Les Miserables 悲惨世界

雨果的悲惨世界，是十九世纪的最伟大的小说之一，在中学时期看过，已沒什么印相。许多年前，看过DVD版的舞台剧，只记得可怜可悲的Fantine，还有无数很动听的歌曲，被感动的哭了。

昨晚，女儿和我在戏院哭红了双眼，为Jean Valjean悲惨的一生，为坎坷的Fantine短暂的生命，为革命而牺牲的年轻生命。。。

一开始，囚犯们的歌声就感动了我。。。Look down, look down。。。Don't look 'em in the eye。。。You're here until you die，How long O Lord.. Before you let me die?。。。

仅仅因为偷了一个面包來给就要饿死的外甥，当了十九年的奴隶的Jean Valjean，偷面包五年，其他十四年是因为无数次的企图逃跑，悲惨！

Fantine被无情的男人抛弃,  为了养活女儿,  被逼卖头发牙齿,  最后出卖身体,  结果在还没见到女儿最后一面就病死了。


Fantine唱道：There was a time when men were kind....When their voices were soft...I dreamed that love would never die....I had a dream my life would be....So different from this hell I'm living.....可悲!

企图改变命运的革命学生们 :   It is time for us all....To decide who we are..... Do we fight for the right.....Red - the blood of angry men! Black - the dark of ages past!
Red - a world about to dawn! Black - the night that ends at last!

他们全军覆没, 白白的成为乱世的牺牲品。

而 "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" 最牵动我心 :  Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me...What your sacrifice was for...Empty chairs at empty tables.....Where my friends will sing no more...

最早的音乐剧在1980年在法国制作, 动听的旋律和感人的歌词都由法国人创作。英文版的要到1985年才在英国的West End上演，1987才在美国的Broadway上演。曾由不同的演员演绎过。

 我们刚看的电影版是由Hugh Jackman和Russell Crowe当两个要角，从来不知道他们能唱音乐剧。Fantine由Anne Hathaway演绎，也没想到。而演绎Fantine女儿Cosette的Amanda Seyfried，之前在Mama Mia看过，所以知道。尤其是Hugh Jackman，表情很是不错，令我另眼相看。

DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING

Do you hear the people sing
Singing the song of angry men
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes

Will you join in our crusade
Who will be strong and stand with me
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see

Then join in the fight
That will give you the right to be free

Do you hear the people sing
Singing the song of angry men
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again

When the beating of your heart
{ From: http://www.elyrics.net }
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes
Will you give all you can give
So that our banner may advance
Some will fall and some will live
Will you stand up and take your chance
The blood of the martyrs
Will water the meadows of France
Do you hear the people sing
Singing the song of angry men
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes

后紀 17/1/2013 ：



家里的书。

在两个星期多后的今天，我们还沉醉在这些美妙的歌曲中，女儿每晩都会在钢琴弹奏，对这些歌曲也能朗朗上口，美事一桩！

扶贫路上，唐米豌行走中国

唐米豌的故亊之前在电视看过，很感好奇，同施月潭一样，是到地的大马人。

由陈美芬变成唐米豌，由白领丽人变成乡才下阿妽。因为唯一的女儿突然的离开人世，也因为女儿生前对他说过的话，陈美芬卖了在大马的房子和汽车，到中国去参加扶贫工作长达7年。

陈美芬之前也像大家一样，出入有汽车代步，生活在舒适的城市里，然而却选择在穷乡僻壤的地方义务开办英文补习班，后來更发觉病人更需要帮助，便跟随医务人员到“癌症村”去照顾癌症病人。

在书里，我看到鲜为人知黑暗的一面，也看到人性丑陋的一面。贪得无厌、自私自利的村民。为人师表的学校老师，边上课边吸烟。势力无情的校长，为了区区的12元，拒绝接受学生的申请。

最可怕的是“癌症村”，因为喝了被工厂所汚染的水源，许多村民患上癌症。可怜被父母遗弃的癌症小孩和老人，还有全家都死于癌症的人间惨事，看了之后，久久都无法释怀。

扶贫路上这本书让我觉得我们眞的是非常非常的幸运，眞应该珍惜所拥有的一切。

而对于陈美芬所做的一切，除了感动，还是感动。

The Interlude

It's been 3 months since I received the 3,000pcs Interlude. I have to admit that the progress is not going very well. Too many distractions, ie. internet, computer games, TV drama, books, travelling....lots of excuses too...



 



Very first step.

Anyway, I started to fix it 2 days after I received it. After sorting out all the pieces by colors, I proceeded with the most prominent part which is the panel at the bottom and the centre of the picture. It took a few days.

Then I continued with the faces and limbs. So far so good.

After the limbs came the dresses. When that was proved to be too tedious, I moved to the flowers. No easy job as well, but I managed with some hardship.

Next I filled up with the dresses and slowly the background. I am taking my own sweet time to do this. After all, there's no reason to rush.

So, this is the progress so far. Maybe I should speed up a bit, it's taking far too long.

Update 2/1/2013:

The puzzle is finally done after the longest time in my record.

玫瑰的故亊

玫瑰的故亊，多么普通的名字。但是，这可是亦舒的玫瑰，虽然名字眞是有够俗的，可是亦舒就有这种能耐，再俗气的名字他都有办法写到优雅飘逸。应该这么说，亦舒偏要用又普通又俗气的名字，这样才更能突出主角的清丽洒脫。男的是家明，不消说，当然是温文气度非凡的男士。

玫瑰的故亊分成4部，以不同的人物身份來写。这种写法，应该是亦舒唯一的一次，英文书就常见。第一次看时，觉得很不错，蠻有新鮮感，看得出每个人对所有亊情都有很不同的看法，角度不同，身份不同，同样的亊在不同人的眼中可以相差很远，而現实也的确如此。

初期的玫瑰卻不是优雅飘逸，但肯定是清丽洒脫。仗着家世好，又长得如花似玉，还有对他百般疼爱的哥哥，好玩任性是理所当然的，连哥哥的合作伙伴也被他搞到离婚収场，成了落魄人。直到他遇到庄国栋，好象遇到了剋星，完全被他征服了。不幸的是庄国栋不能抛弃未婚妻，只好忍痛离开玫瑰。玫瑰受到前所未有的打击，整个人变了 - “眼睛不再闪亮，嘴角不再含笑风生”。在外囯跟一个貌不惊人的男同学结婚了，还生了一个女儿，变成一个普通的女人。这是第一部，以哥哥黄振华自称，结尾时黄振华看到玫瑰的女儿，好像看到了将來的玫瑰。

第二部以傅家敏自称。这时的玫瑰已经三十岁了，已从庄国栋的伤痛中恢复，又变成美丽的女人，决定离婚。重生了的玫瑰又把傅家敏迷倒，这时的玫瑰优雅飘逸。故亊当然沒这么简单，玫瑰遇见了家敏的哥哥傅家明，‘不食人间烟火’的傅家明，两人一见锺情，但天意弄人，家明身患绝症，玫瑰说 ：“我找了他半辈子，找到了他，他的生命却只剩下三个月。” 玫瑰一直陪他走到最后一刻，而傅家敏当然沒与大哥争夺玫瑰，他与咪咪结婚，强迫自己安顿下來。结尾时，玫瑰走过伤痛，又再次重生，遇到罗德庆爵士。

第三部关于玫瑰的女儿，太初，以周棠华自称。太初虽长得与母亲一模一样，但因长期和父亲生活，性格完全不像玫瑰。他善良懂亊纯真，简单纯朴。虽然父亲潦倒，可是很敬愛他，与棠华相愛。订婚时，与棠华回到香港拜见棠华父母，自然也见到了舅舅、舅母，见到了母亲，发现母亲根本是被父亲描黑了。后來父亲心脏病去世，又回到香港，还发生了一连串不愉快的亊，还好最后愉快収场。

第四部以罗德庆的儿子 - 罗震中自称。罗震中和两位姐姐被父亲召回家时，遇见了他认为是自己一生中所等待的女神 - 玫瑰，为他倾倒，然后惊覚他竟然是继母，一下子从天堂跌入地狱，痛不欲生。当然最后只好选择“放弃“，和他人结婚，与溥家敏同样命运。

年轻的玫瑰让我想起“飘”里面的郝思嘉。美丽、任性、敢做敢为、义无反顾。为愛情服出过惨痛的代价，不能与至愛长相守，转与别人结婚、生小孩。命运像一本书，一章接一章，结束后又开始。当然这只是一本小说，現实人生有几人能有这样精彩的一生？

当年，玫瑰的故亊被改编拍成电影，张曼玉饰演玫瑰，周润发饰演傅家明，感覚还不错。

Dean Koontz

惊悚小说的佼佼者。

许多年前，房客Mary向我推荐了Shadowfires，一看之后，就再也无法放下。从此以后，对英文惊悚小说有了“相逢恨晚”的感觉,  尤其是这位 - Dean Koontz的大作，总是看得“昏地暗地”。

他的著作曾被翻译成多种语文，在世界各囯畅销，包括日本和瑞典，至今銷售了450million本。有多达十多本是上了最佳畅销书排行榜，这种佳绩，堪称寥寥无几！

The New York Times has called his writing “psychologically complex, masterly and satisfying.” The New Orleans Times-Picayune said Koontz is, “at times lyrical without ever being naive or romantic. [He creates] a grotesque world, much like that of Flannery O’Conner or Walker Percy … scary, worthwhile reading.” Rolling Stone has hailed him as “America’s most popular suspense novelist.”
（來自网际网路）

Dean Koontz的书是我收藏书裡最多的，是我最喜欢的作家。他的创作多元化，天馬行空，有恐怖的鬼故事，有心理变态的，有超自然的，有科幻的，是属于多产作家。系列有Frankenstein ，Odd Thomas 。创作大胆，写法前卫，让人不禁想问他，创作能力那理來？灵感那理來？天生的吧！

看来又是看Dean Koontz的时候了! 家里的Dean Koontz都是好多年前买的，大部份印象模糊，读着书后的简介时，真有股重读的冲动，可是却有心无力，好几本新书还没看，而且精神大不如前，再也不能想以前那样, 可以一鼓作气，看个不亦乐乎！沉溺在虚幻的天地內。

有个旅人 Once A Traveler

施月潭 - 当我第一次知道马来西亚有这么一个人时，真的感到很惊讶！

心想，我们马来西亚吔，居然出现一个这么精彩的人物，莫名其妙的觉得很感动，打从心里佩服他。

试想，一个年轻的女子，在外背包旅游长达2年，去的地方竟然是包括中东！

巴基斯坦，那种落后不文明的囯家，女人完全沒地位的地方！难道他不害怕吗？他是怎样自我保护的？

究竟是什么样的原因使到他选择长期在外游走？还是根本沒有原因，只是一种远処的召唤，召唤着他，要他到世界的各个角落去看看?

看着“有个旅人”这本书时，可以体会到他的执着、他坚强的意志力，就是不愿放弃的信念，为求达到目的地。

明知危机四伏、困难重重，还是要去，那是何种、何來的勇气？有的时后，还真为他捏了一把冷汗！

佩服得五体投地！

Hangzhou杭州

It was already about 9.30pm. when we reached Hangzhou from Nanjing by bullet train. The queue for taxi was very long, so we had no choice but to accept the offer from one of the private vans after some bargainings as usual. So again we found ourselves in a very old and small van (first was when we went to Xitang). The driver told us he knew the way to our accommodation that night, Wushanyi International Youth Hostel. After about half an hour, we were told that he couldn't locate the exact location. We showed him the map and he agreed to call them for direction. After a few attempts, he said he couldn't get through the line. He continued to drive around and said he had to charge us more as he was making a loss! Hubby argued with him. It was dark and quiet and i was getting nervous, so i told hubby to give in. He even stopped the van at one point where it was so isolated. I then told hubby in English to ask him to drop us somewhere nearby. I was scared. It was then the driver said he had to drive to another road as he couldn't enter the road to the the hostel from where we were. So he did know the way after all! Finally, he stopped the van and we walked to the hostel by asking for directions. I was finally able to release when we saw the sign of the hostel! I think the driver had intention to get more $$ from us right from the beginnings!

The moment we entered the hostel, i had the warm feelings as it was quite cozy and it was filled with tourist from overseas. It was my idea to experience staying in a hostel. We found our family room clean and neat with ensuite bathroom.

The next morning, while we went down to the lobby, we saw tourist in their pyjamas holding their towels and tooth brush heading to the shared bathroom! So this is what hostels are like! Well, it was an experience.

After breakfast in MacDonald nearby the hostel, we walked towards the much acclaimed Unesco Heritage site West Lake, the day's itinerary.  On the way, an old but kind looking woman started to talk to hubby. She suggested to take a bus to Jiuxi, then continued to tour the lake. She emphasized that we must not retrieve the route, we had to go ahead instead until we reached the lake. She further said that it was the way to tour the lake! At the bus stop, another friendly woman approached us and started to tell us the same thing. So we took the bus to Jiuxi, took a cab as what they suggested.

When we got down from the cab, another old woman started to talk to hubby and kept inviting us to her house to take a rest. Hubby didn't have the heart to turn her down and so we ended in her house whereby she served us tea and of course we ended buying tea from her! After that she helped us to hail a private car to drive us to the point where we thought was very close to the lake. But it was not the case, we ended in the tea plantation which we were not interested in. We then hailed a metered taxi and the lady driver was curious that we ended in that area.  We told her about the women and she said she knew it! She further said that the old woman must had been following us and she knew for sure that we had bought tea from her. We could only think that it was indeed a consolation that we did not spend too much.

So we were finally at West Lake after all the hassles and time wasted. I was quite disappointed by now. Moreover it was a Saturday and the place was crowded with loud local tourist.

First we took the boat ride where we landed on one of the 3 islands on the huge lake, the Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon (三潭印月). We then took our lunch in a restaurant facing the lake. The crowd was even larger now with the congestion and noise from the cars on the road!

After lunch we continued with some of the scenic zones like Orioles Singing in the Willows (柳浪聞鶯), Fish Viewing at the Flower Pond (花港觀魚), the tomb and memorial hall to Yue Fei (岳飛), Curved Yard and Lotus Pool in Summer (曲院風荷).

It was another round of hassle when we tried to get back to town area. Taxi was extremely scarce and we ended in a private little van again. This time we were literally squeezed in this tiny van! I was so frighten with the way the driver handled the van even in this over loaded condition. Anyway we were back to Hefang street which is near the hostel.

We walked around the street as we did this morning for a while till it was dark. Then we went back to the hostel to retrieve our luggage and had another round of hard time to get the taxi to the airport. Even though it was too early for our 1135pm flight, we didn't want to take the risk of not able to get a taxi.

A reminder to myself about planning trip to China, try not to go during Weekends not to mention public holidays! And also do not listen to stranger no matter how kind and friendly they may look.

West Lake trip would definitely be more enjoyful if there wasn't any episode in the first place! Maybe we can come again on a weekday to really appreciate the beauty of this Unesco World Heritage site.

  

Ming Xiaoling Tomb

I have never been very interested in history all my life, certainly not ancient tombs of some emperors. But i had done a bit of homework before I went to Ming Xiaoling Tomb. With a very rough idea in mind, we reached the site early in the morning.

Ming Xiaoling Tomb is the last resting place for Emperor Zhuyuanzhang, the founder of Ming Dynasty. It is listed in the Unesco World Heritage sites! It was built in 1381-1405, making it 600++years old. Not that old compare to Emperor Qin Shihuang's Imperial Tomb which is 2,200++ years old. Legend says that in order to prevent robbery of the tomb, 13 identical processions of funeral troops started from 13 gates to obscure the real burying site. (info courtesy from Wikipedia.)

The map of the mausoleum. The inner most is the Ming Tower and beyond it the outline of a circle is the enormous Treasure Mound

From the map, we learned that it's designed like a garden! (Later I found out that the  Ming tombs are designed in this manner for the rest of the imperial tombs.) First, we found ourselves in a path called the Elephant path with 12 pairs of mighty stone carved animals. The animals are the Elephants, Horses, Camels, Lioans and fantasy ancient animals Unicorn and Xiezhi! They are supposed to guard the tomb! And there's another path called the Sacred path which were lined with some warrior figures and we missed it! We also missed the giant tortoise with stele! How sorry were we!

The Elephant Path.

Qiling (Unicorn).

Huge camels.

Horses.

Xiezhi.

Knowing that this area is vast, we proceeded quickly further in. We passed through the gate then the tablet hall. The tablet hall contain a stele constructed by emperor kangxi as a homage to emperor Zhuyuanzhang who is his predecessor of 300 years. We do not understand why the tortoise is carved with the the head facing the door and the tail at the other side of the wall.

The tablet hall by Emperor Kangxi.

The tail is at the other side of the wall.

We then walked further in where we reached the Ming Tower. At the entrance, we had to climb a flight of stair ascending to another area. At this open area, we found ourselves face to face with a wall! But I still didn't know where is the actual burial site! Hubby then explained to us that the wall beyond is the tomb and he pointed at the carving on the wall! The carving says "This mound is the tomb of the emperor"! I realised then that the big mound beyond the wall is the last resting place of the emperor! The coffins of the emperor and the empress are somewhere within the big mound and it stays untouched for all these years!

The Ming Tower.

 

The entrance of the stairs.




Steps to the treasure mound.

On top of the steps where we found ourselves face to face with a wall.

It says this mound is the tomb of  the Emperor!

Wall surrounding the Treasure Mound.

After we came home, I read from Wikipedia that the Ming tower is actually embedded into the mound which explains the ascending steps we climbed earlier. I have been wondering what is inside the mound and why is it so big. Hubby also shared with us the Dingling tomb he visited in Beijing which had been excavated and there lies red coffins of the emperor and the empress! I read on to know that there are chambers for different purposes in the tomb and of course there is the coffin chamber! Needless to say, tons of priceless treasures are also being buried!



Tan Yan Kai tomb.

Also found in Ming Tower are some brief informations of other Imperial Ming Tombs in other parts of China. Most of them are untouched and still stays intact till today, not even Emperor Qinshihunag! Also very interesting is that the imperial steles are always built on top of a tortoise as pedestal. It is said that the tortoise is being highly respected in ancient China for it's longevity  and it's also associated with divination.



The giant tortoise stele.

Somehow i find all these facts quite interesting and have since developed some special "feelings" towards the history of our ancestors. To be able to see and to touch the artifact that has been around for a few hundred years have given me the sense unlike before!  This is only the beginning, there are so much more !!