香港老家: 從阿巴甸街,灣仔大彿口,到北角新邨 / Growing up in Hong Kong: Aberdeen Street,Wan Chai, North Point Estate

前數天,在網上找到了一個懷舊香港北角新邨的團體,我看到「村友」貼上的照片,腦海不禁充滿了童年時代的回憶.

(一) 阿巴甸街

(The following article was first posted on Dec 8, 2008)


母親說她和父親結了婚之後,由九龍油麻地搬往鴨巴甸街住,当年父親入息不高,与年輕的配偶,兩口子租了一間狹窄的板間房,母親「佗」 着我的時候,在鴨巴甸街上斜落斜,什為辛苦吃力,但可幸我的袓父母住在附近的荷李活道,所以有緊急事也可以大家互相照应。

我記得年幼時阿嫲常帶我往文武廟処玩,又去上環街市買餸,回到祖父母処就和「中間房」木匠的兒子阿榮玩拍「公仔紙」, 但是我們孩子是不准去「尾房」玩,因為那对夫婦住客是吞雲吐霧的(鴉片?)「煙精」。

我記得在騎楼望開对面是「飛髪舖」,顧客有兩個選擇,「陸軍裝」或「花旗裝」。楼下是賣柴丶炭丶雜物的舖頭,常常擠滿了買餸的家庭主婦,她們与老板伙記討價還價,或像「開墟」的說一堆不着边際的話兒,或大家閒話家常,和在街上的行人丶小販丶街坊丶小童鬧哄哄的噪声混在一起。

鴨巴甸街是我的出生地點,荷李活道是我的玩耍地方,現在看見這些相片,帶來了很多童年的回憶,令我在那天真無邪的歲月中流連忘返。

攝影图片 Photo Credit: Wikipedia

* 香港鴨巴甸街是一條很鈄的路 Aberdeen Street on Hong Kong Island is fairly steep
* 鴨巴甸街和皇后大道中交界 Intersection of Aberdeen Street and Queen's Road
* 荷李活道的文武廟 The ManMo Temple on Hollywood Road, Hong Kong

References:

1. Aberdeen Street 鴨巴甸街:
"... 鴨巴甸街於1840年代規劃，作為華人與洋人的聚居界線。華人需要居住於街道以西的太平山街地區，即上環和西營盤一帶，街道以東則發展成為維多利亞城的市中心。這條道路與香港仔一樣，都是以當時的英國外交大臣鴨巴甸勳爵命名。..."
(References: Aberdeen Street      鴨巴甸街 )

2. The ManMo Temple on Hollywood Road, Hong Kong 荷李活道的文武廟:
"... Man Mo Temple or Man Mo Miu (traditional Chinese: 文武廟) is a temple in Hong Kong, China, that reveres the God of Literature, Man Tai (文帝), Man Cheong （文昌）and the God of War, and Mo Tai (武帝) or Kuan Ti, Kwan Yu（關羽). It was built in 1847 after two gods, Man the god of literature and Mo the god of war..." "... 東華三院文武廟位於香港上環荷李活道，是香港開埠早期的中式廟宇及於開埠早期於港英政府批准下可以用中國方法進行「斬雞頭，燒黃紙」的宣誓及裁決華人之間的糾紛。文武廟亦為香港一級歷史建築。..."
(References: Man Mo Temple (Hong Kong)   東華三院文武廟

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(二) 灣仔大彿口

阿媽「佗」我的時候,父親入息不高,只能在阿巴甸街租了間尾房為家. 我出世之後,父母担心隔鄰樓下山寨廠的工業染污惡毒環境,就決定搬遷,在灣仔大彿口租了個「板間房」. 那時母親恐怕我会迷途,所以要我牢記地址,至今我仍可以閉眼唸出﹕「我蕩失咗路,唔該您帶找返屋企啦,我係住响皇后大道東＋一号三樓」.

以前香港唐樓很寬濶,所以業主会築建頭房、中間房 、和尾房收租. 我們住在約12X12呎的板間房,除了煑食在業主廚房外,如廁、洗身、玩耍等都是在四壁之內. 我開學前一年,弟弟出世,一家四口一張牀,地方見少,業主婆又討厭「細路仔」喴嘩鬼叫,由此與母親生口角打架,兩老公常要護妻談判講數！

...... 待續 to be continued.

2014年夏天: 「秋老虎」和「黑苺冬天」 / Summer 2014: Blackberry Winter & Indian Summer

Photo Credit: Via Krystyn Chong's Google+ Account

七月天氣炎熱, 冷氣机數星期24/7未有休息, 這和早陣子的寒冬, 真是大有分別 !!

週末我將会跑半馬拉松距離的障礙賽, 希望天氣会冷卻一些, 讓運動員跑也跑得舒服一點.

>>>>>>> UPDATED 20140724 <<<<<<<

My blogger friend Inner Space has raised a very interesting point in his posted comments: Is Eskimo Winter the opposite/equivalent of Indian Summer? According to Wikipedia, the answer is: Blackberry Winter (see below).

References/Related links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_summer

".... An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather, occurring after the end of summer proper. The US National Weather Service defines this as weather conditions that are sunny and clear with temperatures above 21 °C (70 °F), following a sharp frost (the "Squaw Winter"). It is normally associated with late-September to mid-November. There are multiple explanations for the name. The North American Indians—native Americans—depended upon periods of fine, quiet, sunny weather at this time of the year to complete their harvest to see them through the winter... In China, this period is called qiū lǎohǔ (秋老虎), which literally means "autumn tiger". In Chinese, it signifies the revival of often fierce, summer-like heat that persists well past the Beginning of Autumn (the 13th seasonal division point according to the Chinese calendar, usually falling on August 7 or 8). This hot weather may persist until well into October or November in the southern regions...."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackberry_winter

".... Blackberry winter is a colloquial expression used in south & midwest North America, referring to a cold snap that often occurs in late spring when the blackberries are in bloom. Other colloquial names for spring cold snaps include "Dogwood winter," “Whippoorwill winter,” "Locust winter," and “Redbud winter.” The different names are based on what is blooming in particular regions during the typical spring cold snaps. Another colloquialism for these spring cold snaps is "Linsey-Woolsey Britches winter," referring to a type of winter long underwear which could be put away after the last cold snap. The Blackberry winter term may have arisen to describe the belief that a spring cold snap helps the blackberry canes to start growing...."

Speaking from a Canadian perspective:  I hope the Canadian company BlackBerry will find it comforting to know that growth will follow after a cold spell !!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angry_Summer

As a side-note, the Aussies use the term "Angry Summer" to describe the hot waves that hit the continent last "summer" (note: the summer down-under is winter for Canadians).  

".... The Australian summer of 2012–2013, known as the Angry Summer or Extreme Summer, resulted in 123 weather records being broken over a 90-day period, including the hottest day ever recorded for Australia as a whole, the hottest January on record, the hottest summer average on record, and a record seven days in a row when the whole continent averaged above 39 °C. ....The hottest temperature recorded during the course of the heatwave was 49.6 °C (121.3 °F) at Moomba in South Australia...."

烤羊鞭 / Roasted Sheep Penis

外籍友人「捱得順」在大陸某食店點菜, 看到了歺牌上的烤羊鞭, 大吃一驚, 眏了張照片留念. 不同的文化習俗, 當然引起了不同的反應.

Don't read this aloud at the supper table unless you are with Chinese relatives, in which case, the challenge is to restrict the conversation to sheep penis

Btw, the Chinese euphemism for animal penis is '鞭' that means 'whip'. Go figure!!

On a serious note, the traditional but outdated practice of eating endangered species, or parts thereof, must be banned. Tigers are going extinct when they cannot reproduce !!!!!

Photo Credit: Friend D. Anderson

多雲和涼爽的一天: 密其湖 白蘭芝海灘 / A Cloudy and Cool Day at Blanchet Beach, Meech Lake

Photo credit: Lotusandcedar 20140717

 

After my run around the 8K Wolf Trail loop (狼徑), I went down to Blanchet Beach (白蘭芝海灘) and took this photo of Meech Lake (密其湖). 

With 14 geese calling Blanchet home, the place was not exactly clean and I didn't bother to go swimming.

葡萄美酒, 職業生涯 / Career Growth & Good Wine

20140718: I just came back from a going-away party for a friend who is off to Asia for an assignment. Here are my thoughts .....  A career is just like good wine, it takes time to grow, but oh, do we ever like the fruit of our efforts !!!

職業生涯, 

就像這瓶酒好酒, 

需要時間來成長 。

最終,  我們將會享受

努力的成果。

圖: 安大略省 葡萄酒商質量聯盟         字: 微豆

Related link:  

*   酒商質量聯盟，是一個監管和稱謂系統，保證了對加拿大的葡萄酒高品質的原產地和真實性。

"A FILM ABOUT COFFEE" / 一部關於咖啡的電影

20140717: I am a coffee drinker. So I went to The Mayfair Theatre and watched the movie "A FILM ABOUT COFFEE" presented by Bridgehead Coffee. Now I understand the difference btwn "Fair Trade" and "Direct Buy".

Source: http://afilmaboutcoffee.com/

"CANADIAN PREMIERE - A Film About Coffee is a love letter to, and meditation on, specialty coffee. It examines what it takes, and what it means, for coffee to be defined as “specialty.” The film whisks audiences on a trip around the world, from farms in Honduras and Rwanda to coffee shops in Tokyo, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and New York. Through the eyes and experiences of farmers and baristas, the film offers a unique overview of all the elements—the processes, preferences and preparations; traditions old and new—that come together to create the best cups. This is a film that bridges gaps both intellectual and geographical, evoking flavor and pleasure, and providing both as well..."

Related links: 

*   Rwanda's coffee:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maraba_coffee.

*   Fair Trade (or not?):  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade

母語(第一語言)減退 / Mother Tongue (First Language Attrition)

20140716: 有關母語減退的個人感受

Although I currently think and dream in English, I have never completely lost my mother tongue (which is Cantonese). Yes, there are times when I have to use Google Translate to re-learn a Chinese character, but overall, I am still proficient enough to communicate with my Chinese relatives and bloggers in HK. The big question is: Should I fall prey to Alzheimer like my Mom, which language will go first? Will I start yakking to my family in Cantonese (which is what my Mom is doing to everyone at her senior home), or will I retain my current operating language?

Related links:

(1)   Language Attrition 母語減退: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_attrition

(2)   Mother Tongue (First Language) 母語(第一語言): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_tongue

".... 母語，或第一語言，有三種解釋。一者為：一個人出生以後，最早接觸、學習、並掌握的一種或幾種語言。母語一般是自幼即開始接觸、並持續運用到青少年或之後；並且，一個人所受的家庭或正式教育中，尤其是早期，有相當部分是通過母語傳授的；母語另一個解釋則是一個人的民族語，並不一定是一個人最早接觸、學習、並掌握的「語言」，例如「母島」、「母國」等，僅僅表示「根源」的意思，母語不僅僅表示為母親對某個人說的語言，而是他認定的民族語。為了避免對多母語者的母語定義產生歧義，產生出的第三種解釋為不借用其他語言進行（如翻譯等方式）學習而學會的語言。（如嬰幼兒看圖片學習名詞及為母語學習）...."

1951年，聯合國教科文組織在巴黎召開了一個有關母語的會議，並對母語作出了如下定義：「母語是指一個人自幼習得的語言，通常是其思維與交流的自然工具。」

(3)  母語(第一語言)減退 20個例子 / 20 BBC readers who lost fluency in their language:
BBC News Magazine 13 July 2014:

Share this page

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Continue reading the main story

In today's Magazine

• The virus detective who discovered Ebola
• The street photos of a 1950s nanny
• The godfather of internet jihad?
• The young 'barefooters' making bowls cool

".... For many of us, the thought of ever forgetting how to speak our native language would seem preposterous. But for some readers, it became a reality.

During a five-year captivity in Afghanistan, US soldier Bowe Bergdahl apparently lost some of his language capabilities. This prompted the Magazine to ask under what circumstances a person could lose their native or first language. In response, readers wrote in to tell their own stories of language loss or confusion. Here's a selection. ...."  

Click here to read more:  http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28022790

Élection générale québécoise 7 avril 2014 / Quebec General Election April 7, 2014 / 魁北克大選2014年4月7日

Majority Liberal is a certainty in the Quebec provincial election. Who would have predicted !!

Some comments from the peanut gallery:

* According to CBC Evan Solomon's Power and Politics discussion, Prime Minister Harper was never warm to ex-Premier Jean Charest. Will our PM and Premier Couillard use this opportunity to re-build the fed-prov relation?

* It is interesting to note that Mr. Lucien Bouchard and Mr. Jean Charest were federal Ministers of the Environment, and Thomas Mulcair was Quebec Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks under Charest. Maybe PM Harper should pay more attention to Quebec politicians with environment as part of their political portfolio, just saying.

* It's too bad Fatima Houda-Pepin was on the Parti Québécois' side of the Charter of Values debate. She has potential and I hope Couillard will find ways to make use of her talents.

* Pierre-Karl Péladeau thanked Couillard as if he were the opposition party leader. Yes, the PQ is not known to be kind to party leaders who lost, but so soon already Mr. PKP?

* Is the "concrete lady" Pauline Marois (who served at age 32 as Minister for the Status of Women under René Lévesque) the last of her generation in the Mouvement souverainiste du Québec? Is there going to be a changing of the guards and of generational vision on Québécois nationalism?

* I look forward to seeing a renewed fed-prov-terr relations and knowing how the Canadian House of Commons will re-address the 2006 motion recognizing that "Québécois form a nation within a united Canada / La Chambre reconnaît la nation québécoise".

Related link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_general_election,_2014

Photo credit: Wikipedia (photo above) / Env Canada (photo below)
I choose the Biosphere photo to reflect on the "nation within a nation" motion passed by the House of Commons. — at Biosphère.

On-line Blogging

I am quite aware of my dormant state with Blogger.

Time management is all abt prioritizing one's daily demands.

So many things to do. So little time to reflect --

I shall return !!!