Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节

祝大家 中秋節 快乐, 月圆人团圆 ...
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival * to everyone ...

* click to learn more about "Mid-Autumn Festival".

I am One Year Old 一岁了

Exactly one year ago, I started this blog ... never knew that I could go this far.

Many thanks to you my friends who are always here to give your words of encouragement, constructive suggestions and above all unreserved supports, especially my blog followers, you are truly my inspiration and motivation .

This post is for you all and it comes with a BIG heart felt thank you ...

一岁了, 我这小小的, 毫不起眼的部落格已走过它的第一年 ...

这一路来有你們的陪伴, 鼓励和加油, 我一点都不寂寞, 你们是我的动力来源, 由衷感谢。

这一贴, 送给你們, 我亲爱的朋友 ...

挪威來的男孩 A Boy From Norway

挪威來的男孩

当你告诉我你是从挪威来的时候，我一点也不惊奇；你那深邃的双眸有挪威海一样的碧蓝。

虽然你的语气是淡漠的，但那是溢满思乡愁绪的淡漠 ...

你告诉我奥斯陆的港口是多么的忙碌，数不完的海鸟伴着往来的渔船。 长堤上有你童年时的足迹，那是逐渐被淡忘的回忆。 在你不在乎的脸上，有无奈的痕迹 ...

你说那儿有一望无际的针叶林，将大地染成绿色；宁静的湖泊有天空的蔚蓝，相映着朵朵飘过的白云；而淙淙的溪流声，像是来自深山的回音，不绝于耳；山路上走着放羊的牧童，赶着一群群的绵羊，仿佛融入巍峨高山上的皑皑白雪里 ...

你说你是一位满怀乡愁的游子；然而，有那一位游子不思乡呢？

* 徐蔡斌 / 1995年

A Boy From Norway

It came hardly as a surprise when you told me that you were from Norway, as I could see deep in your eyes there was this aquamarine blue of the Norwegian Sea.

I could hear that beneath your apparent nonchalance, there was also this subtle tone of home sickness ...

You told me that you missed the flock of sea birds that accompanied the fishing boats at the busy port of Oslo ...

... the embankment that marked your vanishing foot prints and childhood memories.

... the conifer forest that colored the land into carpet of green .

... the lakes that reflected the azure of the sky.

... the gurgling stream that echoed in the deep valley.

... the picture of the shepherd and his herd of sheep that blended into the snowcapped mountain ...

You were indeed a very homesick boy ... and yet who wasn't?

*Su Chua Phin (1995)

Photos courtesy of Ruth Bernssen Bø (Norway), thank you Ruth.

Cat tale 貓城貓語

" Hey you ! "
" Huh? You're talking to me? "

" Yes, I'm taking to you. Wanna hear a story ? "

" Well ..... ok, I guess I 've time for a short one. "

" once upon a time .... "
" uh-huh ..... "

" ... and just as everyone thought they could live happily ever after... "
" hmm ..... " (showing impatience but politely stayed on)

" So what do you think about this story? "
(sticking its tongue out)

" Do you believe in my story? "

(shaking its head)

" Interesting story le ... "

(yawning)

" Wanna hear another one? "
" Over my dead body ... "


Location : In a coffee shop somewhere in Kota Sentosa, Kuching.

Biscuit any one? 来一块饼干吧!

朋友從意大利回來，捎來這我一家大小都非常喜愛的乾果麥片餅 ...

ricco di fibre, con fibra da frutta ...

A friend just came back from Italy and look what I've got ...

新年快樂 Happy New Year

這是那門子的黃梨酥?

新年到了，和往年一樣，雖然大部分的年貨都是買現成的，但也烘焙一兩樣糕點陪襯，也讓廚房熱閙熱閙一下啦。

至于製成品嘛, 就 ... 就 ... 反正還可以下咽就是了 !

既然是以“玩票”的心態搞新年烘焙，就對成果要求不高啦! 反正都是吃進肚子里的東西，不是拿來當擺設的 (開始找藉口了...) 。

My terra cotta of pineapple pastry.

我家的黃梨酥“兵馬俑”。

These are pineapple pastries?

Everybody is rushing for last minute Chinese New Year shopping, I was not exempted. And like any Chinese New Year in the past, we have at least a few home made cookies and pastries readily available for the visiting guests, this year is no exception.

Here you are, our own version of Pineapple pastry ... Ahem, maybe for a good laugh?

好像沒甚麼賣相。

Garlic Vine 紫鈴藤

The Garlic Vine at my backyard is blosssoming ...
我家后院的紫鈴藤開得好燦爛 ...


中文名稱：紫鈴藤, 蒜香藤
科屬：紫薇科, 紫薇屬
原產地：印度, 哥倫比亞, 阿根廷, 危地馬拉等地

Name : Mansoa hymenaea
Common name : Garlic vine
Family name : Bignoniaceae
Synonym : Bignonia alliacea, Pseudocalymma alliaceum
Origin : India, Colombia, Argentina, Guatemala etc

Romania 羅馬尼亞

我对罗马尼亚这个位于东欧的國家其实认识不深，但是我的的确确是第一眼就被这数张图片给深深吸引。

罗马尼亚的农村景色，真的是好美 ...

图片是我罗马尼亚朋友Marius的作品，大家可以浏览他的部落格mariusgrozea .

Frankly speaking, my knowledge and impression about this Eastern European country called Romania is very limited, but the moment I saw these few pictures, I was completely blown away.

Rural Romania is just so breathtaking ...

They are the works of my friend from Romania, Marius, you can visit his blog at mariusgrozea .

Romantic Romania ...

如诗如画的罗马尼亚 ...

仿佛置身童话世界里 ...

All Photos courtesy of Marius Grozea (Romania).

新年快樂 Happy New Year

新年快乐 / 新年快樂 (Chinese)
Happy New Year (English)
Selamat Tahun Baru (Malaysian / Indonesian)
La Multi Ani (Romanian)
Feliz Año Nuevo (Spanish)
Šťastný Nový rok (Czech)

Bom Ano Novo (Portuguese)


Any one who happens to drop by who knows any other languages expressing " Happy New Year " are welcome to help me increase or improve my vocabularies ... and I am more than happy to add them in.

Roberto's Gift

圣诞礼物

刚收到Roberto从英国寄来的圣诞礼物。不是送给我，是送给我家老大的。

虽然赶不及在圣诞节前送到，但这不是重点，心意比较重要啦！

Roberto谢谢你，让你破费啦！

A Christmas Gift

This is a Christmas gift my daughter received from her uncle Roberto, all the way from England, though it didn't make it to Kuching before Christmas, it didn't matter, it's the thought that counts ...

Thanks a lot Roberto.

By the way, Roberto, where's mine?

Chinese New Year 农历新年

新年來囉！

农历新年 (己丑“牛”年) 的跫音已越来越近，古晉的各大小商行和购物中心已响起了振奋人心的新年歌曲。

大红灯笼高高挂。
Chinese Lanterns.

人造梅花。

Artificial Chinese Plum Blossom.

除了新年歌曲之外，另一个最容易让人感染到过年气氛的东西依我看莫过于那些琳琅满目，主要是以红彤彤颜色为主的新年摆设装饰品了。

各式各样的红包。
Red packets ("Ang Pow") that come with money inside, children's favorite.

就这样，我乘昨天在皇冠广场办捐血活动之便，心血来潮前往我们华青团福利组副组长杨岩彬位于古晉浮罗岸路的店 嘉大进出口有限公司，去感染一下这过年的气氛。

充满牛年气息的卡通对联。
Ancient auspicious antithetical couplet with modern elements.

Chinese New Year is around the corner

This year's Chinese New Year falls on 26th January, 2009.

讨喜的小狮，让人爱不释手。

Miniature lions.

So in less than a month's time, we'll be welcoming the year of Bull, according to the Chinese Calendar.

让人眼花缭乱的新年摆设品。
Different varieties of auspicious Chinese New Year ornaments and decorations.

Here are some of the very interesting and colorful Chinese New Year decorations and ornaments put on sale at Katai Import & Export Sdn. Bhd. located at Chan Bee Kiew Building, Padungan Road, Kuching which our FCY's Assistant Director of Welfare Jong Yean Pin is also its Executive Director.

At the scene with a helping hand is Jong Yean Pin (left)，Katai's Executive Director who is also FCY's Assistant Director of Welfare.

来，拉幅贺年对联来跟大家拜个早年。

对联总要有两个人拉才像样，就请来嘉大的执行董事，也是我们晋汉省华青团福利组副组长杨岩彬客串一下， 祝大家 : -

金玉滿堂福星照
鴻福齊天財神到

Have a Happy & Prosperous New Year !

Home Made Bread 又聞麵包飄香 ...

自從老二在我家出現後，家里那部烘麵包機就從視線消失了。

... 其實是被收在柜子里養塵埃。

直到不久前，在瀏覽人家的部落格時給我有緣發現到一位非常認真地在制作麵包，蛋糕和餅干的小熊，這才讓我恍然想起那部幾乎被遺忘的烘麵包機 ... 腦海又浮起了那麵包飄香，吃着熱騰騰剛出爐麵包的幸福時光 ...

結果就很唐突地給版主小熊留言討教，沒想到版主一點也不吝嗇賜教 ... 喏，這不就是我家新鮮出爐的白麵包了嗎？

不過，似乎有些硬，敲在頭上頭會起包包。

還要繼續努力 ... 不是我，是內子還要繼續努力。

似模似樣的麵包
Waking up to the smell of home made bread is quite an experience ...

Macadamia Nut 澳洲堅果

去壳的澳洲坚果或许对很多古晋人来讲并不陌生，而且随意在任何一间超级市场都可以轻易找到。但是，连核壳一起上架的澳洲坚果就真的是比较罕见了，至少我是第一次见到，所以赶紧买了一包回家尝鲜。

古晋人与澳洲坚果最普遍的接触我想应该是通过巧克力吧！融在口中甜甜的巧克力加上烤得香脆的澳洲坚果仁，那种感觉让人真的不介意胖多几公斤 ...

近年来，古晋的餐馆也开始采用澳洲坚果为食材...特别是在热腾腾的炒杂菜撒上一些澳洲坚果仁，更是让菜肴香味四溢。

而我与澳洲坚果最难忘的亲密接触是在数年前游玩西澳的时候。那个在澳洲坚果园里迎着习习春风，嚼着烤香的澳洲坚果，满口果仁芬芳的滋味，至今还让我回味无穷。

只是，为何这些在古晋买的澳洲坚果不能让我重拾往日的那个味道？

Macadamia nut is no stranger to Kuchingites, especially in the form of chocolate bar's ingredient. In recent years, it has even found its way into many restaurants' cookbooks.

But to find them on sale in the supermarket with their shells attached is still something uncommon, at least to me. So my curiosity talked my wallet into buying some just to find out how they tasted.

My most memorable encounter with these tasty nuts has to be when I visited Western Australia ... the memories of eating freshly roasted Macadamia nuts in a Macadamia orchard while being showered by the cooling breeze of the Australian spring lingers forever.

The taste of these Macadamia nuts from the supermarket just isn't right ...

澳洲坚果又名澳洲胡桃、昆士兰栗，夏威夷果。属山龙眼科，原产于澳洲东部沿海、昆士兰州(Queensland)东南部和新南威尔斯州(New South Wales)北部的亚热带雨林中。

Named after John Macadam. Its common names include Macadamia, Macadamia nut, Queensland nut, Bush nut, Maroochi nut and bauple nut.