Sun Yat-Sen Memorial House—澳門國父紀念館

In June, 2007, A-Mao was enjoying the Dragon Boat Festival in Macau. Before climbing the Guia Hill for Guia Fortress, the World Heritage Site, I came across the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial House, which is not introduced by my guidebook. Well, he is the Father of Taiwan (ROC) as well as Chain (PRC), and there is free of charge. I had no reason not to visit it.

話說2007年六月，藉由端午節連假，A-Mao孤軍近征澳門。在攻濠江最高山岳東望洋山（海拔只有93公尺）之前，巧遇手邊旅遊書沒有介紹的國父紀念館。國父很偉大（沒有他，就沒有現在分隔兩岸的台灣與中國），加上不用門票，我想不到不進去看看的理由。

The keynote of the decoration is humble. The "Zhi Nan Xing Yi" (knowing is difficult, but acting is easy) should be written by Dr. Sun. Each time a trouble was in front of me in Macau, this maxim encouraged me although the results were not always good.

裡頭裝潢傢俱很多是木造、設計走質樸的基調；不過無論是在當時與現在的時空，住起來應該算是簡約的奢華吧？有看到那可能是國父墨寶的「知難行易」嗎？每當此趟蠔鏡之行碰到難關當前，這四字箴言都會在我心頭浮現，雖然最終結果不全然能盡如人意。

This wood set of furniture with marble top is carved very well. I like that table so much because it could be separated. Must be very easy to move and store. As years pass by, the antique is shining history.

這套桌椅真是棒透了！鑲嵌大理石的厚實木料，雕琢細膩；桌子還能一分為二，想必相當方便搬運以及收納。經過歲月的洗禮，這古董炫耀著歷史的光澤。

The "Li Yun Da Tong" (great harmony) was signed and stamped by Dr. Sun, but a Mr. Zhang indicated that it is a real handwriting at the end! It reminded me of a Chinese idiom: to rejoin the ermine with dog's tail.

這禮運大同篇，咱家國父都署名落款了；偏偏這張人傑又於民國十五年三月十二日，特別註明這是“孫先生遺墨”。還真是「狗尾續貂」啊！【澳门国父纪念馆】

The Ruins of St. Paul's—大三巴牌坊

Hoover Dam—胡佛水壩

In April, 2006, due to ISC West in Las Vegas, Nevada, it is my second time visiting the America, in which everything seems to be bigger than that in Taiwan. After simple decoration as well as setting up camera, CRT monitor, our MPEG-2 DVR & complicated cabling, followed by product test & video adjustment for the best demonstration in a morning, honcho A, engineer C, salesgirl K & I went to the Hoover Dam in the same state that afternoon.

2006年4月，為了在拉斯維加斯舉行的ISC West展，A-Mao第二度造訪這個什麼都大的泱泱大國。4號當天早上佈置好會場的攤位（架設我們家的DVR與別人家的攝影機和螢幕、連結複雜的訊號線材以及簡單的裝潢）、做完產品測試與影像調整之後，下午藉由地利之便，便與A老大、C同學與K小姐驅車前往同樣是位在內華達州的胡佛水壩。

Although there was a GPS brought by honcho A, our car still got lost in the desert, but we began being excited while watching the blue Lake Mead. Meanwhile, what's the problem about the car in the front of us? Did he or she lose all money on the craps or blackjack table?

在租來的車上，雖然有A老大準備的GPS，有點囧地，我們還是在遼闊的沙漠中迷了路；不過當看到這絲絨藍的浩瀚米德湖水後，眾人就開始興奮起來。啊前方這台車沒有車牌是怎樣？是否於賭場輸光、又欠下高利貸正在跑路嗎？

Oh, here came a clock on the intake tower. Obviously, it was 16:08 in bald Nevada then—Pacific Time Zone.

喔！發現一只時鐘：那當下光禿禿的內華達州是16點08分（太平洋標準時區）。

It took us 11 minutes from Nevada to Arizona because it was 16:19 in hairless Arizona afterward—Mountain Time Zone. This dam is made in USA, of course. It is across two states! You might notice that the time is the same on both clocks. Why both were synchronized? Because Arizona does not use daylight savings time.

這水壩果然是美國製造，就是一個大字來形容。16點19分，我們花了約11分鐘自內華達州，到了童山濯濯的亞利桑那州（山區標準時區）。各位一定會奇怪為何兩個時區的時間是同步的咧？原來位在東邊的亞利桑那是不實行日光節約時間的啦！

While we were chatting by the lake, suddenly, A-Mao noticed a moving stone. Well, the wind was really speedy, but it was impossible to make a stone rolling. Later I figured out it is a chipmunk. Hi, little cutie! For whom are you waiting? Your partner?

其間一群人倚在湖邊的欄杆上鬼扯蛋。A-Mao竟發現到一顆石頭在滾，在快要落水時，卻又定住不動了；當時的風勢真的是很大啦，但怎會大到吹得動石頭咧？仔細一看，原來是隻花栗鼠。嗨！可愛小寶貝，妳在等待良人歸來嗎？【胡佛水坝】

Great Hoover Dam—壯哉胡佛水壩

Ryuuoukyou—龍王峡

By the World Heritage Pass issued by Tobu Railway for foreigners only, I went to "Ryuuoukyou" (or Ryuokyo). The meaning is Dragon King Valley, and it sounds so attractive to me. However, the last station of Tobu Railway is Shin-Fujiwara Station, which is next to Ryuuoukyou Station operated by Yagan Railway. Well, A-Mao did not mind working around to save money. After leaving Shin-Fujiwara Station, asking for direction and strolling for a while, I easily found this guidepost. Just one kilometer. A piece of cake!

告別了鬼怒川，利用世界遺產通票，A-Mao殺到這個光聽名稱，就覺得很吸引人的地方—龍王峽。東武鉄道只能到新藤原駅為止，無法免鋃到下一個由野岩鉄道經營的龍王峡駅；安慰自已散散步也不錯，就在新藤原駅下車了。出了站、問了路、走了段、一塊蛋糕地發現了這標示；才一公里，哼！不過是另一塊蛋糕。

It is not a lonely kilometer. While my iPod finished Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 (Maestro: Kun-Woo Paik), I arrived and looked down at the valley. The dramatic drop height predicted it would be an exhausted climbing. On the way to the bottom, the waterfall was making a long crescendo.

不是孤單一公里，當iPod為我放完了韓國大師白建宇的普羅高菲夫第三號鋼琴協奏曲，也就到了。往下一看，頭皮開始有些發麻：景色很美沒錯，但這高低落差之大，待會可有得累了。在瀑布的漸強水聲中，彎彎曲曲地往下邁進。

The scenery is part of White Dragon Valley. There are Blue Dragon Valley & Purple Dragon Valley also—I started blaming me for this unprepared plan as well as getting out late in Kinugawa that morning. In lonesome March, on beetling rocks stands the sober Dragon King Shrine confronted by the Rainbow Viewing Bridge & the Rainbow Viewing Waterfall.

各位觀眾，您看到的只是「白龍峡」的一小部份，其他還有「青龍峡」與「紫龍峡」喔（開始埋怨自己事前沒做好功課、加上貪睡沒能早起，無法一窺龍王峽全貌）！時值寂寥的三月，簡樸的「龍王神社」屹立在突出的岩石上，與一靜一動的「虹見橋」與「虹見瀑布」對峙相望。

There is a Harp Waterfall, too. For me, it is so hard to tell what the relationship is between this cascade and a harp. My explanation is that it sounds like a harp. How about yours?

回頭有座「豎琴瀑布」。也許A-Mao缺乏想像力，根據其外型，很難將它與豎琴作連結耶；不過水聲淙淙如樂音倒是真的！這是我的最佳名詞解釋。那你的咧？

Later I had to go to Nikkou for unfinished visit, and Koos from Holland was waiting in Shinjuku that night. Therefore, this is the farthest spot during this trip, and I took the latest picture on the opposite side of this river. Then, the return journey is really “a piece of cake” for me because I hate to eat desserts.

本次龍王峽之行的最終點。因為下午要趕未完成的日光景點，晚上還要去新宿赴荷蘭人Koos的邀約。以另一個角度記錄下竜王神社、虹見の滝與虹見橋的合影後，A-Mao開始在寒風中冒冷汗……呵呵……要爬回去、還要再走一公里回新藤原駅；對極端不嗜甜食的我，還真是一塊蛋糕啊！【龙王峡】

The World Heritage Pass—世界遗产通票

Isshinkan, Kinugawa—鬼怒川一心館

In March 2007, M & A-Mao were visiting some customers in Tokyo for few days. M returned to Taiwan in advance, while I started my two-day travel, without plans in detail, in Nikkou & Kinugawa by a World Heritage Pass. I encountered Koos from Netherlands, and both of us happily spent a whole afternoon in Nikkou. After that, we said goodbye and then were on "different trains"—somehow it reminded me of this Reich’s music. He got to go to Tokyo, whereas I had to continue my travel. It was snowing in Kinugawa at night, and I found no cheap hotel or guest house there. Well, what could I do? I went to an “onsen hotel” and negotiated by my poor Japanese. Finally, it took 20,000 yen “only” for one-night stay as well as dinner & breakfast at this Isshinkan.

2007年3月到東京出差數日後，A-Mao便利用東武鐵道的「世界遺產通票」，展開為期兩天一夜、日光暨鬼怒川、事前“沒有”規劃之旅。與在路上撿到、來自荷蘭的Koos同遊日光一下午後，兩人就在東武日光駅分道揚鑣：可愛的Koos要去東京；我則是到鬼怒川繼續未完的旅程（不知為何，心中竟響起Reich的Different Trains）。一出鬼怒川温泉駅，媽啊！都已經3月了咧，天空竟下起雪來。在這個溫泉區像頭喪家之犬尋覓了快一個鐘頭，完全找不到便宜的民宿可以投宿；在饑寒交迫下，硬著頭皮走進了一家溫泉飯店。用破爛日文及裝可憐的一番交涉後，最後「只」以兩萬日鋃，一泊二食入住這家一心館。

As soon as loosing my backpack in my personal, exclusive Japanese-style room, I enjoyed Kinugawa hot spring. Their appointment is pretty good, and the feeling is so gorgeous & tranquil that my body & mind totally relaxed. And then, foods again! The appetizers came with a doburoku (or home-brew style of sake). A young waiter was fast describing all ingredients in Japanese. As long as I had a question, amazingly, he could answer immediately—but I could understand 40~50 percent only. The fried shrimp and fish from river is the best, the tofu with green source made from something is not bad, but the beef is overcooked. Regarding the others, I forgot.

在一個人獨享的日式房間放下背包，A-Mao馬上衝去泡溫泉。鬼怒川溫泉不像陽明山的有明顯的硫酸味；一心館的硬體算是非常OK的，泡起來整體的感覺高雅寧靜，肌肉、神經和思緒都得到全然的放鬆。再來……就是吃囉！首先是這前菜，附帶一小碟甜甜的濁酒（どぶろく）；年輕的侍者小哥很仔細地介紹每一種食材的來頭（可是真的是說得太快了）。每當我當用幼稚園日語提問，他還真是有問必答喔（不過也只聽懂四五成）！炸溪蝦和炸溪魚最棒、豆腐配不知啥咪碗糕做的綠色醬料也很讚、那牛肉煮的有些老，不是很優；其他的，本少爺忘了。

Then, a soup and sashimi was served. Everyone can image that the soup is pure Japanese traditional type. As for sashimi, the two shiromi (or white fish) with skin is very fresh, but the akami (or red fish) of tuna is not defrosted yet (minus), and, even though I paid 20,000 yen, there is one small, delicious amaebi (sweet shrimp) only (minus). However, the piece of konnyaku goes very well with wasabi soybean source.

接著是吸物和刺身：那湯頭就是道地的昆布柴魚味啦，大家都知道的嘍；兩種帶皮的白身都很鮮美、遺憾的是，正中間的鮪魚赤身竟然沒有完全解凍（當下熊熊想不出怎樣用日文complain，扣分）、只有一隻小甜蝦也讓貪婪的A-Mao好惆悵（本少爺可是花兩萬日鋃咧！扣分）、但最右邊的蒟蒻搭上山葵醬油的口感與風味，可說的上是相得益彰。

This nimono, the waiter's favorite, is simmered with pork, burdock, carrot, green bean & ganmodoki (a fried tofu). A simple but impressing dish.

小哥說這到煮物是他的最愛。哼！不過就是豬肉、牛蒡、紅蘿蔔、四季豆跟がんもどき（漢字：雁擬き）用醬油料理罷了吧？但，豬肉肥瘦適中、每樣蔬菜都保有強烈的田野風味，がんもどき更是滿滿吸收了湯汁的好味道。樸拙，卻讓人印象深刻的料理。

This wild ayu (or sweetfish) is grilled just with salt. Its posture is so vivid, and the whole fish is eatable with a special aroma, but I left its head alone.

嘿嘿，這可是野生的香魚（アユ；漢字：鮎）喔！看這純粹的鹽燒，真的是又殘忍、又靈動啊！小哥說整條香魚從頭到尾都可以嗑；尾巴的部份最好吃，魚鰭與魚皮特別香脆；身體的部份因為沒有剔除內臟，感覺有些毛毛的、不過嘗起來馥郁豐腴；魚頭的部份因個人偏好，就沒膽品嚐嘍。

Next, A-Mao enjoyed a "toubanyaki" of mushroom, asparagus & Tochigi beef as well as a French-style soup made from yuba which is famous there. Hum, I started feeling it is worthy of 20,000 yen, a little bit.

呼！還有啊？花這兩萬日鋃開始有那麼一丁點沒被敲竹槓的感覺。小哥解釋了半天，A-Mao享用了栃木養殖，滿佈油花的和牛陶板焼き，以及用派皮包覆料理的當地名產—湯葉（生豆皮）。嗚，吃完人家就滿足地想睡了。

My God! This tempura is as crispy as splendid! With the green tea flavor salt, I was almost full up then but still chewed it within loudly crunchy sounds.

哇~~~！還有啊？天啊！這揚物炸的極其酥脆，客倌您看這華麗的樣子，有誰能按捺不動嗎？反正食材就是新鮮兩個字來形容，伴著綠茶調味過的鹽，已經十分飽的A-Mao，還是在超響的喀啦喀啦聲中嗑完它。

After another nice hot spring, I had this delicate overture as breakfast. Even though my appetite is not always good in the morning, I finished one bowl of oishii rice along with spicy mentaiko & grilled, dried horse mackerel. While I was leaving for Ryuuoukyou, their staffs were seeing me off in the front of hotel. Well, it is really touching. (You artificial Japanese! I'll be back!)

這是隔日泡完溫泉後的早餐，那小哥還現煮了味增湯。A-Mao起床第一頓總是吃不多；但那開胃的明太子跟烤竹莢魚乾，讓我過量地完食一整碗好吃的日本米飯。離開一心館前往龍王峽時，在場的員工列隊在門口揮手送別，讓孤單的我淚水差點就要飆出來（你們這些做作的日本人，我會再回來的）！ 【鬼怒川一心馆】

Can you see three monkeys?—看的到有三隻猴子嗎？

Yung Kee, Hong Kong—香港鏞記—ヨンキー

In October 2006, A-Mao & Bowen was in Hong Kong for an exhibition. It is our first time there, after standing by the booth on working hours and putting on leisure wear in Rambler Garden Hotel, every night we were experiencing this islands until there would be no trains back to Tsing Yi Station. While walking around, both of us frequently and excitingly encountered places in which certain cinemas of Hong Kong were shot, and Victoria Harbour & Peak is so spectacular! Not to mention lots of novel food was tasted—I will always remember that Bowen's face was shot by a "pissing beef ball". Meanwhile, my first quarrel in English was there with a taxi driver.

2006年10月，公司到香港參展。A-Mao與Bowen都是第一次來到香港，白天在攤位站了好幾個小時之後，回到華逸酒店脫下西裝換成便服，又匆匆忙忙跑出去探索香江；每個晚上都是在外面鬼混到快要沒捷運可搭，再由青衣站轉迪士回飯店休息，真的是忙碌到掛。此行主要目的是工作，事前當然沒有規劃要玩啥吃啥。兩人漫無目標地在走在街頭，每每興奮地相互驗證這裡跟那裡是那部又那部港片的場景；吃了不少新奇卻好吃的東西（我永遠忘不了B同學被“撒尿"牛丸“顏射”時的樣子XD）、維多利亞港與太平山的夜景也是非常壯闊輝煌；其間與一個迪士司機激烈口角，這還是我此生第一次用英文跟人吵架咧。【维多利亚港夜景】

After visiting Lan Kwai Fong, a foreigners' haunt for drinking and clubbing, we run in famous Yung Kee, and I therefore was facing the dilemma of dining inside with Bowen, who has a good appetite, and afterwards being jawed by my boss, or being very regretful for missing a good restaurant. We discussed almost for 20 minutes and, finally, saw eye to eye on entering it on an extremely limited budget.

逛完慕名已久的蘭桂坊，竟發現頂「港」有名聲，下「港」尚出名的鏞記就在左近。頓時天人交戰起來：兩個人手牽手進去（Bowen特別會吃），回台灣報公帳時可能會被釘得很慘；與魂牽夢繫的餐廳錯身而過，可能會遺憾好長好長一陣子。在人來人往的中環咱倆商議快要20分鐘，定下一個人只能花多少鋃的預算，愛吃的與會吃的終於還是進去了。【香港镛记】

Without reservation, we had to wait. Around 30 minutes later, we were took to a table on which the century egg with pickled ginger was served already—not free of charge. Addition to roast goose, I nervously ordered three relatively cheap dim sum and then contentedly looked into this beautiful prelude. The yummy, floating yolk is dark green, whereas the ginger is colored light pink. The image is as contrastive as the taste is harmonious.

由於沒有預約，等了快半個小時。入座後，桌上已經放了這碟酸薑皮蛋（要鋃）。在裝潢得金碧輝煌的餐廳中，除了燒鵝，七上八下的跟侍者要了三樣便宜的點心後，才安心檢視這美麗的前奏曲。嗯，看這斷面，皮蛋應是撥開為半；如果用刀切開，食客就少嗑到一點黏在刀上，如同綠翡翠般流動的糖心吧？嗚，完全沒有台灣皮蛋常有的怪味，吃時香醇濃厚的糖心在齒縫間流連忘返。皮蛋性涼，跟染成淡淡粉紅色的酸薑配著吃，真是一絕！【酸姜皮蛋】

Yung Kee is distinguished for the flying roast goose. It is called "flying" because of its special package for travelers to bring it on board. At the age of 6, I was chased by a flock of goose. Time to hit back again! The skin is a little bit crispy, the meat is rich, the fat is flavorful, & the sauce is fantastic. In conclusion, excellent delicacy served by normal service at costly price.

鏞記以燒鵝揚名立萬，不少外國遊客品嘗後，歸國時外帶特別包裝，搭機回國後好餽贈親友；因此，這鵝又號稱「飛天燒鵝」。童年A-Mao暫住新豐阿姨家時，曾被超級兇猛的鵝群追啄過；嘿嘿……這下又是俺復仇的時候了。這鵝肉軟嫩多汁、鵝皮豐腴帶脆、皮與肉之間的脂肪在入口瞬間似乎就要融化；事前的醃料在經過燒烤後，更稱托出鵝的美好風味。不過服務普普通通，價格真是給他不便宜。【飞天烧鹅】

Night view seen from Rambler Garden Hotel—华逸酒店夜景

Business Twin of Toyoko Inn—東橫Inn商務雙人房

For budget travelers, Toyoko Inn is good value, clean and mostly at good location. A-Mao loves traveling abroad even though it is mainly for business. After doing team works in the daytime, however, I don’t like to accompany the other male colleague in a twin room at night, especially when we finished all topics to talk. And, sometimes we had no choice but a double room! Thanks God for that I & engineer R encountered “business twin” of Toyoko Inn in 2007. As soon as I opened its door, surprisingly, another door was in front of me—it seems to be against Chinese Feng Shui, and we happily noticed it is a toilet almost separating the room. There are two beds, two desks, two TVs, two air conditions, you name it. Both of us had basic private space, and the best is that the cost is the same as a normal twin. Those having “business twin” I know: Tokyo Kamata Higashi-guchi, Kyoto Shijo-Omiya, Shin-Osaka Chuo-guchi Honkan & Shin-Osaka Chuo-guchi Shinkan.

想必與同性同事出過差的人都知道，在安排住宿時為了幫公司省錢，通常兩個人會睡一間雙人房。訂得到twin room還好，一人一張單人床；在碰到假期和商展的時候，特定的地區及飯店有double room能睡就該偷笑了。在寸土寸金的東京與大阪，飯店房間又特別的狹窄；在經過白天形影不離的相處後，休息時還要雞犬相聞；除非兩個人都很會攪豬屎，到最後話題聊光，還真讓人囧到不行。很幸運地，在2007年讓A-Mao和R同學終於在大阪，發現東橫Inn有一種business twin：一開房門那一瞬間，赫然又看到另一扇門（這似乎犯了中國風水的忌諱）；打開之後才知道原來裡面是浴室。位在房間中央的浴室，兩旁分別有獨立的床鋪、桌子、電視、冰箱、空調以及其他該有的設備；這樣的空間設計，提供了相當程度的個人隱私，我們兩個都非常喜歡。最棒的是，價格竟等同一般的twin！已知有business twin的：東京蒲田東口、京都四條大宮、新大阪中央口本舘以及新大阪中央口新舘。【东横Inn商务双人房】

Free breakfast of Toyoko Inn—東橫Inn免鋃早餐