il Giardino Romantico

You must forgive me for writing this in English, for I know not how to put my feelings into Chinese characters in such a way that would precisely portray how I am feeling right now. 
Doughnut and Latte at Mister Donut
Having a dream is what makes life meaningful. Yet, when that dream takes too long to fulfill, it often deteriorates into oblivion.  When it is on the verge of becoming an actuality, it takes even more courage to accept the fact that it has come true as opposed to accepting the failure of realizing it.  The longer the process takes, the deeper the impact your dream will have on you.
Sometimes during the process, you may encounter those who either discourage you from making it happen, or those who do not believe you will ever withstand the test of time or overcome the obstacles that you will have to face along the way.  Fortunately, there will also be those who believe, support, and assist you. 
Having gone through this entire process of formulating the dream to planning to make it happen, I find myself on the very verge of embracing this ten-year dream of going to England.  The feeling is indescribable.  It is exciting.  It is nerve-wrecking.  Sometimes it is neither.  Yet, other times it is both. 
Today, I have completed the process of my visa application.  After this, the only thing that is left for me to do would be for me to 'fly' towards my destination.  The application process went rather smoothly.  It was quite surprising, considering the fact that England had once been a target of terrorist attack, they would have to be extremely prudent in scrutnizing the background of every single individual that is to enter their country.  As I am a decent citizen of the world, and had always been, I have no doubt my visa should be easily granted.
After leaving my prints in their database, I bought myself a doughnut and a cup of latte as a celebration of completing this final process.  As I left for work an hour later, I suddenly realized that in less than two-months, I will finally be leaving this godforsaken place.
Taiwan.  It's my home.  It was once a place that seemed so estranged to me.  I remember coming back during summer breaks as a teenager, fearing to go anywhere without someone accompanying me.  I would frequently be lost and had to call for help.  I would not know where to go, where to eat, and how to get to places.  I feared the buses.  I feared the streets.  I feared even going down stairs to a nearby store to buy a drink.  Everything seemed to be such a big deal.  I knew so little about the place, and yet it was my home.  I defended it by standing up against my economics teacher who made a comment about our fist-fighting congress meetings.  I spread its reputation by showing off my writing utensils and other stationeries that could only be bought in Taiwan.  I missed Taiwan, without really knowing the place.
When I returned for college, I discovered that our congress meetings continued their fist-fighting fiascos.  Nonetheless, I enjoyed my time here because I made many new friends and had my share of 'fun'.  Life was good.  Taiwan was good.  It was after I began working that I began to adopt negative feelings about my own home.  I respected my job.  It was a respectable one.  Yet not all deemed it so.  Parents wanted me to compromise my unique techniques of teaching because their children's school grades had made no progress, while failing to acknowledge the fact that they had finally learned to read, spell, and speak a little English.  My superiors acknowledge my skills, but refuse to pay me higher wages because I hold no passport from an English speaking nation.  Children would discard my comments on grammar or other related matters simply because their school teacher had stated otherwise, even the ones that knew and believed that my ability is above their school teacher's did the same.
On top of that, my country, whom I had loved unconditionally after all these years, denied me a loan to finance my academic pursuit simply because I had not completed high school here.  This was despite the fact that my father had worked for the government for three solid decades.  Soon, I got sick of all the denials that my country had rewarded me and became desperate to leave.
Now, standing where I am, I look around and suddenly realize how much I had loved, still love, and always will love this godforsaken place.  I love how it gets so hot that your brain freezes when you walk into an air-conditioned facility.  I love how people trample on you and then stare at you as if YOU had done something wrong.  I love how everyone knows that night market food is one the the world's most disgusting and unhealthy foods, but can never resist the temptation.  I love how taxi drivers drive without the slightest respect to other vehicles or pedestrians, and I certainly love the way they decorate the streets with traffic lights.  I also love the fact that Christmas music can be heard all year round.   You may think I am being sarcastic, and you may have been right if I had said this a couple months back.
I walked to the MRT with tears intermingled with joy and sadness.  All of the things that I loved and hated, all the things that I had been taking for granted, will have to be left behind.  Taiwan is so capable of change that within a year, it could become a complete stranger to me.  This is what makes it so hard to let go.
I do not know where the future will lead me.  I do not know whether I will choose to live here again.  I do not know what will become of Taiwan.  What I do know, is that you only come to cherish something, even things that you think you loath, when you are about to let it go.
Thank goodness I realized it now, before it is all too late.  During the remainder of my time here before I take off, I will come to love it like I have never loved it before.  I will then pack that love away and secure it in the depth of my heart as to preserve it forever. 
It will always be with me, no matter where I am.  Whether in Liverpool, Chiang Mai, or anywhere else in this universe, it will always be - HOME.

Sample Price Guide
pint of beer                                                £ 2.25
two pints of milk                                        £ 0.60
loaf of bread                                              £ 0.45
hire mountain bike per week                     £ 60.00
dormitory room in backpacker hostel        £ 15.00
CD                                                            £ 12.00
coffee in basic cafe                                    £ 0.50
coffee in Starbucks                                    £ 2.00
litre of petrol                                              £ 0.80
souvenir t-shirt                                          £ 10.00
takeaway fish and chips                            £ 4.00
Source: www.lonelyplanet.com

Liverpool gets plenty of rain between July and January but the real winter season, when temperatures fall to 4°C (40°F), is November through to February. April to September is the most comfortable period in Liverpool with the temperature averaging around 18°C (65°F).
Average weather per month
September
low temperature: 10
high temperature: 16

October
low temperature: 7
high temperature: 12
November
low temperature: 4
high temperature: 9

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Act III, Scene ii, Lines 150~161
Ophelia: O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!
              The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword,
              Th' expectation and rose of the fair state,

那天蔓蔓丟給我的連結，看了以後...雖然Torres只有現身那兩三秒，可是還是覺得好有趣。只要想到就會回去看一下。還是那句老話：支持利物浦不是沒有原因的。支持Torres也不是沒有原因的。
在這最後的緊要關頭，這幾天的情緒很混亂。一下緊張，一下興奮。沒一會兒又開始慌慌張張的。剩下幾十天的時間而已，我就要離開這裡去實現夢想了！真的很令人難以置信。這十年來已經習慣一直夢想著去英國。最近常常傻呼呼的突然跟Jason說：『我要去英國了耶！我真的要去了耶！』
真的沒有任何障礙阻擋我了嗎？
看來是真的。只要簽證拿到，還會有什麼事情阻止我實現夢想？

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
Act II, Scene ii, Lines 33-48
Juliet: O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
          Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
          Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
          And I will no longer be a Capulet.
Romeo: [Aside] Shall hear more, or shall I speak at this?
Juliet: 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
          Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
          What's Montague? It is neither hand nor foot,
          Nor arm nor face, [or any other part]
          Belonging to a man.  O, be some other name!
          What's in a name?  That which we call a rose
          By any other word would smell as sweet;
          So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
          Retain that dear perfection which he owes
          Without that title Romeo, doff thy name,
          And for thy name, which is no part of thee,
          Take all myself.
This monologue happens after the first meeting of the two star-crossed lovers at the masque.  They have already fallen in love at first sight, thus brings us to the famous 'balcony scene',  Juliet is unaware that Romeo is beneath the balcony, overhearing her speaking.  This is basically her declaration of love towards Romeo, claiming that she loves him even though she finds out only after parting him earlier, that he is, in fact, a Montague.
出自羅密歐與朱麗葉第二幕第二場著名的『balcony scene』。兩人已經在舞會上碰面而一見鍾情。此時的朱麗葉並不知道羅密歐正在陽台下放傾聽她這段告白。這段獨白基本上就是她對世界宣示即使她以知道羅密歐身為對敵家族的蒙特鳩獨子，她依然愛他。

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收場白：這是『Conversations with Shakespeare's Women』系列中的首部曲。藉由此方式認識莎翁筆下的出色女角色們。如果對於閱讀方式、語調、速度有認何疑問或是建議，歡迎留言交流。
Epilogue: This is the first of 'Conversations with Shakespeare's Women' series.  The purpose of this series is so that the female characters can be introduced through the readings of their monologues.  If you have any questions or suggestions concerning the intonation and speed of the readings, feel free to leave a message. 

[NO PART of this essay may be reproduced or cited without the prior consent of its author! ]

With true art, comes endless inspiration. Shakespeare left us with not just 154 sonnets and 38 plays, but a fountain of never-ceasing inspiration, which have influenced many other artists in all realms.  An opportunity arose for me to view the operatic adaptation of two titles that would immediately be linked to Shakespeare – Julius Caesar, or Giulio Cesare, and Hamlet.  Both being composed and performed by world-class artists, offered a new light to the analysis of the original Shakespearean plays.
Julius Caesar, or Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Julius Caesar in Egypt), was written by George Fredrick Handel in 1724.  Its original Italian libretto was written by Nicola Francesco Haym, who had collaborated with Handel on many other occasions.  The version which will be discussed here was performed in English with Janet Baker as Julius Caesar and Valerie Masterson as Cleopatra.  Having little to do with the Shakespearean play, which mainly deals with the betrayal of his friend, Brutus, and his assassination long after his victorious moments in Egypt, this can be considered a prelude to it.  The plot begins with the exultation of victory in battle against Pompey, who has fled to Egypt.  Ptolemy, Cleopatra’s tyrannous brother sends Caesar a gift in the form of Pompey’s head.  The gift was meant to fortify the relationship between their two empires, however Caesar was mortified by the humiliation inflicted upon Pompey.  Cleopatra plans a trip to Rome and meets Caesar.  She is disguised as a servant girl and tells Caesar of Ptolemy’s tyrannous actions.  She also overhears Pompey’s widow, Cornelia, and her son talk of avenging their father’s murder.  She reveals her true identity to them and assures them that they will have her support.  In Egypt, Cornelia and Sesto are both caught and imprisoned.  While Cleopatra further seduces Caesar, she eventually reveals her identity to him.  However, a riot starts about the palace and forces Caesar to leave the palace.  With Cleopatra captured and Caesar’s legion seemingly defeated, Caesar despairs.  He soon discovers a few of his loyal and surviving soldiers and returns to save Cleopatra.  The opera ends with the coronation of the rightful queen of Egypt and yet another exultation of Caesar’s victory.
Since the plot is different, it would be meaningless to compare.  However, this baroque opera may not suit the taste of many Shakespearean scholars.  Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is depicted as the epitome of manhood, a true hero, and a prince who rose too high and thus had a great fall.  In Handel’s opera, the role is originally given to a alto castrato.  Since they no longer practice the act of castrating young men in order to preserve their high-pitched voices.  The role is now performed by a mezzo-soprano or even a soprano rather than a more robust and manly bass baritone, or perhaps a tenor.  That may be justified by the fact that Handel’s piece was more of a romance where a man’s effeminacy and sentimentality must prevail over all his other, more manly character traits. 
This piece was written no too long after the death of Shakespeare.  After considering all factors of influence, including history, politics, and artistic development, it can be said that this adaptation offers an interesting comparison to that of Shakespeare’s fall of prince tragedy.
The nineteenth century French composer, Ambroise Thomas composed the music for the French opera, Hamlet.  The libretto, by Michel Carre and Barbier, was based on the Shakespearean Hamlet, but also used the French adaptations by Alexander Dumas and Paul Meurice as reference. Being a mere dilettante in opera, I would have ignorantly dismissed this work if it had not been for Natalie Dessay’s role as Ophelia. 
Though this version diverges only slightly from the original, there are some interesting aspects to it that a stage play might not be able to apply.  The use of colors vastly intensifies the themes of the story and emphasizes each of the character’s overt personality and character trait.  Gertrude, for instance, has two outfits - one of them a bright golden yellow, the other a darkish purple, both colors of royalty.  On the other hand, Ophelia wears a white dress, which highlights her innocence and naivety.  The scene where she stabs herself creates greater feeling of horror and grievance in the audience because her red blood flows against the background of her white nightdress.  The same effect can be seen in an earlier scene where Hamlet spills wine on the white tablecloth after the players’ performance of the supposed murder of his father. 
Lighting also plays an important role in this production, especially during the parts where the ghost appears. At other times, it is an additional tool, which enhances the distance and relationships amongst the characters.  With the help of music and the brilliant voice performances of these world-class singers, the production becomes an interesting perspective to the Hamlet legend.
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, most of the major characters end up dead.  However, in Thomas’ version, the world is brought back to order through Hamlet’s killing of the usurper king, Claudius.  He remains alive, and is in the end, celebrated as the new king.  Hardly a ‘fall of princes tragedy’, is it?  Though, considering the fact that his only love has sacrificed her life for practically no reason at all, it is, nonetheless, still a tragedy in that perspective. 
It is not fair to juxtapose all adaptations of a certain work and crucify them for not remaining loyal to the original.  As stated in the beginning of this writing, true art should act as a medium of inflicting inspiration.  If this had been a stage play, a movie, or even a dramatized audio version, then perhaps it would be fair to condemn a production for diverting too far away from Shakespeare’s original.  Yet, in the case of an operatic production, there is much more than just the plot to be observed and ‘heard’.  The music should be the main focus, and the vocal performance should be the next important aspect to be judged upon.  Nonetheless, any kind of world-class production of Shakespearean plays offers the audience, and scholars, a new perspective on the characters, plot, and themes of the plays. 

放心！這家雖然號稱『雞膳食坊』。但店家提供的素食選擇還蠻多的喔！其實早在去年姑姑帶我去吃的時候我就一直很想介紹這一家了。止不過姑姑帶我去的時候，我沒帶相機。後來好不容易拖了個朋友去，照了名片之後就沒電。還以為這下子就介紹不了這家好吃的。還好今天終於有機會跟大家報好料！

第一次去的時候，還沒吃素。姑姑因為知道我愛吃雞，而且是超愛吃麻油雞，就約了幾個親戚一起去那吃。結果我一吃就愛上他。尤其是夏天啊！自己下廚麻煩死了。還沒吃到就滿頭大汗。吃完以後火氣一定會讓人頭爆炸。如果想在夏天吃到這種藥膳料理，這裡準是個不錯的選擇！

精心的裝飾，讓人不只是有味覺上的享受。視覺上也令人有種好像不在台灣的錯覺。
這個週末又是去The One人文聚場看免費的電影。看完以後因為Jason的電腦壞掉，書都被啃完想要去誠品晃晃，帶本書回家。還沒走出戲劇院，他就一直跟我叫肚子餓。原本是要帶他去另外一家。不過因為臨時起意，沒帶地圖，只好到公館這附近找找好料添飽肚子啦！
不過進去之前，要先經過他同意。因為，雖然本人是超愛藥膳料理的，不過我也知道不一定每個人都會喜歡。我用『麻油麵線』引誘他進店家之後，就開始解釋餐點給他聽。以下是我們點的料理：

[麻油拌青菜]

[麻油金針菇]

[麻油麵線]
接下來就是主角：

由於之前來過。所以知道他湯的量足以添飽我們兩個人的肚子。[其實是我一個人吃不完，也怕他不能接受人蔘的味道...才點一份湯的]  Jason喝了一口說：好苦。[用中文] 不過我一直灌輸他『苦藥良醫』的觀念。終於，他接二連三的灌下去之後跟我說好像還蠻好喝的。讓我鬆了一口氣。[因為我不用一個人喝完啦！我心機真重...]
[素食選擇]


[小菜選擇]
[湯頭選擇]
葷食的朋友們：
如果你們喜歡藥膳料理的話，一定不能錯過這一家。因為他的選擇真的很多。選完湯頭還能選不同種類的雞。有山雞、土雞、和烏骨雞。山雞跟土雞還能選雞腿肉喔！

Natalie Dessay sings the Bell Song from Leo Delibes's Lakme
最先因為這個aria迷上他的聲音。
這次又被她在『Hamlet』中飾演的Ophelia深深吸引到。雖然與莎翁作品同名，但內容有點不太一樣。莎翁寫的是悲劇。在劇中結尾大家都死光。不過在這個十九世紀作曲家Ambroise Thomas的版本裡，許多該死的角色都沒死。不能與原著的"fall of princes tragedy"混唯一談。
本版本裡的服裝有點現代感。起初會讓人有點覺得與劇情格格不入，看到後來會發現對於色彩、燈光的巧妙採用搭配的非常好。不過對一個不太懂現代藝術的我來說，剛開始的確是看得有點不太習慣。頻頻對自己大喊：『這不是莎老頭！這不是莎老頭！！』

英國真是個囉唆的國家。從來沒看過這麼麻煩瑣碎的簽證手續。打包的事情已經夠讓我頭痛了。簽證比打包還要麻煩。而且網路上的資料雖然很多，很好找。但也不知道哪一個可信度最高。以下是來自英國簽證申請中心的資料。應該沒有比這個準確度更高的了。不過為了百分百確認，奉勸要申請的朋友們還是親自跑一趟或是親自打通電話確認比較好。
另外關於費用的部份，懶骨頭的書『Traveller's 倫敦』有提到，加上網路上的資料上看來，申請學生簽證的費用應該是在NT$7000左右。
還有，關於申請的步驟請先不要問我。資料放上來只是提供給需要的朋友以及方便自己申請前做參考。申請過程等我實際去申請以後會貼心得。有問題的話，可能到時後我比較會有答案。

Angelino：這就是搶我乾糧、籠子、跟貓沙的傢伙嗎？
貓媽補充：兒子已經結紮了...

哼！我就說我媽咪是壞人吧！人家小虎這麼小，連跳都還不太會跳。媽咪你怎麼狠心把他丟進袋子裡這樣捉弄人家？很可憐耶！
貓媽：這才不是捉弄。這叫做訓練好嗎！你以前小時候媽咪也給你受過很多『訓練』你長大後才會變成『小強殺手』跟『跳高選手』的呀！這都是為他好～
有看到這篇的來猜猜看，小虎被我放進袋子裡後，花了多久的時間才逃出來？
A. 28秒