. I guess as a pessimistic and passive person, I just do whatever I can until the day I cannot bear with it any more. When you are first in a relationship, you only see the happiness, if we live in a fairy tale, it will be happy ever after. Too bad I'm not Snow White or Cinderella, I have to deal with the frustration, sadess and depression. Then there will be more and more frustration, until it reaches a point that it weighs as much as the happiness, now what will you do? Give it up or hope it will turn around? Everyone will wish it turns around. Sometime even though you think you see the result, but you still want to hang on it, you just can't let it go because it will break the heart. With the time passing by, you are getting more used to it, then maybe one day, you can't bear with it any more, or you found out that love has already faded, even you say "Honey, I love you!", it's not from your deepest heart any more, it is just your daily routine. Then you think you really need to move on, but will you regret at that time because you spend so much time on something which doesn't have a future? Will you feel your life goal is getting further and further? Will you rather give it up when you think you see the result than give it up after going through all these suffering? But I know for most of people including myself, if I don't see the result clearly and vividly in front of my own eyes, it's hard to give it up, because you will always wonder whether it will turn around if you persist.
I have so many questions in my mind I don't know the solution. I was planning to go to some cemetery today and have a peaceful mind to think it through, but I didn't get the chance. I feel like I need to be alone for a while. I want to travel alone to some place, like a small town where nobody knows me and stay there for a couple of days. Maybe I can go to church and chat with the priest, listening to some totally unrelated person's opinion, he may see some important facts which I can never see myself as an insider.
I want to take a break, organize my life, learn something useful and new. I want to have an exciting, colorful and happy life, I want to have something interesting and memorable to write on my tombstone when I die. So many thoughts, how will I take action?
It's my own fault to loose the control of my life, I was just being too lazy, don't want to take care of it, and let it go wherever it wants, now it's kinda out of my control, so I need to think a way to gain it back.
I feel like there are so many things in my mind, my life, my job, my relationship... My time seems always occupied, even though I don't feel like that I have accomplished anything. I read my blog from a year ago, I don't feel like I grow any wiser in the past year, my life seems staying in the same spot, I still feel like I'm wasting my precious life. I really feel the urgent to take a break and to think it through now.
What will be my future like? What will you see when you think of your future? Big house? Stable life? Interesting job? Someone you love and who loves you next to you? That's what I want, but that's not what I see. Sometime, the image of my future just flashes in front of my eyes unexpectedly, without me knowing it or thinking about it. Especially when I'm in a semi-unconscious state, like just before I fall into sleep, or sometime when I read the word "future", it will appear, like a mirage -- I saw myself standing on a big cruise, wind blows on my short hair and white wind coat. The cruise tours around the world, it goes around and around, but never stops. I know I always want to travel the world, but I feel there is something not right in the image, I don't see smile on my face, I'm standing there by myself with all the people partying around me, but I feel extremey lonely. Even though I see the world, but no one is there to share with. This image really scares me, is that the life I want? Is that the life I'll get? I hope not!
My friend asked me how far I can go to get what I want in a relationship? How much can I bear with or sacrifice in order to get it? I don't know, I don't have a clear answer. I guess as a pessimistic and passive person, I just do whatever I can until the day I cannot bear with it any more. When you are first in a relationship, you only see the happiness, if we live in a fairy tale, it will be happy ever after. Too bad I'm not Snow White or Cinderella, I have to deal with the frustration, sadess and depression. Then there will be more and more frustration, until it reaches a point that it weighs as much as the happiness, now what will you do? Give it up or hope it will turn around? Everyone will wish it turns around. Sometime even though you think you see the result, but you still want to hang on it, you just can't let it go because it will break the heart. With the time passing by, you are getting more used to it, then maybe one day, you can't bear with it any more, or you found out that love has already faded, even you say "Honey, I love you!", it's not from your deepest heart any more, it is just your daily routine. Then you think you really need to move on, but will you regret at that time because you spend so much time on something which doesn't have a future? Will you feel your life goal is getting further and further? Will you rather give it up when you think you see the result than give it up after going through all these suffering? But I know for most of people including myself, if I don't see the result clearly and vividly in front of my own eyes, it's hard to give it up, because you will always wonder whether it will turn around if you persist.
I have so many questions in my mind I don't know the solution. I was planning to go to some cemetery today and have a peaceful mind to think it through, but I didn't get the chance. I feel like I need to be alone for a while. I want to travel alone to some place, like a small town where nobody knows me and stay there for a couple of days. Maybe I can go to church and chat with the priest, listening to some totally unrelated person's opinion, he may see some important facts which I can never see myself as an insider.
I want to take a break, organize my life, learn something useful and new. I want to have an exciting, colorful and happy life, I want to have something interesting and memorable to write on my tombstone when I die. So many thoughts, how will I take action?
Monday, September 04, 2006
佛说，至少曾经爱过 …… (ZT)
参禅始终是一种领悟，其间山山水水的往复，大约便是弃离俗世前必经的苦难。而被佛称之为万丈红尘的地方，却始终有一种美艳的光彩，摇弋在凡夫俗子间，让人又爱又恨，且悲且喜。佛说：苍生难渡。
水月问镜花，你说那束妍丽绝伦的光彩究竟是什么？镜花似乎有些答非所问，她说，随心所欲。
我一遍又一遍不厌其烦地望着这充满禅机的问答，试图从中找出我和你之间所有问题的症结所在，却一无所获，最终只好对着即将到来的离别微笑，以比特为单位爬过千山万水的微笑无法在到达后重新整合，早已失却了原本的甜蜜气息。俗世中多少有始无终的爱情，所谓因果，可谁又做错了什么呢？
既然终究是一场空，那么故事中的男女，无论以何种面目出现，都将是这红尘俗世里注定的悲哀，这悲哀由眼瞳直直地刺入心窝，让人很久、很久都无法释怀。
镜花和水月，或是你和我，又或是寂寞和寂寞。
你在雪域高原大草原的洌洌寒风里恪守着自己的选择，这选择据说来源于理想，和一种沉淀的需要，我遥遥地却也是近在咫尺地望着你，望着你这冠冕堂皇的理由背后掺杂着的一丝逃避。你在那荒芜人烟的地方实现着自己的青春，离天堂很近，离佛祖大约也很近。有一天你说，你向佛祖许了愿，希望你的出现能带给我快乐。我记得当时我笑了笑，这算不算快乐的点滴？又或者我的出现能排解你的寂寞，远离红尘的寂寞。
佛说：每个人所见所遇到的都早有安排，一切都是缘。缘起缘尽，缘聚缘散，一切都是天意。镜花和水月百思不得其解，那我们活着还有什么意义呢？任何的努力都是白费，天意安排一切。于是佛慈悲地伸出那普渡众生的手，声音有一种瓮声瓮气的憨厚，你来你走你进你退根本就是你自己的选择，这一念之差便足以决定你的所见所遇，所以说归根结底你的所见所遇还是由自身把握。
多矛盾啊，世界上竟然还有比爱情更矛盾的东西，多少让人有些不可思议。于是，我试着用此矛盾化解彼矛盾，希望找出让你永远爱我的法宝，而不是最终的离开，时光如流水，水月苦苦挽留镜花，虚空苦苦挽留虚空。脑海里你最初的深情反反复复地证明你曾经给过我这尘世间最温暖的情怀。你说，你从繁华中来，将来还是要回到繁华中去。那些都市里推杯换盏的喧闹繁荣，那些流转于虚情假意之上的表面浮华，那些曾经焚尽你五脏六腑的尘缘都让你感觉到一种不可名状的情绪，焦躁不安的或是无限空虚的，不是生命的尽头，却是生存的尽头。
你和我说这一切的时候，你的人早已远离繁华，在边疆漫山遍野的空寂里体会存在的意义。对于人生，这是否也是一种行为艺术？得与失永远是那么难以辩认，难以区分。在电话里，你常常要深呼吸，氧气稀薄，那大概是人类生存的一种边缘，一种生存需要的临界点。正是这样一个最不适合生存的地方却更能让人感悟到生存的意义，世界很大很奇怪，让人无话可说。
大部分的时候你的语气清丽温柔，你的笑声香甜干脆，可是当你说起死亡时，那沉重让人窒息，你说你曾经看见一个女子被一场感冒夺去年青的生命，谁能想到在成都平原上根本就微不足道的感冒在高原平原上却是这样的致命危险；你说前几天才见过面的人，甚至欢声笑语还没散尽，便已魂归苍天，这公平吗？就是这样一个地方，死亡是那么容易降临，也许擦肩而过，也许就面对面的坐着。虽然我没有面对过那么恶劣的环境，但是我却面对过死亡，所以我能理解你的感受，只是我不知道该说些什么，因果都无法解释的宿命面前，我无言，只能以沉默安抚你的感伤、你的忧郁，安抚你在死神面前的无能为力。我知道其实你更需要一个依*，哪怕这肩膀柔弱，却也能从这柔弱中汲取些力量与宁静。我一直相信，男人所拥有的宁静虽然无形，却是雨淋不灭，风吹不散的。我该*上前去搂着你，而我却一直选择远远地站着，或许这是你失望的根源，而你的失望让你再没有精力来维护这爱情的水晶，直接导致了我的失望，由因至果，一切都已注定。
由爱到恨，再由恨到一切归于平静，似乎是一个根本无法确定得失的过程，你可以用几天几月，甚至几年的时间在爱恨里折磨自己，而平静却会在一个偶然的瞬间来临，或者说是一种顿悟。一切悲喜都由心生。当你心中有爱恨，你眼中必定是一个翻腾颠倒的世界，平静过后也并非一无所有，其实何为有，何为无？不过是看问题的角度不同罢了。
水月忍不住哭了，他说，镜花，不可以，如果没有了你，我的生活将不平静。当然，镜花听不见，此时她在离水月千万里之遥的地方过着美好的日子，重新开始了她的新生活，看见她的人说他美丽的外表下隐藏着一丝难掩的疲惫，她温柔，她善良，她美丽，她任性，却孤独，这孤独两个字深深刺痛在水月的心里，却再无权分担镜花心底的世界。水月从寂寞到担心，到害怕，到伤心，到憔悴，这大约是等待中必然的消蚀。或者镜花偶尔也会想起水月，这又是两个多么善于保护自己的人，封存起心底所有的澎湃，声音的平静骗了对方，也骗了自己。
平时一样窗前明月，更有梅花却不同。佛祖，这究竟是什么意思？佛祖无言，佛祖心如止水。同样一句话，人却只能感应到无限的伤怀。其实在这瞬息万变的世界，本就不应该奢望永恒。佛祖，你没有爱情吧？佛祖笑吟吟地，无比慈祥，那笑容如同容纳百川的海水，深不见底。听见水月轻轻地说，镜花，我真的很想你。
世间所有的爱情居然都长着一样的面目，一半儿是苦难，一半儿是幸福。镜花和水月的影子一再重叠在你和我的身上，我的思维混乱，我的心为你、为镜花碎成了两瓣，以至于到最后居然再也不能分清我究竟在为谁痛哭失声，我几乎为了镜花而失去灵魂，总是在放下电话后，对远方的你轻声说，镜花，我真的很想你。
走过脚下的路，换来一场擦肩而过的缘，有来便有走，有缘起就有缘尽时。无论我们如何回头望，却也只能向各自相反的方向越走越远。佛说，人应该学会放手，放下的越多，越觉得拥有的更多。道理虽对，却很难做到，再破碎的心，再陈旧的伤口，人却还是坚持不停的缝缝补补，不肯丢弃。
初冬的寺院里有些冷清，山风刺骨，丝丝袅袅的香火掺杂着山中特有的清新气息笼罩着整座寺院的平和安谧。庙宇如同古时的院落，一进又一进，一殿有一殿的神明，一殿有一殿的香火，只是穿堂风不停的呼喝，让我裹紧了外衣却还是冷得发抖。
我决定上山来，用整整一天的时间专心致志的想你，然后下山的时候全部忘记，于是我看释迦牟尼的时候想你，看十八罗汉的时候想你，看千手观音的时候想你，随着那四壁美仑美奂的佛经故事环绕，高远壮阔。看尽了所有的金碧辉煌，皱紧了眉头从寺院的窗口向远处呆呆的望，远山如黛，山脚下的村庄里炊烟升起再升起。还有一弯自西向东的江水，风吹波澜起，风停波如镜。在晨钟暮鼓中初雪飘落，初雪消融，世间万物大约都是这样从无到有，从有到无吧。
佛祖，我想忘记。
忘记并不等于从未存在，此情此景，一切自在来源于选择，而不是刻意。不如放手，当局者迷。
我开始试着将所有的怀疑与怨恨，这一切一切蒙蔽了美好本质的东西丢弃。这么做很辛苦，无异于放弃整个爱情。渐渐地我发现原来只有将这段感情慢慢放下，慢慢置身事外，我才能从中剥离出回忆中你所有的好，而不是用所有的不好来抹杀曾有的欢乐，就算有千般万般的苦痛，必竟你曾带给我最快乐的心情。于是那人间绚烂的光彩重新在我面前大放光华，我终于明白。当你心中有爱，那么光彩就是笑容，当你心中有风景，那么光彩就是美丽，随心所至，光彩来源于一切心中美好，或曾经美好的事物，总之让我无法舍弃，所以我心甘情愿地忍受光彩被遮蔽的瞬间黑暗。
佛问，你忘记了吗？
没有。或者说忘了吧，留存美好，忘记悲哀，一切自在来源于选择嘛，你说的。
佛笑得很开心，千百年来佛一直笑得很开心。
可是，佛祖，我一直不明白，为什么她离开的时候什么也没说，甚至没说自己要离开？
太容易说出口的绝对不会出自于真心，有些时候说并不比不说更能解决问题，也不能将痛苦减缓半分，她有他的迷惘。
夕阳烂熟的光将山坡上的枯草映成斑斑驳驳的金黄，庙宇的琉璃承载着所有的光明与黑暗。上山来的是我，下山去的也是我，风风颠颠，不过是一时的迷惑。我终于明白，佛说，我爱你，至少曾经爱过。
水月问镜花，你说那束妍丽绝伦的光彩究竟是什么？镜花似乎有些答非所问，她说，随心所欲。
我一遍又一遍不厌其烦地望着这充满禅机的问答，试图从中找出我和你之间所有问题的症结所在，却一无所获，最终只好对着即将到来的离别微笑，以比特为单位爬过千山万水的微笑无法在到达后重新整合，早已失却了原本的甜蜜气息。俗世中多少有始无终的爱情，所谓因果，可谁又做错了什么呢？
既然终究是一场空，那么故事中的男女，无论以何种面目出现，都将是这红尘俗世里注定的悲哀，这悲哀由眼瞳直直地刺入心窝，让人很久、很久都无法释怀。
镜花和水月，或是你和我，又或是寂寞和寂寞。
你在雪域高原大草原的洌洌寒风里恪守着自己的选择，这选择据说来源于理想，和一种沉淀的需要，我遥遥地却也是近在咫尺地望着你，望着你这冠冕堂皇的理由背后掺杂着的一丝逃避。你在那荒芜人烟的地方实现着自己的青春，离天堂很近，离佛祖大约也很近。有一天你说，你向佛祖许了愿，希望你的出现能带给我快乐。我记得当时我笑了笑，这算不算快乐的点滴？又或者我的出现能排解你的寂寞，远离红尘的寂寞。
佛说：每个人所见所遇到的都早有安排，一切都是缘。缘起缘尽，缘聚缘散，一切都是天意。镜花和水月百思不得其解，那我们活着还有什么意义呢？任何的努力都是白费，天意安排一切。于是佛慈悲地伸出那普渡众生的手，声音有一种瓮声瓮气的憨厚，你来你走你进你退根本就是你自己的选择，这一念之差便足以决定你的所见所遇，所以说归根结底你的所见所遇还是由自身把握。
多矛盾啊，世界上竟然还有比爱情更矛盾的东西，多少让人有些不可思议。于是，我试着用此矛盾化解彼矛盾，希望找出让你永远爱我的法宝，而不是最终的离开，时光如流水，水月苦苦挽留镜花，虚空苦苦挽留虚空。脑海里你最初的深情反反复复地证明你曾经给过我这尘世间最温暖的情怀。你说，你从繁华中来，将来还是要回到繁华中去。那些都市里推杯换盏的喧闹繁荣，那些流转于虚情假意之上的表面浮华，那些曾经焚尽你五脏六腑的尘缘都让你感觉到一种不可名状的情绪，焦躁不安的或是无限空虚的，不是生命的尽头，却是生存的尽头。
你和我说这一切的时候，你的人早已远离繁华，在边疆漫山遍野的空寂里体会存在的意义。对于人生，这是否也是一种行为艺术？得与失永远是那么难以辩认，难以区分。在电话里，你常常要深呼吸，氧气稀薄，那大概是人类生存的一种边缘，一种生存需要的临界点。正是这样一个最不适合生存的地方却更能让人感悟到生存的意义，世界很大很奇怪，让人无话可说。
大部分的时候你的语气清丽温柔，你的笑声香甜干脆，可是当你说起死亡时，那沉重让人窒息，你说你曾经看见一个女子被一场感冒夺去年青的生命，谁能想到在成都平原上根本就微不足道的感冒在高原平原上却是这样的致命危险；你说前几天才见过面的人，甚至欢声笑语还没散尽，便已魂归苍天，这公平吗？就是这样一个地方，死亡是那么容易降临，也许擦肩而过，也许就面对面的坐着。虽然我没有面对过那么恶劣的环境，但是我却面对过死亡，所以我能理解你的感受，只是我不知道该说些什么，因果都无法解释的宿命面前，我无言，只能以沉默安抚你的感伤、你的忧郁，安抚你在死神面前的无能为力。我知道其实你更需要一个依*，哪怕这肩膀柔弱，却也能从这柔弱中汲取些力量与宁静。我一直相信，男人所拥有的宁静虽然无形，却是雨淋不灭，风吹不散的。我该*上前去搂着你，而我却一直选择远远地站着，或许这是你失望的根源，而你的失望让你再没有精力来维护这爱情的水晶，直接导致了我的失望，由因至果，一切都已注定。
由爱到恨，再由恨到一切归于平静，似乎是一个根本无法确定得失的过程，你可以用几天几月，甚至几年的时间在爱恨里折磨自己，而平静却会在一个偶然的瞬间来临，或者说是一种顿悟。一切悲喜都由心生。当你心中有爱恨，你眼中必定是一个翻腾颠倒的世界，平静过后也并非一无所有，其实何为有，何为无？不过是看问题的角度不同罢了。
水月忍不住哭了，他说，镜花，不可以，如果没有了你，我的生活将不平静。当然，镜花听不见，此时她在离水月千万里之遥的地方过着美好的日子，重新开始了她的新生活，看见她的人说他美丽的外表下隐藏着一丝难掩的疲惫，她温柔，她善良，她美丽，她任性，却孤独，这孤独两个字深深刺痛在水月的心里，却再无权分担镜花心底的世界。水月从寂寞到担心，到害怕，到伤心，到憔悴，这大约是等待中必然的消蚀。或者镜花偶尔也会想起水月，这又是两个多么善于保护自己的人，封存起心底所有的澎湃，声音的平静骗了对方，也骗了自己。
平时一样窗前明月，更有梅花却不同。佛祖，这究竟是什么意思？佛祖无言，佛祖心如止水。同样一句话，人却只能感应到无限的伤怀。其实在这瞬息万变的世界，本就不应该奢望永恒。佛祖，你没有爱情吧？佛祖笑吟吟地，无比慈祥，那笑容如同容纳百川的海水，深不见底。听见水月轻轻地说，镜花，我真的很想你。
世间所有的爱情居然都长着一样的面目，一半儿是苦难，一半儿是幸福。镜花和水月的影子一再重叠在你和我的身上，我的思维混乱，我的心为你、为镜花碎成了两瓣，以至于到最后居然再也不能分清我究竟在为谁痛哭失声，我几乎为了镜花而失去灵魂，总是在放下电话后，对远方的你轻声说，镜花，我真的很想你。
走过脚下的路，换来一场擦肩而过的缘，有来便有走，有缘起就有缘尽时。无论我们如何回头望，却也只能向各自相反的方向越走越远。佛说，人应该学会放手，放下的越多，越觉得拥有的更多。道理虽对，却很难做到，再破碎的心，再陈旧的伤口，人却还是坚持不停的缝缝补补，不肯丢弃。
初冬的寺院里有些冷清，山风刺骨，丝丝袅袅的香火掺杂着山中特有的清新气息笼罩着整座寺院的平和安谧。庙宇如同古时的院落，一进又一进，一殿有一殿的神明，一殿有一殿的香火，只是穿堂风不停的呼喝，让我裹紧了外衣却还是冷得发抖。
我决定上山来，用整整一天的时间专心致志的想你，然后下山的时候全部忘记，于是我看释迦牟尼的时候想你，看十八罗汉的时候想你，看千手观音的时候想你，随着那四壁美仑美奂的佛经故事环绕，高远壮阔。看尽了所有的金碧辉煌，皱紧了眉头从寺院的窗口向远处呆呆的望，远山如黛，山脚下的村庄里炊烟升起再升起。还有一弯自西向东的江水，风吹波澜起，风停波如镜。在晨钟暮鼓中初雪飘落，初雪消融，世间万物大约都是这样从无到有，从有到无吧。
佛祖，我想忘记。
忘记并不等于从未存在，此情此景，一切自在来源于选择，而不是刻意。不如放手，当局者迷。
我开始试着将所有的怀疑与怨恨，这一切一切蒙蔽了美好本质的东西丢弃。这么做很辛苦，无异于放弃整个爱情。渐渐地我发现原来只有将这段感情慢慢放下，慢慢置身事外，我才能从中剥离出回忆中你所有的好，而不是用所有的不好来抹杀曾有的欢乐，就算有千般万般的苦痛，必竟你曾带给我最快乐的心情。于是那人间绚烂的光彩重新在我面前大放光华，我终于明白。当你心中有爱，那么光彩就是笑容，当你心中有风景，那么光彩就是美丽，随心所至，光彩来源于一切心中美好，或曾经美好的事物，总之让我无法舍弃，所以我心甘情愿地忍受光彩被遮蔽的瞬间黑暗。
佛问，你忘记了吗？
没有。或者说忘了吧，留存美好，忘记悲哀，一切自在来源于选择嘛，你说的。
佛笑得很开心，千百年来佛一直笑得很开心。
可是，佛祖，我一直不明白，为什么她离开的时候什么也没说，甚至没说自己要离开？
太容易说出口的绝对不会出自于真心，有些时候说并不比不说更能解决问题，也不能将痛苦减缓半分，她有他的迷惘。
夕阳烂熟的光将山坡上的枯草映成斑斑驳驳的金黄，庙宇的琉璃承载着所有的光明与黑暗。上山来的是我，下山去的也是我，风风颠颠，不过是一时的迷惑。我终于明白，佛说，我爱你，至少曾经爱过。
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Teeth Falling off
I haven't been able to sleep well for a week, I had bad dreams every morning. It always happened right before I woke up, so I can remember them vividly. The dream felt so real that it makes me sick sometime.
A couple of days ago, I had the teeth falling off dream again. It felt so real, the teeth started to fall off one by one from the top, then somehow it got tangled at the bottom part, and the bottom part started to fall off too. My mouth was full of my own falling teeth, I had to spit them out, I spit out some, some more fell off, spit, fell off, never ending ... Then I woke up from my dream, feeling suffocating, like something heavy is sitting on my chest, blocking all the oxygen from going into my body...
I have this kind of dream often, it feels so real and so horrible every time. Why do I always have this dream? What does it tell me? I googled a little bit this morning, here is what I found out.
Teeth dreams - "My Teeth Are Falling Out"
"Dreams that your teeth are falling out are the most common dreams we here at Dream Moods receive. Common dream scenarios include having your teeth crumbling in your hands or your teeth falling out one by one with just a light tap. Such dreams are not only horrifying and shocking, but often leaves the dreamer with a lasting image of the dream. So what does it mean?
One theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxiety about your appearance and how others perceive you. Sadly, we live in a world where good looks are valued highly and your teeth play an important role in conveying that image. Teeth are used in the game of flirtations, whether it be a dazzling and gleaming smile or affectionate necking. These dreams may stem from a fear of your sexual impotence or the consequences of getting old. Teeth are an important feature of our attractiveness and presentation to others. Everybody worries about how they appear to others. Caring about our appearance is natural and healthy.
Another rationalization for these falling teeth dream may be rooted in your fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some specific situation. These dreams are an over-exaggeration of your worries and anxiety.
Teeth are used to bite, tear, chew and gnaw. In this regard, teeth represent power. And the loss of teeth in your dream may be from a sense of powerlessness. Are you lacking power in some current situation? Perhaps you are having difficulties expressing yourself or getting your point across. You feel frustrated when your voice is not being heard. You may be experiencing feelings of inferiority and a lack of self-confidence in some situation or relationship in your life. This dream is an indication that you need to be more assertive and believe in the value of your own opinion.
In the latest research, it has been shown that women in menopause have frequent dreams about teeth. This may be related to getting older and/or feeling unattractive and less feminine.
Traditionally, it was thought that dreaming that you did not have teeth, represent malnutrition which may be applicable to some dreamers."
So which interpretation will fit me? Am I not secure about my appearance? Hmmm, I AM getting old, but I don't think I'm insecure about my appearance, I am who I am, and I think I like the way I look most of the time, so no, this can't be why I had the dream.
I think this is it -- "You may be experiencing feelings of inferiority and a lack of self-confidence in some situation or relationship in your life. This dream is an indication that you need to be more assertive and believe in the value of your own opinion." I need to be more assertive. I know I'm always indecisive, always don't know what to do, like a lost kid. But I'm not a kid any more, I need to make my decision, no one else could take this responsibility for me, no parents' guarding roof can prevent storm from me. I need to be strong and brave and trust myself.
A couple of days ago, I had the teeth falling off dream again. It felt so real, the teeth started to fall off one by one from the top, then somehow it got tangled at the bottom part, and the bottom part started to fall off too. My mouth was full of my own falling teeth, I had to spit them out, I spit out some, some more fell off, spit, fell off, never ending ... Then I woke up from my dream, feeling suffocating, like something heavy is sitting on my chest, blocking all the oxygen from going into my body...
I have this kind of dream often, it feels so real and so horrible every time. Why do I always have this dream? What does it tell me? I googled a little bit this morning, here is what I found out.
Teeth dreams - "My Teeth Are Falling Out"
"Dreams that your teeth are falling out are the most common dreams we here at Dream Moods receive. Common dream scenarios include having your teeth crumbling in your hands or your teeth falling out one by one with just a light tap. Such dreams are not only horrifying and shocking, but often leaves the dreamer with a lasting image of the dream. So what does it mean?
One theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxiety about your appearance and how others perceive you. Sadly, we live in a world where good looks are valued highly and your teeth play an important role in conveying that image. Teeth are used in the game of flirtations, whether it be a dazzling and gleaming smile or affectionate necking. These dreams may stem from a fear of your sexual impotence or the consequences of getting old. Teeth are an important feature of our attractiveness and presentation to others. Everybody worries about how they appear to others. Caring about our appearance is natural and healthy.
Another rationalization for these falling teeth dream may be rooted in your fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some specific situation. These dreams are an over-exaggeration of your worries and anxiety.
Teeth are used to bite, tear, chew and gnaw. In this regard, teeth represent power. And the loss of teeth in your dream may be from a sense of powerlessness. Are you lacking power in some current situation? Perhaps you are having difficulties expressing yourself or getting your point across. You feel frustrated when your voice is not being heard. You may be experiencing feelings of inferiority and a lack of self-confidence in some situation or relationship in your life. This dream is an indication that you need to be more assertive and believe in the value of your own opinion.
In the latest research, it has been shown that women in menopause have frequent dreams about teeth. This may be related to getting older and/or feeling unattractive and less feminine.
Traditionally, it was thought that dreaming that you did not have teeth, represent malnutrition which may be applicable to some dreamers."
So which interpretation will fit me? Am I not secure about my appearance? Hmmm, I AM getting old, but I don't think I'm insecure about my appearance, I am who I am, and I think I like the way I look most of the time, so no, this can't be why I had the dream.
I think this is it -- "You may be experiencing feelings of inferiority and a lack of self-confidence in some situation or relationship in your life. This dream is an indication that you need to be more assertive and believe in the value of your own opinion." I need to be more assertive. I know I'm always indecisive, always don't know what to do, like a lost kid. But I'm not a kid any more, I need to make my decision, no one else could take this responsibility for me, no parents' guarding roof can prevent storm from me. I need to be strong and brave and trust myself.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Rock Climbing
We had a group event today for celebrating a release. My previous manager sent out a survey asking about what we want to do for the team event. Most of people voted for rock climbing. So we went to Planet Granite this afternoon.
It is my first time trying rock climbing; I was pretty nervous and excited. We took the beginner's lesson, which teaches us how to belay and how to tie the ropes. I am always a fast learner, so I grasped everything very quickly, faster than all my coworkers. :P
I did surprisingly well in rock climbing, I think my co-workers were impressed by me. I'm actually surprised by myself too. :P I thought I won't be able to do rock climbing at all, but I'm actually the second best among the whole team, and I didn't even fall once. The level of rock climbing ranges from 5.1 to 5.11, I started from 5.2, which is very easy for me. Then I tried 5.5, 5.6, 5.7 and did two 5.8 at last. 5.8 was pretty hard, because sometime you only have one point to hold on -- like you have to put all your weight on your big toe of your left foot and you have to try to step on some tiny rock which is about your waist high with your right foot. Then you have to push very hard, free both of your hands, you are kind of in a jumping mode, then you switch all the weight to your right foot, free the left foot, and grab some rock above your head. I did that a few times, it was very exciting. One of the 5.8 is very interesting, it has a big prominent rock, like those you see in magazine, so you have to hang with your back facing the earth and climb over it. Conquering that one makes me feel like a real rock climber. :D I had lots of fun especially when I beat most of the guys in the team! :P
Thinking of going back there again and trying out more sometime soon!
It is my first time trying rock climbing; I was pretty nervous and excited. We took the beginner's lesson, which teaches us how to belay and how to tie the ropes. I am always a fast learner, so I grasped everything very quickly, faster than all my coworkers. :P
I did surprisingly well in rock climbing, I think my co-workers were impressed by me. I'm actually surprised by myself too. :P I thought I won't be able to do rock climbing at all, but I'm actually the second best among the whole team, and I didn't even fall once. The level of rock climbing ranges from 5.1 to 5.11, I started from 5.2, which is very easy for me. Then I tried 5.5, 5.6, 5.7 and did two 5.8 at last. 5.8 was pretty hard, because sometime you only have one point to hold on -- like you have to put all your weight on your big toe of your left foot and you have to try to step on some tiny rock which is about your waist high with your right foot. Then you have to push very hard, free both of your hands, you are kind of in a jumping mode, then you switch all the weight to your right foot, free the left foot, and grab some rock above your head. I did that a few times, it was very exciting. One of the 5.8 is very interesting, it has a big prominent rock, like those you see in magazine, so you have to hang with your back facing the earth and climb over it. Conquering that one makes me feel like a real rock climber. :D I had lots of fun especially when I beat most of the guys in the team! :P
Thinking of going back there again and trying out more sometime soon!
Monday, August 21, 2006
Tunnel
Sometime I just feel like I live in a dark tunnel. It's so dark that I cannot see anything and I don't know where to go. I try so hard to look for a hint of light at the end of the tunnel to lead my way out, but unfortunately I can see nothing. I fumble and fall, try very hard to get out, but all I get is just the bruise from hitting my head on the wall. I'm still in the same spot, not getting anywhere. Will you help me?
Thursday, August 03, 2006
随笔
因为得不到
所以觉得完美
得到后又会怎样呢
也许残缺的故事
更令人记忆深刻
爱 还是不爱
痛苦总会过去
忧伤时刻伴随
只是埋藏于记忆深处
偶尔在梅雨季节过后
从尘封的箱底里
拿出晾晒一番
思念的味道随风飘散
太阳的温暖
让人憧憬下一次心动
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
当你老了
When you are old
-- William Butler Yeats
当你老了 头发灰白 睡思沉昏
在炉火旁打着盹
请取下这诗 慢慢的读
回想你曾经柔和的眼光 和你的眼睛里
如同影子般的深沉
多少人爱你 青春欢畅时的优雅
爱慕你的美丽 假意或者真心
可只有一个人
爱过你那朝圣者的灵魂
爱过你改变的容颜下
种种忧伤
弯下了身
在红光闪耀的炉子旁
一些伤感 喃喃呓语着爱的消逝
在头顶的山上 爱缓缓踱着步子
我的脸 在群星中隐藏
English Version
-- William Butler Yeats
当你老了 头发灰白 睡思沉昏
在炉火旁打着盹
请取下这诗 慢慢的读
回想你曾经柔和的眼光 和你的眼睛里
如同影子般的深沉
多少人爱你 青春欢畅时的优雅
爱慕你的美丽 假意或者真心
可只有一个人
爱过你那朝圣者的灵魂
爱过你改变的容颜下
种种忧伤
弯下了身
在红光闪耀的炉子旁
一些伤感 喃喃呓语着爱的消逝
在头顶的山上 爱缓缓踱着步子
我的脸 在群星中隐藏
English Version
Saturday, July 29, 2006
你好吗？
周五的晚上，一个人在家，静静的躺在床上听着Yiruma的音乐。他的音乐对我总是有一种特殊的魔力，能让我从任何状态中迅速沉静下来陷入一种忧伤的情绪。
最近不知为何总是常常想起你，不知你现在过得如何，身体好不好，是不是抽烟还抽得很厉害？有些自嘲，在能够提供关心的时候我没有，现在已成为陌路人却会经常想起这些来，不知你若知道会怎样想。时常会想起以往的一些琐事，有时和朋友提起也会骤然伤感起来，也许这就是人开始变老的表现吧。那天不知为何突然讲起我们在学校的事，想起你租的王阿姨家的那一间极小的冬冷夏热的房间。虽然简单到只有一张床，一个书桌和一个五斗柜，那毕竟也算是我们第一个家吧。我们曾一起花了不少心血去挑窗帘，只为了能不让朝阳打扰我们的好觉。我会经常一大早从寝室溜出，在校园里买好一大块羌饼带到校门外你的住所来看你。夏天的时候，我们还会去学校后面的菜市场买西瓜回来吃。记得那年夏天奇热，我们还专门去买了一个空调装上，也算挺奢侈的吧！不过我们似乎总是在为温度问题争吵不求，为了晚上睡觉时该调几度温度而争执不休，不知道你和现在的女朋友是否也有这样的问题，但想来她对你那么体贴一定总是会让着你的，这也一定是你喜欢她的原因之一吧。
我知道你一直想问我为什么最后一次见面我一直哭个不停，我说不出具体为什么，只是觉得心里很难受，也许有一些自怜吧。觉得很忧伤，曾经相亲相爱的两个人就这样成为陌路人了，以前我还很幼稚的以为即使我们分手可还可以向你说得那样作好朋友的，可是我们不再有任何交流，没有电话没有信，你过着你的日子，我也有我的生活。我们的旅程从远到近，到交叉，并排行走，结局却是分道扬镳。我哭，是因为我伤感，是因为我觉得遗憾，也许还有一丝后悔，觉得自己没能够好好珍惜我们曾经有过的这一段，也是因为我觉得惋惜，觉得我们失去了从头再开始的机会。
但是我知道我们这段感情的经历并不是谁对谁错造成的，在我们这段关系里并没有什么对错输赢（在失败的关系里，我想我们两个都算是输家吧），只有不成熟，固执，不能够相互体谅，也许再加一些自以为是。很多事情以我们当时的心境和年纪是不能体会的，而我也是通过这些年所经历过的一些人和事才逐渐了解到的。我一直觉得我的心理年纪要比你小三岁，因此你有很多想法我要在三年后才能体会和理解，这个也许和你先工作我几年，在社会上有相应的经历有关。天时，地利，人和，我们差了天时，更没有地利，于是也就造成了我们人不和。感情关系中最重要的一点也许就是相互交流了，我知道这一点我做得很差，我不是一个很善于交流的人，尤其是作内心深层次的口头交流。同时我又太固执，经常不屑于表达心里真正的想法，总觉得对方应该知道似的，其实即使对方知道，表达出来也未必是不好的。这点你我将来都可借鉴。
很喜欢刘若英的两首歌，“后来”和“听说”，我在听的时候常常想起你。想你也许会笑我何时变得这样多愁善感了，我想其实人很少是天生就多愁善感的，多是有了种种经历后，才会对他们所见到的事或听到的闻有所共鸣，才会联想到他们身边的事物从而有感而发，也许这就是人们所说的成熟了。以前，你总是拿我当小孩，我也就依小卖小，也许我有些被宠坏了，所以对身边的任何事都没有太珍惜。还好我不算太笨，在付出了这么大的代价后总算领悟了这一点，也学会了如何去appreciate，所以即使我们注定要走两条路，我还是要感谢你曾经为我做的一切，曾给与我生命中一段美好的时光！
最后一次见面时，你说在感情关系中你再也不会像以前那样尽心尽力的付出了，我希望你只是说说而已。爱情还是拥有着这世界上最美丽的颜色，我希望你还能够相信爱情并可以全身心地投入，否则在我们化作尘埃之时问一下自己这一生的成就，你会不会有遗憾呢？我知道我会，所以我会去追寻爱情，会一次又一次的投入，直到找到那份真正属于我的颜色。也衷心祝福你能拥有自己真正想要的色彩！
最近不知为何总是常常想起你，不知你现在过得如何，身体好不好，是不是抽烟还抽得很厉害？有些自嘲，在能够提供关心的时候我没有，现在已成为陌路人却会经常想起这些来，不知你若知道会怎样想。时常会想起以往的一些琐事，有时和朋友提起也会骤然伤感起来，也许这就是人开始变老的表现吧。那天不知为何突然讲起我们在学校的事，想起你租的王阿姨家的那一间极小的冬冷夏热的房间。虽然简单到只有一张床，一个书桌和一个五斗柜，那毕竟也算是我们第一个家吧。我们曾一起花了不少心血去挑窗帘，只为了能不让朝阳打扰我们的好觉。我会经常一大早从寝室溜出，在校园里买好一大块羌饼带到校门外你的住所来看你。夏天的时候，我们还会去学校后面的菜市场买西瓜回来吃。记得那年夏天奇热，我们还专门去买了一个空调装上，也算挺奢侈的吧！不过我们似乎总是在为温度问题争吵不求，为了晚上睡觉时该调几度温度而争执不休，不知道你和现在的女朋友是否也有这样的问题，但想来她对你那么体贴一定总是会让着你的，这也一定是你喜欢她的原因之一吧。
我知道你一直想问我为什么最后一次见面我一直哭个不停，我说不出具体为什么，只是觉得心里很难受，也许有一些自怜吧。觉得很忧伤，曾经相亲相爱的两个人就这样成为陌路人了，以前我还很幼稚的以为即使我们分手可还可以向你说得那样作好朋友的，可是我们不再有任何交流，没有电话没有信，你过着你的日子，我也有我的生活。我们的旅程从远到近，到交叉，并排行走，结局却是分道扬镳。我哭，是因为我伤感，是因为我觉得遗憾，也许还有一丝后悔，觉得自己没能够好好珍惜我们曾经有过的这一段，也是因为我觉得惋惜，觉得我们失去了从头再开始的机会。
但是我知道我们这段感情的经历并不是谁对谁错造成的，在我们这段关系里并没有什么对错输赢（在失败的关系里，我想我们两个都算是输家吧），只有不成熟，固执，不能够相互体谅，也许再加一些自以为是。很多事情以我们当时的心境和年纪是不能体会的，而我也是通过这些年所经历过的一些人和事才逐渐了解到的。我一直觉得我的心理年纪要比你小三岁，因此你有很多想法我要在三年后才能体会和理解，这个也许和你先工作我几年，在社会上有相应的经历有关。天时，地利，人和，我们差了天时，更没有地利，于是也就造成了我们人不和。感情关系中最重要的一点也许就是相互交流了，我知道这一点我做得很差，我不是一个很善于交流的人，尤其是作内心深层次的口头交流。同时我又太固执，经常不屑于表达心里真正的想法，总觉得对方应该知道似的，其实即使对方知道，表达出来也未必是不好的。这点你我将来都可借鉴。
很喜欢刘若英的两首歌，“后来”和“听说”，我在听的时候常常想起你。想你也许会笑我何时变得这样多愁善感了，我想其实人很少是天生就多愁善感的，多是有了种种经历后，才会对他们所见到的事或听到的闻有所共鸣，才会联想到他们身边的事物从而有感而发，也许这就是人们所说的成熟了。以前，你总是拿我当小孩，我也就依小卖小，也许我有些被宠坏了，所以对身边的任何事都没有太珍惜。还好我不算太笨，在付出了这么大的代价后总算领悟了这一点，也学会了如何去appreciate，所以即使我们注定要走两条路，我还是要感谢你曾经为我做的一切，曾给与我生命中一段美好的时光！
最后一次见面时，你说在感情关系中你再也不会像以前那样尽心尽力的付出了，我希望你只是说说而已。爱情还是拥有着这世界上最美丽的颜色，我希望你还能够相信爱情并可以全身心地投入，否则在我们化作尘埃之时问一下自己这一生的成就，你会不会有遗憾呢？我知道我会，所以我会去追寻爱情，会一次又一次的投入，直到找到那份真正属于我的颜色。也衷心祝福你能拥有自己真正想要的色彩！
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Cruise -- Day 2 (07/01/2006) （2）
回到船上已经差不多快三点半了，听说三点钟船上有乒乓比赛，偶兴致勃勃地回舱里换好衣服，拿上拍子准备去参加比赛。不是自夸，偶的乒乓球水平，在女生业余水平里，算是不错的，也经常可以和男生较量一番的呢！偶来之前就听说船上有乒乓桌，一直摩拳擦掌的想要找人练一练！虽说偶是业余的，可是装备还是要向正规选手学习，偶的拍子可是板归板，胶归胶找人帮偶用speed glue粘的，而且偶只习惯用自己的拍子打球。所以尽管偶箱子已被衣服塞得满满当当的，偶还是把偶的专用球拍和几个比赛专用乒乓球挤了进去。到了球场，发现比赛已经结束了，见一老美正和J开打呢。看那老美挺自以为是的，会左右抽球，估计在一般业余没怎么打过球的老美里打得还凑或，也不知他是不是那天船上比赛的冠军。他们下后，偶也上去打了两盘，可惜乒乓球桌质量极差，是室外用的铝合金得不说，还短了条腿，十分不稳，害的偶抽球连连失误，不过还是连赢两盘。那老美在一旁看得又心痒痒了，向偶发了挑战书，要和偶单挑独斗。没问题啊，偶刚才在下边看他打时就已充分掌握了他的弱点，此人只会乱抽，吃削吃转，而且发球时带上旋。这正合偶的球路，偶属于进攻型，最喜欢快攻和抽球了。于是乎，那老美每发一球，偶就一板大力抽回，直抽得他没脾气，而偶每发一转球，他就接出外。偶一局打下来，老美只得了2分，输得他直翻白眼瞪天花板，哈哈，偶赢得可真爽！不过乒乓球可真是中国人的天下，只要是中国人，或多或少都会打两下，小明，大卫和J都是乒乓高手，可惜在船上没能好好讨教，偶门约好回湾区后一定要相互切磋切磋技艺，不过此乃后话了。
Pingpong
船上共有两个游泳池和三个jaccuzi，都小得可怜，游泳池怎么看怎么也就是一个kids swimming pool，而jaccuzi任何时候都像下饺子一般挤得满满的。就这点上，Cruise可真是同偶想象中的差了十万八千里，在偶的想象里，cruise的游泳池旁都排满了俊男靓女，一个个身材诱人，排排的躺在池子边晒太阳，可以让偶好好养养眼的那种。可是偶门的cruise，游泳池里都挤满了小孩，池边的躺椅上躺满了浑身冒油晒得通红的肥公肥婆们。有一对couple，估计那男的有300磅，女的有400来磅的样子。男的虽说胖也就算了，可是他就穿着个游泳裤站在泳池旁，远远看过去，跟史前人一般，浑身上下全长满了毛，黑黑一片，看着真是让人不舒服。而那女的，颤颤悠悠的从游泳池里爬出来去泡jacuuzi，偶门眼珠子都要瞪掉了，她一下去还不是把jacuuzi都挤满了，水估计都要瀑出来了，用恐怖形容一点也不为过啊！说句大实话，这一船的人，估计还就数偶门这一group的人身材最好了，就这点讲还是做亚洲人好啊！
晚上是formal dinner night，必须要dress up。男生要穿suit，女生要穿dress或evening gown。换好衣服出门一看，嗬嗬，个个都是人摸狗样的，偶的那帮男性狐朋们个个都是深色西装打着领带，从没见过他们穿得那么正式，看着还挺不习惯的。:P 女生当然个个都是花枝招展的，不过偶似乎有些over dress了，临出发前F交待fomal dinner night最好都要穿gown的，所以偶就穿了偶的blue gown，结果一到餐厅发现几乎没有人穿gown，最多也就是cocktail dress了，穿过了。:( 不过偶的gown还是得到大家一致好评，让偶的虚荣心也小小满足了一下。:P 吃过饭偶们去看了船上的叫什么hollywood的show，show十分boring，何况偶前两天也都没有睡好加上又累了一天，所以偶没有等show结束就早早回舱里睡觉去了。
Formal Dinner Night
Pingpong
船上共有两个游泳池和三个jaccuzi，都小得可怜，游泳池怎么看怎么也就是一个kids swimming pool，而jaccuzi任何时候都像下饺子一般挤得满满的。就这点上，Cruise可真是同偶想象中的差了十万八千里，在偶的想象里，cruise的游泳池旁都排满了俊男靓女，一个个身材诱人，排排的躺在池子边晒太阳，可以让偶好好养养眼的那种。可是偶门的cruise，游泳池里都挤满了小孩，池边的躺椅上躺满了浑身冒油晒得通红的肥公肥婆们。有一对couple，估计那男的有300磅，女的有400来磅的样子。男的虽说胖也就算了，可是他就穿着个游泳裤站在泳池旁，远远看过去，跟史前人一般，浑身上下全长满了毛，黑黑一片，看着真是让人不舒服。而那女的，颤颤悠悠的从游泳池里爬出来去泡jacuuzi，偶门眼珠子都要瞪掉了，她一下去还不是把jacuuzi都挤满了，水估计都要瀑出来了，用恐怖形容一点也不为过啊！说句大实话，这一船的人，估计还就数偶门这一group的人身材最好了，就这点讲还是做亚洲人好啊！
晚上是formal dinner night，必须要dress up。男生要穿suit，女生要穿dress或evening gown。换好衣服出门一看，嗬嗬，个个都是人摸狗样的，偶的那帮男性狐朋们个个都是深色西装打着领带，从没见过他们穿得那么正式，看着还挺不习惯的。:P 女生当然个个都是花枝招展的，不过偶似乎有些over dress了，临出发前F交待fomal dinner night最好都要穿gown的，所以偶就穿了偶的blue gown，结果一到餐厅发现几乎没有人穿gown，最多也就是cocktail dress了，穿过了。:( 不过偶的gown还是得到大家一致好评，让偶的虚荣心也小小满足了一下。:P 吃过饭偶们去看了船上的叫什么hollywood的show，show十分boring，何况偶前两天也都没有睡好加上又累了一天，所以偶没有等show结束就早早回舱里睡觉去了。
Formal Dinner Night
Friday, July 21, 2006
Cruise -- Day 2 (07/01/2006) （1）
前一天晚上dinner过后，偶门看了goofy magician的show，还去船上clubbing了一把，一直折腾到半夜一点多才睡得觉。想船舱里那么黑，一定能睡一个大懒觉，结果清晨6点多就被船抛锚的声音震醒了。原来偶门已经到了Ensenada,Mexico。偶被吵得睡不着了，只能悻悻爬起来，和女id一同到11层甲板上buffet吃早点。刚上甲板，就远远望见小明和大卫穿戴整齐的坐在游泳池旁边的躺椅上晒太阳，还时不时地交头接耳一下，很有Broken Back的架势。:P 原来还有人比偶们起的还早啊！吃罢早点，偶们盼星星，盼月亮，终于在11点多差不多把人都等齐了，于是大家一起上岸去逛Ensenada。没想到一到岸上，大队人马就把偶们给丢了，偶和女id直faint，想想偶们早上六点多就爬起来，一直等到11点多才把人等齐上的岸，结果一上岸就被丢了，早不如不等他们了呢！
Ensenada并不大，只有一条main street，被偶门来来回回走了N次。整个town给偶有美国和中国小城的混合体的感觉，说像美国，是因为街上的商店，饭馆感觉就和在美国是一样，有英文店名和目录表，街角的plaza里也矗立着绿色圆盘的starbucks标记；说像中国，是因为讨饭的小孩和兜售小手工艺饰品的商贩们满大街都是。偶们路过一小摊贩，偶看了看摊上卖的手镯，顺便问了声价钱，被告知美金十块，DD在边上嘟哝一句这么贵啊，偶们转身就准备走，摊主立马就把价钱降到了六块，感觉真有些像上海的襄阳路市场！路边乞讨的墨西哥小孩子，虽说穿得有些脏兮兮的，但个个都是浓眉大眼，长得颇为可爱。有一个小孩在偶们路过时冲着偶直喊：“You want money! You want money!”叫得偶一愣，想这么个小屁孩怎么一眼就把偶看透了，知道偶整天就想着要钱？老墨出人才啊！后来才反应过来，估计还是小老墨英文底子不够好，把我和你搞混了，该说“I want money!”的，见着偶们一着急，就成了“You want money!”了！
Downtown Ensenada
偶们就这么在街上闲逛着，突然又碰上了小明和PQ，才得知原来大队人马都去看一个十几个mile远海边的自然喷泉了，这两是逃兵，也和偶们一样在街上闲逛呢。于是偶们5个人决定找一个餐馆好好坐下，享受一下正宗的墨西哥菜。偶在来墨西哥之前可是作了很多功课的，凭偶那两句洋泾浜墨西哥话，点菜应该是没有什么大问题了，在这儿臭显一把，偶会说，Amego（朋友），Señorita（小姐），Magarita/Corona/Tequila（酒），Fajita/Taco/Quesadillas（墨西哥食物），Bumanos（快点儿），Gracias（谢谢），小学生造句：“Senorita, Fajita, Magarita, Bumanos, Gracias!”不赖吧！:P
Street Vender
街上卖墨西哥大草帽和小手工艺品的商贩
Ensenada并不大，只有一条main street，被偶门来来回回走了N次。整个town给偶有美国和中国小城的混合体的感觉，说像美国，是因为街上的商店，饭馆感觉就和在美国是一样，有英文店名和目录表，街角的plaza里也矗立着绿色圆盘的starbucks标记；说像中国，是因为讨饭的小孩和兜售小手工艺饰品的商贩们满大街都是。偶们路过一小摊贩，偶看了看摊上卖的手镯，顺便问了声价钱，被告知美金十块，DD在边上嘟哝一句这么贵啊，偶们转身就准备走，摊主立马就把价钱降到了六块，感觉真有些像上海的襄阳路市场！路边乞讨的墨西哥小孩子，虽说穿得有些脏兮兮的，但个个都是浓眉大眼，长得颇为可爱。有一个小孩在偶们路过时冲着偶直喊：“You want money! You want money!”叫得偶一愣，想这么个小屁孩怎么一眼就把偶看透了，知道偶整天就想着要钱？老墨出人才啊！后来才反应过来，估计还是小老墨英文底子不够好，把我和你搞混了，该说“I want money!”的，见着偶们一着急，就成了“You want money!”了！
Downtown Ensenada
偶们就这么在街上闲逛着，突然又碰上了小明和PQ，才得知原来大队人马都去看一个十几个mile远海边的自然喷泉了，这两是逃兵，也和偶们一样在街上闲逛呢。于是偶们5个人决定找一个餐馆好好坐下，享受一下正宗的墨西哥菜。偶在来墨西哥之前可是作了很多功课的，凭偶那两句洋泾浜墨西哥话，点菜应该是没有什么大问题了，在这儿臭显一把，偶会说，Amego（朋友），Señorita（小姐），Magarita/Corona/Tequila（酒），Fajita/Taco/Quesadillas（墨西哥食物），Bumanos（快点儿），Gracias（谢谢），小学生造句：“Senorita, Fajita, Magarita, Bumanos, Gracias!”不赖吧！:P
Street Vender
街上卖墨西哥大草帽和小手工艺品的商贩
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Cruise -- Day 1 (06/30/2006) （2）
光头一路将偶门开到了LA的port，偶门准备过关登船了。女id是公民，光头也有绿卡，偶因为刚回国一次，因此还有一次有效的回美签证，只有DD什么也没有，看他有些担心，唠唠叨叨深怕上不了船，偶门都在一旁安慰他，说“没事，上船去墨西哥肯定没问题，最多也就是回不来了么！”，说得DD直faint。出关，按指纹，偶门顺利登上了cruise，放好行李后大家直奔buffet，自打一大早出发时在starbucks垫了点热巧克力和banana nut bread，以及车上吃了些女id从公司偷的snacks，到将近四点上船，偶门几乎没吃什么东西，光头和DD都饿疯了，到了buffet就直冲那大块的肉奔去，两大块下去后才舒缓了一下饥饿的感觉。偶和女id还是比较淑女的，想想晚上6点15就是dinner了，何况还要穿dress，总不能吃的肚子鼓鼓的穿吧，只能强忍着饥饿，吃了点水果和鱼。觉得buffet食物一般，并没有像偶朋友描述得那么美好！吃完偶门在船上转了一圈，已经有不少人已经登船了，游泳池旁也已堆满了半裸的男男女女惬意的享受着日光浴，真是满眼肉色，可惜没几个身材好的，令人失望！
船上的舱位是按单双号排的，单号一边双号一边，偶门的舱房都是没有玄窗的，关了门闭了灯就是伸手不见五指了。偶门同行20多人里，只有女id和偶的舱房是单号，其余的人都住在船的另一侧，女id说，一旦要发生海难，就只能偶门两人相依为命了，所以偶门一定要统一口供，说偶门是一家的，这样偶门至少在逃生时还能上同一条救生船。:P
五时半偶和女id回舱房轮流洗澡更衣，偶正在镜前梳妆打扮呢，船起锚了，不一伙儿船身就开始左右上下晃动，偶是腹中空空，脑袋发晕，有些晕船了。等偶门赶到餐厅，朋友们都差不多到齐了。偶门和海帮主（上海帮帮主），小明，大卫，大帅哥和PPMM，以及另外两位PPMM同桌。海帮主坐在偶旁边，也是偶的老朋友了，平时生龙活虎，气势非凡，可那天却是蔫儿吧叽的像只病猫，原来一世英雄的海帮主最终让晕船给打倒了。偶倒是还挺争气，食物一下肚，立马也就不晕了。于是饭桌上活跃气氛的工作就转交到了女id和偶的手里，一顿饭下来，用DD的话形容，偶门那一桌最热闹了，从头到尾就听见两个人的声音--偶和女id的，谢谢DD夸偶门工作卖力！
First Night on Cruise
船上的舱位是按单双号排的，单号一边双号一边，偶门的舱房都是没有玄窗的，关了门闭了灯就是伸手不见五指了。偶门同行20多人里，只有女id和偶的舱房是单号，其余的人都住在船的另一侧，女id说，一旦要发生海难，就只能偶门两人相依为命了，所以偶门一定要统一口供，说偶门是一家的，这样偶门至少在逃生时还能上同一条救生船。:P
五时半偶和女id回舱房轮流洗澡更衣，偶正在镜前梳妆打扮呢，船起锚了，不一伙儿船身就开始左右上下晃动，偶是腹中空空，脑袋发晕，有些晕船了。等偶门赶到餐厅，朋友们都差不多到齐了。偶门和海帮主（上海帮帮主），小明，大卫，大帅哥和PPMM，以及另外两位PPMM同桌。海帮主坐在偶旁边，也是偶的老朋友了，平时生龙活虎，气势非凡，可那天却是蔫儿吧叽的像只病猫，原来一世英雄的海帮主最终让晕船给打倒了。偶倒是还挺争气，食物一下肚，立马也就不晕了。于是饭桌上活跃气氛的工作就转交到了女id和偶的手里，一顿饭下来，用DD的话形容，偶门那一桌最热闹了，从头到尾就听见两个人的声音--偶和女id的，谢谢DD夸偶门工作卖力！
First Night on Cruise
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Cruise -- Day 1 (06/30/2006) （1）
Cruise对女生来讲不亚于一时装秀。因为在船上每天都要换好几身，有白天休闲穿的，船上运动时穿的，游泳时的比基尼，晚上正式晚餐的礼服，以及clubbing的衣服，一天至少要洗上两三回澡，换上好几身衣服。尽管在船上一共只呆三天，可衣服还是足足塞满了一整箱。偶这次整理行李，准备工作做得比任何一次旅行都长，花了差不多两三个晚上，只是为了决定该带什么合适的衣服。要知道偶回国一个月整理行李也只是花了一个晚上啊！虽然偶拥有整整一个walk-in closet的衣服，可还是犹豫不决不知该带什么样的，唉，女人的衣柜里总是少一件衣服啊。不知道男生是怎么收拾箱子的，反正偶是越收拾时间花得越多，每件衣服都需要上身试过才能决定带还不带。:P不过相对来说，偶只是在整理箱子时花了点时间，不像DD和女id，还专门为了cruise去shopping N次，偶还是省了不少银子的，偷乐中。经过无数次臭美之后，偶终于将偶的行李在cruise前一天晚上收拾完，由dress，night gown，bikinis，以及平时穿得casual clothes，自然还带了sandal和dress shoes及洗漱用品啦，满满当当的一个小箱子，自己也觉得有些不太好意思，衣服好象带多了。
friends
Cruise是从6月30日下午5点从LA出发的。因此一大清早，光头就开车来接偶，DD和女id。（偶，大帅哥，DD，女id都住同一个apartment complex里，而且又是同一栋楼同一层，即是朋友又是邻居，真是亲上加亲了。只是大帅哥这次重色轻友，要单独带PPMM前往，故没能与偶门同行。不过这也是人之常情，大帅哥轻咱，咱可不能轻大帅哥啊，为大帅哥未来的幸福加油！！！）光头也是偶门的狐朋狗友之一，因为他有SUV，所以偶门都沾他的光开车前往LA。（在此也要万分感谢光头不辞辛苦，带着偶门长途跋涉的开到LA又安全将偶门开回。中途偶门还有幸见识了光头的极高开车技巧--强行换lane以应偶如厕之需。）车到装货，除了要装偶门四个大活人之外，还要装偶们那一箱箱的衣服。真是不比不知道，偶还一直以为自己衣服带多了，往车上一看，就数偶的箱子最小了。The winner of who has the most clothes is （锣鼓声鸣） --- DD。原来男生臭美起来比女生还厉害啊！
friends
Cruise是从6月30日下午5点从LA出发的。因此一大清早，光头就开车来接偶，DD和女id。（偶，大帅哥，DD，女id都住同一个apartment complex里，而且又是同一栋楼同一层，即是朋友又是邻居，真是亲上加亲了。只是大帅哥这次重色轻友，要单独带PPMM前往，故没能与偶门同行。不过这也是人之常情，大帅哥轻咱，咱可不能轻大帅哥啊，为大帅哥未来的幸福加油！！！）光头也是偶门的狐朋狗友之一，因为他有SUV，所以偶门都沾他的光开车前往LA。（在此也要万分感谢光头不辞辛苦，带着偶门长途跋涉的开到LA又安全将偶门开回。中途偶门还有幸见识了光头的极高开车技巧--强行换lane以应偶如厕之需。）车到装货，除了要装偶门四个大活人之外，还要装偶们那一箱箱的衣服。真是不比不知道，偶还一直以为自己衣服带多了，往车上一看，就数偶的箱子最小了。The winner of who has the most clothes is （锣鼓声鸣） --- DD。原来男生臭美起来比女生还厉害啊！
Monday, July 10, 2006
Cruise -- 前言
7月4日independence day长周末，偶同一大帮朋友坐cruise去了墨西哥的Ensenada。这是偶第一次坐游轮，可能是因为去之前把cruise想得太好，去了之后发现感觉并没有像想象中的那样exciting。主要的原因大概是因为船上吃得没有像偶朋友告诉偶得那么好吧。偶有一朋友告诉偶说，船上食物味道奇好，而且一天24小时供应，她第一天上船就吃了8顿，听得偶是充分做好心理准备--预计3天cruise增重5磅的，结果回来一称，最多只重了0.5磅，比期望值差了很远啊！
cruise的组委会由F，J，T和大帅哥组成。既然有大帅哥，理所当然的也就拉了偶，女id和DD加入。为了可以拿到group discount并在cruise上组织private party，除了偶门这帮狐朋狗友外，组委会还拉了20多口人，结果偶门一行有浩浩荡荡30多号人参加，有一半的人偶之前都不认识。为了cruise的成功，并让大家相互熟悉一下，偶门在cruise之前就借机开了两次pre-cruise party，腐败种种，在此就不多提了。不过到也通过这一次又一次的party，让偶的朋友圈又扩大很多，也没少认识湾区的帅哥美女们。
只是这次的cruise，偶没有怎么拍照片，连偶的半专业相机偶都没有拿出来用，真是惭愧，只能从一摄影爱好者降级为被摄影爱好者了。
非专业麻豆，pose不来，只能以大笑掩饰尴尬。
cruise的组委会由F，J，T和大帅哥组成。既然有大帅哥，理所当然的也就拉了偶，女id和DD加入。为了可以拿到group discount并在cruise上组织private party，除了偶门这帮狐朋狗友外，组委会还拉了20多口人，结果偶门一行有浩浩荡荡30多号人参加，有一半的人偶之前都不认识。为了cruise的成功，并让大家相互熟悉一下，偶门在cruise之前就借机开了两次pre-cruise party，腐败种种，在此就不多提了。不过到也通过这一次又一次的party，让偶的朋友圈又扩大很多，也没少认识湾区的帅哥美女们。
只是这次的cruise，偶没有怎么拍照片，连偶的半专业相机偶都没有拿出来用，真是惭愧，只能从一摄影爱好者降级为被摄影爱好者了。
非专业麻豆，pose不来，只能以大笑掩饰尴尬。
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Forever
Forever
I stand alone in the darkness
the winter of my life came so fast
memories go back to childhood
to days I still recall
Oh how happy I was then
there was no sorrow there was no pain
walking through the green fields
sunshine in my eyes
I'm still there everywhere
I'm the dust in the wind
I'm the star in the northern sky
I never stayed anywhere
I'm the wind in the trees
would you wait for me forever?
I stand alone in the darkness
the winter of my life came so fast
memories go back to childhood
to days I still recall
Oh how happy I was then
there was no sorrow there was no pain
walking through the green fields
sunshine in my eyes
I'm still there everywhere
I'm the dust in the wind
I'm the star in the northern sky
I never stayed anywhere
I'm the wind in the trees
would you wait for me forever?
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Volleyball and badminton
Too much exercise recently. I'm sore everywhere now. I just got membership from a badminton club near by last week. And I've been playing badminton nonstop since last Tuesday. My badminton gets improved a lot now comparing to last year when I just started, and I like the sports.
Last week, we were having a pre-cruise party. I brought the volleyball set with me, and we had a good game. W thinks that we should play volleyball often since it's summer time now, so we decided to play every other weekend.
We played again over the past Sunday. But since lots of us are beginners, the game was so so, we only had a few good shots. During break, J was helping me practicing smashing, that's pretty fun and good exercise. After about 2 hours' volleyball game, most of us felt like not enough exercise, so after dinner we went to play badminton again. I had some good workout there. I played one double game with 3 very good guys who I don't know and ran a lot. That's a very good game, I stayed in the front, close to net, to return all the drops, and surprisingly I returned a lot I would have never got before. I feel more confident in my badminton skill now. :)
Fog, Qingdao, China
Last week, we were having a pre-cruise party. I brought the volleyball set with me, and we had a good game. W thinks that we should play volleyball often since it's summer time now, so we decided to play every other weekend.
We played again over the past Sunday. But since lots of us are beginners, the game was so so, we only had a few good shots. During break, J was helping me practicing smashing, that's pretty fun and good exercise. After about 2 hours' volleyball game, most of us felt like not enough exercise, so after dinner we went to play badminton again. I had some good workout there. I played one double game with 3 very good guys who I don't know and ran a lot. That's a very good game, I stayed in the front, close to net, to return all the drops, and surprisingly I returned a lot I would have never got before. I feel more confident in my badminton skill now. :)
Fog, Qingdao, China
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Biking @ Golden Gate Park
I organized a biking event on Saturday. Since I am the organizer, and I have been biking here before, so I planed out the biking route and what to look during the trip. It was a good activity and everyone was having fun! :)
We rented 6 mountain bikes and biked from stow lake all the way to the beach. Originally my idea was to rent those kinds of bikes for 4 people or 6 people, so that I can be lazy and don't have to paddle myself all the time. :P Maybe my intention is too easy to tell by my friends, so we had to rent one bike each person. Going toward the beach was pretty easy, almost all the way downhill. But it is very hard coming back. My legs were sore, and the worst, my butt really hurts. The bike seat definitely needs some better padding. But thanks for all the badminton practice, I have a lot better stamina than I had last time, (which was about 5 years ago), I biked almost all the way back. Not too bad!
Afterwards we went to Cha Cha Cha -- a restaurant on Height Street. I like Height Street; it's different, a lot like telegraph ave in Berkeley. And Cha Cha Cha is one of my favorite restaurants; it has the best Sangria. Since it doesn't take reservation, we had to wait in line. After over two hours’ waiting, we finally got our seats and everyone was starving. Apparently we had a wonderful dinner there.
Fish Net, Qingdao, China
We rented 6 mountain bikes and biked from stow lake all the way to the beach. Originally my idea was to rent those kinds of bikes for 4 people or 6 people, so that I can be lazy and don't have to paddle myself all the time. :P Maybe my intention is too easy to tell by my friends, so we had to rent one bike each person. Going toward the beach was pretty easy, almost all the way downhill. But it is very hard coming back. My legs were sore, and the worst, my butt really hurts. The bike seat definitely needs some better padding. But thanks for all the badminton practice, I have a lot better stamina than I had last time, (which was about 5 years ago), I biked almost all the way back. Not too bad!
Afterwards we went to Cha Cha Cha -- a restaurant on Height Street. I like Height Street; it's different, a lot like telegraph ave in Berkeley. And Cha Cha Cha is one of my favorite restaurants; it has the best Sangria. Since it doesn't take reservation, we had to wait in line. After over two hours’ waiting, we finally got our seats and everyone was starving. Apparently we had a wonderful dinner there.
Fish Net, Qingdao, China
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