Feeds:
文章
评论

Posts Tagged ‘Melbourne’

Peak hour commuters cram onto the platforms at Flinders Street station. (photo by theage.com.au)

Peak hour commuters cram onto the platforms at Flinders Street station. (photo by theage.com.au)

When I was reading theage.com.au yesterday, I was shocked to see the photo above.

When did Melbourne, my favourate city have become so crowded? It is definitely not safe for public transport like this. This sort of image only reminds me of Hong Kong or Tokyo, not Melbourne.

Almost three years ago, when Ed first arrived in Melbourne, he said :’Melbourne is too slow, it is like 20 years behind Toronto’. At that time, we were walking on the quiet, green and tranquil Drummond St in Carlton North, a neighbourhood I had lived for more than 5 years and still loving it.

Obviously, Melbourne has changed since. During my recent visit back to Melbourne a few months ago, I recalled there were many incidences I was told to have to wait for at least 30 minutes for my favourite hot chocolate at Koko Black. Is Koko Black too popular? Or economic too booming? Or simply just too many people now?

(更多…)

Read Full Post »

Outdoor Art Festival at Nathan Phillips Square

Outdoor Art Festival at Nathan Phillips Square

除了以上提到的,还有很多很多,如Carabina Festival 啦,南亚节庆啦,户外艺术品节 (上图), Hot and Spicy Festival , 手工艺品节, 台湾美食节,沙滩爵士音乐节, 应有尽有。

竟然还有街头表演者的街头节庆,有些街头艺术者还山长水远地从英国,澳洲, 日本等国来表演。我在那溜了整天,看惊险的杂耍,看小丑讲笑,喝咖啡,听拉活音乐…..又刺激又写意。

Apart from what I mentioned above, there are also Carabian Festival, South Asia Festival, Outdoor Art Festival,HOt and Spicy Festival, Art and Craft Festival, Taiwan Festival, The Beach Jazz Festival….you name it, you get it.

I was excited to know there is also a street festival for street performers/buskers, it is called BuskerFest here. Some of performers came all the way UK, Australia, Japan etc. I spent a full day there, laughed at the jokes from street comedians, watched jaw-dropping fire juggling, listened to live music, sipped my afternoon cup of coffee….both thrilling and relaxing…

(更多…)

Read Full Post »

Spending 3 months in Malaysia and Australia respectively this year, and now that I am in Canada, I have to admit, sometimes, I feel like a very ‘confused’ lady, regardless where I am.

Well, the story begins when I realise I use different words to describe the same thing. Then, I get confused and people around me, either don’t quite understand me or get confused too.

(更多…)

Read Full Post »

(Dear English reader, please scroll down to find the ‘click’ for English translation)

回来多伦多约一个星期了。 这阵子我都与时差的不适'战斗'着。多伦多与吉隆坡的时差为十二个小时。这里的中午十二点即吉隆坡的午夜十二点。 所以,我在中午会很疲倦,会睡上好几个小时。晚上呢,就会睡不着,或早上四,五点就爬起身来。这两天,好了些。

离开多伦多有四个月左右吧。除了季节的转变,其余的就如四个月前我离开的一样。就好像不曾离开过。

只是,心情有点不同了。上次来此,算是放自己一个长假,也是为了尝试多伦多的生活,见见Ed 的家人朋友。这次,这里变得熟悉了。而且,完成了在墨尔本的学业,也变卖或捐赠了在墨的一切。现在,没了这些牵挂。也许,算是新生活的真正开始吧。

可是,还在等着加拿大的永久居民证,暂是游客身份。再说,我还要再考药剂师的执照,才可以工作。加上,Ed的工作形式多为合约式。我们可能会再搬到别地也难说。听起来有点困难重重。哈! 这证明爱情有多伟大,把我从老远吸引过来 ! (或也是盲目的 😉 )

我暂也不想多想。暂顺其自然吧。想看看在打开生命的另一扇门时,另一边的风景如何。

现在, 我只想要好好享受多伦多夏天的阳光。这也是我要早点回来的原因。上个冬天把我冷得怕了。虽夏天已过了一半, 可我就喜欢现在的阳光, 不是熨人的热, 只是懒懒地温暖。 Ed也已迫不急待地为我编排了一系列的节目。:)

(photo from http://exploreto.wordpress.com )

please click here for English translation

Read Full Post »

又回到马来西亚老家了。

昨天刚抵步。可已被炎热和潮湿的天气熏得头疼疼的。

离墨尔本前,太担心卖不出我的宝贝桥车和天天忙着见朋友说再见,没时间睡得好。

现在,车卖出了,没什么挂心的。墨的一切终算告一段落。现在决心要好好地休息 😉

I am home again in Malaysia.

Just arrived yesterday but already suffered from headache due to the hot weather.

I could not sleep well and did not have enough time to sleep in Melbourne before I left. This was because I was too worried about my car sale and was too busy catching up with friends to say goodbye.

Now, everything in Melbourne is more or less properly wrapped up. Without any worries, relaxing in Kuala Lumpur at this moment, I determined to sleep well and enjoy the rest 😉

Read Full Post »

五年了,依依不舍...

Already five years, very reluctant sale ….

Read Full Post »

[Continue from Life with Two Suitcases (1) ]

(Dear English reader, please scroll down to find the click for English translation)

几个星期前,我从朋友A家搬去朋友B家。

因为朋友A要去南美洲旅行了,而且也不便住得太久。

把两个旅行箱一提,很容易地就搬到了朋友B家。

这两个旅行箱 :一个装衣物和日常用具,另一个装课本和文具。

重量共不超过三十公斤。

在朋友A家住很像一家人。她父母把我照顾得无微不至。我天天有住家饭吃。

在朋友B家住很方便。

她的公寓就在市中心。搭个电梯到楼下,就什么商店餐馆咖啡室都有。

5至10分钟就可走到图书馆。这正适合我苦读的日子。

现在,考试过了,正适合我泡咖啡店的日子。

知道我只在墨尔本几个月,这些朋友不但不肯收房租,还处处照顾我。

心中很感激。

其实,有时也会厌倦这种居无定所的流浪式生活。

可往积极一方面想,这种两个旅行箱的日子却也很简单,很方便。

衣服就那几件,出门前不用多想,有什么穿什么。

反正就要离开墨尔本了,日常用品就只是需要的。

没什么多余的,也没什么需求。

少需求,就少烦恼。

这种生活,还不错。

please click here for English translation

Read Full Post »

It is winter again !

In Australia, winter started officially on 1st June. This is the THIRD winter for me in less than one year ! Winter was just over in Australia when I left Melbourne last year. I went to Canada and had my first white winter there. Now, i am back to Melbourne and was lucky to enjoy a couple of weeks of some sunshine but the cool is slowly taking over now. It has been quite cool for the last few days, average about 10-14 celcius during the day.

People may think after I had experienced the freezing white coldness in Toronto, I should be able to handle the winter in Melbourne, since it rarely go below zero. Unfortunately, the heating system in Melbuorne is not as adequate compare to Toronto. In Toronto, the heating system is so good that I dress like summer (just a T-shirt is enough) indoor. In Melbuorne, unless if the house has ducted heating, most houses, particulary apartments only have heaters indoor. So, I am freezing cold indoor and have to wear a few layers !

The worst thing is, when I look at the calendar and noticed that the time I am going back to Toronto is highly likely the winter time there again ! It seems like I am chasing after the winter !

Poor me ! I am extremely tired of winter !

Wonder when the winter is going to finish ?

Read Full Post »

(photo from http://www.federationsquare.com.au/index.cfm?pageID=56&galleryID=1

今天想写一写我很喜欢的Federation Square (简称Fed Sq)。

Fed Sq 是一座十年不到的新建筑物,其目的是想为墨尔本提供一个集文化,艺术,旅游和公众空间的场所。 它座落在Flinders St Station 的正对面, 它的右边正是St Paul’s Cathedrel,左边是Yarra River.

Federation Square (Fed Sq) is one of my favourite spots in Melbourne. It was built less than 10 years ago. It is the public space and a unique cultural, art and tourism precinct for Melbourne city. It is located opposite of Flinders St Station. St Paul’s Cathedral is on its right and Yarra River on its left.

我起初不太喜欢它的创新及大胆的设计,后来倒是开始喜欢上它不同的空间和色彩观感。最喜欢的还是它为墨尔本市提供源源不绝的动力。Fed Sq建筑内有 : National Gallery of Victoria, Australia Centre for the Moving Image, Australia Design Centre, BMW Edge 圆形剧场等等。 它常年举办许多文化和艺术活动。

Initially, I did not like its design. For me, it was too awkward but now I start to appreciate the unique spacious and colourful simulations it provides. The are many important buildings within Fed Sq, including National Gallery of Victoria, Australia Centre for the Moving Image, Australia Design Centre, BMW Edge Amphitheatre etc. However, what attract me the most are the ongoing creative and cultural events and activities organised in the Fed Sq.

在写Me!!!bourne 的同一天,我路经 Fed Sq, 见有人坐在The Square, 起初还以为因为天气好,他们在晒太阳。后来才知道有些活动,原来是Melbourne Jazz Festival的免费节目。看看台上的乐器,竟是印尼传统乐器。好奇下,就坐了下来。

On the day I wrote Me!!!bourne, I walked past Fed Sq and saw many people sitting in The Square. I thought they were just enjoying the sunshine. Only later I found out that there were some free performances as part of the Melbourne Jazz Festival. Looking at the traditional Indonesian musical instruments on stage, puzzled, I sat down to find out how do these instruments relate to Jazz music.

表演者是一群Victoria College of Arts的音乐学生。他们先用印尼传统乐器呈献几首传统乐曲。接着才加上现代爵士乐器弹奏出几首爵士乐。蛮创新的。 慢慢地,许多人也被这新奇的音乐组合吸引了。

It was a performances by a group of music students at the Victoria College of Arts. They first performed some traditional Indonesian musics with the instruments, then slowly add in modern jazz components to the traditional musics. It was quite interesting. Attracted by the creative combinations of musics, more people sat down to enjoy the musics.

最近,我已听说儿童电影节,PBS办的古巴/东欧/巴西演唱会等等会在Fed Sq内进行。我想,我在墨尔本的日子将会很精彩 ;)

There are also more upcoming events in the Fed Sq, including the children film festival and Cuban/Rio-Brazil/Eastern European Musical concert (organised by PBS station). I guess, my times in Melbourne are going to be quite exciting ! 😉

以下是Fed Sq的夜景。

The following is the Fed Sq at night.

(photo from http://www.federationsquare.com.au/index.cfm?pageID=56&galleryID=1

Read Full Post »

I have been very busy for the last two weeks. Apart from working on my master thesis, I am also working for very long hours. It is short term, only for two weeks. A friend of mine has gone for holiday and I am helping him with his business.

Strangely, I don’t mind working.

Although it is very tiring and the drive from my friend’s house to work is very far, I still don’t mind it. I guess because I have not been working for the last five months or so, and am enjoying feeling ‘useful’ and competent at work. I am sure though, if I have to work like this for a few more weeks, I will start hating it 🙂

Read Full Post »

I supposed to spend all day in the library to study but I chose the wrong library – the RMIT library in the city. The reason I wanted to study in the city because I had a few things needed to be organised in the city.

However, the weather was so gorgeous that as soon as I walked out from the library I had already decided to stay out for the sun, in the lovely Melbourne City 🙂

St Paul’s Cathedral in the Melbourne City. I found out today that it was recently renovated while I was away, no wonder it looks so stunning this time around !

View at South Bank and Yarra River (the river which flows through the city). One of my favourite spots during summer.

Flinders Street Station is among Melbourne’s most recognisable landmarks. It is one of the best-known railway stations in Australia. It has more than 90 years history.

When I first arrived in Melbourne, it was the only few buildings I knew and I always met friends at the steps before we went anywhere.

Read Full Post »

Read Full Post »

“ 久违了,墨尔本 !”

微微一笑,轻轻松一口气,感觉很舒服。

这是我抵墨尔本时的心情。

一切是那么地熟悉….

暂住在朋友的家,被热情招待。

这几天的天气很好- 蓝蓝的天, 白白的云朵,暖暖的阳光, 清凉的微风 ….

我驾着我暗红色的车子,奔驰在宽坦的大道上, 空中送来我喜欢的另类音乐电台节目, 一路翠绿的树木….

我在机场遇到在机场工作的朋友,走在街上也会碰到久违了的朋友….

已与几个朋友去了几间我喜欢的餐馆吃我锺爱的食物 🙂

当然, 工作上也没太大的更改。

虽然我的心境和生活中的许多方面已经改变, 这里的一切还是那么地熟悉, 就好像我从来没有离开过…..

(注:我其实正在大学图书馆为硕士论文埋头苦干,但还是挡不了写部落的瘾,忙里偷闲地写上几句 🙂

“Melbourne, I am back!”

I immediately felt comfortable and relaxed when I arrived in Melbourne. I looked around and smiled -everything is familiar again.

I am temporarily staying with my friend and her family, and been welcomed warmly like a family member.

The weather has been very pleasant for the last few days. The sky is so blue, the cloud is so white, the sun is so gentle, the breeze is so comforting…

I am driving my burgundy Toyota in the Eastern Freeway, listening to my favourite radio stations, and noticing the lovely greens all along the freeway…

Incidently, I ran into a friend immediately when I arrived Melbourne Airport, who happened to work there. Then I met a friend while I was walking in the CBD (Central Business District)…

So far I have been to a couple of my favourite restaurants with a many good friends…..

But work is still the same … :p

Everything here is so familiar that I feel as if I had never left, although many aspects of my personal life have changed since…..

(PS: I am currently in RMIT university library, supposedly should work extremely hard on my Master thesis. However, I obviously can’t resist of my addiction to blogging…… 🙂

Read Full Post »