鋼琴: 『童謠 - 夏天午後』 / Piano piece: "Comptine d'un autre été - l'après-midi"

Here is the original piano piece played by YouTube user CaherineLaGrande with the message:

"Ici je joue Comptine d'un autre été : l'après-midi, par Yann Tiersen. J'espère que vous apprécierez !"

Reference: Yann Tiersen 揚·提爾森（1970年6月23日－）法國音樂家 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yann_Tiersen

“鋼琴” / "The Piano"

To those who are no longer with us ....

英文翻譯: 登幽州台歌 (唐）陈子昂 ∕ English Translation: "Climbing the You Zhou Building" by ZiAng Chen of the Tang Dynasty, China

以下是我替網友SkyMountain 做的翻譯:


原文:

登幽州台歌

前不见古人，后不见来者
念天地之悠悠，独怆然而涕下！

（唐）陈子昂

直譯:

Song of "Climbing the You Zhou Building"

Ahead, I see no ancestors;
Behind, I find no followers.
Contemplating the vastness of the universe;
I can't help but weep, feeling sad and lonely.

(Author: ZiAng Chen, Tang Dynasty, China)

意釋:

Song of the You Zhou Exile

The wise ancestors are long gone,
There is no future emperor in sight;
Across the vast land I sing this song,
Weeping alone for my sad plight.

解釋:

這首詞是語帶相關,和登黃鶴楼丶登鸛雀樓等迥然不同。作者是暗示君王忠言逆耳,不單止不信任和不接受他的勸告,還要放逐他到遠方,不准他還鄉,所以自嘆生不逢時,感到非常孤單和悲愴。( Correction: "... 還要放逐他到遠方,不准他還鄉 ..." is incorrect, please see updated info at the end of this blog article. )

前 = the past

后 = the future

古人 = 来者 = Ancestors and followers (暗示past and future rulers/emperors with wisdom)

念 = feel/recognize/contemplate

天地 = the universe (暗示the kingdom)

悠悠 = vast emptiness/loneliness

独怆然 = by myself feeling sad and lonely

涕下 = weep
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(接連: 原稿登在網友Skymountain 2008-08-06 的 blog article A song of "On the YouZhou Building")

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New information (updated 2008-09-01 22h10):

Source: Wikipedia http://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E9%99%88%E5%AD%90%E6%98%82&variant=zh-tw

"... 陳子昂（661年-702年），字伯玉，唐朝梓州射洪（今四川省射洪）人。詩人，是唐詩革新的先驅者。 陳子昂出生於富有的家庭，勤奮好學。青少年時輕財好施，慷慨任俠。唐高宗開耀2年（682年），進士及第。高宗駕崩于洛陽，他上書在洛陽建高宗陵墓。武則天很欣賞他，拜為麟台正字，歷官至右拾遺。武攸宜北伐契丹，陳子昂為記室，主撰軍中一切文件。後辭官回家。縣令段簡以其家富豪，誣陷入獄，憂憤而死。也有人說是陳子昂得罪了武三思，因而被武三思命段簡將其殺害。陳子昂的代表作為《感遇》詩38首，旨在抨擊時弊，抒寫情懷,還有登幽州臺歌等。他的詩歌創作在唐代頗有影響。他主張漢魏風骨，提倡風雅比興，對唐詩的健康發展是有利的。其詩風高昂清峻，雄渾蒼涼，語言深沉質樸。..."

沒有根的人, 還是國際公民? ∕ Rootless People, or Global Citizens?

I listened to an interview broadcast by CBC Radio One the morning of August 25, 2008 (the eve of the US Democratic National Convention in Denver) in which two American guest speakers were debating whether US voters would likely elect someone with a strong "root" in the American heartland. The issue is raised because Mr. McCain was born in the then US-controlled Panama Canal Zone and Mr. Obama, in the State of Hawaii (not continental USA). Both presidential candidates spent much of their formulating years living or working in different cities. To me, this is positive as travelling often helps broaden a person's horizon.

However, this mobility was considered as "rootless" by one of the speakers who went as far as saying that only people who have lived and stayed in one place would have the appreciation of and loyalty to the people and land that they seek to govern. The statement strikes me as odd. In these days and age, any leader of a powerful country that worth his/her grain of salt must have demonstrated international experience, not just those gained academically or through the internet, but rather hands-on, nuts-and-bolts, field operation types of experience. In fact, I shudder at the thought of the President of the United States making foreign policy statements and decisions in a personal vacuum, without an intimate understanding of how they would affect the country and the rest of the world. To this end, I am glad to learn that both Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain did have a chance to live outside of the American heartland. Let's hope that whoever is elected will not just have loyalty to the people and land of the United States, but also a good appreciation of the world of which the US is a part.

2008北京奧運閉幕有感 ∕ Some thoughts on the closing of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

其一: 加拿大奧運隊

提議聯邦政府应加倍支助運動員和組織,提高國民和國家的健康和競賽水準。


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其二: 奧運閉幕之後

提議中國領導人在分析奧運時,注視下列三件事項:

• 繼續發揚和普及体育活動
• 回顧及展望中國外交關係
• 研討西藏丶新彊丶及其它領域政策

(原載: 2008-08-23 『曲終人散!』

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其三: 香港奧運馬術賽

【臨懸】

官場路埼嶇
澣林駿馬躍五環
轉好!轉好!

(原載: 2007-06-28 『漢徘,徘句 (續集) / Chinese and Japanese Haiku (Part 2)』)

水蛇 ∕ Water Snakes

我在 cottage 河畔游泳時,有時候会看到一些水蛇,在石塊上晒太陽享受,或在水草叢中覓食,它們懶洋洋地躺那裡,在溫暖的陽光下,讓我拍照。

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(The following was added on Aug 25, 2008 13h15)

Reference information on "Northern Water Snake":

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Water_Snake

"... The Northern Water Snake, Nerodia sipedon, is a large, non-venomous, well-known snake in the Colubridae family that is native to North America. They are active during the day and at night. They are most often seen basking on rocks, stumps, or brush. During the day, they hunt among plants at the water's edge, looking for small fish, frogs, worms, leeches, crayfish, salamanders, small birds and mammals. At night, they concentrate on minnows and other small fish sleeping in shallow water.

Northern Water Snakes grow over four feet long. They can be brown, gray, reddish, or brownish-black. They have dark crossbands on their necks and dark blotches on the rest of their bodies ....

Northern Water Snakes mate from April through June. They are live-bearers, which means they do not lay eggs like most snakes. Instead, they carry them inside their bodies and give birth to baby snakes, each one six to twelve inches long. A female may have as many as thirty young at a time. Babies are born between August and October. Mothers do not care for their young; as soon as they are born, they are on their own.

Northern Water Snakes have many predators, including birds, raccoons, opossums, foxes, snapping turtles, and other snakes. They defend themselves vigorously when they are threatened. If they are picked up by an animal, or person, they will bite, as well as release excrement and musk. Their saliva contains an anticoagulant which can cause its wounds caused by biting to bleed profusely ...."

2008北京奧運三女將 ∕ My Top Three Women Athlets of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games

Thus far, here are my three top women athletes of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (not in any particular order):

* As an amateur marathoner, I have a lot of respect for 38-year-old Constantina Tomescu of Romania who dominated the women's marathon race. She made her move at the 25km mark and nobody in the chasing group was able to respond. Running the rest of the race in the front, she finished in 2 hours 26 minutes 44 seconds. World recorder holder Paula Radcliffe of Britain managed to finish the race despite her injury. Famed USA marathoner Deana Kastor had a DNF (Did Not Finish) when she dropped out of the race. (Photo source: http://www.sina.com)

* 41 years old USA swimmer Dara Torres swam her PB (personal best) time of 24.07 seconds and won a silver medal in the 50-meter freestyle. She was beaten by 16-year old Britta Steffen of Germany by a mere 1/100th of a second. Here she is with her 2 years old daughter. (For more pics of the veteran swimmer and model, please see: http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/health-fitness/The_Body_Creating_Ripples.shtml)

* Wrestler Carol Huynh of Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada won the first gold medal for Canada. She immigrated from Vietnam to this country 30 years ago. Way to go Carol !!! (Photo credit: Issei Kato, Reuteurs)

加拿大安大略省貴湖市 ∕ City of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

以下是我在加拿大安大略省貴湖市 downtown 映的數張攝影图片。

加拿大安大略省貴湖市民宿店 ∕ Bed and Breakfast Inn, Guelph, Ontario

我在旅遊加拿大安大略省貴湖市的時候,住在一間我頗喜愛的民宿店,這Bread & Breakfast 離巿中約三公里,在二丶三十年代,這地段是農田牧場,後來城市擴大,農人將土地售賣給地產商,後者將耕地分割,改建為住宅區。雖然住在這処的家族决定保留原有的祖屋丶穀倉丶和大約5,000 平方米的土地,作為己用,但如以下攝影图片所示,現在屋內的傢俬和陳設,已不復当年農家簡樸的風味,代之以是北美中上家庭的裝飾物品,和室外游泳池。這令我唏噓感到,歲月不留人,時代巨輪是在不停的轉動,我這個在城市出生長大的,就只能在這民宿舊屋中,尋找那一絲半縷的農村生活痕跡和回憶
。

加拿大安大略省千島旅遊區 (二) / The Thousand Islands tourist area in Ontario, Canada (2)

如網友「新鮮人」說,“草根民族”就是喜歡那種"草根感覺",我出外自理旅遊,多会選擇入住賓館或民宿(B&B, bread & breakfast),一方面是價錢比大酒店經濟,另一方面是多有机会和本地人打交道,深入了解民情風俗。

這次我旅遊千島,是住在一艘長約33 米丶重216 公頓丶有97年歷史的船屋 (boathouse),民宿的店主是一個美國上校(Colonel)的後代,他的家族購買了這條船之後,就用它來做夏天渡假屋,旅遊加拿大和美國边界島嶼。到了近上世紀末,船身開始生銹,店主决定將它改修為旅客用的民宿,船屋也就長泊在他家族的小島旁。

我問店主冬天冰天雪地之時,他們怎樣維持生計,他給我一個苦笑,千島旅遊業不是一年四季生意,入息好壞是在乎加美元对換率和兩個國家的經濟起落,所以開店至今,他和妻子都很節儉,淡季也有兼職做教師來補助收入,養活兩個孩子。

臨走前那晚,千島湖泊地區受暴風雨襲擊,我在船上望出窗外,在漆黑的深夜中,雷声隆隆,電光閃閃,湖上波濤洶湧,橫風夾著橫雨打上甲板,在年老的鋼鐵呻吟声中,這隻船屋仍是頑固地扯著那島嶼的盤石,不讓風雨分離這條船和那小島,忠心地保衛那近百年的家族丶歷史丶和故事。

攝影图片 (壹): 這是從小島的東北角,遠望聖勞倫斯河的主要航道。

攝影图片 (貳): 這裡河水澄清見底, 蜻蜓在浮蓮間飛舞,是我游泳日浴的勝地。
攝影图片 (叄): 船屋楼上的图書館,充滿近百年的美加書籍丶家族歷史丶和令人懷舊的相片。

攝影图片 (肆): 這是船頭楼上的休憇地方,午間用來招呼旅客喝茶小食,晚間可以在此點燭開嘉年華派对。

攝影图片 (伍): 這是船尾店主家人的住処,楼上是套房,楼下是厨房和歺廳。

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(The above was actually posted on August 16, 2008 04h00)

加拿大安大略省千島旅遊區 (一) / The Thousand Islands tourist area in Ontario, Canada (1)

我終於有時間上網,寫有關旅遊加拿大和美國边境的千島The Thousand Islands旅遊區。提起千島,有些人会想起千島沙律(沙拉)醬 Thousand Island salad dressing,或浙江省的千島湖(即新安江水庫)，但很多住在安大略省和紐約州边界附近的人都知道,千島是北美東岸旅遊人仕夏天渡假的好去処。

美加千島旅遊區共有大小島嶼約一千八百多個,水域是屬於全長3058公里的聖勞倫斯河 (Saint Lawrence River / la fleuve Saint-Laurent)的一小部份。我這次旅行是從加拿大這边岸的Rock Port 小鎮,乘水上的士往其中的一個小島民宿Bed and Breakfast,然後以那処為「大本營」,出發到其它地方作一日遊。

以下攝影图片: 這是Rock Port的mariner,售賣汽油,小食,也專做水上的士和導游生意,帶客潛水探訪河床底下,百多艘古今沈船。

旅遊加拿大安大略省的兩個城市: 多倫多和圭尔夫(貴湖)市 / Visiting Toronto and Guelph, Ontario, Canada

八月二日在千島回來之後,在家睡了一晚,餘興未盡,又在八月三日中午駕車往多倫多 (City of Toronto),在那裡玩了兩天,之後在八月五日南下圭尔夫(貴湖)市 (City of Guelph),在民宿旅館 (bed and breakfast inn) 住了一晚,翌日星期三駕車回家,來回路程共一千一百公里 (1,100 kilometres)。我映了很多攝影图片,希望能在未來數天与各位分享共賞。

加拿大和美國边境的千島旅遊區 ∕ The Thousand Islands tourist area at the Canada-US border

I just came back from a four-day vacation in the Thousand Islands tourist area on the Ontario side of the Canada-US border. I had a very enjoyable and relaxing time. I will post some pics and write more abt the trip when I have a chance.

渥太華河 ∕ The Ottawa River

I took these pictures one day in July 2008 when the sky was blue and the water calm. There were not too many people in the park as it was a work day. Out on the river, a dozen or so young kids were taking sailing lesson and I could hear their laughter skimming across the water surface. A loon called in the distance and some ducks were foraging in the shallow water.

Summertime, and the living is eeeasy !!!

Here are my other articles and songs on summer in the north:

* 我愛夏日長 (八月) / Summer Time ... and the Living is Easy (August) http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/08/summer-time-and-living-is-easy-august.html

* 我愛夏日長 / Summer Time ... and the Living is Easy http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/05/summer-time-and-living-is-easy.html

* 最佳20世紀的歐西歌曲 / Songs of the Century (4) http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/06/songs-of-century-4.html

* Janis Joplin - Summertime (Live Gröna Lund 1969) http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/06/janis-joplin-summertime-live-grna-lund.html

* 艾拉•費茲潔拉 和 路易斯•阿姆斯特朗 Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong's Summertime http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/06/ella-fitzgerald-louis-armstrongs.html