短暂性的永久

过去的四年里，每一年都搬家。搬过横跨英格兰中北部的家，也试过在旧居六公里的范围里搬了两次的家。最后一次，便是搬越欧亚大陆。

每一次搬家，由于不晓得自己是否会长久地留下来，所以每一个新住所都含有一种暂时性的意味。尽管如此，每一次新居的居住时间还是比预期来得更短。

第一个居所是一个拥有后院的半独立式住所，算是圆了可以住“花园洋房”的梦。不过怠惰成性，“花园”变成杂草丛林。第二次搬家是为了工作，得迁到另一个郡。住的是廉价的“工人”排屋，也就是工业革命时期纱厂工人的住所。短短一年里，车子被泼汽水、音响被盗、垃圾桶被人滥用、莫名其妙的邻居会在半夜两点钟隔着墙壁与你分享重金属音乐或是成天对着孩子怒吼。精彩万分。第三间房子离工作地点仅六公里，可是路况让车程变成40分钟的路程。最后的住所是顶楼的小公寓，可以眺望，才发现自己还是喜欢住高楼。

即使是一个暂时的逗留空间，还是想把空间布置得多一些永久性的味道。毕竟，那是我每天工作场所以外，另一个让我呆得最久的空间。因此，就算空间再小，还是希望一个客观的空间可以布置得多一点儿个人感觉，让房子的功用性味道少一点。于是，尝试在空洞的墙上挂一些照片，或是在窗沿上放一些鲜花、或摆设品。

原来，纵使再短暂，内心深处还是希望能在短暂的空间里制造一种永久的假象。

A bit of Shanghai

Oriental Pearl TV Tower looming across Huangpu River.

The beautiful Bund facing Huangpu River with an ugly truth, where pirates of the 19th c who were all attired in suits and tall hats, plundered from this city, in the most civilised manner.


No tumblers please. A typical scenery in Shanghai.
The traditional architecture of watertowns in Southern China--whitewashed walls and grey tiles. Qi Bao, a thousand-year-old watertown located right in modern Shanghai, accessible by tube. Qi Bao provides a glimpse of the past amidst Shanghai's skyscrapers although the Chinese ways of preserving historical towns are always disputable, in my opinion.

Qi Bao, a watertown, with winding canals and hence, the large number of bridges where each is unique.


Tube station at off peak hours. Shanghai's tube system is the artery to this metropolitan as it moves people and goods all around Shanghai at a very affordable price of maximum 5 yuan. Crowds at peak hours are definitely a sight and surprisingly, order is observed although some amount of violence is required to board/alight during peak hours.


A wonderful skyline depicted by local Shanghainese. Hidden beneath the modern facade of modern buildings and malls, are the tonnes of streets that exuberate the local way of life, untouched still by Time. Modern, mammoth buildings reigned East Nanjing Road, the mecca of consumerism. Walk away from East Nanjing Road, either to the left or the right and you will find the clock turned back in time.

Another part of old Shanghai, away from the East Nanjing Road.
The skyline of the future, outlined by the towering buildings along East Nanjing Road.

Mindmapping of my Shanghai

Has been my transitional home.





To be greeted by this view once I turned right as I got passed the security checkpoint of the apartment. It is a constantly changing view. A new bank, just next to the apartment is "growing". Every time I pass by this street, the bank is closer to opening for business. Another block of apartment is growing too. Probably all too quick.











At this junction where it gave us so much enjoyment and amazement just watching how the pedestrains and motorists get about.











The road to Xujiahui Station. Autumn has creeped in already.











Passed by this building where a posh Korean restaurant, indicated by the line of expensive cars that are parked around the entrance, is located on the 2nd storey.











Best Buy only started business when we moved to Xujiahui. An IT mall, in short, where we got our 3G service.










One of the many entrances to Xujiahui Station. Last summer, this was still a place for laundry and three months later, it is ready for use.















How can I forget about our tea time at Chamate?









Gateway--A Hong Kong shopping mall equipped with a large supermarket catered for the expat community. Where we visit frequently.














My favourite haunt. A modernized version of tea and Chinese food with a tint of Taiwanese style of course. Where we saw that young couple over dinner, sitting close to one another, with only a small table between them. Yet, worlds apart as each was engrossed in communicating with the world beyond the dining table through their electronic devices. Throughout the meal affair, they only exchanged words twice--once when ordering food and the second time when they have to foot the bill. If this is the inevitable destination for all relationships?


Gino, our favourite cafe.

眼泪先知

情感迟钝时，眼泪有时候成了情感最直接的反应。追不上情感的变幻时，身体用自己的方式来发泄身体的情绪。

语言可以花巧，逻辑可以自欺，眼泪，除非已练就到炉火纯青的地步，骗不了自己。

还没来得及剖析，眼泪兀自掉了下来。

问题朋友

原来我还是有那么一点点在意。

即使到了这个年纪，即使对人的要求已经低到不能再低，甚至可以说已经毫无要求，以为这样才不会对人性有所期待，或者是，只有这样才能比较容易从人身上获得一些感动，我对朋友还是不自觉地有一定的要求的。当然，这又可能是自己的非分之想。

有些人总是能毫不吝啬地与你分担他们的不快乐；他们的快乐时光却又总是与你无关。相比之下，一个人的寂寞其实会更快乐。