這是我和俐伶最喜歡的合照照片，因為很酷很帥氣；只是最酷最帥氣的樣子，卻都不是兩個人的正面，不知該高興還是難過？^-^
這次的加拿大之旅大致可分兩大部分，第一部份是在溫哥華的三天兩夜，另一部份是在Calgary及落磯山脈的五天五夜。在溫哥華的時候，帶我們到處去玩的，就是我們的大學同學魏意雯(Jessica)，就是右上角那張照片中，最美麗溫柔的那個女孩囉。在Calgary與落磯山脈的時候，網友Mel就是帶我們去玩的人，也就是那個左上角照片裡頭帥氣可愛的男子囉…
跟Jessica雖然是大學同學，但其實不是很熟，果然在跟她談到大學生活時，熟悉的記憶部分老兜不起來，彷彿是從兩個班級裡出來的，哈哈！可是最令人感動的部分也是在這裡，因為她依然是那樣熱情熱心的招待我們在溫哥華吃好的玩好的。不知道是以前認識她不夠，這次再見到Jessica，除了驚豔外(變美且輕鬆自在啦)，對於她處事的成熟，及散發的自信氣質，都讓我心生讚嘆。
當然忘不了在Whiterock的美式海鮮、好吃便宜服務又好的香港飲茶新瑞華、藝術風格濃厚的Granville island、浪漫爆笑的美女與野獸、Granville island對岸的Rielly Seafood美味的美式食物…太多太多美好的回憶了。而我印象最深刻的，是Jessica父母家、在Rielly Seafood安靜聊天的一餐、臨行前在星巴克咖啡的小憩以及Jessica朋友的海鮮小舖。
Jessica父母家在溫哥華郊區，很大的房子，一樓有客廳、起居室、寬敞的廚房、洗衣間，二樓則是個人的房間，地下則除了有貯藏室外，還有很大的讀書間跟一個很大的房間。印象深刻是因為Jessica的媽媽是非常會布置、整頓家裡的人，你在房子理的每個角落都會看到布置的巧思。而這個房子的採光設計更是令人讚嘆不已(聽說原來屋主是設計師)，你可以在她弟弟房裡透過一個像閣樓般的透明玻璃仰望夜空；而在寬敞的樓梯旋轉間的天花板，也是一大片透明的玻璃…
到Rielly Seafood吃晚餐時已經很晚了，大概是十點了吧，所以客人只剩下兩三桌，在那樣美麗的港灣旁，有著整面的透明落地玻璃是很有氣氛的，更甭提Jeassica推薦的美食與美酒，在那滿足的一刻裡，大家心裡頭也隨著環境靜了下來，隨意的聊起天來，那是種很美麗舒服的感覺。是的，星巴客咖啡的小憩也是在匆忙的行程中，偷來片刻得以喝著咖啡、跟好友聊聊天的幸福感。
Jessica朋友的海鮮小舖，給我的是另一種感動，經營的是一對來自台灣的夫婦。老闆娘操著一口流利的英文，親切甜美的問候來自各地的顧客，老闆則是敦厚老實的在後面默默處理著海鮮。在超級市場旁的小小店面，卻充滿著一種溫馨又很有元氣的氛圍，難怪來的每個顧客，都是笑容滿面、粉幸福的走進這家店…有時候，看到這樣簡單的幸福，會覺得自己為什麼那麼難搞，把人生弄得這麼麻煩呢？
依依不捨的告別Jessica，忐忑不安的隨著Mel坐上飛往Calgary的飛機。途中， Mel就表示了一點擔心，因為他的地方，完全是個單身漢的公寓。心裡以為他說的應該是整齊清潔方面，不過等踏入他的公寓時，我便瞭解不是這樣的。整齊清潔的問題是沒有的，因為早就打掃好熱烈歡迎我們的到來啦；公寓裡東西應有盡有，但擺設方式簡單；最具單身漢風格的，是客廳與浴室牆上的畫。客廳裡多幅畫中，其中擺放在視線很容易到達地方的兩幅，各是兩個非常柔順的長髮女子，著領口半開的日本和服，一個撫琴、一個懷抱琵琶。
另外在浴室的那張畫就更有趣了，正掛在馬桶的對面，圖的筆觸比較像印度畫佛像的感覺，一位地位高的女子非常享受著另外兩名地位較低的女子的愛撫。 (或者是兩位男子？每次上廁所的時候，我都很努力在研究，但還是看不出個所以然來。)
客廳那兩幅畫，對自詡為女性主義的我，是感到有點不適的，也有點訝異Mel這個從小在加拿大長大的香港人，還是有傳統東方男人對女人的期待；浴室那張畫則是我每進浴室都要研究半天的畫，誰叫它正掛在馬桶對面呢？我也不禁在想，這單身漢平時一個人在家，到底都在幹什麼呢？哈哈 ^-^
不過這個單身漢有一點很出乎人意料的，就是很會煮飯。後來一問才知道，我們真是何其有幸，他也只為女朋友煮過飯，我們倆居然就在他住的地方待的兩天裡，都由他一手包辦晚餐！而且都是大餐哦！第一天在Calgary是吃煮螃蟹、Calgary特產的甜超玉米、豆腐乳炒四季豆，以及白飯跟湯。那煮螃蟹之香，比夜市的蟹腳有過之而無不及，而螃蟹的肉質也軟硬適中、合適口感；炒四季豆跟豆腐乳拌在一塊，是我第一次吃到，配起來還真是非常增進食慾。那清蒸的超甜玉米，白黃顆粒相間，哇，甜到會想多喝點湯！
最後要離開加拿大之前的那一餐就更是不得了了，根本就是牛排全餐，因為他說，牛肉是Calgary的特產，便宜大塊又好吃，臨走之前，一定要嘗一嘗。這頓餐包括湯、義大利沙拉、大塊牛排、超甜玉米、飯後的高級冰酒跟高級巧克力。那個義大利沙拉真不是蓋的，有薄cheese片、大片甜的紅蕃茄、紫色洋蔥、再淋上橄欖油，色香味俱全，第一次覺得原來沙拉也可以這麼好吃的，可是，Mel夾給我吃太多甜玉米了，害我不能多吃點這麼好吃的沙拉 :(( 。那牛排就更是不在話下，他煎牛排、自己調醬、然後還特地烘烤蘑菇配牛排吃。有趣又可怕的是，這令人滿足的一餐的整個過程，我們只花了半小時就吃完啦。
Mel還很喜歡做一件事，就是在飯後喝茶，尤其是台灣老人茶(不知道是不是因為我們從台灣帶來他還頗喜歡的綠豆糕給他，所以他想拿來配茶吃)。大概在我們共處的五個晚上中，就有三天是飯後喝茶的。他會在吃完飯後，心情很好的提議：「讓我弄茶給你們喝吧。」
不過很有趣的是，在我們跟他說他的茶葉沒有很好，下次他到台灣來，可以帶他去買更好的茶葉時，他居然表示不用了，他比較想去大陸找漂亮的一組茶具，茶葉好不好倒不是那麼重要…。他喝茶不是為茶葉的清香呢！哈，這時候你就會覺得，一種米真是養百種人啊…
This is our favorite picture I was took with Lillian. It just looks so cool,even without our front face... should we feel happy or not. Haha…
We spent 3 days and 2 nights in Vancouver, and 5 days and 5 nights in Calgary and Rockey Mountains. The most beautiful and tender girl on upper-right picture, it’s Jessica, our university classmate and guide in Vancouver. Our net friend, Mel, our guide in Calgary and Rockey Mountains, was took on upper-left picture.
Although Jessica, Lillian, and I are college classmates, we do not know each other very well. We often recalled different memories of school time on this vacation. It seems we came from different classes. Even so, her enthusiastic to take us to many famous places and eat many delicious foods moves us. I got to mention here is, I was so impressed with her becoming more beautiful, confident, and dealing with everything well.
White Rock seafood, cheap Catonese foods with great services, Granville Island, romantic and funny Beauty & Beast show, and Riley Waterfront Cafe restaurant on the seashore one bridge away from Granville Island…etc, all were unforgettable. The most impressive memories were Jessica’s parents’ house, chatting with ease at Riley Waterfront Cafe, taking a break at Starbucks, and Jessica’s friends’ seafood store.
Jessica’s parents’ house is so comfortable and large-space in Surrey. There are two living rooms, one great kitchen, laundry on 1st floor, and all bedrooms on 2nd floor, even in the basement are a big studying room , workshops. How impressive I am is her mom so good at decorating, you can appreciate it even in a small corner. Light design of the house is the most incredible. In her younger brother’s room, there is a square pane window that you just lie down beneath it, the night sky is in front of you . Even the ceiling above the rotating stairway are transparent.
After going to the Beauty & Beast show, we had dinner at Riley Waterfront Café at night. It’s almost 10 pm. There are only 5 or 6 customers. The Café have French windows at all sides by beautiful bay. during having delicious foods and nice wine Jessica suggested, it’s peace and ease and free to chat that all we get at that moment, so beautiful moment. It’s the same beautiful feelings that we take a break at Starbucks Coffee during a whole day rush journey.
I got another impressions while I was in Jessica’s friends’ seafood store. The owners are a couple from Taiwan. The wife speaks influent English with sweet smiles and takes good care of all of their customers. Her husband just deals with seafood silently and work hard behind . The store is full with happiness and warmth. No wonder every customer steps in and out with smiles . It gives me some thoughts that simple life is so great, Why do I always put myself in complex life??
Saying goodbye to Jessica with feelings of starting to miss her, I took airplane with Mel and Lillian to Calgary in little worries. On the airplane, Mel told us we got to have some preparations in mind that his place is a bachelor’s place. I thought he means hygiene. After we got to his house, I knew I am wrong . It’s clean. He was so welcome us that he cleaned his house. What he meant about the bachelor’s place is the decoration of his house. The most Bachelor’s feelings are the pictures hanged on the walls in the living room and bathroom. The two pictures easily available for eyes in the living room both are tender and agreeable girls with long black hair who wore traditional Japanese suit with neckline button unbuckled. The painting put in front of the stool is interesting from India. One girl with high position enjoys flirting by two girls with lower position.(or boys?? I can’t tell their gender, even I study it hard every time on the stool ).
Believing in philogyny, I was little uncomfortable with pictures in the living room. It surprised me that Mel was born in Hong Kong but grown up in Canada. His attitude toward women is somehow Asia-way. Everytime I entering the bathroom, I always studies the painting hard, Cos it was just hung in front of the stool. I just can’t help thinking what a bachelor like Mel always does at home. HA!
But this bachelor’s special gift in cooking surprised us too. How lucky we are. He said he only cooked for her girl friends before. But We two girls had two delicious and great meals made by him during this journey. 1st day, we ate crabs, super sweat corn, fried bean with fermented bean curd, rice, and soup. Only the smell made us mouthwatering.
Before leaving Calgary, we ate special sets of steak. Mel said we got to eat steak in Calgary, for steak is a specialty product in Calgary. All sets includes soup, Italian salad, big steak, and sweat corn, and high quality ice wine and chocolate after meal. The Italian salad, made from cheese, big red tomatoes, purple onions, with olive oil on it, so delicious that I never tasted before. Not mentioning the steak, the sauce for steak he made by himself, and the beautiful and good tasted roasted mushrooms. It’s also so unbelievable that we finished all within half an hour.(Well, Mel, I use two paragraphs to describe how delicious the meal were you’ve made for us. But in English, it’s not that easy for me, you know.)
Mel likes to drink tea after meal, especially WoLong tea. (Might be only because he prefers tea with green bean cakes we brought for him from Taiwan). He always both had tea and ate cakes. We had tea after meal 3 times within 5 days. After dinner, he always likes to say in a good mood that let’s have tea…
It’s funny that when we told him his tea is not really good, and next time his trip to Taiwan, we can find him some good tea. He just rejected, and told us that he only want to buy a good tea set in China. He just doesn’t care about the tea at all when he drink it!!! See people likes Chinese tea in so many different ways ^-^
(PS: Thanks Lilian here!!! For the English part is written by her..)
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