FT的一篇文章“金色拱门理论走向终结”（链接：http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001061968）引人遐想。

引言文中一段经典论述：

“不同的文化拥有相同的嗜好、使用相同的技术，这一事实不应被过度解读。中共中央政治局的委员们多年来一直身着西装。圣战组织成员穿牛仔服，用iPhone上网（他们中的一些人无疑特别喜欢麦乐鸡(Chicken McNuggets)）。但他们却依然对全球霸主大加批判。麦当劳在俄罗斯开了数百家门店，这没能阻止弗拉基米尔•普京(Vladimir Putin)在去年吞并也拥有麦当劳门店的克里米亚。这家快餐连锁店后来撤出了克里米亚，但没有从乌克兰其余地区撤出。麦当劳的存在也不太可能防止第五次印巴战争爆发。另外，中国融入全球似乎并没能抑制其民族主义情绪的发展。”

这样的观察很对我胃口， 就像我厌食猪肉喜食牛羊肉，却与回教或穆斯林并无干系；如同中国爱好沙拉西方餐饮者众多，却会在刀叉挥舞间用iPad看韩剧国剧；又如同看美剧者手捧大盘鸡炸酱面。

无伤大雅的娱乐总是让人觉得低危害，故言论钳制为己任的国内也能每年上映30部海外巨制，永远是大场面的游乐场电影，是最少文化壁垒的，同时却抓住了同样的普世嗜好：感官刺激。

世界趋同或者全球化讨论中，多是集中于贸易通商，想必也是：物质交换是跨国文化接受难度最低的一种，除非交换的是承载了传统禁忌之器物，如成人玩具。这也是《五十度灰》或《五十度黑》走红于性文化昌盛的西方众国而止声于东方的原因。

除此之外，各国不断增长的贸易数字造成的结果是物质消费的跨文化趋同，就如同sex and city中的桥段，中东国家女人在面纱与披纱之下穿的却是最新款时装。

物质消费的趋同会让人引发一种美好的感觉：文化是可以跨越种族性别年龄国籍宗教信仰的；同时也会引发人的感叹：只有满足马斯洛低层次价值观的消费才是可以跨越上述藩篱的：服装鞋帽和饮食。

所以我们可以在北京街头看到保时捷兰博基尼的硬件，却看不到汽车等待行人通过斑马线的软件 - 前者是物质的消费，后者却是文化的隔阂。

我们也可以拥有铜版纸印刷的杂志报纸，却不会有经济学人和纽约时报的犀利文字。

文化不同，就是不同，与你消费什么物质没太大关系。

A person inspired me

I don't have that many role models when I grew up, exceptions go to a few, one of them was my university lecturer who I insisted with taking 3 courses of his, and another one was Richard, for whom I am deeply inspired by his passion on developing and pursing his hobbies. He writes this blog and based on my own experience I know how much it means to someone if s/he decides writing a blog for years, putting aside that I am recommending his blog, I also feel like having this rush to put my thought about him into words as he inspired me in many ways.

 

One thing I can't get it off my poor memory slot about him, is one time in our office where he showed me this blog started in year 2008, while pointing his fingers out of that window saying as a , "My real work is not here, is out there," - following his fingers through a typical Beijing haze day and view-blinding resident buildings, my imagination illustrated a wandering Wall somewhere outside Beijing's 6th ring road.

 

This blog recorded what he is really passionate on rather than a diary of this and that, a world embraced by the Great Wall and his exploring the world.

 

Before he and his wife, a present locally recognised yoga coach moved in Beijing years ago, they were both lawyers, a modern profession that well connected with good social status and material gains, but that professional doesn't suit them, so they quitted.

 

They then took the further courage to adventuring the world, in roughly a year time they walked all over the world, before they finally settled down in Beijing China Rich also worked for government back home for a while.

 

But still they decided starting a new life here, transformed his life from a solicitor to an English teacher and later government employee, Rich started his years-long hobby: measuring the Great Wall with his feet.

 

The Great Wall found him, and captivated him, he started discovering the Great Wall and most often debris, by hiking miles in mountains over weekends. Combined Google map, GPS, camping equipment and helps of historical books, he started building his own map for Chinese ancient walls - he has built a great skill of drawing maps which was noticed by me one time when he draw to explain the difference between topographic and geographical maps to me.

 

His great wall hiking played positive side effects to his body, so much that he finished his one-time-off half-marathon in Guiyang without any exercises, lured by the organiser's offering to foreign competitors with free flight tickets and accommodations, and his climbing to Stok Kangri, a mountain with a 6,153 m summit.

 

He keeps writing and drawing maps with his feet, that one day he told us his book of years' findings is to be published in 2015.

 

I like the way his pursuing passion with his regular making living, the ability to embrace changes and be dedicated. It's a good example for me to demonstrate how to be oneself without needing to become a recluse, and to live a life without needing of other's judgment or social recognition. It shows one's intuition, as well as courageousness to facing the uncertainty. It is also a better example about the success - a term frequently connect with money and fame - able to live your own life in your own way.

 

What would his life be if he didn't choose this way? I happened to witness this otherwise story. During one of recent official visit to China, his former good mate who used to do ski together me him - a current high-level official who worked around the clock without taking a break for weeks before this China trip, and expected to be posted somewhere. Looked at the grey hair of his same-age friend, still blond-haired Rich breathed a sigh of relief, "that could have been me."

 

And here is his blog: http://www.journeysetc.com/

臺兒莊古城

台儿庄的一些照片，v的推荐就去了，26号中午出发，到了枣庄已是当日的下午4时一刻，邻座居然是枣庄当地人，脸庞却是非想像的一种白和俊秀。

下了高铁没有片刻的停留，随着熙攘的人流直接进入邻座和之前听说的BRT车，如果有什么锦囊，那就是去古城还是BRT 10号线直接，做好一个半小时的路途准备，特别是如果没座的情况下，那是对后背支撑力的锻炼。同时还有T1路车倒BRT 2路的选择，总费用都是5元。

一帮当地像是回老家的放学的小孩子们拿着明晃晃的类似小米之类的安卓手机——小米的实体店经常看到，看起来在三线城市小米还是很主流的选择。

上车没有零钱，一个当地口音（类似天津卫）的女人居然帮我直接付了，我后来还是用支付宝还了钱，不要把别人的好意当作福气。

心想着只有6站的样子，应该很快，结果一站就20多分钟的平均时间，路上顺便听当地女人的建议把客栈从美团订了。

就这样比预想的晚了一些（原想30分钟），一个半小时的时间到的古城，到时已经晚6时有余，BRT车站对面就是明晃晃的古城信息中心，明显的一个创造当地闲人就业的机构，诺大的楼宇，宽敞的大厅像是为接待上千人上访，结果只是一个信息中心，其主要任务是卖票。在信息中心买完票还有据称1.5公里的路程方能到古城门口（下图）。这1.5公里正好是当地打车起步价的范围（2公里）内，至少本人就贡献了一次黑车一次出租的GDP贡献，这也是有意无意的设计吧。

好在晚6时后是优惠票价期，120元的淡季门票100就卖，进城一片漆黑，一个圣诞老人提醒着中国式圣诞节荒诞感的存在，一种对任何节日仪式感的参与感。

 

从拍照角度，夜景照明提供了很多机会，只是没有角架又被寒气冻的感冒康复后期的人不是特别享受这一过程，不过鬼城倒成了第一印象，因为整个古城在这一个夜晚都是空旷少人。

在接下来的一个多小时逛拍+找旅店的时间里，是下面这些照片：

非要比较相机和iPhone功能的话，iPhone的共享功能和强大的后期app比相机有优势的多。在灯光合适的情况下还可以拼个全景，所以相机+iPhone是个合适的组合。

奇怪的古城，还会每晚弄一个文艺演出，几个习武的班子弄些当地人喜闻乐见的跟头和舞剑，也许还有其他文艺演出。只是在寒冷的酒吧空空餐馆及早关门的整个现代古城中寻找灯光。

客栈是很冷的，热水是不够的，这个古城的冬季是如此萧条，满街的空店和黄花牛肉面和辣子鸡

下面是第二天早上的，没有灯光的限制， iPhone的panorama和Snapseed是相当可以的，相机的时效性在这点上远不如手机方便快捷了。

摄影之所以不是简单的拍照片，很大一部分原因在于创作性的体现。如果只是还原场景，那是Google街景和卫星图片的福音。摄影是一种对工具的创造性使用，如果把创造性去掉，就成就了90%情况下我们在网上看到的照片——只是使用工具，却没有了创作——创作的过程是前期和后期都要有的。摄影是你眼中的世界，与客观相关，与别人无关。

下面是第二天起后的半天时光，在半空腹的情况下的照片。

Let it go

It was 1 November '09 morning that Beijing snowed.

She had dinner with V on 4 Dec, always had class over weekends, needed a dish rack on 8 Dec and came arnd, date on 11 Dec for topic of night-over, bought a bread for sandwitch on 17 Dec.

I arrived in HK on 20th, was asked if it was cold, and a facecream - bodyshop I remembered. I must have taken training on 21 Dec - was asked. I think my return flight arrived in the airport around 11pm - Back in town, sweet things been said head and shoulder rubbing would be provided. Stich n Bitch on 28&30 Dec or weekly for her. I think lawyer's letter made me stressed out.

'10 - iceskating and lovely on 24 Jan, colleagues said I am cute on 28 Jan. Tonsillitis found her on 10 Feb '10 - remembered the Majiang party afterwards? Temp down throat better, lonely call for me on 13 Feb. Happy V-day followed. 23 Feb booty call. 25 Feb - Tuya meet her.

Planned trips on 13 March, xiamen guilin lijiang? My show on 22 March. 5 April '10 - homesick striked her.9 Sep - drink with Vale. 17 Sep - work dinner for me?

lots sweet msgs inbetween and how u doin things.

Bye.

10th Anniversary

		10th Anniversary VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

It’s been a while. Not that long appeared to me, I can’t think anyway better and quicker to memorise this life phase but a series of long fucking keywords list:

Massey, Passport, Student Visa, National Bank, Pak’n’Save, New World, St. George, Air New Zealand, North island, South island, Maori, Kia Ora, Tena Koe, Cafe 97, Language centre, David, Richard, Craig, Paper started with 157, 152, 210, Department of Business, BBS, Design, National Library, Newtown, Coromandel Street, Quentin Avakara, Ben, Ex-wife, married woman, Petone, Te Aro, Video shop, Dairy Shop, Bic Runga, Elemeno P, Blindspott, Ciivil Square, Manners Mall, Cuba Street, stupid fountain in Cuba Street, Farmers, Traffic lights, houses, apartments, Flat 7, Government house, Brooklyn, Courtney place, Reading cinema, Embassy, Terrace, Wellington, VUW, E-love Internet Cafe, muffins, 2 dollar 50, cheese onion 1 dollar, Focaccia Rolls $4.5, cafeteria, sausage roll, Beef salami, Chicken avocado, pikelet 1 dollar, hot chocolate, latte, Mr. Ben, Vietnamese food, barbecue, OZ, All Blacks, Kiwi, Wellington zoo, Depart of Journalism, Department of Communication, Orientation day, Tosca, D4, TV 1-3, Channel 4, Jenny the hostess, Miramar, airport, Christ Church, Dunedin, Blue eye penguins,  Finn Brothers, Flying Nun, Real Groovy, 250 Cuba Street, Queenstown, Nelson, Auckland, Bay of Plenty,  Queen’s Street, K Road, Sushi shop, Kilbirnie, Constable St, Botanic garden, Parliament, Island bay, Oriental Bay, KGB, Thorndon, Mt. Cook, Kelburn, Johnsonville, Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Epuni, DHB, Wellington Hospital, Greytown, Masterton, Palmmy Palmerston North, Levin, Paraparaumu, Te Papa, Foxton, Taopo, Rotorua, Manukau, Otahuhu, Mount Eden, One tree hill, New market, Hamilton, Omaru, Arrowtown, Lake Wanaka, Fiordland, Milford Sound, Avon River, mixed vegetables, chicken nuggets, pasta, Sunday market, Chefu, Steriogram, ANZ, Lambton Quay,Taranaki St, Buckle St, Webb St, Cable St, Irena, Aor, Kevin, Connie, whanganui, whakapapa, PR, Immigration, LOTR, Peter Jackson, Piano, Basin Reserve, Valentine Hotel, Jane, Maria, Church, preach, service, Xmas, Boxing day, New Year eve, countdown, Rain, MoE, Kia Bird, Potatoes 5kg bag, Ketchup, Sunflower, grill house, Rock shop, Jam, Triple twist, HAKA, Tiki, Whale Rider, Macintosh, Library assistant, Rugby, jandals, beach, Albany, Balwin St, stink, Glacier, Sky tower, Otago, Casino, Yum Cha, Gospel, Rock FM, Drag Queen, Potato queen, Rice queen, Fish ‘n’ Chips, Chinese classmates, Su, Daniel, Liang, Qi, Wooden Carving,  Waka, Filipino, Chinese students, Thai students, sluty women, Island singer with angel voice, guitar player from Lower Hutt, Thai instant noodles, Mr. Chan market, old National Museum, Graduation ceremony, Hare Ra, Hare Mai.

Down under Journal [pt.10] Finale

21/8

Koala Park, Pennant Hills

Echidnas 針鼴是澳大利亞產蛋哺乳動物的又一代表，更著名的這類哺乳動物是不帶刺的兩栖同類——鴨嘴獸。

考拉一生都在high著，吃著桉樹里的古柯鹼，一天24小時昏昏沉沉睡個20小時，儘量享受著精神世界的快樂，當著名符其實的樹上癮君子，最後老了抓不牢樹干，一頭倒下投入輪回。

中文命名的動物總是很形象，如體積大的就叫大袋鼠小的叫小袋鼠等等，在英語里分的更不同些，大小袋鼠在英語里就是Kangaroo和Wallaby兩詞兒, 後者還有Swamp Wallaby之類的細分等等。

看到袋里的Little Joey了嗎？（澳語：幼袋鼠）

Dingo是種很危險的野狗，不要被中性的外表所蒙蔽，當時的新聞里還在循環播放著一條幾十年前一個被懷疑是被Dingo叼走的小孩的故事。

鳥很激情 無事可做只有mating


Koala Park website: http://www.koalaparksanctuary.com.au 

Google地圖：http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-33.742595,151.04506&spn=0,0.02105&z=16&lci=com.panoramio.all&layer=c&cbll=-33.742523,151.044825&panoid=f0YlreovjIEEPdrV1l7HpA&cbp=12,29.59,,0,3.97 

 

之後的經歷是在一家韓國家庭開的日本餐館里就中餐，國外人工貴，所以這種家庭式館子很常見。

 

從前有座山，名叫Pennant Hills，山上有座高中，裡頭有個棕頭發淺色眼睛的小姑娘，小姑娘長大了，去了東洋訪問中土，帶位中土男孩回到了這座山上。

也許有這段經歷，這個男孩應該就很幸福知足了。

 

路過高中、和山上盡頭那間小姑娘成長的小屋，路過以中國會計學生眾多聞名的她的大學，路過大選宣傳的一張張臉龐，沒完沒了的藍天白雲，擁抱和再見。即便有再大的肺，你也不能將新鮮的空氣帶回國。

---

雜

我喜歡拍照，因為總覺得拍照是最容易的一項技術，但我不熱衷旅行，我不認為我是個旅行者，我甚至反感旅行者，即便我不反感在路上的體驗。

以前在惠靈頓，打工回來路過每天經過的parliament house, 有一天突然來輛中巴, 停靠路邊、下來一幫同胞，喧嚷、拍照。我的想法是：如果這些人從另一個大陸飛來就為看這些，太不值得了。能看出什麽來呢？漂亮的防震式懸浮建築？或是滿街豐滿的女人？還是從中國偷的kiwifruit？反種族、反同性戀遊行看到了么？每天站在醫院門口手舉著反墮胎標語的老人家看到了么？國家大選時全國跟打了興奮劑似的點票看得到麼？一屋里擠十個中國學生的屋子看見過么？——生活和旅行是兩回事，不管在哪里，旅行只是選擇性的看浮華的一面，生活則沒的選。

我的心態中沒旅行這個概念，因為我想的太多、定居的時間太多，在居住的空間中用頭腦把世界全當作了自然的事情而沒有了驚奇。我對去異國他鄉吃喝玩樂沒有太大興趣、風景那會在新西蘭差不多天天瞅都瞅夠了，心想回來了根本沒必要再花氣力去瞅風景了。回想在新西蘭就是天天做飯、每周購生活用品、看書玩電腦彈吉他、上課、打工、街上看妞兒老想著跟當地妞兒套辭兒外、偷跑到爵士和古典系琴房里彈鋼琴、逛圖書館借音樂書、壓馬路、在相同的時間看到相同的人、還有就是沒事兒在樂器店前貼個紙條想當吉他手。結果是經常在不知名的房屋里和不知道干什麽的人一道彈不知道什麽調的吉他；印象深的有一次被一個島國女約到下榻的外建築是斑馬紋兒的backpack hostel，在一間公共娛樂間里放她自己錄的CD，歌聲一起，四下寂靜，我對天籟一詞的理解是從那一刻才領悟的；還有一次碰到一個正職做電影特效的人給我演示空氣演奏樂器；還有次琴房彈琴彈到肚子餓，準備回家吃飯，結果出來一看發現魔戒第三部的男主演（演國王那人）正在我們學校的藝術學院辦攝影展（原國家博物館）、就這么撞見并握了Peter Jackson的手。後來最感興趣的是毛利的圖騰之類，打工攢點錢跑韓國人開的中國人開的旅行商店從日本店員福建店員那里買手雕的、機器雕的毛利木雕，因為亞洲人的店便宜。南島玩時一次停車撒尿，趁這會兒功夫跑到一家路邊毛利人開的店，那家店的藏貨以其用料用尺寸之豪放讓我非常震驚到現在還念念不忘。

回國前終於決定專門“旅行”，拿出一部份打工錢換了去南島的旅行團，車上接到了電話得知沒有印象的奶奶走了，親人離別的概念就在路上慢慢消化掉。從南島的南邊回來又馬不停蹄地借著朋友開車去奧克蘭的機會去跟一當地中國信托集團討債。在AUK圖便宜就住K Street頭兒上的一家backpack，朋友覺得不好意思，因為K Street最聞名的就一樣事：妓女。我不介意，因為墮落的街有著平易近人的價格。而且店里日本韓國語言學校的學生也不少，感覺跟我當初剛到惠靈頓似的，心里想著不知又是什麽雜牌語言學校騙亞洲人錢。那一周每天的事就是上午去討債，然後沒人搭理我，接著就跟朋友的車出去玩，上天空塔，逛Queen’s Road尋麼木雕，下班前接著討，不成第二天繼續。眼看著計畫的天數快到了，終於最后一次堵到了會計、拿到手一沓兒七拼八湊的美元，還有幾十美元沒要上，回惠靈頓后管子公司接著要，結果還是拿歐元湊上的。這家公司後來破產了，我一個朋友存裡頭的幾千美元就這樣泡湯了。

說回旅遊？在我生活的大部分時間里這是一個與我的生活很陌生的詞彙，我沒有住酒店、度假村的習慣、沒有享受過太多用字典比劃與當地人討價還價的經歷、也沒有把飲食展示的興趣和能力、再用一個高檔人的眼光去打量生活在那里的人——我很多時候就是生活在那裡的人。我一直只是在生活，心態不變行為不動。澳大利亞也是，去生活了兩周，體驗生活，沒有旅店沒有大餐，也少了旅行者嘰嘰喳喳的聲音。

這一年來經歷過的旅程，均是因為與人相伴。我心存感激。雖然不禁想到地球上的征途永遠無始無終，過24小時回到原點，管你耗多少油也不過是作仿圓周運動。也許在地圖上做多少標記并不重要——除了炫耀以外價值近乎於零，生活中的標記才能幫我了解我怎樣一個如此不完美的人、才讓我感覺到若有若無的意義。謝謝這幾年來一同與我在生活里做記號的、帶領我在地球的另一端做記號的人。

 

謝謝一直以來的陪伴。

Down under Journal [pt.9]

20/8 from Sydney to Manly

Down under Journal [pt.8]

19/8 Sydney
Travelling in postcard

一海一天，悉尼海灘印象。

View from a seagull 一只海鷗的行跡

Coogee walkabout
Why would any Sydney people bother to travel outside of the world, when they already have so many god-given beaches? 
從庫吉海灘一路步行。看過這里的海灘，我心中只有一個不理解的問題：與這樣的天海為鄰，爲什麽悉尼人還要去海外度假？

似乎自然環境的最大程度保存成了悉尼的特點，在這座世界級的旅遊城市也沒有看到過多的人工設施，更不會在這里的海灘見到在像大連海灘那樣隨處可見的娛樂設備，也不用擔心在海邊會有收費亭。








Full-sized panorama at http://is.gd/QIDaXB 

Get Lost?



King’s Cross?

Luna Park 悉尼最大的一個遊樂場




夜悉尼，晚安