烧烤晚会

第二天一早，要赶去Project Centre，虽在同一个校园，但离我们住的地方很远，一个东一个西，所以不能睡懒觉，一大早就爬起来了。好累呦。早餐就在对面的平安堂买了一个玉米，那地方四处透风，又没有空调，冻死了，不过好在也可以上网，不然闷死。
到了吃饭时间，

抵达白云机场

12月19号一早，4点20分我就爬了起来，确切地说一夜未眠，因为要赶早班的飞机，所以心里很紧张，再加上刚刚要睡着时，手机想不停，是Facebook网友们在不停地写message。两，三点还在吵，最后只得把这两个Apps给删除了。
赶到机场，买了6盒有新加坡鱼尾狮标志的巧克力，准备送给番禺职校的老师，本来说3盒就够，但卖的人一再说买5送一，想想就买吧，花了$79.50。
到了飞机上我倒是拥有2个座位，但也没能睡着。
几个小时后到达了传说中的白云机场。这虽然是我第二次来广州，但第一次是坐火车的，所以见识白云机场是第一次。似乎也没啥特别之处。等了一会儿，L和番禺职校的黎老师带着4个学生就赶到了，黎老师是个美女，只有23岁，但很能张罗，左右逢源。他们带着我们上了一辆大轿车，直奔番禺。
也许一路上我们路过的都是广州的边缘，怎么感觉广州破破的，毫无特色，跟十多年前比起来没什么变化，没有什么现代化的气息。
番禺职校很大，规整也还蛮干净的。学生们都非常友善，懂礼貌。我们先期到达的学生领袖帮我装了翻墙软件，这样我就能看所有的网页啦。他还介绍我说对面那间眼镜店卖的电话卡最便宜，只要￥55块。住的地方有空调，所以感觉还不算太冷，只是冲凉太受罪，因为厕所在阳台上，洗脸也是，只有冷水。
晚餐校方宴请我们，每人￥30的标准，别提多差了，跟传说中的粤菜相去甚远，凑合着吃吧。我跟另一位老师合伙送了黎老师和张老师，一人一盒巧克力，本想也送给另一位什么主任的，但没想到多来了一位书记，我们当时没带那么多，只好连主任也免了。
校园里使用卡的，买饭啦，冲凉啦，全都需要卡，一张￥100块，用晚可充值。

杨柳青

有人夫妇这次带我去了杨柳青，我们主要参观了著名的石家大院。石家是当地数一数二的大户，因为那里靠着大运河，所以石家是靠了贩运发的财。这里不仅亭台楼榭，最具特色是戏楼，据说以前很多著名的戏班子都在石家戏楼唱过戏，石家另一特色是它的采暖系统，采用的是皇宫的方法，民间很罕见。这个地方是著名的年画产地，剪纸也很普遍，且看起来不错。等我们参观完回到市内，已经是快3点了，到处都找不到吃饭的地方，通常的饭馆都要到5点才开门，于是我们在上岛咖啡吃了饭，原本担心上岛只有西餐，后来发现其实在中国的咖啡屋也一本土化了。饭后我们又去了古文化街附近，那里有座桥十分有特色，整座桥都是玻璃做的。一开始会有些害怕，过一会就好了。
晚上去转了附近的一间新开张的韩国购物中心，东西有中档的，也有高档的。中档的价钱与新加坡差不多，高档的应该比新加坡贵一倍以上，我买了一条短裙，好像是250块左右，也买了一件外套，2300+块。但是样式新加坡所看不到的。

告别 / Goodbye Beijing

第三天吃过早饭，按照原计划我们去著名的鲁菜馆“丰泽园”吃午餐。因为爸爸和姑姑都是祖籍山东，对鲁菜有着特殊的感情，所以我们选择了这里。这里最著名的一道菜是扒海参，有两种规格，我们选了368块的那一种。坦白说这里的菜一般般，可能是我和妈妈没有在山东生活过的原因，况且价格贵得惊人，这种地方来一次就够了。但我很喜欢到这里来走一走，姑父是个老北京，对这一带的地形十分熟悉，从他们家到这里很近，根本无须坐车，一路上我们我们看到了还没有拆的老北京四合院，台湾一条街，刘老根的大舞台，前门外大街，为了恢复原貌，还保留了有轨电车的轨道，大栅栏等很多百年老店，姑父还特地介绍了内联升鞋店，据说以前就连皇宫里穿的鞋也是他们做的，那里有师傅现场制作，真材实料，只是我们现在没机会穿这种怪里怪气的鞋了。我再著名的六必居买了10袋酱菜，才10块钱人民币，真是物有所值。
吃过饭稍作休息，我们便踏上了回程，这次的高铁还在武清停靠了一下，好在只用了5分钟，又看到了一个新的车站，也还算不错。

参观鸟巢和水立方

第二天一早，我们叫了一辆出租，直奔鸟巢。鸟巢对70岁以上的人实行免费，60岁以上实行半价，所以老年人务必请带好身份证，否则是绝对也拿不到优惠的，好彩姑夫还不到60，否则冤死了。鸟巢和水立方实行联票制，两处一共80块。爸爸一直想弄清楚鸟巢的结构，他不明白那些钢架的真正承重点是哪里，这次看完他说终于明白了，原来钢架和里面的结构是两拿着的。我是外行，不太明白结构方面的，只是经常听说这是座雄伟著名的建筑，所以很想看看，但看了以后觉得里面不过就是一排排的座位而已，也没什么令人惊艳的地方。对比水立方，这里的一切，特别是座位都是红白两色的；而水立方中的一切都是蓝白两色，色调极为鲜明。本以为这两个地方相距甚远，没想到就在对面。水立方中有个水上乐园，对公众开放，但价格高得惊人。我们在水立方里吃了午饭，三碗炸酱面，一盘外婆醉鱼，一盘辣萝卜条，一盘凉拌蕨粉，一盘炒双菇和二两二锅头，价格比外面高了20%。

相会在北京/Meeting in Beijing

6月14日，应姑姑和姑父的邀请，我和爸爸妈妈一起去了北京。本来我家离北京很近，去北京是一件再容易不过的事情，可自妈妈病了以后，这也成了奢侈。好容易要成行了，我们都十分激动，吃过午饭，稍作休息后，便开始了准备，下午3点多我们便出发了。叫了辆出租，把我们载到天津东站后广场，然后便去买票。票不算太难买，只是下一班的没座位了，我们只好等下下班的。还好等的时间并不算太长，终于看到传说中的新干线了，果然即高级又舒服，半个小时就到北京啦，好快哟！
一到北京永定门火车站，姑父已经在等我们了，坐上出租车，很快就到了姑姑家。可不知为什么，刚到北京不久我的胃就开始不舒服，晚上姑姑请我们去她家门口的老北京炸酱面吃饭，想让我们体会一下老北京的生活，由于身体不争气，只能放弃了。

津湾广场/意式街/古文化街 / Jinwan Sqaure/Italian Street/Antient Culture Street

6月1日，友人夫妇带我去了津湾广场。津湾广场占地面积很大，现在只有一期工程已经完工并对外开放了，其他的正在建设中，但从已完工的这部分就已经能够看出其规模之宏大，这里将来将是豪华用品集散地，并由多个西式餐厅及咖啡厅，估计半年后再到访此地时将又会给人一种完全不同的感受了吧。
接下来，友人又推荐我去了意式街，现声明这条街并不是新建的，上个世纪初就有，因为天津从前是14国租界，到处都是洋房，其中一块集中的就在海河沿岸，那时候这里的建筑真可谓是美轮美奂，只可惜在共产党执政后把它们分给了穷人，你是知道的啦，这些穷人即使穿上龙袍也不像太子,皇宫也能被他们给折腾成贫民窟，那时到处被他们堆着煤球啦，白菜啦之类的，简直没有人愿意走近，更不要说观光了。幸好实行了改革开放政策，这些房子被收了回来，重新整修，令其再度光彩照人，这里现在是参观酒吧林立，颇具地中海风情。
从那里出来后我们又参观了古文化街。这里的街道大概除了天后宫外，都是新建的仿古建筑，但比原来破破烂烂的旧建筑来得要好得多，来这里的大多是游客，据说以北京人为主，现在有了新干线后，每15分钟就有一趟车来往于两地，全程也只要不到半个小时，所以从北京来的一日游的旅客非常多。不要以为游客多的地方东西就贵，这里的东西可便宜了，尤其以文化类如文字，图章等和旗袍为主，这里旗袍款式之多，价格之低廉令人瞠目，所以有机会来这里一定要买上一件。
晚上他们请我吃了正宗的炸酱面，再加上两盘小菜，一盘是凉拌海蜇皮，酸酸的，再加上有点芥末的味道，一口一口叫人真的停不下来。
吃饱喝足后，她又带我去了她家旁边的人民公园，她很喜欢这个公园，她说这个公园给他们的小区带来了几分文化气息，而且她说公园的名字还是毛泽东亲笔题的，毛一生就只为这一个公园题过字。总结一天收获真的好大，感谢有人夫妇。

On 21/06/10, my friend and her husband brought me to Italian Street in Tianjin. As Tianjin was a colony of 13 western countries and Japan, it left behind many western style houses. One relic of this sort of architecture was located near the Bank of Haihe River. Before the communist Party took in power, many western people and rich Chinese built their western style houses thereto make the place look like "Little Europe in China". After the liberation, Chinese Government confiscated these properties and gave them to the poor. Since then, those people started pile up their char coal, vegetables, old and dirty furniture and even rubbish around the buildings. Hardly one could tell these were the last time luxury residential areas. It looked like a slum in Bombay. You know what I mean, these poor people even living in palaces, they would have the abilities to turn them into hell. Thanks to God that after the reform and open policy, the Government took them back and gave these historical places a facelift. Now they are as shinny as new. Most of them now are restaurants or bars, some with the music performance. Now it’s back to heaven again.
From there, we went to the Ancient Culture Street. Although here the majority of buildings were just imitations, except Tian Hou Gong (Temple), they looked much better than the old shabby ones. People here were mainly tourists especially from Beijing. That was because after the trans-city express finished, it only took 30mins from Beijing to Tianjin and the interval was only 15mins. Items sold here were mainly culture related like personal stamps and qipao (Chinese traditional costume). I bought one qipao there, which cost only 50 Renminbi (S$10.23). Unbelievable. Better buy one here if next time you have chance to visit Tianjin.
Dinner was authentic Beijing Style Zhajiang Noodle. It came with 2 side dishes. One of it was Jelly Fish Salad. It tasted a bit sour and with the muster seed paste. Yummy.
After dinner, she brought me to 人民公园 next to her house. She liked this Park very much. She said this Park shed some culture atmosphere to their neighborhood. She also mentioned the words on the tablet which has the name of the park on it was written by Mao (Last time Chinese leader). This was the only Park which has the Mao’s own inscriptions. Today is a really interesting day. Thanks to my friend and her husband.

蓟县自驾游 / Visiting My Friend’s Vacation Home at Jixian County, Tianjin China

6月14日，友人夫妇开车带我去他们在蓟县的度假屋。现在从天津到蓟县十分方便，开车走高速公路很快就到，多数家庭都有自己的汽车，因为那天是星期天，所以很多人都去度假，路上有点堵，要不然很快就到了。
他们的度假屋坐落于当地的富人区，那里多数是津京两地的有钱人的投资热门，小屋是酒店式的，虽然很小，五脏俱全，他们对此进行了豪华装修，特别是卫生间用具，都是一流的，房间集卧室，客厅，厨房于一体，倒也别致。屋外还有一个小院子，他们在里面种满了蔬菜，花生和番薯等，极富情趣。
这以后，我们去了当地的一间餐厅吃午餐，当地的餐厅以农家菜而闻名，又因为这里紧挨着于桥水库，友人说这里的鱼味道极鲜美，但最令我难忘的是一道叫做大丰收的典型农家菜，所谓大丰收就是将各种生的新鲜蔬菜切好装盘，再配上一碗黄豆酱，既不破坏蔬菜原有的营养成分，又不油腻，味道极好，现在想到还流口水。
饭后我们游历了具有上千年历史的独乐寺和白塔寺。虽然我们是自己游览，没有参加任旅行团，但我们随意加入了其中的两个，导游们也十分友善地回答我们的询问，凸现现在中国导游的素质已今非昔比了。
这之后，我们又去了蓟州古城，据说现在除了鼓楼外，其他都是新建的仿古建筑，但也极富特色，很值得一游。
有人的家就坐落在府君山下，于是游玩古城之后我们又去爬了府君山。有人体贴地为我找了一双软底拖鞋，再加上山并不很高，当时太阳已近下山了，周围设施修得极其完善，所以爬山的感觉很妙。在山上，看到一群年轻人在练习唱歌，据说是为了歌唱比赛或选秀赛做的准备，现在中国的乡下人生活也是极富色彩呢。
古蓟州，果然是个好地方，据说当年乾隆曾说早知有此，何必下江南，有机会一定要来此看看。

14/06/10, my friend and her husband drove me to their vacation home in Jixian, a county in Tianjin.
It’s about 2 hours drive from the city on the highway depending on the road conditions. Now Jixian is becoming a very popular vacation place for people from Tianjin and Beijing because it is located in between these two cities and many families now have their own cars. As a result, many people now are wooing for a short distance, self-driving tour. The day we went was on Sunday. So it was a bit congested.
Their vacation home is a hotel style suite. Although modest, it has nearly everything. The bathroom has just undergone an extensive renovation. All the accessories are world class. Additionally the sitting room, bedroom and kitchen are all one room, without walls or partitions. It’s quite interesting though. They also have one small yard outside which was planted with vegetables, peanuts, sweet potatoes and so on.
Lunch was at a local restaurant which was famous for "farm dishes". My friend told me because the place was near the famous Yuqiao Reservoir, so people normally come for fishes. But the dish impressed me the most was called "Da Feng Shou" – which means fabulous harvest. They had accumulated many kinds of raw vegetables cut into bite size pieces that you would then dip into fermented soy bean paste. It’s damn delicious and even until today the taste is still lingering in my mind.
After the lunch, we went to visit 独乐寺and 白马寺. These two temples both have more than a 1000 years of history. Although we did not join any package tour, we followed two guides from time to time. Both of the guides answered our questions although they realized we were not the members from their groups. That is a strong indicator that China has greatly improved their tourist industry.
Then we visited this ancient town. It’s said that except the 鼓楼- The Drum Tower (In each ancient Chinese town, city or village, there was a drum tower. The purpose of having it was to gather the crowd and make the important announcements) , and the rest of the buildings are simply the modern replicas. Yet it looked also terrific.
After that we climbed the mountain named 府君山, as their house is just at the foot of the 府君山. As my friend offered me her soft slippers and the mountain was not really that high, another reason was the Sun was nearly setting, our climbing was a truly enjoyable one. Inside a pavilion on top of the mountain, we saw some youngsters practicing their singing in preparation for some competition. It seems in China even villagers are having a more colorful life compared to the past. Ancient Jizhou (the old name for Jixian) was an interesting place which located on the border in between Chinese and Northern ethnic groups. Therefore, the culture is always attractive. In Qing Dynasty, the Emperor Qianlong visited there and said if I knew such a place, I wouldn’t visit Jiangnan (South Eastern China) He was right and it’s definitely worth visiting.

My nightmare with Standard Chartered Bank

We decided to buy our own property in Apr 2002. The time when we signed the contract with the developer, Standard Chartered Bank salesman came in. He pursuaded us to take a mortgage loan from his bank (in fact we didn't need to take it in 2002, our scheme was under the defer payment). He said firstly you'd better to secure a loan when you still had job and secondly the interest rate was low (2.5%) at the time. That gave us a feeling that if we signed then, even though outside interest rate increase, our loan would still be 2.5%. On top of that, we could enjoy one time a free conversion and legal subsidy. We insisted that the offer items were to be written in the contract. They refused by saying the contract was fixed and the bank was a prestigious bank, they wouldn't bluff. We agreed and signed.

Until the following year (2003), our disbursement started. But the market interest rate dropped to only 1.5%. So we contacted the bank to do a free conversion, the manager (he was the one that came with the salesman and signed the contract with us, his name was M) refused by giving the reason "this was not in the contract and I can't remember we promised to offer you a free conversion". We managed to contact the salesman R who had already resigned at the time. He confirmed what we said and told us in fact it was his manager M who taught him to say so. He found this job was not suitable for him, therefore resigned.

After a long and sorrowful fight, finally Standard Chartered Bank agreed to convert for us.

Since the beginning of last year, Standard Chartered started to raise up their interest rate with tremendous speed. Almost every 2-3 month we would receive their letters about their interest review. It became worse from last Sept. Even with our write-in, they stopped writing to us with the exception of their interest review letters and the regular statements. We were furious and finally we decided to change to another bank after we found the interest they charged us were deferred from our calculation, and received no explanation from them.

We gave them 3 months notice based on our agreement. After chasing them for sooooooo many times, we received from them that we could do a full redemption by 16 Apr this year in black and white. they also verbally agreed to give us the detail breakdown of interest they charged for the controversial months. We were relieved and thought our nightmare was over.

We engaged our lawyer to deal with them. The lawyer told us the Bank informed her the final redemption date should be in Jun not Apr. Puzzled we called them with the proof, they admitted they had made a mistake, but that caused quite a handsome delay and we had to pay at a very high interest for their mistake rather than they paying themselves.

Last month I went to their branch in Raffles Place to close my account. Meanwhile I again made request to give us the breakdown detail. Even until today, more that 1 month already, I still haven't received anything from them yet. We made the same requests about 10 times since last Sept, all been ignored. That made us feel very fishy, if there's nothing wrong, why not just reply to the customer? It only takes few minutes, isn't it?

To conclude, learn from my lesson, don't do any business with this bank. I roughly calculated we lost almost $10K during these years from the higher interest compared to other banks and the lawyer fee for the transfer. Most important their service is terrible.