说说最近

那天从Sapporo回来后，我继续投入了考场，但是战况却异常地平静。也许是因为在那最后三天的考试里，都是一天考一科，时间上非常充足，所以显得有点谈笑风生似的。考完那天，刚好是2月14日，所谓的情人节。日本的情人节与马来西亚的不同：这一天，送礼物或巧克力的一方，是日本女生。而男方则是在3月14日，白色情人节这一天回礼。不过我也是现在才知道，原来情人节的来源，是为了纪念一名叫华伦泰（Sanctus Valentinus）的神父，在古罗马时代时，违抗皇帝废弃婚姻的旨意，而最终在2月14日这一天被送上绞架绞死。如此说来，还真是与现今庆祝情人节的意义无甚关系呢！再加上如今商业化下的情人节，更是引起很多人士带起拒绝情人节的运动。当然，那又是题外话了。

2月16日，我去了东京。听起来，我还真是很享受似的，前个星期才北上Sapporo，这星期又南下东京，仿佛日本任我走般。一切，也是为了难得的周杰伦世界巡回演唱会。虽然说马来西亚也是他世界巡回的其中一站，但马来西亚一站进行的日期，我却还未回到马来西亚，所以只好破费豁出去，把人生第一场演唱会给了周董。说起来这一张演唱会入门票，还真是几经辛苦才买得到。话说，演唱会进行售票的第一天，我和友人到了附近的连锁店购买，却被通知已经售完了！一个早上，竟然售完了！本来以为如此就迫不得已与周董说再见，却获知由于反应热烈，周董追加一场！看来是上天不愿我的钱包收着那几张纸币，硬硬要我为钱包减重。结果，我们还是通过网上的拍卖，买了第一场演唱会的入门票。

那场演唱会，虽然我依然看到有几张空席，但是说它人山人海也不为过。不过，据我的观察，大概是中国人，或者说会听华语的观众比日本人多。说实在的，的确没有想到周董在这樱花国的人气不是简单的高。就说坐在我隔壁的日本女生吧！几乎从周董出场开始，就一直边喊边跳地站到最后，丝毫没有疲倦的感觉。当然，全场也不止她一个是如此。甚至到了尾声时，演唱会的席位几乎被观众们嫌弃，宁站不坐了。我想，我坐着的椅子应该是少数发出埋怨声音的席位吧？毕竟，谁喜欢被压迫着呢？

演唱会，因为没有珊瑚海，没有晴天，及更长的乐器表演，除了遗憾，还是可惜。不过，整体而言，真是很棒的演出！不愧是周董！不得不提的，也是小弟个人觉得最敬佩不已的，是出自方文山的灯下一诗。真是不知何来的文字造诣能让他写出如此惊叹天人的诗词，简直是绝！只可惜当时没有笔纸在手，不能及时抄写下来。真不知小弟我有生之年能不能也有他那般的成就。。。

接着，我就从东京回来，开始一星期多的空挡期。此时虽然还需要去学校，但也是拿了考试成绩就下课了。可说是，空闲无比的。结果，我找了号称网上必看玄幻小说之一——诛仙，废寝忘食地看了几天，终于看完了。至于感想如何，其实也真是名过其实，并非如此大师之作，尤其看了许多读者的读后感，更是证实我所感。不过，也不能完全否认这小说的过人之处，毕竟还是见仁见智。可是有一点肯定的，我还是喜欢捧起书本阅走文字的感觉。长时间对着那电脑画面，身体尤其是眼睛部分可是非常伤的。既然自称书生，终究还是离不开书的。

还有五天，就回家了。心情也没什么激动或者紧张，只是平静地慢慢地等待那一刻的来临。由于我搭乘的是MAS，所以我特别期待听到：For the Malaysians, welcome home.

马来西亚，怡保，家，就快了。。。

Snow Festival - Part 2

We didn't spend our whole day in Sapporo. Instead, we went to Otaru for a special event there. It is so-called the candle festival. There were many candles around the canal and one special area, creating another romantic atmosphere. Just liked what my senior made his conclusion: simple things, but great scene in the end. Forgive me for not being able to describe more about this event. What's more, people were walking here and there at that time, couldn't really take my pace well to slowly appreaciate it. Then, let me show you some pictures. Hope you can neither more nor less imagine the atmosphere there.

Candle in the ice.

Candles road


How about drinking in an ice bar?

Snow tunnel, with candles providing the lights you need.

Love shape, many couples were queuing to take a picture in it.

Nice shot by my Philippine friend. He is our professional photographer.

Then, we rushed back to Sapporo to catch some night views of those masterpieces.


But we were abit late, as the lights will be turned off at 10pm. So, these are what we could shoot only.

As I said, there were three main spots for snow festival in Sapporo. The last one was ススキ会場.
It put ice sculptures on display along the road.

This was a ice karaoke box. Wonder how do we feel to sing in that? By the way, staying in a ice bar or ice room, it is really not that cold as you thought. Instead, I felt quite warm in there.

And then, it came to an end. We went back to Hakodate by night bus again. Though it was a tiring journey, I really enjoyed it. After all, it is a chance or trip that not everyone could have. For those who couldn't make it this year, let's hope you can go next year or the following years. If so, let's see whether i will take the risk and visit this snow festival again next time.

Snow Festival - Part 1

Actually, I am having my final exam in the mean time. However, that doesn't stop me from going to the snow festival of Sapporo. According to my seniors, this event will be held every year, but every year it will drop around our school exam period. So, if we would like to go for it, we have to take the risk. Well, since we were going to have three straight holidays during the weekend, and consider that we won't be as free as now in the following year, we decided to give us a break in this exam time.

We set off by taking the night bus on friday night, as it would save us time. But we ended up with sleepiness... We reached Sapporo at around 5.30am, with coldness stringing along.

Is this snow festival all about? Just snowman? Wait, wait, be patience... There were 3 main spots for snow festival, さとらんど会場, 大通公園, ススキ会場. First, we went to the さとらんど会場. It was located quite far from the city centre. It took us 30 minutes bus journey to reach there.

These were some of the snow works at the さとらんど会場. I didn't take picture for everyone of them.

Ice slide for children. How about adult?

A simple maze made by snow wall, right behind of us. This year is the 59th snow festival of Sapporo. And you could see a lot of people around there.

Countless of small little snowman. You can write out your wish and give it to the snowman.

One of the great work in my point of view, showing one of the tradisional dance of Japan, which they perform it during the summer festival.

Let's get a closer look on them.



Here it is, the slide for adult. Sitting on a tyre, sliding down all the way must be very fun, right? I couldn't tell you, as the queue was too long and we might have to wait for 3 hours to ride on it! We didn't have much time for that, that's why we gave up.

But at least we tried this, some sort like banana boat, though not so speed up as we thought.

Then, we went back to the city centre, 大通公園.

Do you know him? Nevermind if you don't, but please join in what he and others working on now.









Is that all? Just some things like these?



Here comes freedom!

Theme: Protect the Earth

My senior said the theme should be Ice Age 3...

National treasure of Japan - 犬山城　

Theme: Egypt

Another masterpiece.

Theme: The second movie of Narnia

And this was one of the event held. Sliding down from the top with your snowboard or ski. Ok then, stay tuned for part 2.

年三十，往年与今年

身在国外，闻不到那新年气息，听不到那传唱几十年如一日的新年歌，看不到大街小巷的新年装饰，吃不到新年独有的糕饼糕点等，尤其是最有象征性之一的蕉柑，还真是不知新年已来到！今天，已是年三十晚了，是一家团聚享用团圆饭的大日子。难免的，我这惆怅的游子书生还是不禁坠进时间隧道，回忆起往年的年三十日。

就说去年的吧！一早醒来，就知道这一天不管怎样都得帮忙妈妈准备年菜（平常虽也有帮忙，但都是帮下不帮下的，说起来真惭愧。。。）。咱们家的团圆饭是在晚上，所以真正准备年菜的时候都是在傍晚。不过，早上还是得把鸡啊，汤啊，各样材料给弄好。说起汤，可是我最期待的年菜——猪肚汤是也！经过一番清洗的猪肚子，加上一罐鲍贝，以及绝对不可以或缺的胡椒粒，简直是一流！每次我都恨不得能整碗汤就如此灌进肚子里，就算那胡椒粒会带给我喉咙不适也在所不惜！

早上也没有什么特别节目，于是大家就如平日般静静等待下午的来临。首先是祭拜祖先，祈求新的一年也能人人平安健康，事事如意。然后，就是重头戏——年菜！其实咱们家的年菜也说不上很丰富，就如常般，有鱼两条，一条是留着过年意味着年年有余；有虾，有烧肉，有菜。。。都是普通的菜色，名字也没有学那些餐馆般取上什么喜临门什么福满门的好名字。毕竟，重要的是那气氛，那年三十晚团圆的意义。

突然想起每年的年三十，团圆饭开动前，爸爸都会把屋子里的车子洗得干干净净。印象中，除非我们那年不是在家里度过年三十，爸爸都不会忘了洗车子。大概这也是一种把前一年所有不好的事情都洗掉抛掉去掉，好能全新姿态迎向新一年的意思吧！然后，待爸爸梳洗一番后，团圆饭就开始了。而全年只有这一天，我们是开着电视机进食。因为通常那时候电视台都会播放一些新春节目，比如来自香港无线的台庆，或者什么慈善演唱会。我们就边欣赏电视上的表演，边享受眼前的年菜。还记得小时候的我，会时不时抬头望向电视机。但是近几年，大概是知道美食当前，佛也跳墙的道理，都没去管那电视框子正上演着什么了。

吃饱后，大家就分工合作地收拾饭桌，清洗碗碟等的。尽管中国传统上的年三十晚，是长辈给压岁钱于后辈的时候，但我们家就不知几时开始没了这习惯，反而是隔天的年初一才有红包拿。那么守岁呢？迎财神呢？看来我们家也是没有维持这些文化习俗。年三十的晚上，就是大家坐在客厅里，收看电视机的新春节目。还记得，每年的所谓新春特备节目，都有一两出看了几十次有余的贺岁电影。什么八星报喜啦，家有喜事啦，都是看了又再看的电影。就不知今年的情况，会是如何呢？也因为收看那些电视节目，爸妈都比往常迟睡，大概也是一年唯一的一次吧！

今年的年三十晚，我一，第一次错过团圆饭；二，第一次需要在这一个晚上捧起书本为第二天的考试准备。也无可奈何，毕竟留学国外既如此。不过，耳边听着新年歌，原本淡薄的新年气息，也渐渐笼罩四周。没有回家的新年，其实还是可以以自己的方式度过的。重要的不在于形式上，而是在于自心里。会不会我们有一天出了社会，忙于工作，而渐渐忘了新年的重要，过年的意义呢？甚至在还没出社会前，在这没有春节的外国月亮下，忘却了文化根源呢？

但愿不会，也绝对不应容许它发生。要走在科技资讯的最前端，也要背着文化火炬随时点燃时时传承。我似乎很罗索般，每一次都必定提到文化传承的事。其实我是希望自己没忘记，还是希望更多人共勉之呢？那天看了关于马六甲遗迹保护上的不足的报道，又看到独中甚至国中在维护华语华文上的努力，我看见了曾经心中火种不停燃烧的我。算了，关于这一点，还是留待下次才慢慢述说吧！

在此，祝大家新年快乐，身体健康，出入平安，富贵临门！

p/s: 我和学兄的年三十晚饭！最终，我们还是形式上的吃过了这“团圆饭”。。。吃得好饱，却还是得拿起书本，今夜拼了！