旅遊南非洲: (一) 首章 / Travel to South Africa: (1) Introduction

By the time you see this message, I would have been back from South Africa (cross my fingers). I will try to upload asap some of the photos I took.

Stay tuned !!!

ps: I look forward to having a snowy Christmas back home and do some serious cross-country and downhill skiing !!!
Photo Credit: "South Africa Coat of Arms + Flag" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa

References: 南非 http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%8D%97%E9%9D%9E

經濟: 根據聯合國分類，南非是一個中收入發展中國家，資源豐富，財經、法律、通訊、能源、交通業發達，完備的硬件建設和股票交易市場居全球前二十名。2007年，南非的國民生產總值排在全球第20位。標準銀行是源自南非的一大銀行集團。 南非裡發展程度最高的區域包括開普敦、約翰內斯堡、德班，及伊麗莎白港。但這些區域外的其他地區發展程度卻非常有限，形成南非國內嚴重的貧富懸殊問題。另外，南非國內的不同人種收入懸殊造成黑人有排外傾向、罪案率與貪污問題嚴重，附近國家難民持續湧入，與及愛滋病率高升，也令經濟發展受限制。所以雖然南非是非洲內人均國內生產總值第四高的國家，他依然被稱為發展中國家。 南非的法定貨幣單位是南非蘭特。蘭特在2001年一次大貶值後，在隨後的2002-2005年間，曾經是世界上兌美元升值最快的貨幣，2005年後蘭特又隨着經濟增長放慢而走軟，此情況持續至今。 2008年南非因國家內部電力設施不足而發生了能源危機，國家需要間歇性在不同地區停止供電。這嚴重影響了國內的大部分工商業的運作，但由於南非國內利率高企及社會不穩，私人資金不願大規模投資能源行業，而政府在基建審批上過度嚴苛，故電力供應的問題短期內未有解決蹟象。

外交: 1991年以前，南非採行種族隔離政策，遭受國際社會普遍抵制，國際地位極為孤立。1991年6月南非實現轉型正義廢除種族隔離政策後，世界各國相繼解除對南非經濟制裁，並紛紛提昇、恢復或建立與南非之外交關係。1998年1月1日，南非跟中華民國斷交，並跟中華人民共和國建立外交關係。 南非1994年由非洲民族議會黨執政以來,對外政策以非洲集團領袖自居，積極推動非洲統合,促成非洲團結組織。2001年常會決議通過成立非洲發展新夥伴計劃，並成功改組成非洲聯盟，為南部非洲發展共同體及不結盟運動龍頭，以第三世界代言人自居。

塞翁之馬 / Life is Full of Surprises

>> ... 塞翁之馬，誰曉得何為得何為失？

It is SO TRUE!!!
If my father had allowed me to study in Hawaii, I would have spent all my time watching girls on the beach and flunked out of university, which would have upset my parents and myself.
Now I am freezing my butt off in Canada, but am very happy (so was my father, bless his soul)!!!
^_^

The above comments was posted at Michelle's blog article "Letter to Myself" http://petiteinote.blogspot.com/2009/11/26.html

Yes, life is full of surprises; you never know what will happen.
So, even in the darkest moment, when you think it's the end of the world ...
Keep your head up!!
Be strong and go on!!!
Now I save my money and travel the world, and Hawaii is not even on the top of my list :)

您的留言,我的回应 / My Responses to Your Comments

很抱歉未能立刻回应您的留言,我一定会儘快找時間回覆!!! // I apologize for not being able to respond to your comments in a timely fashion. Please be reassured that I will do so asap !!

全馬拉松賽跑: 心力 / Running a Full Marathon: Mental Strength

People often assume running a full-marathon is like running two half-marathons consecutively: 42.2 kilometres = 21.1 K + 21.1 K. It's not exactly how I look at a race. The problem with the equal split is that by the time I finish the first 21.2 K, my natural reaction will be: Now I have to do it all over again!

To me, 42.2 K = 32 K + 10.2 K

I usually run my first 32 K at my target pace. But for the last 10 K, exhaustion, cramps and all kinds of physical limitations will creep in. That's when the mental strength kicks in. An athlete with good mental training will be able to draw deep from his/her physically depleted "well" to find the necessary energy and will to go on. It is not easy, but it can be done. So far, I have managed to finish all my full- and half-marathon races without a DNF (did not finish).

Wellness = Physical health + Mental health

Strength = Physical strength + Mental strength

小小說: 道歉 / Short Short Story: Apology

話說一個成年的女人,想知道因殺她父親而被判入獄多年的兇犯究竟是一個怎麽樣的人,或許她是想知道在男人寂寞的暮年歲月中,他有沒有萌生道歉的意念。

她只記得在15歲時那一晚,母親悲哀地說:『妳父親死了!!』就是那麽簡單的一句,她就和生父陰陽相隔。在女孩子悠長的成長歲月,她不知道父親臨死前有沒有和劫匪摶鬥,或跪地向他求饒。她不知道在子彈鑽入他軀体內臓之前的一杀那,他又沒有想到他的妻子丶女兒和自己一生的前麈往事。她不知道在最後的數秒間,他瞳孔中有沒有看到人生最後一頁,那回顧是否充滿了所有喜樂的丶後悔的丶做了的丶未做的事情。

在她母親極力反对之下,她開始和殺父親的監犯通訊,什至在兇手出獄後约会和他会面。劫匪对受害者的女兒表示歉意,解釋当日她父親之死是大家的滯運氣, in the wrong place at the wrong time ,在混乱和惶恐中,他開鎗擊殺手無寸鐵的事主,奪去了一個十五歲女孩子的父親,对此事他多年來都是深感為憾,。

女人之後再沒有和那已上了年紀的男人通訊,她只想從生父最後見到的一個活人眼中,看到父親臨死前最後的一面。從兇手的解釋中,她找不到任何答案,她的生命仍是懸掛在憤恨的荊棘倒刺中,沒有一個完好的結局。或許拒絕和不接受他的道歉,是她為自己和父親報仇雪恨的最後一枝武器。

您的留言,我的回应 / My Responses to Your Comments

很抱歉未能立刻回应您的留言,我一定会儘快找時間回覆!!! // I apologize for not being able to respond to your comments in a timely fashion. Please be reassured that I will do so asap !!

人之初,性本善 / What Keeps Me going - Faith in the Human Race

About 12 months ago, I left the following comments with Ruth's Nov 27, 2008 blog article "Memory":

" ... Over the years, I have disappointed some people and some people have disappointed me. But I keep my faith in the belief that the human race as a whole has made progress in spite of the ups and downs and some bad experience."

I will come back here 12 months from now and reflect again.

Reference: http://ruthtam.blogspot.com/2008/11/memory.html