US - Kansas City

We had a great Thanksgiving with family in Kansas City.

The next day (Friday), we went sightseeing in Independence & Kansas City, MO.

This is the beautiful architecture of the Community of Christ temple in Independence, at the corner of Peace Drive & Temple Drive.

The Queen Anne-style house where President Harry Truman lived with his wife, Bess.  Unfortunately, pictures aren't allowed inside.

After touring a little in Independence, we moved on to the Nelson-Atkins Museum in downtown Kansas City, MO.  The museum is filled with beautiful art from all over the world, dating from ancient Egypt & Assyria through contemporary works.

An Assyrian carving.

一位少女跟她身旁的人說，這不可能是真的裡面是屍體。她身旁的男士回應她，是真的，這是木乃伊。。。

The museum houses a lot of Buddhist art, including this famous statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin (Avalokitesvara).

Sunset at the museum.

The Plaza, in downtown Kansas City, is lit every year for the holidays, starting on Thanksgiving.

Ferguson

I went out this morning with trash bags, thinking to help clean up a little bit in Ferguson (while Steve was at work, or he would have tried to stop me), just about 2 miles from home (in Florissant), as many people were out there last night. And the second thought was to see what was going on.

These are pictures I took the morning after the grand jury's decision was announced.
Walmart and Sams are not open, and security was patrolling the area.

A beauty store was burned down at the corner of the W. Florissant Ave and Chambers Rd.

 

Walgreens was looted at the other corner of W. Florissant Ave and Chambers Rd.

The street was blocked south of W Florissant Ave, where I saw there was still a lot of smoke.
 

I joined this guy picking up trash...
After that I drove to the north of W. Florissant Ave.
 

Here, several cars at an auto car dealer were burnt.

The Conoco gas station next to that auto car dealer was burnt, too.

Around the Conoco gas station, there were many cut up plastic cups spread all over.
Someone joined me when I was picking up the trash...

I don't want to say any comment or thoughts. I just want to raise awareness, do what I can do and do no harm.

From Yahoo news:
"The grand jury's decision means that Officer Darren Wilson, who is white, will not face any state criminal charges for killing Brown, whose death inflamed deep racial tensions between many black Americans and police."

Naked picture (part 2)

http://eheartlife.blogspot.com/2009/11/blog-post.html

風和樹相見歡

閑聊后無所事事

一問 猜猜拳如何？

一答 好呀！

協議 每輸一次脫一件身上物

剪刀 石頭 布

樹輸给風一次

剪刀 石頭 布

樹又輸了

剪刀 石頭 布

樹再輸了

剪刀 石頭 布

樹完全輸了

風看了一絲不掛的樹

得意呼哈大笑

臨走前還偷怕了樹的裸照 

載上綱 

http://lktansinee.blogspot.com/2010/02/naked-picture.html

Wind and Tree meet and are happy

Both have nothing to do after chatting

One asks: How about playing a game?

One reply: Sure!

Agreement: The loser takes one thing off each time

Rock Paper Scissors

Tree loses at first

Rock-paper-scissors

Tree loses again

Rock-paper-scissors

Tree loses again and again

Rock-paper-scissors

Tree has almost lost

Wind looks at Tree with nothing left

Enjoying and laughing loud

And sneaking to take the naked Tree’s picture 

Upload it on the web 

上次樹和風玩'剪刀石头布'，樹輸得脫光光。
樹真的很笨。
知道為什麼說樹笨嗎？
樹真的是不會吸取教訓！
這回是被網友誘惑說什麼一起脫光光情趣網聊。。。
你看，裸照又被偷錄，曝光在網上了。
樹真是笨死了。

Last time, Tree and Wind were played the game 'rock-paper-scissors', in the end, Tree loses and was completely naked.
Tree is really stupid.
Do you know why Tree is being stupid?
Tree really didn't learn the lesson!
This time, it was seduced by a social media friend, to have a fun naked chat on the webcam...
You see, naked picture was recorded and exposed on the web.
Tree is so so stupid.

Racial tension

8月美國Ferguson鎭上的一則白人警察槍殺死了一位黑人青年事件，讓一些原本隱忍種族主義及偏見壓力已久的人，因這起事故而爆發出來，屢屢上街遊行抗議，成為國際新聞。
前個月，有滋事份子就乘警方忙於駐守抗議行動，就打破商店的玻璃窗拿走貨物。
這間手機電訊店在我們家附近，還有其他商店，也是只離不到一公哩的Ferguson地區，視前車之鑑，用木板蓋着玻璃窗，以防遭殃。
有人說，如果警察是黑人，或被槍殺死的是白人，他們是同種族，那就不會出現這樣的種族關係緊張。。

啊。。都已經廿一世紀了，人的思維還是停留在膚色？
不管是什麽色，每個種族都有‘好’人及‘壞’人！
我們必須要醒覺的是，做好自己。

In Ferguson, a little town, there is a recent case of a white policeman fatally shooting a young black man in August. And then it became international news.
Looters took advantage of the situation, breaking into some stores, since the police were busy with the protests.
This mobile store and some other stores in and around Ferguson are boarding up as they are afraid of possibly more rioting.
Some said if the case was a black police officer, or a white youth, the same race, it wouldn't be an issue..

Ah.. it is 21st century.  Do people still remain focused on skin color?
No matter what color, every race has their 'good' and 'bad' people!
I think we should be aware of our own self, being conscientiously aware.

白景

秋還沒謝幕

雪就急着上台

就是那麼不按理出牌

然後

又能演人 雪人

又能演花 雪花

可是永遠是一個景色

白

Chinese poem in Oslo, Norway

或許那裡冬盡春衰
又一個夏季 光陰又一載
我只堅信終有一天你會歸來
守着我的許諾將你等待。

在挪威的Oslo機場走道地上看到這詩吸引停下細讀，很柔情又懮郁的美。

在人生中，若你知道有人許諾在等待你歸來，那是一種欣慰，因為意味着那個人是那麼在乎你。但也是一種感嘆，因為意味着你們現在是分離，悠悠歲月等待，何時再見？
若是我，我不要許諾等待，要就携手並行，因為在生命旅途，每走一步，都是為了去完成自己。

我寫完以上感想後，上網找它的來源，據資料，這是挪威著名劇作家Henrik Isben的一段歌劇詞。

I was distracted by a poem on the walkway at Oslo airport. 

I found the original is part of Solveig's Song from the play Peer Gynt, by Henrik Ibsen (1828 -- 1906), a famous Norwegian playwright, theater director and poet.
English translation in verse form by Adam Taylor:
"The winter may go, and the spring disappear,
Next summer too, may fade, and the whole long year,
But you will be returning, in true, I know,
And I will wait for you as I promised long ago."

Seemed that's sadness.

In life's journey, you may feel touched if you know someone has promised to wait for you, because that means someone cares about you. On the other hand, it's sad because that means now you are separated and how long the time until you meet again?

For me, I don't want to have or make the promise of waiting. I rather we are together in our life journey, because every step is going to fulfill myself.

Another Chinese translation in verse form by Y. Qiao 翻譯成中文：
嚴冬已過春景雕
夏時不復歲寂寥
忠貞企盼團圓日

相約雲雨度良宵

Norway - Bergen

This is the metal cover drain on the street in Bergen. It seems to be of a landmarks in the city.

We saw different designs in two other cities in Norway. 

We bought a 48 hour card, NOK260 per person (24 hour card NOK200), at the information center. 

With the card, you travel free on Light Rail and buses in the city and the Region. It also grants free or discounted admission to museums, attractions, cultural events, sightseeing tours, restaurants and parking.

Bryggen - Bergen is a designated UNESCO World Heritage City.

  

The Fish Market. Will the fish really say "Fish me?"

Floibanen Funicular (NOK85, but free with the card from Oct 1-Apr 30). I like their funicular,with glass, even on the top windows.

It took us to Mount Floyen. A sign: DON'T INSULT THE WITCH.
Do you?

There was a lake along one of the trails, where we saw parents/teachers and kids doing various activities.

It seemed a good place for the student camp.

Another sign warning about the local witches.

 Haakon's Hall (NOK60 but free with the card) - 13th century Royal Ceremonial Hall.

An original Enigma decoder from WWII in the Bergenhus Fortress Museum.

Bryggens Museum/Meeting Point Bryggen (NOK70 but free with the card) - archaeological museum.

Korskirken - 17th century church.
我們從教堂出來，我看着地圖要找去另一處，聽到有人說：你好。
我抬頭看向說話的人，他再說，有點外國音的華語：你是中國人嗎？
我說：是。
他再說：我媽媽是中國人。
我發出噢一聲。看他的樣子確是有混血兒，腦海想要找話題跟他談，但可能他看我停頓沒說話，他笑笑就走開了。
Steve 聽懂這些簡單的華語，他奇怪我怎麼會說是中國人。
我說，有時候要簡略，也就是這樣回應，不然，就是我要找話長說，我父母是中國人，少小就到馬來西亞，我是馬來西亞華裔。。。

The Theater - from 1909.

Nordnes - a park near Bergen Aquarium.

Nykirken - early 18th century church.

The next morning, we went on a 3 hour Fjord cruise to Mostraumen (NOK400 discounted with the card), it was the only cruise they have during the off-season months.
That day was raining, so the tour was not so impressive compared to the other fjords we saw on cruises a few days before.

After back from the cruise, we walked around some others place in the city.
Johanneskirken - St. John's Church.

Maritime Museum.

VilVite - Bergen Science Center (NOK160 but free with the card from Aug 18-Jun 22).
Our mixture image, is it funny?

We booked a travel package tour NOK1550 per person from Bergen to Oslo at the information center.
The journey starts with a train at Bergen railway to Voss, the world's most beautiful train ride. We got advised to sit on the left side.

Then take a bus to Gudvangen. We had about 40 mins wandering around this small village.

Then take a boat to Flam.

Along the cruise, we can see Naeroyfjord. "It is the narrowest and best known of the many arms of the Sognefjord. With its steep mountainsides, hanging valleys, towering peaks, snowfield, waterfalls and small hamlets, this fjord is perhaps the most outstanding natural attraction in Norway. The Naeroyfjord is 20 km long, only 250 meters across at it narrowest and a mere 12 at its shallowest. The surrounding mountains reach heights of 1,660 meters. UNESCO has included in its famous World Heritage List."

The cruise turned to Aurlandsfjord, after a 2 hour boat journey, we arrived at Flam. We went in the tourism center, and we noticed a traveler storing his luggage in a room at the ticket counter. So we did the same because we had 3 hours to wander around this village.

Flamsbana Museum.

We had a short walk to Kleivastien 690 m trail.

走在Flam的樹林小徑，“發現您的全球足跡”
We found this on the trail, I translate it from Chinese to English: Discover your footsteps all over the world!

Then take a scenic train to Myrdal - not this train, this train became a cafe.

Here is the train.
It stops at Kjosfossen, allowing tourist to look at the waterfall.

I waved at Steve to come to see it as he likes waterfalls, he didn't. I think he wanted to guard our luggage, he always worried to leave bags in an open area.

About 1 hour after arriving at Myrdal, we changed to a NSB train departing at 5.57pm.
I saw several ladies like to knit when they are traveling on a long journey.

The train journey is 6 hours to Oslo. There snow cover at about 2000 m. height.
We couldn't see most of the views along the route because it was getting dark.

At the end of our trip, this poem was on the walkway in Oslo airport. I translate:
Perhaps winter already end and spring is decayed there
Another summer again. The time got one year round again.
I just strongly believe you will come back one day eventually
Keep my promise, will wait for you.