近十年来最严重的暴风雪 worst snowstorm since 1999

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我’有幸’体验到多伦多近十年来最严重的暴风雪。

昨天一整天，雪不停地下，不停地下….

我和Ed穿得厚厚地跑出去‘赏雪。

因积雪有20至30公分高，步步艰辛，才绕公寓一圈，我已气喘如牛。

今早，雪小了，轻轻地飘。

太阳跑了出来, 人们也出来了。我也出去拍拍照片。

阳光反射在洁白的雪上，好美好美。

人们暂抛开要清理那么多的雪的烦恼，先快乐地享受….

I was ‘fortunate’ enough to have the chance to experience the worst snowstorm in nearly ten years in Toronto.

The snow was pouring non-stop yesterday.

Ed and I went out during the storm, well, for an experience. It was rare chance.

The streets were covered by 20 to 30 cm of snow and was extremely difficult to walk.

We only walked around our apartment but I was already quite exhausted.

This morning, though still snowing, only lightly.

Sun is out, people are out too. Me too, taking my camera for some photos.

Temporarily ignoring the need to clean up the mess, people want to first enjoy the sunshine-filled beautiful snowwhite city ….

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A Cool Night in Montreal

这次去蒙特利尔一张照片都没拍到。反正为了见朋友，专心聊天就是了。加上，我也不懂怎么在这种又暗又湿的景象拍出好东西。我的朋友是摄影高手, 我也不好意思在高手面前献丑。

怎知，回到多伦多，才后悔没拍到秋末寒冷的蒙特利尔。所以，唯有向Daniel要了张照片留念。他好厉害！拍得真的好漂亮。在此与大家分享。谢谢了，Daniel !

拍这张照片时, 天空中已飘着雪片…..街上一片冷清….

It was rare to catch up with a friend, let alone someone from Australia. We met up in Montreal. It was very wet and dark while we were there. I knew I was not capable of take any good photos in such conditions. In addition, my friend, Daniel is a keen photographer and I knew I feel embarrassed to take photos in front of an “expert” 😉

When I returned to Toronto, I regretted that decision. No matter how poor the quality would be, I should have  a photo of Montreal in late autumn/early winter. I asked Daniel to send me one of his photos. The photo is so quite well taken and rather beautiful (see above)! Thank you Dan!

P.S. It was already snowing when the picture was taken.

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Sunset in Toronto

Do you believe sunset can be so stunning in front of your apartment ?

The photo was taken by my boyfriend in Toronto last evening.

Though I missed the sunset, it definitely brightens up my spirit to study for the two upcoming big, fat exams on next Monday 🙂

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Melbourne Blue Sky

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香港老百姓生活 Daily Life of Ordinary People in Hong Kong

老人钓鱼

摄于 香港新中环天星码头 2007年4月

A man fishing without a pole.
Photos taken at New Star Ferry Pier, Central, Hong Kong April 2007

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愿您所求必应 Hope all your prayers will be answered

黄大仙庙是香港著名的寺庙。听说它有求必应。我在十年前旅港时，曾慕名而来， 见识过它的香火鼎盛。这次旧地重游。朋友笑问我是为求签吗，我说没啦。

这次人不多。没上次把我薰得头晕的浓浓烟火。不知是今年香港经济好转了，人安稳了， 就少来这了。还是因为时间不对，人潮未到。

Wang Tai Sin Temple is a famous temple in Hong Kong, it is famous for its god to grant whatever is requested. Ten years ago, during my first visit to Hong Kong, I came here – saw hundreds of people praying sincerely and could feel their earnest plea to the god.

It is also famous for its fortune telling. The worshippers light worship sticks, kneel before the main altar, make a wish, and shake a bamboo cylinder containing fortune sticks until one falls out. The stick is exchanged for a piece of paper bearing the same number, and the soothsayer then interprets the fortune on the paper for the worshipper. Friends teased me if I wanted to ask for my fortune, I smiled and said no.

The temple was quieter this time. Probably because Hong Kong economic has finally improved over the last year, people have more stable life and find fewer reasons to visit here. Or simply because I came at the wrong time and the crowd had not arrived yet.

难得清静，我在那逗留了至少三十多分钟，可相中的老婆婆也在那拜了那么久。我站在一个角落，手提相机，一边拍照，一边在想 ：不知老婆婆在为什么烦恼，为了什么求签。人老了，该没什么可求的。我想，是担心子女儿孙吧。

看她那虔诚， 看她那忧忧的神情，我不禁也起了个祈愿。默默地为老婆婆祈求，希望她老人家健康安稳，子女儿孙渡过难关，可好好孝顺她，让她享一享清福。

Whatever the reason, I enjoyed the quietness and had stayed there for more than half an hour. The old lady in the photo was there praying, shaking the cylinder containing fortune sticks over and over again for the same amount of time. I stood quietly in a corner, while taking many photos of hers, I was wondering what bothering her and what were her wishes. For her age, I guess probably nothing could bother her anymore except worrying of her children or grandchildren.

I was touched by her sincerity and concerned by her distressing look, I found myself praying – praying for her health and happiness, praying for her children or grandchildren to be able to overcome all obstacles in life, hence able to look after her well and to provide her with a better life….

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Monday – My Travel Day : 湖·蓝天 Lake Ontario

(Dear English readers, please scroll down for English translation.)

约两个星期前的周末，老天爷大发慈悲，赐给多伦多好天气。

於是，我和Ed一大早跑去Bloor West逛及吃早餐。Bloor West是东欧人聚住的地区。 主街上有许多东欧式的店铺。我最高兴看到的是各式各样的东欧蛋糕及甜品一一 摆在店窗后，很令人垂涎欲滴 ！ 我虽爱甜品，那天很乖，忍得住, 没吃 ！:-)

吃了早餐后， 我们延着 High Park, 一路走到Lake Ontario。因天气好，很多人都出来享受阳光 – 有一家大小地出来逛或野餐，有妈妈推着婴儿车散步，有爸爸与儿子踢球，有情人手拖手, 有人听着iPod跑步，有人牵着狗走….

Ed告诉我，这里的夏天会更热闹， 更人山人海。 冬天时，人们困在家里困够了，夏天会一涌而出。三个月的夏天，有数不清的节目。 我想，加拿大人和澳洲人相似，比较会享受生活。加上，这里的空气清新，污染不严重。想起我在亚洲的生活，要野餐也难，吸进的可能都是尘埃。逛的大多数都是一间建得比一间大的购物商场。倒是有一种生活我很想念，加拿大也没有的，那就是夜市场 （pasar malam）。:-)

路上也见到一群群的加拿大雁。它是鹅类的一种。当我要拍照时，Ed吩咐我要小心，千万不可侵犯到它们的孩子，不然这种鹅会很凶。跟据我在网上读的资料，这种鹅是群居性鸟类，五大湖地区保持着很大数目。它们也会迁徙，过冬的地区多数在美国。现在在加国见到它们，像征着春天已到。

来到Lake Ontario时，看到那飘在湖面的冰片，对我来说是新奇。Lake Ontario坐落于多伦多市的南端。它是北美洲五大湖之一。面积约为18千平方公里，约为新加坡的25倍大。在多伦多人心中，它是他们心中的一片海洋。一个多伦多的朋友告诉我，除了Lake Ontario, 她从没见过海洋，没见过浪潮。至到她去Carribean渡假时，才有机会为海的冲浪振奋。

我和Ed在那天走了好几个小时。回家前，去了间pub，喝杯啤酒…过了一个湖.蓝天的周末…

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Monday – My Travel Day : 旁观者清 The Bystander

[photo taken at Central, Hong Kong (2004) ]

[摄于香港中环（2004）]

旁观者清 – This is an ancient Chinese proverb used to describe the bystander has a clearer understanding of a situation than those who are involved have become muddled or deluded.

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Distillery

星期六，天气还好，与Ed去著名的Distillery Distric 走走。它是国家历史性地区，现已变了艺术，文化及娱乐的中心。

一对兄弟在英国王朝时期建立了这蒸馏酒厂。 它那四十多座的建筑是当今北美最大及保存得最齐全的维多利亚式工业建筑物。最近几年，它那独特的条件得到许多艺术家，画廊，餐馆，咖啡店，零售商人的青昧。现在是多伦多的热点区。

On Saturday, we visited the famous Distillery District in Toronto. It is a national historic site that has transformed into a centre for arts, culture and entertainment.

The Distilery was founded by two brothers-in-Law during the British Empire period. Its forty plus buildings consitute the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in North America. For the past few years, this unique landmark has attracted many artists, galleries, restaurants, cafes and retailers. It is now one of the hotspots to visit and live in Toronto.

 

走在其中，想象着当时工人的生活。不知他们的生活艰苦吗？

Walking in the district, imagining the lives of the workers at that time. Were their lives difficult ?

Distillery District内有蛮酷的咖啡店，艺术工作场所及艺术品，店铺等等。可惜，摄影是不允许的。我只有在店前拍拍。

那天好好。

There are many cool cafe, artist studios, shops etc. However, it is not allowed to take photos inside of the studios or shops. I could only take photos at the front.

I had a good day.

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Colourful Winter

昨天天气还好。有阳光。因气温还是零下，所以雪没溶。阳光照在雪上会很美丽。心血来潮下，跑去了The Beach。

The Beach 是多伦多东西部较小的镇。离市中心约半小时的公共巴士车程。靠海岸，有个漂亮的沙滩。所以，名为The Beach。听说，主街里的一些商店蛮有意思。算是旅游胜地。夏天会人山人海。

我还没去过，因为听说冬天会很冷清。还以为今天的好天气会有些不同， 可是正如大家说的。我有些失望，也想念墨尔本的沙滩。

正打算回家时，看到几个老师带着一群穿着五颜六色冬天外套的小孩，奔奔跑跑地穿过被大雪盖满的公园。

白色纯洁的雪，五颜六色的可爱小孩。我今天很高兴。

The weather was pretty mild with lovely sunshine two days ago. It seemed to me was a good day to visit The Beach.

The Beach is a smaller town located at the East West of Toronto. It is about half an hour bus ride from the Downtown. It has a beautiful beach, hence its name. There are some funky stores at the main street. It attracts lots of tourists and can be very busy during summer time.

I have not been there since I came because of nothing interesting in this cold winter. I thought the sun would bring more people there but I was wrong. It was quite quiet, even depressing there.

Walking to the bus stop to return home, whilst feeling disappointed and missing the beautiful beaches in Melbourne, I saw a group of children wearing colourful winter jackets walking across the whitish snow covered park with their teachers. This is a scene that I would never seen in Melbourne.

Winter is colourful in Toronto. I went home happily.

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