The temple is called "De Yue Lou" but the girl doesn't know what those Chinese Characters mean.
I have no idea who he is, but he definitely dress like ancient Chinese people of "Song Dynasty".
Hanoi is a city of Mopeds...
Monday, June 27, 2005
Vietnam
The temple is called "De Yue Lou" but the girl doesn't know what those Chinese Characters mean.
I have no idea who he is, but he definitely dress like ancient Chinese people of "Song Dynasty".Hanoi is a city of Mopeds...
Sunday, June 19, 2005
人在旅途
离开北京那天阳光灿烂得不行，从St. Regis 的窗户里看出去，长安街上车水马龙， 人来人往。 房间里非常安静，只有CNN亚洲台在轻轻地播报着伊拉克的最新消息和股指走向。
飞 机是下午两点的，我在房间里收拾行李。这些年来，为了工作， 我已经习惯了从一个时区到另一个时区, 从一个城市到另一个城市，从一个 Hotel 到另一个 Hotel 的生活，可是今天，我却想起了从前。
曾 经有一个少年，常常在一天的工作之后，一个人独坐在机场宿舍的荧光灯下，读一本又一本的英文书，听窗外深夜里汽车疾驶的声音，梦想着有一天，展翅高飞， 去一个陌生的国度，展开一段全新的生活。把一切一切的不如意，一切一切的烦恼，一切一切的孤单都统统抛掉。在许多个那样的夜晚，他问自己：这样的生活还要 持续多久？未来到底还有多远？
那时候的梦想，今天差不多都已是现实。
我闭上眼睛，对那个孤灯下的少年说：Congratulations, you've come a long way!
飞 机是下午两点的，我在房间里收拾行李。这些年来，为了工作， 我已经习惯了从一个时区到另一个时区, 从一个城市到另一个城市，从一个 Hotel 到另一个 Hotel 的生活，可是今天，我却想起了从前。
曾 经有一个少年，常常在一天的工作之后，一个人独坐在机场宿舍的荧光灯下，读一本又一本的英文书，听窗外深夜里汽车疾驶的声音，梦想着有一天，展翅高飞， 去一个陌生的国度，展开一段全新的生活。把一切一切的不如意，一切一切的烦恼，一切一切的孤单都统统抛掉。在许多个那样的夜晚，他问自己：这样的生活还要 持续多久？未来到底还有多远？
那时候的梦想，今天差不多都已是现实。
我闭上眼睛，对那个孤灯下的少年说：Congratulations, you've come a long way!
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Driving on the edge
Highway 1 is touted as America's most scenic route, with more twists and turns than life itself
This journey is best taken slow if you don't want to miss any thrills along the way, Susan Pigg writes
PACIFIC COAST, CAlif.— "Do you think it's possible to get drunk on beauty?" asks a girlfriend as we soak up the stunning scenery along the most famous drive in the United States.
I have to admit that I'm feeling light-headed. I'm uncertain if it's the high altitude, the hairpin turns or the Mayflower moving truck barrelling toward our rented car while straddling the centre line of this cliffside ribbon of highway.
It could also be that my head is still swimming because I can't believe two moms, with five kids between us, have pulled off the impossible: We've managed to escape laundry, lunches and lists to indulge in the ultimate chick trip along the famed Highway 1 between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
"Are you going to be Thelma or Louise?" was all my friend's husband wanted to know before calendars were checked and we were cleared for takeoff.
"I'm the one who has hot sex with Brad Pitt," she shot back.
Well, a girl can dream, can't she? And if there's a place where the unexpected is always just around the next breathtaking bend, Highway 1 is it.
This two-lane stretch of coastal California is best navigated topless — preferably in a red convertible. But be warned they are in high demand from aging baby boomers. If you're not quick, you'll be stuck like us, driving a beige Chevrolet Classic that screams middle-aged mama. It's a tougher way to take in the 360-degree views, the sounds of crashing waves and the smell of pine trees.
It's an age-old debate here whether it's best to drive the route south to north or north to south. The views of rocky shoreline may be somewhat more spectacular heading south from San Francisco to L.A., but you're also driving right on the edge of a cliff. Those heading north, on the other hand, are hugging mountainsides (not entirely without risk as they're prone to rock and mudslides), but at least there's one lane of highway between you and certain death if your eyes stray from the road for a second too long.
We've come prepared with rudimentary maps, Beach Boys CDs and months of pent-up chit-chat. But you don't really need the first two given that the best spots along the way are hard to miss — Santa Barbara, San Simeon, Big Sur, Carmel, Monterey, Santa Cruz — and music sometimes distracts from the real star of the show here, Mother Nature.
Set aside at least five days if you want to indulge in West Coast wine and seafood, poke around in the many artisan shops or tour Hearst Castle, the monument to extravagance perched on a mountaintop overlooking the seaside pier at San Simeon.
But three days is a minimum, a discovery we made in our quick, two-day tour between San Luis Obispo and Monterey. We ended up hightailing to make our final destination, San Francisco, and catch our flight home.
This a trip for grown-ups, best not wrecked by the siren call "Are we there yet?" Guide books warn you not to rush along this stretch of the Central Coast of California. The reality is, with all the sharp twists and turns, you are forced to go slow — usually under 55 km/h.
We regret that we ran out of time to stroll the palm-lined beaches of Santa Barbara — known as the American Riviera — or the delightful little Danish town of Solvang with its windmills, not to mention "surf city" Santa Cruz with its beach boardwalk and historic waterfront amusement park.
But there's always next year.
San Luis Obispo: This serene small town is a great place to stretch your legs and cool down while dipping your toes in the picturesque creek that runs right past the historic Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, founded in 1772. This southern gateway to a series of ancient volcanic peaks and sprawling dairy ranches provides the first taste of the unique and varied scenery that makes this drive so memorable.
Morro Bay: This small fishing town is called the "Gibraltar of the Pacific" because of the 175-metre-high volcanic rock that protrudes from its harbour, a haven for fishing craft, sailboats and kayaking. Nearby is great hiking and camping and the Morro Bay Estuary, the nation's third-largest bird sanctuary. Cambria: This town of 6,500 people feels a bit like Niagara-on-the-Lake nestled among giant coastal pines, with its mix of galleries, artisan shops and B&Bs. The beach is a delight for both surfers and beachcombers.
San Simeon: A popular spot as much because of its lovely beach and massive waterfront wharf where, during the 1920s, ships delivered the lavish materials and furnishings used to create the palatial 165-room, hilltop estate of newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst. Give yourself a minimum of two hours to tour the treasure-filled, 100,000-hectare ranch where Hearst once entertained the rich and famous on grounds where zebras roam. Tickets are $24 for adults, $12 for children and can be booked through 1-916-414-8400 Ext. 4100.
Ragged Point: This lookout, which features a hotel, snack shop and a picture-perfect vantage point on the edge of a cliff, provides a dizzying glimpse of the road ahead. Don't stop if you suffer from vertigo. Big Sur: This legendary area of Monterey County — home to the Santa Lucia and Gabilan Mountain ranges — is what this coastal drive is really all about. On one side of the highway is 145 kilometres of dramatic Pacific coastline, on the other side there are massive pines, state parks and 16,000-hectares of vineyards. It's a haven for hikers, bikers, campers and wildlife with some of the best sunsets on the planet. The "town" of Big Sur is aptly described in guidebooks as "a modern-day trading post" where local artisans and authors sell their wares in rustic shops nestled among the most southerly patch of giant redwoods in California.
Carmel-by-the-Sea: This charming town has been in the spotlight thanks to its former mayor, actor Clint Eastwood. But good food, great art galleries and beaches dotted with blankets at sunset have really put it on the map. You can go to lovely Carmel Beach proper for free as the sun's going down. Or pay the $8.50 toll to visit the coastal stretch of the famed 17-Mile Drive around the upscale Pebble Beach golf course and resort. It's a priceless view of the Pacific sunset on one side of the road and multi-million-dollar homes on the other. Don't miss the eerie Ghost Tree, a Monterey cypress bleached white from wind and sea spray. Another favoured stop is Cypress Point Lookout which is closed from April 1 to June 1 to provide a peaceful breeding ground for harbour seals that return here each spring to bear their young.
Monterey: It's all been written about many times: the Monterey Bay Aquarium, voted the No. 1 aquarium in the U.S.; Cannery Row, beautifully refurbished warehouses and canneries from this city's heyday as "the sardine capital of the world;" and Fisherman's Wharf where restaurants boast you can "dine here and watch seals from your table." This is a delightful place to while away the hours, eating freshly caught seafood, walking along busy Cannery Row or pedalling four-seater surreys along the waterfront recreation trail.
By the end of this coastal trip, we will have logged more than 800 kilometres, passed by palm trees and pine trees, strawberry fields and artichoke plants and stood within reach of seals basking on a beach. We also will have seen a colourful patchwork quilt of scenery that has shaped the culture and the many characters of California.But this magical slice of California had a final surprise for us as we celebrated our epic journey over a glass of wine at the elegant Ritz-Carlton San Francisco. There — hovering over the dessert table — was Al Gore, the former U.S. vice president and presidential candidate.My girlfriend and I looked at each other before bursting into laughter.
Hey, he may lack the raw sex appeal of Brad Pitt. But at our age, Al Gore will do.
For more information on the Central Coast region, see http://www.centralcoast-tourism.com or call 1-831-902-7275. The site provides links to the various cities and towns along the route.
This journey is best taken slow if you don't want to miss any thrills along the way, Susan Pigg writes
PACIFIC COAST, CAlif.— "Do you think it's possible to get drunk on beauty?" asks a girlfriend as we soak up the stunning scenery along the most famous drive in the United States.
I have to admit that I'm feeling light-headed. I'm uncertain if it's the high altitude, the hairpin turns or the Mayflower moving truck barrelling toward our rented car while straddling the centre line of this cliffside ribbon of highway.
It could also be that my head is still swimming because I can't believe two moms, with five kids between us, have pulled off the impossible: We've managed to escape laundry, lunches and lists to indulge in the ultimate chick trip along the famed Highway 1 between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
"Are you going to be Thelma or Louise?" was all my friend's husband wanted to know before calendars were checked and we were cleared for takeoff.
"I'm the one who has hot sex with Brad Pitt," she shot back.
Well, a girl can dream, can't she? And if there's a place where the unexpected is always just around the next breathtaking bend, Highway 1 is it.
This two-lane stretch of coastal California is best navigated topless — preferably in a red convertible. But be warned they are in high demand from aging baby boomers. If you're not quick, you'll be stuck like us, driving a beige Chevrolet Classic that screams middle-aged mama. It's a tougher way to take in the 360-degree views, the sounds of crashing waves and the smell of pine trees.
It's an age-old debate here whether it's best to drive the route south to north or north to south. The views of rocky shoreline may be somewhat more spectacular heading south from San Francisco to L.A., but you're also driving right on the edge of a cliff. Those heading north, on the other hand, are hugging mountainsides (not entirely without risk as they're prone to rock and mudslides), but at least there's one lane of highway between you and certain death if your eyes stray from the road for a second too long.
We've come prepared with rudimentary maps, Beach Boys CDs and months of pent-up chit-chat. But you don't really need the first two given that the best spots along the way are hard to miss — Santa Barbara, San Simeon, Big Sur, Carmel, Monterey, Santa Cruz — and music sometimes distracts from the real star of the show here, Mother Nature.
Set aside at least five days if you want to indulge in West Coast wine and seafood, poke around in the many artisan shops or tour Hearst Castle, the monument to extravagance perched on a mountaintop overlooking the seaside pier at San Simeon.
But three days is a minimum, a discovery we made in our quick, two-day tour between San Luis Obispo and Monterey. We ended up hightailing to make our final destination, San Francisco, and catch our flight home.
This a trip for grown-ups, best not wrecked by the siren call "Are we there yet?" Guide books warn you not to rush along this stretch of the Central Coast of California. The reality is, with all the sharp twists and turns, you are forced to go slow — usually under 55 km/h.
We regret that we ran out of time to stroll the palm-lined beaches of Santa Barbara — known as the American Riviera — or the delightful little Danish town of Solvang with its windmills, not to mention "surf city" Santa Cruz with its beach boardwalk and historic waterfront amusement park.
But there's always next year.
San Luis Obispo: This serene small town is a great place to stretch your legs and cool down while dipping your toes in the picturesque creek that runs right past the historic Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, founded in 1772. This southern gateway to a series of ancient volcanic peaks and sprawling dairy ranches provides the first taste of the unique and varied scenery that makes this drive so memorable.
Morro Bay: This small fishing town is called the "Gibraltar of the Pacific" because of the 175-metre-high volcanic rock that protrudes from its harbour, a haven for fishing craft, sailboats and kayaking. Nearby is great hiking and camping and the Morro Bay Estuary, the nation's third-largest bird sanctuary. Cambria: This town of 6,500 people feels a bit like Niagara-on-the-Lake nestled among giant coastal pines, with its mix of galleries, artisan shops and B&Bs. The beach is a delight for both surfers and beachcombers.
San Simeon: A popular spot as much because of its lovely beach and massive waterfront wharf where, during the 1920s, ships delivered the lavish materials and furnishings used to create the palatial 165-room, hilltop estate of newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst. Give yourself a minimum of two hours to tour the treasure-filled, 100,000-hectare ranch where Hearst once entertained the rich and famous on grounds where zebras roam. Tickets are $24 for adults, $12 for children and can be booked through 1-916-414-8400 Ext. 4100.
Ragged Point: This lookout, which features a hotel, snack shop and a picture-perfect vantage point on the edge of a cliff, provides a dizzying glimpse of the road ahead. Don't stop if you suffer from vertigo. Big Sur: This legendary area of Monterey County — home to the Santa Lucia and Gabilan Mountain ranges — is what this coastal drive is really all about. On one side of the highway is 145 kilometres of dramatic Pacific coastline, on the other side there are massive pines, state parks and 16,000-hectares of vineyards. It's a haven for hikers, bikers, campers and wildlife with some of the best sunsets on the planet. The "town" of Big Sur is aptly described in guidebooks as "a modern-day trading post" where local artisans and authors sell their wares in rustic shops nestled among the most southerly patch of giant redwoods in California.
Carmel-by-the-Sea: This charming town has been in the spotlight thanks to its former mayor, actor Clint Eastwood. But good food, great art galleries and beaches dotted with blankets at sunset have really put it on the map. You can go to lovely Carmel Beach proper for free as the sun's going down. Or pay the $8.50 toll to visit the coastal stretch of the famed 17-Mile Drive around the upscale Pebble Beach golf course and resort. It's a priceless view of the Pacific sunset on one side of the road and multi-million-dollar homes on the other. Don't miss the eerie Ghost Tree, a Monterey cypress bleached white from wind and sea spray. Another favoured stop is Cypress Point Lookout which is closed from April 1 to June 1 to provide a peaceful breeding ground for harbour seals that return here each spring to bear their young.
Monterey: It's all been written about many times: the Monterey Bay Aquarium, voted the No. 1 aquarium in the U.S.; Cannery Row, beautifully refurbished warehouses and canneries from this city's heyday as "the sardine capital of the world;" and Fisherman's Wharf where restaurants boast you can "dine here and watch seals from your table." This is a delightful place to while away the hours, eating freshly caught seafood, walking along busy Cannery Row or pedalling four-seater surreys along the waterfront recreation trail.
By the end of this coastal trip, we will have logged more than 800 kilometres, passed by palm trees and pine trees, strawberry fields and artichoke plants and stood within reach of seals basking on a beach. We also will have seen a colourful patchwork quilt of scenery that has shaped the culture and the many characters of California.But this magical slice of California had a final surprise for us as we celebrated our epic journey over a glass of wine at the elegant Ritz-Carlton San Francisco. There — hovering over the dessert table — was Al Gore, the former U.S. vice president and presidential candidate.My girlfriend and I looked at each other before bursting into laughter.
Hey, he may lack the raw sex appeal of Brad Pitt. But at our age, Al Gore will do.
For more information on the Central Coast region, see http://www.centralcoast-tourism.com or call 1-831-902-7275. The site provides links to the various cities and towns along the route.
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