let's get lost

世事似乎總是如此，也不過就幾個月的工夫，記憶中的小小女孩又變了模樣，出落得益加惹人憐愛疼惜，童言童語更是讓人忍俊不禁。為樂樂四歲生日獻上衷心祝福，特此一記。

夏天彷彿已經離開台北，可又不是很乾脆，身上的T-shirt依然絲毫不顯突兀。十月末回到台中，更能感受這個季節的負隅頑抗，就這樣，汗珠微沁中，走進朋友的朋友新開的小夏天，吃碗越南牛肉河粉，想像那個一度被稱為安南的地方。

重見天日或許也可如此體認，秋雨沒完沒了地糾纏一整個星期之後，迎接這個可以肆意賴床的十一月星期天早晨的竟是滿屋子亮晃晃的陽光。天氣晴了，我的心情也是。

幾乎可以確定，再訪東京或京都均非短期內可能實現的旅程，與友人相約來到欣匠遂顯得理所當然，不但口腹之欲得以充份滿足，心情上也很日本。











吧台後的主廚一面專心刀手並用，一面親切地與客人交談，介紹食材的種類。不過，即使知道了一些魚的名字，只負責吃的我們也並沒增長多少智慧。反正重要的是，因為廚藝與新鮮的相得益彰，微笑浮現並停留在吧台這一方的每一張臉上。

今年中華民國慶祝第一個百年誕辰，而我們則在九月初晴好宜人的一天，來到台中的中山招待所，為家中的長者歡慶七十大壽，也算喜上加喜。













基本上，中山招待所與孫先生素無淵源，毫不相干。店家取名如是，無非是假托建築物本身乃刻意仿照宋慶齡女士在上海的故居而建造，試圖憑空喚起一絲當年十里洋場的氛圍，甚或一點歷史的想像。











多少年過去了，已經沒多少人還在為主義爭執，歷史證明小老百姓要的無非就是安居樂業，而竟能偶爾不太過分地奢侈一番，更是莫大的幸福了。

無論是否自認鐵道迷，南投集集車站都絕對值得一訪。五年級生與準二十一世紀新人類當能各得其樂，或緬懷，或想像。

Jiji Station in Nantou County deserves a visit no matter if the traveler is a railway fan or not. Sheer fun awaits the 50-something generation and teenagers alike as one can either reminisce or imagine.













當然，集集綠色隧道更是不容錯過。車行至此，滿眼的綠，且不妨停下來信步片刻，舒暢滿足不在話下。

Of course, the “Green Tunnel” at Jiji is neither to be missed. Bathing in a sea of green, motorists are invited to stop awhile and stroll a bit. It promises to be a totally relaxing and satisfying moment.









坐上集集支線的小火車，彷彿穿越時空回到在台灣老山線上搖晃的歲月，可是這種遐想迅即嘎然而止，終點車埕到了。

Upon getting aboard a train running on the Jiji Branch Line, you will readily have the impression of being taken back in time to days when passengers swung away long hours on the old North-South Rail. But there’s little time being carried away. It’s time to get off at the terminal, Checheng.









上網搜尋後才知道，遠在日治時代的車埕一度是重要的蔗糖轉運站，今日的的車埕站則是經歷921地震的嚴重毀損後，由日月潭國家風景區管理處使用原木重建而成。走到好似一條台北舊巷的車埕老街，旅人可以隨意在街上的小飯館坐下來歇息片刻，或者就是胡亂走走，走回從前。

I learned of the following after some surfing on the Web: Checheng used to be a sugarcane transshipment point when Taiwan was still a Japanese colony; today’s Checheng Station was a timber reconstruction by the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration in the wake of the devastating earthquake on September 21, 1999. The old, and seemingly only, street at Checheng looks just like one of those timeworn lanes in Taipei. You can either sit down and have a bite at one of the small eateries there or just walk around and probably go back to the past.











求學時代就到過溪頭不只一回，舊地重遊，並不覺得有甚麼太大的改變，除了上大學池拱橋竟然要排隊，以及偶爾可以察覺陸客的身影，這在當年自然難以想像。

I remember going to Xitou quite a few times during my student days. But I did not seem to detect many changes in my latest revisit. Maybe except for the need to stand in a queue for crossing the landmark arch bridge that stretches across the University Pond and the occasional appearance of some tourists from the China mainland. The latter is surely a sight unimaginable just a couple of decades ago.















空中走廊當然也是新熱點，人的位置換了，截然不同的視角成為可能，仰望慣了，何妨試試俯看。

The Overhead Corridor is another new attraction. A new perspective is now made possible as the spectator is given a new vantage point. While we have been used to looking up, maybe it’s not a bad idea to look down sometimes.

既能滿足口腹之欲，又可悅目，美食二字方能當之不愧，此乃眾人在2011年8月這個午後再次驗證的結論。

Delicacies deserve to be called such only if they please both the palate and eye. That is a fact we reaffirmed one more time on a certain afternoon of August 2011.













談笑間就輕易來到這樣一處巷弄轉角的美食殿堂，這當然是台北人必須心懷感謝的幸福。

Getting to this fine French restaurant in the midst of alleyways is only a few minutes’ walk from the Dazhi MRT Station. For this easily accessible joy, we should be grateful.

最近讀到的夏天場景是哈波•李筆下的梅崗城:「夏天是什麼都好吃，是在一片灼熱焦乾中出現的滿眼繽紛」。然而對台北人而言，夏天豈能沒有植物園，豈能沒有池中盡展芳華的荷花。

One variant of summer I came across recently is to be found in Harper Lee’s Maycomb, the setting for her To Kill a Mockingbird: Summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape. For many of us who live in Taipei, summer is often reminiscent of the city’s botanical garden dating back to the late 19th century. Its Lotus Pond in full bloom is always a landmark of the season.











來到荷花池畔，心中正惦念著一親芳澤，卻也不得不承認，陽光確是一種無可或缺的條件，荷花的絕美方有可能。甚至，綠葉也可理直氣壯地置身前台，聚光於己。

Anyone who strolls to the Lotus Pond picturing in his mind at least some blossoms in full bloom will have to acknowledge a simple fact. Sunlight is an indispensable element to accentuate the beauty of the flowers. Even green leaves may no longer remain a mere foil; they also deserve their moment under the spotlight.

幾度興沖沖地想捕捉一池盛開中的蓮與荷，總未能如願。轉念一想，既然花不會總正好綻放絢爛，何妨換一種心情，欣賞花開前後的平淡。

My recent attempts to capture a pond of lotus in full bloom on the camera mostly proved unsuccessful. But one should not expect to stay lucky all the time. Maybe a different perspective is in order; other rewarding sights may await the discerning eye if blossoming is yet to materialize or already a thing of the past.

仲夏習見的陽光偶爾也會暫時隱去，那就不妨眷顧一下花上與葉間的雨珠。

Even the midsummer sun is not to be taken for granted. But raindrops glittering on the flowers and among the leaves are a joy no less radiant.

【幻燈片Slideshow Miki at NTU】

始終，吾家有女初長成只能是一種揣摩，一種無從印證的想像，直到去美多年來台小住的乾女兒翩然現身。怎麼昨日猶抱在懷裡的小不點，眼前卻已是近乎難以置信的玉立婷婷，原來荳蔻年華即是此等引人悸動，青春真好。

The possibility of bearing witness to a baby girl grow into a teenager up and close has always stayed outside our reach—an imaginary process beyond our verification. Not until the sudden appearance of our nominal daughter who has traveled from the U.S. to Taiwan for a brief stay, that is. That baby girl seemingly still in our arms yesterday is now a gorgeous, almost comprehension-defying presence that leaves us stupefied. Alas, how wonderful it is to be a teenager!













又一次回到自己年輕時做夢的地方，如今那夢早已模糊，而妳，夢才正要開始。

This is where I used to fancy what I might become, accomplish and own in the years ahead. But those dreams have long faded. Your dreams, however, are just about to unfold.

【幻燈片Slideshow May 2011 Osaka & Kyoto】

對初到京都的外地遊客來說，清水寺與鄰近的二年阪、三年阪，不消說絕對不容錯過。可是對舊地重遊已不只一回的人來講，京都實在還有太多地方值得探訪，細細品味。2011年5月，我們如是決定，由於此趟行程是利用日本史上少見的一場巨大天災之後的促銷方案，旅行的喜悅不免滲入一絲乘人之危的罪惡感。

For anyone who plans a first-time visit to Kyoto, it would be unthinkable not to include the Kiyomizu-dera Temple as well as Ninnen-saka and Sannen-saka nearby in the itinerary. But whoever has come back to this city more than once must know that there are many other spots of interest yet to be explored and appreciated. That’s our line of reasoning in May 2011. As we were taking advantage of a special promotional package launched in the wake of one of the worst natural disasters in Japanese history, a tinge of guilt found its way into our usual joy over another longed-for trip.











常言道，選日不如撞日。到了目的地才發覺我們剛好趕上名列京都三大祭典的葵祭，這是一個由下鴨神社與上賀茂神社於每年5月15日舉行的定期祭典，遊行隊伍穿上據說是千年前的平安朝貴族服飾，由京都御所出發，沿著鴨川前進到下鴨神社與上賀茂神社。當然，慶典的目地早已從最初始的祈求五穀豐收，演化成今日的緬懷過往，提供另一個觀光主題。我們在早上九點半左右，也就是遊行開始前一小時，來到下鴨神社附近，一如預期，人們早已開始各自佔據路旁的戰略位置，眼見初夏的陽光也開始發威，我們當機立斷，選定一個有屋簷遮蔽的角落，加入等待的行列。

Sometimes meticulous planning is no match for a stroke of luck. Not until we had arrived did we realize that we were just in time for the Aoi Matsuri, or Hollyhock Festival, one of the three main annual festivals held in Kyoto. Held by the Shimogamo Shrine and the Kamigamo Shrine every May 15, it features a procession of people dressed in traditional Heian period costumes dating back to some 1,000 years ago. The procession sets out from the Kyoto Imperial Palace and slowly works its way along the Kamogawa River toward the Shimogamo Shrine and the Kamigamo Shrine. Of course, the passage of centuries has seen the purpose of the festival evolving from praying for a big harvest to honoring a legacy, whereas an extra tourist attraction thus emerges. We came to the vicinity of the Shimogamo Shrine at 9:30 am or so, or one hour ahead of the start of the procession. Not surprisingly, people had planted themselves at key strategic positions along the route. Meanwhile, the early summer sun already started to make itself felt. It’s now or never—we rushed to join the waiting crowd at an eaves-sheltered corner.













遊行隊伍終於進入下鴨神社後，我們隨著眾人緩步尾隨，十來分鐘後，好幾股人潮在神社大門前匯集，霎時間我們已然陷入摩肩擦踵之境，難行寸步。又是必須當機立斷的時刻，我們決定走為上策，第二天早上再進神社。去而復返顯然是明智的決定，我們的回報是一個寧靜悠閒的早晨，遊人變的稀稀落落，包括一群由老師們帶領著、讓人看見就得會心一笑的幼稚園小朋友。

After the procession moved into the Shimogamo Shrine, we crept ahead with the crowd that trailed behind slowly. Some 10 minutes later we found ourselves trapped within an even bigger crowd converging at the main entrance to the shrine, with people blocking our way in all directions. Another tough decision to make. We decided to break away and come back again tomorrow morning. The decision proved a wise one. We were rewarded with a quiet, unhurried morning of only a few thinly scattered visitors, including a smile-inspiring group of kindergarten children taken out by teachers for an outdoor respite.













屏風的一齣戲裡說「旅行，是為了遇見心中的風景」，可風景究竟為何物呢? 也許是初夏陽光中耀眼的楓綠，以及儘情舒展的亮紫，自成秩序的石頭與落葉，京都大學長長圍牆前的公車站，或者一隻正在享受日光浴懶得理你的貓。

The Ping-Fong Acting Troupe has this to say in a play: “To travel is to come across the scenery one already has in mind.” But what is precisely that scenery? The dazzling green of maple leaves against the early summer sun, perhaps. A brilliant purple being brought to its fullest glory. Stones and fallen leaves forming an order of their own. A bus stop in front of Kyoto University’s seemingly interminable enclosing wall. Or a sunbathing cat that cannot care less about your gaze.











出門旅行，享受美食理應與享受美景等量其觀。在這個京都的早晨醒來之後，我們信步來到旅館附近的Smart Coffee，重返記憶中曾經有過的美好時光。侍者隨即送上味自慢的厚片鬆餅與法式土司，當然還有咖啡，這，又是值得感恩的一天。

Appeasing the palate and pleasing the eye must matter equally to the modern bourgeois traveler. Waking up to another lovely morning in Kyoto, we walked to Smart Coffee not far from the hotel. It would be a memorable moment revisited. In no time the waitress brought our thick slices of pancake and French toast, both specialties of the place, and of course coffee. No doubt it would be another fine day to be thankful.









咖啡始終是我們行程的一部分，出發前為了在網上或旅遊書中找出有味道的咖啡館，可曰上窮碧落下黃泉，當然，旅途中也常有不經意的偶遇帶來驚喜，無論如何，二者都該算是村上春樹所說的小確幸吧。

Coffee is always part of our journey. A thorough search for interesting cafes, on the Web or in guidebooks, invariably dominates our preparations ahead of departure. Of course, a chance encounter may well turn out a pleasant surprise. Either way, we are grateful for these moments that must qualify as what the Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami calls “tiny but sure happiness.”











京都的夜的確與白天一樣迷人，終於與串燒和冰啤酒再續前緣之後，我們走在越來越熱鬧的人行道上，帶著一股日間餘溫的微風彿過臉頰，別有韻味的各式店家燈籠早已燦燦然開始搶客，並且鬥豔。

Kyoto has a beauty to it both night and day. After having relived my nostalgic memory of grilled skewers washed down with iced beer, we went for a stroll along the sidewalk where flows of pedestrians were expanding visibly. A breeze that seemed to carry the last remnants of the day’s warmth stroked our cheeks. Under the night sky glowing lanterns put out by all varieties of eateries made a colorful addition to city lights, competing for attention and patronage.









我們來到–或者更正確地說路過–大阪是因為我們要去京都，然而日本第二大都市必然仍有不少精彩處有待我們探訪，這點毋庸置疑。

We came to—or to be more precise, passed through—Osaka on our way to Kyoto. But there must be a lot of spots of interest scattered around the second-largest city in Japan. No question about it.

答案顯然是否定的，當我們來到像台中的田樂這樣一個所在，似曾相識的感覺瞬間襲來，彷彿一轉眼空間已然轉換，這裡其實是東京或京都的一個巷弄。

任何透過相機捕捉阿勃勒的嘗試應該都會產生相同的結論，明豔的陽光必不可少，因為到底是炫目的金黃抑或無趣的黯淡，由此定案。

年近半百不再遙遠之後，某些自憐自艾似乎可以比較理直氣壯一些。前人所志所事百無一就之嘆，好像也容易理解得多了。退而求其次，生活角落裏的小喜小樂就足以讓人雀躍，像是廚房窗台上的大岩桐，沈寂數月之後，竟然捲土重來，再現光華，在2011年端午節的晴好早晨，悄然飄進我的相機，彷彿是夢。

彷彿一成不變的山居歲月，卻總有些也許不值得大肆宣揚的小驚喜，像是鄰居小屋屋頂上突然出現這麼一位不速之客。雙方眼神交會之際，或許牠也會狐疑不解，現在是甚麼情形？

自己就是在眷村中長大的，如今侷促在台北市信義區一隅的四四南村似乎因此多了一層淵源。也不過就是幾十年前，在台灣這座小島上的許多角落裡，來自神州大陸各省的志願與非志願軍人，開始與家人作起尋常百姓，畢竟反攻大陸終將搶在解放台灣之前成為一句莫名其妙的政治口號。











歷史緬懷告一段落，何不來一客手工冰淇淋。五月初傍晚的陽光仍然相當亮卻已柔和不少，城市裡迎面而來的微風更增添一絲舒爽，嘴裏則是冰涼適甜的冰淇淋，橘子口味的。











正打算踏上歸途，突然看見一位外籍母親帶著三個孩子在夕陽西斜中戲耍，三個小兄妹都十分活潑，同時輕易讓人覺得憐愛。徵得母親同意之後，我有幸以相機留下這命定而神奇的一刻。