November Snapshots (11月生活剪影)

3 Nov.  Enjoy a traditional British meal in a British family 

I was invited to a British family to have a meal. The graceful hostess — Mrs. Gates, nicely picked me up to their house which are located in the suburbs of York. The wooden-warm colour in décor and the authentic fireplace in the living room add a cozy and friendly ambiance. Before eating dinner, we have some drinks and crisps with a welcoming chat. We shared a big hand-made shepherd’s pie (filling with a lot of vegetable stuff inside) -- a simple British family supper and after that, we enjoyed a large lemon cake topped with ice cream and seedless grapes. As I focused on the food and interesting conversations too much; I did not take many photos . Most of all, this wonderful couple share their growing-up and love stories with me and another two guests , making all the memory become more lovely and memorable. It is my first time but won't be the last time to eat such a cake in this way, yummy! Thank you for the invitation!!

5 Nov Bonfire Night

Known as Guy Fawkes Night, the British national event can be dated back to the autumn of 1605. At that time, Guy Fawkes was founded in the basement of Westminster Palace in the early hours on 5 Nov and he was trying to blow up Britain’s parliament by gunpowder. Surprisingly, he was born and educated in York! Some may want to know what could happen if he succeeded in this dangerous plot (he was really a terrorist!!)? I will say, noting big will be changed, the British will ‘keep calm and carry on.’ As London's quasi-terrorism attacks never change the glory of the great city. However, I have to find a time slot to see the legendary birthplace of Guy Fawkes—now has been reconstructed as Guy Fawkes Inn. Now, British people celebrate his unsuccessful plot with sparkler and fireworks. 

we gathered outside the church to celebrate the bonefire night!

30 Nov. Saint Andrew's Day Special

30 Nov is Saint Andrew's Day which is a Scotland's official national day. When it comes to Scotland, local people are proud of their own two products—as BBC news reports, "Scotland is now home to the UK's biggest drink export in Scotch whisky and the biggest food export in Scottish salmon. They continue to lead the way." Therefore, I  registered a whisky—Saint Andrew’s Day Special—for this day to know more about it. Seriously, I am currently a bit dizzy after tasting five different kinds of whisky from light to strong favours. However, now I have learnt how to taste and choose whisky with my meal from Mr. Simon who origins from Norway (He is a chef, too). The framework of tasting whisky begins with nose, palate and ends up with finish. Food and whisky should match with the same tone, for example, spicy meat with spicy whisky. OK, Time to go to bed…

(Mr. Simon has worked abroad since he was 12, this photo is provided by Wentworth College) 

 

(NOTICE: the right one: Jameson has bad quality and is not suggested to buy!!)

By the way, today it is snowing—the first snow of the winter in York. The X’mas is approaching soon.

十一月

11月3日 在英國家庭享用傳統的英式餐點

我被邀請到一個英國家庭吃飯。優雅的女主人 - 蓋茨夫人，很好心地載我到他們位於York郊區的房子。木製暖色調的裝飾以及客廳真正的壁爐增添了一個舒適，友善的氣氛。餐前,我們享用一些飲品和薯片，然後開始我們的晚餐。我們分享一個簡單的英國家庭晚餐，大手工製作的牧羊人的餡餅（裡面裝滿了很多蔬菜），然後我們享用了冰淇淋和無核葡萄的大檸檬蛋糕。因為我太專注於桌子上的食物和有趣的談話。所以沒多拍照。最重要的是，這對美好的伴侶與我及其他2位客人分享他們的成長和愛情故事，讓所有的記憶變得更加美好及難忘。這是我第一次以這樣的方式吃蛋糕，美味也~絕對不會是我最後一次！感謝你的邀請！！

11月5日篝火之夜

被譽為蓋伊·福克斯之夜的英國國家事件可以追溯到1605年的秋天。當時，蓋伊·福克斯在威斯敏斯特宮的地下室被逮捕，他正試圖用火藥炸毀英國的議會。令人驚訝的是，他在YORK出生和受教育！有些人可能想知道如果他成功達成這個陰謀會發生什麼？我會說，沒什麼大不了的事會改變，英國人會“保持冷靜，繼續下去”。如同倫敦的類恐怖襲擊從未改變大城市的榮耀。不管怎樣，我必須找到一個時間點來看看Guy Fawkes傳奇的出生地 - 現在已經被重建為Guy Fawkes 旅館。今日，英國人用煙火和焰火來慶祝他失敗的陰謀。

11月30日聖安德魯日特別節目

11月30日聖安德魯節是蘇格蘭正式國慶日。就蘇格蘭而言，當地人以兩件事情為榮：就像BBC的新聞報導，“蘇格蘭現在是英國最大的蘇格蘭威士忌出口飲料出口國和蘇格蘭鮭魚最大的食品出口國，他們繼續引領潮流”。所以我就去報名了威士忌 - 聖安德魯日特選活動 – 以便了解更多。在品嚐從淡到濃的五種不同的威士忌後，我現在有點頭暈。不過，我也很興奮，現在我學會如何選擇威士忌。從開始到結束用分段式品酒:nose(聞味), palate(味覺) finish(喝後)…是時候去睡覺了…

順便說一下，今天正在下雪 - York冬天的第一場雪。 聖誕快要到了。

Halloween in the UK: ‘Treat-no-Trick’

Some like it hot and some like it…spooky!? Yes! Tonight is Halloween!

As I know and observ in the UK, although ‘Knock! Knock! Trick-or-treat’ is a Halloween custom for many children in many countries, it seems to be more popular in North America.

The British Halloween is ‘Treat-no-trick’ as in fact, their children don’t ask for treats from door to door.

However, there are still some common ways to have a blast night for a Halloween,

such as get dressed up to have fun in this theme party, carving pumpkins with horrid and ghastly styles, or strolling on the streets to see Halloween decorations. 

What I got tonight? Mr Stuart, a man looks like Dumbledore in Harry Potter,

(photo provided by friendsconnect.york)

explaining what is the history behind Halloween-- the evening before all Hallows/Saints (All Hallows Eve).

In other words, tomorrow: 1 Nov is ‘All Saints Day’, and this is the reason why people need to dress horribly in order to scare the ghosts and welcome the hallows coming in tomorrow.  However, that is just my own assumptions, according to Mr. Stuart, 'in the UK, Christian believers would not normally dress up in that way, but would rely on Jesus and the light he shines in the darkness, to give guidance and protection'.

  

只給糖不搗蛋

有些人喜歡很酷帥，有些人喜歡..古怪！是的!今晚就是萬聖節！

正如我在英國所知和觀察到的，雖然“不給糖就搗蛋”是許多國家的兒童過”萬聖節”的習俗，但是好像在北美比較普遍。 英國萬聖節是“只給糖不搗蛋”，事實上，他們的孩子們不會作挨家挨戶要糖果。

然而，仍然有一些共同的方式來為萬聖節舉辦1個火熱的夜晚，例如刻些有駭人和可怕風格的南瓜，或好好打扮開心參加主題派對。

看看我們今天晚上有什麼：Stuart先生，一個看起來像哈利·波特的鄧布利多的男人，解釋了萬聖節背後的歷史：所有聖人的前夕。 也就是說，明天：11月1日是“所有聖人的節日”，這就是為什麼人們要打扮的很可怕來嚇唬鬼，以歡迎聖人明天來到來。不過，那只是我個人臆測，Stuart先生說，英國信主的人通常不穿那樣，而是靠主耶穌及光引導。

‘Is together really better?’: a multi-racial British society

Today’s Britain is by far a multi-racial international society. Communities of Indian sub-continental, Caribbean and African origin can be seen in many cities as exemplified by London, Brighton, and Manchester.

As I read Ian R.G. Spencer’s book, the fact is that when the Roman emperor Claudius Caesar invaded Britain in AD 43, the history has recorded that the black soldiers were part of the Roman armies. With the development of British shipping industry later on, many transient seamen were recruited from Africa, the Indian sub-continent, China, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Malaya to work in the UK ports.

However, the making of multi-racial Britain has experienced a series of unrest in the past and has hidden stories behind the scenery. Being the labour working class, those who physically and culturally different to the British inevitably face racial discrimination, finding themselves difficult to integrate into the local society, especially during economic depression period.

It not only happened to the Asian and black, when the Irish moved to London to serve as seasonal labourers in the late eighteenth. There is already an anti-Irish sentiment in the Anglo-Saxon culture.

This Sunday, I stood in front of York Minister looking at two marching bands in the streets. I see multi-racial members within them acting as a team. I wonder such a racial issue has been truly mitigated right now. ‘Is together really better’ for interpreting the image of the Englishness? Or multiculturalism is just a necessity for creating a ‘generous’ Western society in the global era?

今天的英國是一個多種族的國際社會。印度次大陸，加勒比和非洲裔的社區可以在許多城市看到，例如倫敦，布萊頓和曼徹斯特。

正如我讀Ian R.G. Spencer的書，事實是當羅馬皇帝Claudius Caesar在公元43年入侵英國時，歷史上已記載，黑人士兵是羅馬軍隊的一部分;隨後英國航運業的發展，許多臨時海員從非洲，印度次大陸，中國，中東，加勒比和馬來亞被招募到英國港口工作。

不過，過去多種族英國的形成經歷了一波波動亂，背後有著隱藏故事。身為勞動工人階級，外表和文化上與英國不同的人,無可避免地面臨種族歧視，發現他們難以融入當地社會，特別是在經濟衰退期間。

這不僅發生在亞洲和黑人身上,當愛爾蘭人搬到倫敦擔任十八世紀晚期的季節性勞工時。盎格魯 - 撒克遜文化中已經有反愛爾蘭人的情緒。

這個星期天，我站在約克大教堂前面，看著街上的兩個行軍樂隊。我看到他們有多元種族成員組成的團隊。這樣的種族問題現在真的被減輕了嗎？“在一起真的會比較好”用來闡述英國人的形象嗎？ 或者多元文化主義只是個在全球化時代創造一個“有雅量的”西方社會的必要條件？

Maple Grove

‘Acer’ is a brand name of Taiwan’s computer. Interestingly, I find that it is also a genus of trees, commonly known as maple. 

If there is a symbolic colour for autumn, maybe it can be given by maple leaves. In York, it is about the season to experience the Fall decorated with maple trees.

Today, I strolled around Maple Grove to Rowntree Park and discovered picturesque scenery. 

On my way to the city, a cluster of miscanthus suddenly jumped into my eyes, 

then I passed by the Yorkshire historical city wall with falling maple leaves.

When I recalled this afternoon—people walking on the path,

ducks paddling on the lake,

and doves sipping water on the old plate,

they are all in the backdrops of maple leaves, which compose the autumn. 

楓樹林

“宏碁”是台灣電腦的品牌。 有趣的是，我發現它也是一種樹木(的學名)，俗稱楓樹。

如果秋天有象徵性的顏色，也許可以由楓葉來賦予。 在約克，現在正是體驗秋天被楓樹裝點的季節。

今天，我在Maple 小樹林周圍漫步到Rowntree Park，發現風景如畫。

在去市中心的路上，一群芒草突然映入我眼廉，然後我穿過約克郡歷史悠久有著落下的楓葉的城牆。

當我回想今天下午: 人們走在路上，鴨子在湖上搖搖晃晃地行進，鴿子在舊盤子上啜水，它們都在構成秋天的楓葉背景裡。

Cheer Yourself Up in the first week of Yorkshire

I moved from Brighton to York in this early October. The city landscape has transformed from a seaside beach to a medieval picture with a great minister church. 

Heslington Hall at the University of York

The Lake District National Park is renowned as ‘the most beautiful lake in England’ and is near to York. No hurry to visit that, I have founded some buildings surrounded by small lakes at and off-campus. 

 

On the other hand, there is no seagulls flying over your heads, instead, the iconic animals are the ducks and geese (also fish under the water).

Undeniably, I miss Brighton where I already made some good friends and know how to have fun. However, being an expatriate, facing environmental change is essential task needed to deal with. 

Today’s 2017 Yorkshire Marathon Festival just announced the starting point for me. Let’s warm-up, get prepared and ready to go!

this is well-prepared!

Go GO GO

十月初我從布萊頓搬到了約克。城市景觀已經從一個海濱的海灘變成了一個有著偉大的教堂的中世紀畫像。

湖區國家公園被譽為“英國最美麗的湖泊”，靠近約克。 但我不急著去參觀，我在校園內外就發現了一些被小湖包圍的建築物。

另一方面，沒有海鷗飛過你的頭，相反地，標誌性的動物是鴨和鵝（在水上），也許還有魚（在水下）。

無可否認地，我想念布萊頓，我已經交了一些好朋友，知道在那如何玩樂。但是，作為1個海外人士，面對環境變化是必需要處理的任務。

今天的約克郡馬拉松比賽剛剛為我宣布了出發點。 讓我們暖身,準備,開跑吧！

My void hours in September

One thing has to take into consideration when flying to Taiwan in September. There is always a possibility of typhoons'attack. Luckily, I did not encounter any typhoon when I returned to Tainan.

Since the weather is humid and hot, it is also a good time to have ice cream as much as I want and spend time in swimming, visiting nostalgic buildings, reading, watching movies indoors to fill my empty hours.

I quickly find the best choice of my entertainments: taking an evening walk in Japanese era buildings of the Tsung-Yeh Arts and Cultural Center where nearby my parent’s house and...

plus reading松浦弥太郎（まつうら やたろう）のbooks.松浦弥太郎の 場所はいつも旅先だった,100の基本,センス入門,いつもの毎日。衣食住と仕事…His books give me no pressure while are full of great encouragement.He travels a lot and tells many stories of life experience and shares his favourite lifestyle: simplicity, sense, and of principle with the reader.

Looking at the Japanese rock garden (枯山水 karesansui) and indoor designs in the Tsung-Yeh Arts and Cultural Center, I do appreciate the beauty of the space and feel the power of the blank.

My empty hours in September are thus indulged in such enjoyment.

By the way, I also make a new friend who enjoys culture there. The photo below is her traveling booklet with many collected stamps.  

九月放空

9月份飛往台灣有一件事必須要考慮哦。總是會有颱風侵襲的可能性。幸運的是，當我回到台南時，我沒有遇到任何颱風。由於天氣潮濕炎熱，同時也是我盡情吃想吃的冰淇淋，還有花時間去游泳，參觀懷舊建築，閱讀，在室內看電影，填補空檔時間的好時機。

我很快找到了我的娛樂最佳選擇：散步在日本時代的建築的總爺藝文中心此處就在我父母的房子附近，並閱讀松浦彌太郎（まつうらやたろう）の書。

松浦彌太郎の旅行的所在，100個基本，恆常如新的每1天...他的書沒有給我壓力，然而充滿了很大的鼓勵。他常旅行，講述了許多生活經歷的故事，並與讀者分享他最喜歡的生活方式：簡單，有品味和有原則。

看著日本的枯山水花園（枯山水karesansui）和總爺藝文中心的建築，我很欣賞這個空間的美麗，感受到這種空白的力量。我九月份的空檔時間就這樣享受了這種樂趣。順便一提,我也在那裡認識了一位喜歡藝文的新朋友。以下的照片就是她有許多收集的章戳的旅行小冊子哩。

Let’s go to Oxbridge

The term ‘Oxbridge’ is combined with University of Oxford and University of Cambridge. Interestingly, some members of the latter are actually from the former, and both are in England. 

It is allegedly that those scholars quarreled with local residents in Oxford so that they moved to Cambridge to form their own research community.

It is not as surprising as many people have argued that researchers tend to be out of touch with the reality (plz watch ‘The Big Bang Theory’). Besides, there is a Chinese proverb saying ‘A scholar is always wrong when he is in front of a gunman.’

Which is the best university is not the key thing. We today simply play the visitor role in a campus tour. And I suggest that getting prepared to be charged when you visit University of Cambridge. I was pitched to buy a punting Cambridge tour ticket (adult:20￡; student:15￡; children:10￡) by a group of young people when I just walked out of the Cambridge train station. 

Near the campus, many of salesmen standing in front of Kings News (a small store) eager to sell the punting ticket to tourists. Despite of crowded people in the queue on Sunday afternoon, I have experienced the famous ritual: Punting Cambridge to explore Kings and Queens Colleges from a boat's-eye view.

On the other hand, Oxford is more historical, traditional and academic to me. 

No wonder Christ Church College is selected as a great dining hall in HARRY POTTER movies. 

When I visited Oxford in the early spring, I saw cherry flowers in the blue sky and scholars and students more than tourists. I am happy that it is a campus community instead of a tourist centre.

These two outstanding worldwide universities are almost on a par with each other in academia. However, the spirits of Cambridge's architectures: modern, grand and enterprising are different to Oxford's medieval, classic and graceful ambiances.

“Oxbridge”一詞是牛津大學和劍橋大學的結合。有趣的是，後者一些成員實際上來自前者。

據聞這些學者與牛津的當地居民爭吵，所以他們搬到劍橋，建立自己的研究社群。這並不令人驚訝，許多人認為研究人員往往與現實脫節（請看美國“大笨鐘理論”影集）。此外，還有一句中文諺語說：“秀才遇到兵有理說不清啊”(哈)。

哪間才是最好的大學不是重點關鍵。我們今天只是在校園旅遊中扮演遊客角色。我建議您在訪問劍橋大學時準備好被收費。當我剛走出劍橋火車站時，就被一群年輕人推銷買下了劍橋渡船之旅票（成人：20£;學生：15£;小孩：10£）。
在校園附近，許多銷售員站在國王新聞（小商店）面前，急於向遊客出售渡船票。儘管星期天下午很多人擠人，我也經歷了著名的儀式：劍橋撐篙船(被成功行銷了),從船的角度觀看國王和皇后學院。

另一方面，牛津對我而言更為歷史，傳統和學術。難怪基督教會學院被選為哈利派特電影中的一個偉大的餐廳。

早春我去過牛津時，在藍天看到櫻花，學者和學生多於遊客。 它是一個校園社區，而不是一個旅遊中心。

這兩所優秀的全球大學在學術上幾乎相差無幾，然而劍橋建築的精神：現代化，壯觀，具有進取心與牛津大學的中古世紀，經典和優雅的氛圍是不同。