2011聖誕

聖誕的氣息總比其他節日來得早，來得濃，可能是兒時的模糊記憶美化了這個日子...
一杯冒著煙的熱咖啡，跳躍輕鬆的聖誕節拍，煦來攘往的人群，
臉上冰冰的，手上卻暖暖的，這種寒冷中透著溫暖氣氛的感覺就是聖誕了!
可惜的是少了個能依偎的肩膀，多了個思念的對象。
寄望下個聖誕冷暖中能滲點甜...

Prague

Prague - a sentimental city.
It was overcast with heavy clouds and drizzles, looking a little melancholy. And the sky turned even more gloomy when I was visiting the castles, alone. And I don't remember why was the little fight. lol

The most romantic city in my journey so far. With the sparkling stars in sky, silhouette of tourists passing by, unexpected fireworks, elegant notes from cello, Charles Bridge was...unforgettable.

And I still remembered my prayer. It was a long one and I hope Jesus will heard me.

How long have I been in this storm

so overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form

water's getting harder to tread

with these waves crashing over my head

if I could just see you

everything will be alright

if I'd see you

this darkness will turn to light

Venice

Venezia - a city that blends romance and mystery perfectly. 

Masterpieces of Renaissances architecture, erstwhile balconies, vintage

houses, striking gondolas that shuttling across the canal, all these make up the romantic backdrop for a little alfresco dinning. And with that special someone, it's an enchanting moment that you can hardly forget.

I remembered dragging luggage over a wide bridge, waiting in a square for the super duper huge-sized pizza, drinking in a random bar with 3 spritz in a row, dancing in the street with an Italian, sitting outside a church feeling half drunk, meeting a Chinese boy who speaks only Venetian Italian, plain but scrumptious homemade spaghetti, lovely bedroom that I envy a lot, kind and suave mama Laura who loves handicrafts, small but cozy attic, a wired contemporary exhibition of sound, serpentine footpaths with small bridges, pizza shop that sell ice-cream as well, and my dream that night.

Delectable time, again.

"Basking in the sun on a random dock with a glass of Spritz, we were watching the boats passing through. For a moment, I was meshed in thought, wondering if I shall ever be here again, who will be the one sitting next to me, like what we were then.
Realizing that I was too moody and melancholic all of a sudden, I fake a big smile, quickly finished up my drink and walk towards those tortuous footpaths."
These are fragments that I found in my napkin, written on the night that I slept in the attic.

Vienna

Wien, is a milestone of achieving dreams, coz it once, was my dream.
The slow flowing melody of K622 concerto with elegant clarinet; the vivacious yet graceful K306 violin sonata; the caprice of K379 violin concerto variations and my all-time favorite K242 piano concerto movement 2...how many nights I immersed in Mozart's world and dreaming of myself walking down the alley where he meditated on his way to work; visiting his birthplace where he wrote his first piece of work at the age of 5.
I remembered a night at the hotel (hotel coz the original hostel overbooked), I was lying on bed with Mozart playing, refreshing my high school memories in which I listened to Mozart all days long and read Stephen Hawking, it was the period I truly enjoyed peace and knowledge. (what happened now? :/ )
Vienna is a beautiful city, really pretty, with flora everywhere, very elegant and artistic. They even have sales people dressing like Baroque period selling concert tickets. The concert I attended in Vienna was plain yet memorable, not for the music I'm sure, for the companion maybe?

Our hostel was really close to the China town where we ate, ironically, lots of Asian food.
The little wet market near hostel, sells all kinds of food, with varies types of restaurant. I tried English breakfast and Vietnamese lunch there if my memory didn't fail me, both were scrumptious...delectable time...

I remember walking along the market, waiting to catch up my friend, an indian-like shopkeeper yelled 'Konichiwa!' to me. (I know he's yelling to me coz I'm the only Asian around) I smiled and nodded.
I'm not surprised anymore after a month time in Romania. :) And then my mind drifted back to Timisoara's little open bar near Piaţa Unirii, my first few days of the exchange.

By the time we were in Vienna, there was a carnival thing in an unknown square (or it has a name just that I don't know...) There were music, asian food again, fruity sangria, small fountain, brewed beer, delectable companions and sweet kisses.

It was the second stop of our journey and I was already fearing the end.

Budapest

我們的旅程開始在明媚的八月, 剛踏上第一個車站月台, 我拍下第一張照片, 心裡只有一絲, 就那麼一絲隱約的興奮。用了一輩子期待的歐遊, 心中描繪過無限次的這個國度, 家中用旅行社歐洲簡介剪剪貼貼拼湊成的歐洲相簿...終於我站在這塊土地上了, 怎麼心情卻這般輕描淡寫? 往後我才明白感覺回憶來得愈輕愈是長久...
剛下火車的我站住吸了一口氣, 想起以前一次塔羅牌占卜, 我問了 “我未來出走其他國家的機會大嗎?” 感覺很敷衍的占卜師說 “有的, 但都是在東南亞...” 很幼稚的我在心裡吐糟 “我這不是出走了嗎!? 還是歐洲呢! ”

在布達佩斯我們嘗試了那種有景點歷史簡介的觀光巴士, 打算在一天裡把這城市看完。耳邊播著有點悶的古典音樂, 心裡無邊無際想著有的沒的, 我很快就睡著了...哈哈! 到了幾個貌似有趣好看的景點才下了車拍了幾張照片...

 拍這張照片時, 我無聊地在想, 古時的人是不是也跟我一樣, 仰著頭看到了一樣的景象呢? 那不知道象徵什麼的石鷹, 高高地盤在柱上,變的就只有那片天...
什麼時候哪個人會站在我的位置拍下跟我眼前一樣的景物呢?

在車上悶到不行的我們決定來個閒適下午茶, 一件蛋糕兩杯飲品, 加一個對的旅伴, 就消磨了個下午。在我心中旅程就該如此, 慢慢走, 慢慢看, 慢慢浸在城市的氣息裡...

我還記得他開始了一個秘密交換遊戲, 大概是想氣氛熱絡點吧...從羅馬尼亞認識時就感覺他是個交際力強的人, 但不咶嘈不八掛, 這樣的人很討我歡喜因為我討厭找話題, 也討厭別人隨意探究我。

就這樣天南地北一直聊,  聊到公園草地上我們躺著談夢想。就像一般廿多歲的青年, 都是想像著自己會有富裕美滿的工作、家庭生活, 退休了跟另一半環遊世界...但我腦中的景象是自己在不同的國度, 做著不同的事, 不富裕不美滿, 但每個都是值得記傳的故事。我總是想, 這世界有太多地方, 太多生活方式, 太多故事, 太多種歷險, 要是都能讓我嘗嘗...到哪一天我老了, 病了, 睡在床上動不了, 心裡還是可以默默把這輩子重溫一次, 然後甘願地閉上眼死去。