In April, 2006, due to ISC West in Las Vegas, Nevada, it is my second time visiting the America, in which everything seems to be bigger than that in Taiwan. After simple decoration as well as setting up camera, CRT monitor, our MPEG-2 DVR & complicated cabling, followed by product test & video adjustment for the best demonstration in a morning, honcho A, engineer C, salesgirl K & I went to the Hoover Dam in the same state that afternoon.
2006年4月,為了在拉斯維加斯舉行的ISC West展,A-Mao第二度造訪這個什麼都大的泱泱大國。4號當天早上佈置好會場的攤位(架設我們家的DVR與別人家的攝影機和螢幕、連結複雜的訊號線材以及簡單的裝潢)、做完產品測試與影像調整之後,下午藉由地利之便,便與A老大、C同學與K小姐驅車前往同樣是位在內華達州的胡佛水壩。
Although there was a GPS brought by honcho A, our car still got lost in the desert, but we began being excited while watching the blue Lake Mead. Meanwhile, what's the problem about the car in the front of us? Did he or she lose all money on the craps or blackjack table?
在租來的車上,雖然有A老大準備的GPS,有點囧地,我們還是在遼闊的沙漠中迷了路;不過當看到這絲絨藍的浩瀚米德湖水後,眾人就開始興奮起來。啊前方這台車沒有車牌是怎樣?是否於賭場輸光、又欠下高利貸正在跑路嗎?
Oh, here came a clock on the intake tower. Obviously, it was 16:08 in bald Nevada then—Pacific Time Zone.
喔!發現一只時鐘:那當下光禿禿的內華達州是16點08分(太平洋標準時區)。
It took us 11 minutes from Nevada to Arizona because it was 16:19 in hairless Arizona afterward—Mountain Time Zone. This dam is made in USA, of course. It is across two states! You might notice that the time is the same on both clocks. Why both were synchronized? Because Arizona does not use daylight savings time.
這水壩果然是美國製造,就是一個大字來形容。16點19分,我們花了約11分鐘自內華達州,到了童山濯濯的亞利桑那州(山區標準時區)。各位一定會奇怪為何兩個時區的時間是同步的咧?原來位在東邊的亞利桑那是不實行日光節約時間的啦!

While we were chatting by the lake, suddenly, A-Mao noticed a moving stone. Well, the wind was really speedy, but it was impossible to make a stone rolling. Later I figured out it is a chipmunk. Hi, little cutie! For whom are you waiting? Your partner?
其間一群人倚在湖邊的欄杆上鬼扯蛋。A-Mao竟發現到一顆石頭在滾,在快要落水時,卻又定住不動了;當時的風勢真的是很大啦,但怎會大到吹得動石頭咧?仔細一看,原來是隻花栗鼠。嗨!可愛小寶貝,妳在等待良人歸來嗎?【胡佛水坝】
Great Hoover Dam—壯哉胡佛水壩

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By the World Heritage Pass issued by Tobu Railway for foreigners only, I went to "Ryuuoukyou" (or Ryuokyo). The meaning is Dragon King Valley, and it sounds so attractive to me. However, the last station of Tobu Railway is Shin-Fujiwara Station, which is next to Ryuuoukyou Station operated by Yagan Railway. Well, A-Mao did not mind working around to save money. After leaving Shin-Fujiwara Station, asking for direction and strolling for a while, I easily found this guidepost. Just one kilometer. A piece of cake!

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In March 2007, M & A-Mao were visiting some customers in Tokyo for few days. M returned to Taiwan in advance, while I started my two-day travel, without plans in detail, in Nikkou & Kinugawa by a World Heritage Pass. I encountered Koos from Netherlands, and both of us happily spent a whole afternoon in Nikkou. After that, we said goodbye and then were on "different trains"—somehow it reminded me of this Reich’s music. He got to go to Tokyo, whereas I had to continue my travel. It was snowing in Kinugawa at night, and I found no cheap hotel or guest house there. Well, what could I do? I went to an “onsen hotel” and negotiated by my poor Japanese. Finally, it took 20,000 yen “only” for one-night stay as well as dinner & breakfast at this Isshinkan.
2007年3月到東京出差數日後,A-Mao便利用東武鐵道的「世界遺產通票」,展開為期兩天一夜、日光暨鬼怒川、事前“沒有”規劃之旅。與在路上撿到、來自荷蘭的Koos同遊日光一下午後,兩人就在東武日光駅分道揚鑣:可愛的Koos要去東京;我則是到鬼怒川繼續未完的旅程(不知為何,心中竟響起Reich的Different Trains)。一出鬼怒川温泉駅,媽啊!都已經3月了咧,天空竟下起雪來。在這個溫泉區像頭喪家之犬尋覓了快一個鐘頭,完全找不到便宜的民宿可以投宿;在饑寒交迫下,硬著頭皮走進了一家溫泉飯店。用破爛日文及裝可憐的一番交涉後,最後「只」以兩萬日鋃,一泊二食入住這家一心館

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In October 2006, A-Mao & Bowen was in Hong Kong for an exhibition. It is our first time there, after standing by the booth on working hours and putting on leisure wear in Rambler Garden Hotel, every night we were experiencing this islands until there would be no trains back to Tsing Yi Station. While walking around, both of us frequently and excitingly encountered places in which certain cinemas of Hong Kong were shot, and Victoria Harbour & Peak is so spectacular! Not to mention lots of novel food was tasted—I will always remember that Bowen's face was shot by a "pissing beef ball". Meanwhile, my first quarrel in English was there with a taxi driver.

2006年10月,公司到香港參展。A-Mao與Bowen都是第一次來到香港,白天在攤位站了好幾個小時之後,回到華逸酒店脫下西裝換成便服,又匆匆忙忙跑出去探索香江;每個晚上都是在外面鬼混到快要沒捷運可搭,再由青衣站轉迪士回飯店休息,真的是忙碌到掛。此行主要目的是工作,事前當然沒有規劃要玩啥吃啥。兩人漫無目標地在走在街頭,每每興奮地相互驗證這裡跟那裡是那部又那部港片的場景;吃了不少新奇卻好吃的東西(我永遠忘不了B同學被“撒尿"牛丸“顏射”時的樣子XD)、維多利亞港與太平山的夜景也是非常壯闊輝煌;其間與一個迪士司機激烈口角,這還是我此生第一次用英文跟人吵架咧。【维多利亚港夜景】

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For budget travelers, Toyoko Inn is good value, clean and mostly at good location. A-Mao loves traveling abroad even though it is mainly for business. After doing team works in the daytime, however, I don’t like to accompany the other male colleague in a twin room at night, especially when we finished all topics to talk. And, sometimes we had no choice but a double room! Thanks God for that I & engineer R encountered “business twin” of Toyoko Inn in 2007. As soon as I opened its door, surprisingly, another door was in front of me—it seems to be against Chinese Feng Shui, and we happily noticed it is a toilet almost separating the room. There are two beds, two desks, two TVs, two air conditions, you name it. Both of us had basic private space, and the best is that the cost is the same as a normal twin. Those having “business twin” I know: Tokyo Kamata Higashi-guchi, Kyoto Shijo-Omiya, Shin-Osaka Chuo-guchi Honkan & Shin-Osaka Chuo-guchi Shinkan.
想必與同性同事出過差的人都知道,在安排住宿時為了幫公司省錢,通常兩個人會睡一間雙人房。訂得到twin room還好,一人一張單人床;在碰到假期和商展的時候,特定的地區及飯店有double room能睡就該偷笑了。在寸土寸金的東京與大阪,飯店房間又特別的狹窄;在經過白天形影不離的相處後,休息時還要雞犬相聞;除非兩個人都很會攪豬屎,到最後話題聊光,還真讓人囧到不行。很幸運地,在2007年讓A-Mao和R同學終於在大阪,發現東橫Inn有一種business twin:一開房門那一瞬間,赫然又看到另一扇門(這似乎犯了中國風水的忌諱);打開之後才知道原來裡面是浴室。位在房間中央的浴室,兩旁分別有獨立的床鋪、桌子、電視、冰箱、空調以及其他該有的設備;這樣的空間設計,提供了相當程度的個人隱私,我們兩個都非常喜歡。最棒的是,價格竟等同一般的twin!已知有business twin的:東京蒲田東口、京都四條大宮、新大阪中央口本舘以及新大阪中央口新舘。【东横Inn商务双人房】
Free breakfast of Toyoko Inn—東橫Inn免鋃早餐

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In November 2007, A-Mao did business trip with engineer R for 7 days in Japan. We visited one company near by Asakusa, and then I took him to Sensouji to ask for a safe & fruitful trip from the Guanyin. After that, I chose a tempura restaurant at random without R's comment because he really has no idea about Japanese cuisines. After googling the words on the bowl lid in photos several months later, I knew Sansada is a famous & historic one. Both of us went for Tendon then, including fried a half of eggplant, a piece of squid, two shrimps (very fresh) & one whole whiting (my favorite). The rice is al dente, whereas the source is as flavorful as tasteful. For comparison, however, next time I would like to visit another famous tempura restaurant in Asakusa, Daikokuya.
2007年11月與R同學到扶桑國出差七日,一日上午拜訪一家在「淺草」附近的客戶後,就近帶他去A-Mao已經去過四次的淺草寺逛逛,並參拜了「觀音」,保佑此行能順利接單回台灣。時近中午,兩個人便開始覓食,以儲備下午拜訪下一個客戶的能量。在日本問他想吃啥,他的回答永遠是:你決定就好啦。自雷門一出來左轉,血糖甚低的A-Mao就亂選了一家滿有江戶情調的店家吃天丼。回來看看照片,按照碗蓋上的文字Google一下,才發現無心挑的,竟是大名鼎鼎的老店「三定」。我說R同學......不知不覺中,我們還應驗了一句俗諺:「一に浅草、二に観音、三に三定の天ぷら」喔!話說碗蓋一掀開,麻油伴著醬汁的香氣就迷人地竄起。炸天婦羅有一隻沙鮻(キス,發音同kiss的日文;漢字:鱚)、兩隻蝦子、一塊烏賊以及半個切成扒子狀的茄子。炸粉不是裹得很厚,所以在用碗蓋悶過後,導致外皮不會特別酥脆;不過一嗑下去,除了揚物帶給人的飽足感,舌頭就能直接嘗到食材原來的風味。茄子和烏賊算是普通、蝦子彈牙鮮甜、最棒的是那一整條沙鮻,非常豐腴厚肉,完全沒半點腥味。日本米飯硬是比台灣好吃是不用說的,這家老店的醬汁特別馥郁濃稠,鹹鹹甜甜的,讓饑腸轆轆的兩人捧著碗,一直吃到見底才肯罷手。【浅草三定天妇罗】

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Now kaiten-zushi is not special in metropolises, but Tachigui (stand-up eating) sushi seems cool & interesting to me. Magurobito (Tuna People) Kaminarimon Shucchoujo is near by Sensouji and their price is so affordable. Basically, if you order one ingredient, nigiri-zushi (hand-formed sushi) or gunkan-maki (warship roll) would be served in pairs. This time A-Mao tasted 8 kinds or 18 ones (7 x 2 + 1 x 2 x 2 = 18). As soon as I finished a nice one, I kept the other and ordered the next. The following are TOP 5.
迴轉寿司不稀奇,站著吃寿司才叫酷!在浅草寺的雷門附近,就有「まぐろ人雷門出張所」(まぐろ漢字:鮪),在非用餐時段吧台旁竟站滿了客人,A-Mao看一下店門前的菜單,價格還算合理,就進去體驗「立喰い鮨」囉。基本上,客人點一種食材,除非特別聲明,板前一定會給你兩貫寿司。此次A-Mao吃了8種共18貫(7 x 2 + 1 x 2 x 2 = 18):每吃完一貫無敵好味,就再點另一種;既能把心頭好留到最後再一倂享用,大家還能排排坐拍個紀念照,多好!自左而右:
1. Uni (sea urchin): The chef always picked the best ingredients for me maybe because of my poor Japanese. This urchin is the hugest I ever see, and it is the best experience when the whole warship sunk in my mouth.
2. Ika (squid): Although the price is cheap, the kind chef made this fresh piece more than decent.

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Surprisingly, Japanese is much more useful than English in Busan, the largest port city in South Korea. After googling, the result makes sense that this city is so close to Japan, and it takes 1.5 hour from Osaka by plane, whereas it takes 3 hours from Fukuoka by ferry. By the way, I changed tourist information with an old lady, a lonely & kind backpacker from Kumamoto, on my way to Beomeosa, a must-see temple. Let's get back to foods. When A-Mao arrived in Busan by KTX, an alluring smell of beef was floating in the underground passage connecting Busan station to the opposite Chinatown, or Shanghai Street. I therefore was liked a rat hearing the march from "the Pied Piper of Hamelin" and found this restaurant. One of their young waitresses speaks Japanese well and suggested their beef soup. The kimchi is all-you-can-eat which the best kimchi is in my whole life.
很意外的,在釜山這個韓國最大的港口城市,日語居然遠遠比英語還要通行無阻喔!回台灣Google一下,才發現原來釜山離日本那麼近,舉例來說:從大阪飛過去只花一個半小時;從福岡坐船過去也不過三個小時。(那麼用游的呢?)值得記上一筆的是,在坐地鐵去梵魚寺的途中,還跟鄰座來自日本「熊本」,一個人獨自旅行的親切歐巴桑交換旅遊情報咧!再回到吃的:搭了韓國高鐵KTX抵達釜山火車站,五臟廟早已在高唱空城記。從站前廣場走下通到對面看似比較有食物的地下道,在分別有左右往上走樓梯口,自一個可前進左轉的小小入口中,飄散出濃濃的牛肉香味;A-Mao如同聽到「斑衣吹笛人」之魔音的老鼠,只差沒手舞足蹈地茫然跺進這家餐廳。也許是當時一身旅人的行頭,一個韓國正妹(這妞兒一定也整過型)過來一開口,就用超級流暢的日文接待。她推薦了「超人気」的牛肉湯、並告知兩罈泡菜是「無料」地「奉仕」(愛吃多少就用力吃多少啦)。這,就是A-Mao此行嚐過“最最不凡”的泡菜。

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Thanks to Korea Tourism Organization. I got a free but exclusive Chinese-speaking tour guide at Gyeongbokgung for 2 hours and really enjoyed it. He highly recommended Tosokchon & their Samgyetang (or chicken ginseng soup) for a lunch near by the palace. Before my first Samgyetang, as usual, I had kimchi as appetizer. It is average, and I couldn’t tell what the difference between these two daikon kimchi is.
在韓國觀光公社提供的免鋃中文導遊之帶領下,花不到一個上午,就悠閒又詳細地逛完整個「景福宮」。之後問這位專屬於A-Mao兩個小時的導遊,附近有啥好吃的餐廳?他強力推薦土俗村這間餐廳。本來想邀請他共享,謝謝他pro的解說;不過想想,人家阮囊實在羞澀……進門點了導遊特別交代的蔘雞湯(日文:サムゲタン),一碟白菜與兩碟蘿蔔泡菜、和辣椒醬及大蒜片被送上來了。嘴巴刁鑽如我,竟然分辨不出那兩碟蘿蔔泡菜的差異;不過因為這裡的泡菜並不是特別突出(也不會特別失色啦),研究了五分鐘後就宣告放棄。

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From my point of view, Itaewon in which a local landmark Hamilton Hotel can be found is the most non-Korean area in Seoul for tourists. Slightly similar with "Khao San Road" in Bangkok & "Pham Ngu Lao" in Ho Chi Minh, there are lots of stores, bars & restaurants earning money from foreigners. If you don't have much budget for sleeping, I recommend a sauna in the basement of Hamilton Hotel because it's cheap and near by the subway station. But the ceiling of sleeping area is so low that you have to watch your head, and you may lie next to a guy snoring loudly. In Taiwan, anyway, dolsot bibimbap is my favorite Korean cuisine. It is served in a very hot stone bowl in which a raw egg & seasoned vegetables with chili pepper paste is cooked against the sides of the bowl, and the layer of the rice touching the bowl is golden brown & crispy. I ordered this in Itaewon which is a colorful one but the most distasteful dish during this travel time.

漫步在南韓首都,常常會不經意撞見古色古香的古蹟;個人認為首爾市最不韓流的地方,當屬「梨泰院」了吧?韓戰後,美軍在附近設置軍營,當中也免不了有不少美韓混血兒居住在該處;在民族主義作祟下,他們被稱為「異胎」,所以起初當地叫「異胎院」;後來因為不雅,才改成今日的名稱。經過一番發展,成了一個富異國氛圍的遊客區:走沒幾步就看到掛著「Exchange」和「両替」外幣兌換亭、連在路上行走的外國人的密度也特別高,略有曼谷的「考山路」及胡志明的「范五老」之情調。韓國飯店索費不貲,為了節省旅費,流浪到首爾時,A-Mao大都睡在梨泰院漢彌敦飯店……地下一樓的三溫暖。設備對於一個只求簡單梳洗及睡眠的背包客來說,還算是及格;只不過,在進睡眠區前可千萬得作些心理準備,準備看到一狗票韓國人像屍體般(特別是經過一場戰爭的那種;納粹集中營的毒氣室可能也相差無幾),七零八落地躺在燈光昏暗又要彎腰駝背才能前進的空間中。話說有一晚要進漢彌敦三溫暖前,心血來潮,在鶯鶯燕燕的梨泰院巷弄中,找了間小店跟阿珠媽要了石鍋拌飯,嗯……這看似營養豐富的一頓,也是個人覺得此行最不韓流的一餐。

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Regarding marinated raw crab I encountered in Busan, there are two versions: soy sauce one with lemon & pepper and spicy one which is wrapped in so much red sauce that I almost couldn’t see its shape. I wasn’t hungry then, and its price isn’t cheap, but it will be tried when I go there next time duo to reviews from the other bloggers & its egg yolk inside.
釜山的札嘎其市場內巧遇有賣醬蟹(或叫生醃螃蟹;日文:ケジャン)的店家,看起來有兩種版本:可能會辣死人的那種,紅通通的醬料多到已經讓人看不太清楚蟹形、以及生螃蟹浸在檸檬醬油的那種,但還是加了很多辣椒。當時不太餓、價格問了也不便宜、那時更不知道韓國人亦稱之為「飯盜」,於是拍了些照片就走人了;但是,現在瞭解了它的味道鮮美,下次有機會再去一定要嘗嘗。
For experience & energy, I tasted Balut (half-hatched duck egg) in Vietnam, and it really worked but made me feel disgusted. However, I’m a fan for roast suckling pig expressing soft texture & crispy skin. During walking around in Jinhae in which lots of cherry blossom trees crazily flowering in April, I encountered this baby pig being turned. After inquiring its price, I sadly left because I was on a tight budget.
於滿坑滿谷都是櫻花的鎮海閒逛,剛好碰到一個臨時市集,還有一場高中樂儀隊表演;雖然超級破爛,A-Mao還是很開心的看完並用力拍手。之後就是覓食時間啦!雖然鴨仔蛋讓我有作嘔的感覺(啊在越南吃過,真的是感到很補耶),烤乳豬卻一直是我偏愛的美食,沒想到韓國也有。在路經一家香味四溢的攤位,發現了這隻旋轉中的豬寶寶,吞了口口水問了價錢,阿珠媽竟開價2萬韓鋃!二話不說,夾著尾巴閃人;唉!果然是要努力工作賺鋃啊。
Buy the way, by the way—哇哩還Buy the way咧

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When it comes to cold noodles in East Asia, I experienced three already: Taiwanese type with sesame source, Soba mainly served with dashi in Japan and Mul Naengmyeon in Korea, a cold soup with the noodles contained in broth and the boiled egg, meat & vegetables added. In fact, there is the other variety called Bibim Naengmyeon, served as more of a salad in a spicy dressing, but my guess for my tong the free kimchi is enough.
說到東亞冷的麵食,台客有涼麵(芝蔴大蒜味)、倭寇有冷蕎麥麵(昆布柴魚海苔味)、而高麗棒子也有水冷麵(牛骨高湯芝麻海苔辣椒味);還有一種是拌冷麵,光看就狠辣所以敬謝不敏。活到三十歲嚕,A-Mao的評價是水冷麵>冷蕎麥麵>涼麵;唉,不要問太多,純粹個人喜好。涼麵是小時候桃園國小福利社賣的「可口涼麵」最好吃(想當年,一盒十鋃;好不容易上一節下課排隊買到,下一節下課就衝到花園嗑掉)、冷蕎麥麵在日本還沒吃過難吃的(不像在台灣,在當地吃飯要碰到地雷是很罕見滴)、而水冷麵在韓國吃到了兩碗都是隨機、但是不可多得的好味。
Jinhae is famous for its annual festival on white cherry blossom grown during the Japanese occupation period. Before leaving this beautiful harbor, I ordered one mul naengmyeon in a BBQ restaurant. It was so hard to chew that sooner or latter a nice waitress bought a specialized pair of scissors and cut the noodles. Very appetizing in the summer.這碗是在鎮海看完白色的櫻花鬧得滿城飛花後吃的:麵條非常有彈性……有彈性到很難咬斷。說時遲、那時快,一位阿珠媽過來用桌上的剪刀處理一下,就很方便食用啦!冷冷的牛骨湯喝起來是甜甜辣辣、加上海苔與芝麻,開胃非常。 Suwan is near by Seoul, and there is a World Heritage, Hwaseong, took me a whole afternoon for climbing. After that, my body ordered mul naengmyeon again and then I found this one, much spicier than the former. However, both are as balanced as delicious because the latter was added some ices.
這碗是A-Mao活著爬完一整座華城後在水原吃的:水冷麵上來時已經先剪過了(残念);這一家的口味較上一家辣、不過有加上一坨碎冰的關係,整體吃起來也是種特別的平衡耶(冰火五重天)。麵條彈牙依然;還有第一次吃到黃色的蘿蔔泡菜。 Spring water over brims the streams—春水滿四澤

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