Sails through the Fiord land National Park of New Zealand/Carlos Pueblo

Sails through the Fiord land National Park of New Zealand/Carlos Pueblo

The Captain takes the ship sailing through the famous fiord land of New Zealand, the Milford Sound, Doubtful Fjord, and Dusky Fjord during the three different time interval of the day. The melting water from the glacier on the top of the Alps to form deep lakes and release the water falling from the sky. There are similar scenic cruise in Alaska, Norway, and the South America with some difference each other.

I had my tripod set on Deck 14 right above the poolside deck 13 on a small platform. The Pentax was on manual mode while the Lumix was an insurance was still on auto code. It was wet and the water falls were very active created huge steam along with the fall of water to the sea. No huge wave on the water way where the ship passing through just small wave between the cliff. Suddenly it rained with huge wind and made everyone scrambling for cover. I was even in worse condition because of the tripod and the small umbrella to cover the equipment. Later, I tried the Cafeteria and Spinnaker Lounge with windows affecting the photographing. It is much closer in distance between the ship and the cliff than in Alaska Glaciers. Different nations have different policies to protect these treasury.

After about 2 hours sailing on the Milford, the Captain took us out of the Sound and sailing toward the second, the Doubtful Fjord at about 2:00 pm exact. The Doubtful is smaller in size in compare to the Milford yet is still very amazingly beautiful. I can see some glacier on top of the mountains far away with a help of my binoculars. It was cold outside and the rain made it uncomfortable. I was tired and took a nap to wait for the third one to visit. I sat inside a restaurant by the window and witness the miracle scenery.

搭巨型郵輪飄過紐西蘭南島西南三峭壁/莊峻華

搭巨型郵輪飄過紐西蘭南島西南三峭壁/莊峻華

船離雪黎港，航行東南向兩日夜，抵達箸名之紐西蘭南島西南三峭壁，彌爾福特，道特佛，和達斯基，而且時間也非常準確之估計，這是紐國之峭壁國家公園，船上之節目部主人，擔任介紹，十分清楚明了，這三峭壁與阿拉斯加之冰洲峭壁，是有不同，冰洲之大小也，紐國三峭壁，峽谷規模稍小，峭壁挺峻，瀑布壯觀，只不見山峰積雪冰洲，我懷疑這些瀑布之足夠水源。

我無經驗，一聽廣播，就在船頂觀望台，架設三角架，更換500呎廣角鏡，更換手操作相機，而且尚稱就緒，這時後洋台觀看者尚渺，只是好景不常，馬上刮大風下起冰雨，我連忙撐起小紅傘，已經是狼狽不堪，勉強收拾完畢，走回自助餐廳，已經客滿為患，船前史賓客樂觀望大廳酒吧，也是擠滿觀望乘客，我發現只能手提相機拍照，我是來回乘客，尚有一次機會。幾座瀑布，水源充足，李白將進酒曰，黃河之水天上來，這峭壁瀑布，真是從天而下，而且水似煙霧迷漫，十分壯觀美麗。這彌爾福特峭壁第一美，約兩小時不到通過。

第二座是道特佛，英譯懷疑意，我需要看拍攝相片，始得回憶其特點，這是在下午兩點通過，達斯基一直到下午五點通過，這些峭壁遠處，都有冰洲高山，只是近處山頂，看不到積雪，一直到回程於威靈頓博物館，觀看跳山影片，始印證山頂是有積雪，融雪後匯集成瀑布，從山頂飛奔而下。

整日折騰，我已甚疲倦，最後之峭壁行，我已經在房間休息，而且準備晚餐去也。

Learning how to use the camera manually/Carlos Pueblo

Learning how to use the camera manually/Carlos Pueblo

During my travelling, I always carry cameras to catch photos which are interested to me and become my collection; however, some of the scenery are pretty hard for me to make them successful such as too bright on the back ground and a moving object, etc. Learning how to use the camera manually is my goal on this cruise trip in New Zealand and Australia. Luckily, I ran into a kind photographer on the camera department, Engelbert S. Rias and with his patient advice, I started my Pentax shooting manually and still kept my Lumix as a back up to avoid sudden jam on the manual set up.

Actually, there are three numbers which determined the manual technique, the shuttle speed, the shuttle lens width, and the brightness of the lens or called ISO. He gave me a sheet photo on my i-phone in case I need it to be rescued at jam. Jam means that I can't get the shot. Thee three numbers can be in good coordination to make a shot, a clean shot. I learn that in case of to dark inside, I can use the flash light to help to rescue my error and sometime it works.

My previous failure has been the glaciers in Alaska because that they are too bright and I must respond it to an adequate ISO, speed, and lens open width altogether. His manager, Eugene, also advises me to take a lesson on You Tube and I don't know if I am ready to have that lesson. I also like to have the portrait of my lovely adopted daughters on board. They are young and beautiful, hard working and good personality, and furthermore with touching stories behind them of their helping their family at home. I always send back our together pictures to them with my best regards. Going on cruise is just like coming home. I wish that I can use one of my small portrait lens to make portrait shot. I gather their photos with many flowers photos from the famous gardens all over the world.

I also ran into another expert in photography, Nancy Poitzsch from Germany. She flipped her works on her nice Sony camera. She has taken many wild animals large and small in Australia. I can see how excellent of her works. She would edit her works into a book and sell them to the publisher for mass printing. One night, I mentioned her to Engelbert and there she was passing by. Amazingly to watch these two camera experts to discuss cameras and photography. On the last night, she was taping her i-phone to a video with the cruise ginger bread houses for Christmas with a help of a toy that I believe to be for her own You Tube show.

相機操作雅興/莊峻華

相機操作雅興/莊峻華

旅行攜帶相機拍照留念，是一嗜好，遺憾者為不黯相機操作，偶有漏失，例如阿拉斯加冰洲，還有船行中，無法劫獲沿岸美景等，過去我常在郵輪船上，請教拍照店職員，請他們重新調好相機自動拍照設點，讓我能恢復拍攝，他們均建議，使用如此相機，應該使用手調相機法，發揮最大功能，這次上郵輪，我下定決心，開始學習手操作法，除兩相機外，我再攜帶三種不同功用之鏡頭，和一三角架，稍微不便，但是一決心，我主要的目的是人物美女，花朵，和美景。一位攝影師，耐心指導我兩整天，甚至隨時解決我之疑難，因此，我已經開始使用手操作一相機，另一稍小型相機，自動備用，雖然尚不理想，但已有頭緒，回家後，把舊相機取出，我有三只數位相機，三組不同鏡頭備用，有兩舊底片拍攝相機，按照這位老師之看法，這種相機相片，品質更佳，我也剛使用智慧型手機，在船上也遇到一位德國小姐專業攝影師，手機製作影片，相機蒐集產品，提供出版，這位相師小姐芳名為南西。波易特斯奇，我的師父是英格伯特。李亞斯，是位英俊菲律賓青年。

手操作相機要點有三，就是在拍照時之光速，如125就是125分之一秒，容許光線進入，第二個數目是光圈之大小，數目越大，光圈越小，數目越小，則光圈越大，第三個數目是光度，數目越小，光度小，越大則光度越高，此三數目，有一參考表，老師將它拍攝到我之手機，隨時參考調整，一次找不到老師，他之經理，也是善人曰，三數目可以調整，只要相片影像清淅即可，一夜郵輪派他來拍攝晚餐相片，我之立姿照，令我手不釋卷，真是上品，相機品型，與我之相機相似，真是不同功夫，他說可以在網誌中，習得操作技術。

我家中老電腦中，儲存一些旅行經過之花園，也收集三百八十餘位美女合照相片，這些美女多半是在船上工作之愛女，像花朵一般之美麗，高雅之氣質，和藹親切之態度，勤奮向上，我真想學會藝術肖像拍攝，送給她們留念，我也可以在我文章中，表達我愛慕欣賞之心境。

Visiting the University of Sydney Campus, Australia/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting the University of Sydney Campus, Australia/Carlos Pueblo

After a 17 hours long haul air flight from Dallas, Texas to Sydney, Australia, I carried two camera bags and hauled two luggage and marched to the airport train station to take a train to its down town main station and found a bus stop to visit the University of Sydney Campus. I always like to visit the University to fulfill a life time wish to see the late Professor Hou Jia-ju's Alma Mater. He was my 8th grade Chinese Language Art teacher at my home town on the southern rural town of Huwei for a semester while he was waiting for his Australian Government Scholarship to have his graduate study at the University. I visited his wife who was also my elementary teacher after he left for Sydney to get his address in Australia. He was very nice to write back to my letters and introduce the country. He is my inspiration role model at my young age to study abroad. I still remember my two visits to his home in his teaching University of Suchow in suburban Taipei in 1968 and his dean office of that institution at downtown Taipei by the Presidential Palace.

The University itself is astonishing in size and architecture full of the appearance of the British Empire Greatness. Of course, I couldn't walk too far with heavy luggage and I at least made to the newer building of the Economic Department after a distinguished US Study School, and some significant buildings. I was not sure that Economic Building was the one of his research; however, I was there and done it. After his returning to Taiwan, he became famous both in academic and consulted with several national government projects. I wrote a piece on my blog several years ago to remember him and his wife as a memory and got some interests from his former students who knew him.

I went back to the main station and hop on another bus to the circular quay terminal to board on the Jewel. I was very fatigue and even took a nap while waiting to get on the ship. The world famous Sydney Opera House is right by the ship. I could have a good view to see the building and traffic of visitors.

拜訪澳洲雪黎大學校園/莊峻華

拜訪澳洲雪黎大學校園/莊峻華

這次紐西蘭郵輪旅行，是在澳洲雪黎市上船，我查飛機抵達行程，再請教當地人士，拜訪雪黎大學校園，尤其是經濟系，時間應該是綽綽有餘，於是我背著兩相機，一三角架包，拖上兩行李，搭上雪黎輕軌，從機場到總站，再拖行李走下購物中心，搭市巴士到雪大校園，這時候經過者，皆為這231年城市之鬧區，建築宏偉，真有大英帝國之風範，歌德式維多莉亞建築和近代新穎高樓大廈比鄰，顯露出澳洲第一大埠之富裕。我之選擇此郵輪旅行，一則慕雪大之名，此中有一緣起，我曾在部落格中介紹過恩師，侯家駒先生，他在虎中擔任我初二上之國文老師，就是在等候雪大澳洲政府獎學金，果然選上，學期結束，就隻身整裝出國，師母沈翠瑩，也是安慶國小恩師，和兩小男孩，則先在虎尾等候，我常拜望在梅光樓宿舍之沈師，得到侯師通訊住址，於是我開始與恩師通信，他也耐心回信，他是私塾教育出身，漢學根基扎實，我的漢學興趣，受其影響至巨，主要的是他對我出國勵志，有莫大鼓勵。

拖笨重行李行軍，非常不便，但雪大校園，確實令人肅然起敬，我看到的英帝國大學，都是如此，連美國都是如此，休市中小學校，資源不匱，蓋得比若干國家大學還結實。我經過一美國問題研究院，就隨便左轉，到一健身中心，肯定經濟學系之位置，我想拍攝留念，這經濟系大樓新穎，不像是57年前，恩師深造博士之處，我仍舊照上幾張相片。雪大校園廣闊，拖行李參觀，非常侷促，只得轉回車站，換車到郵輪碼頭，而且我甚疲倦，達拉斯直奔雪黎17小時航程。

澳洲雪黎市馳名全球之歌劇院，就在郵輪碼頭旁，我上船後，連忙休息，一直到郵輪催促航海救生講習。

Happy Holidays 2020/Carlos Pueblo

Happy Holidays 2020/Carlos Pueblo

2019 is coming to an end and I like to send my greeting to friends all over the world. It has been a very good year for me as a cruise traveler during this year that I have done 8 times on various routes, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal transit, Alaska, Maritime Canadian Provinces, and the recent New Zealand trip. I find that the cruising during the winter and the summer to avoid the heat way and the cold current in Houston is very enjoyable for me at the old age. I shall repeat it again in just a month to Bangkok with a land and sea combined 19 days trip.

After the trips, I always write my blog on site to describe places where I have visited and friends whom I have met. The last late spring, I was in England for a long land trip to be experienced with the canals and rivers in England and also stayed two weeks in London especially for the early roses blooming on three Royal Parks.

Both our children, Michelle and Arthur, are doing well on their jobs and manage their life very well. He stays home with us for his night shift job with a supermarket while she lives in Austin, Texas for her job assignment with a consulting firm. We're going to visit her this afternoon. Amy has her vivid life at home with two eldest sisters near by, a new church with plenty activities every week. I walk 2.2 miles every day at the subdivision to visit my pet dog friends except on Saturday morning to play man tennis league games. The rest of my day I am occupied with writing, napping, and watching the political program, free movies, and some old popular hits and pianos. I dare to say that I am in paradise.

I haven't write to you for my annual greeting for quite some time and this is a good time to report it to you and wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Years, including the Lunar New Years.

新年賀喜2020/莊峻華

新年賀喜2020/莊峻華

舊年19將過，新年20即到，僅此賀喜，我也有好幾年，不曾向各位請安，藉此良機，恭喜大家新年快樂。我先簡單之報告，這些年來，家裡之生活狀況，我在01年喪失大盤石保險契約後，幾次想重返職場，一直都未成功，其中有一次當高維斯頓高中老師兩個月，兩次重回保險業，都在半年之譜，幸好在18年前，安排兩家產物保險契約公司代理，一直到目前都仍有效，年底將因瀆職保險費高，辭去一家汽車險，仍維持州屋保險代理，和聯邦洪水險等固有客戶，幾十年舊客戶，尚有壽險問題，與我討論，我的收入都靠社會安全金，和701/2歲最低領取退休計劃金額，當作年收入。

愛美也有她自己之財務安排，她也在62歲提前領社會安全金，同時掌理自己財務，我們按規矩繳月費，非常詳細合理，所以沒有家政爭執問題，我們將元兒留在家裡，鼓勵他儲蓄，所有問題，都先從經濟財務上解決，他在同一超市工作11年。琳兒仍在同一商業顧問公司上班，比較辛苦，但待遇高，除退休金外，她也投資房屋，家住州府奧斯汀。

我的日常生活，非常規律，早睡早起，清晨散步2.2哩，多半是拜訪鄰居愛犬，和一些愛犬主人聊天，然後就躲在室內，觀看網誌，就是台灣之政治節目，免費電影，和一些老熱門歌曲等，其餘時間，都在寫作，我經營之部落格，有3200篇，讀者遍佈全球，目前多半是遊記，我旅行過之全球大小城市。

昨夜，剛從澳洲雪黎市，搭機返家，如此郵輪旅行，今年有八次，非常忙祿，再一個月，我們要到曼谷東南亞洲19日，然後又是一年旅行計劃，很久不曾回台灣，也需要牙齒維護，祝大家新年假日愉快，聖誕日和舊曆新年快樂。

Purchase shoes on black Friday week/Carlos Pueblo

Purchase shoes on black Friday week/Carlos Pueblo

The day after Thanksgiving is called black Friday, after that 4th Thursday of November, to kick off the Christmas shopping of the year. Now, the mall has extended the black Friday to the entire week for shoppers to arrange their schedule. I accompanied Amy's dress shopping to purchase shoes on my reserve list of my tennis. We went to the Katy Mall, an out let stores about 25 miles away. An outlet mall is famous for discount of out of fashion items from their regular stores at the regular mall inside the city. She tells me that this week is 50% off plus her favorite store has additional 10% off and another 10% off for using the store exclusive credit card.

I knew what I was looking for, located the section of the shoe store, and found the one shoe which I liked to have, the cheapest one. There were three available and I bought them all which would last a while for me. I don't need to worry Donald Trump's increase of the tariff to Chinese goods because that I just simply not shopping any longer. Now, I have had four new shoes for tennis, two used for my morning walk, and three beat up shoes for lawn mowing. Shoes and boxes are full on my storage at the garage.

There was always an issue for my lack of shoes to wear before the end of my army service or before my era of earn income. I always run into the wear off shoe bottom and before is lack of fund to purchase a new one. Now I am alright with the money and I still am very frugal only buy shoes on sale disregard of styles. This will make me very flexible in size selection due to the availability. I was a teacher in Taiwan that my students noticed my leather dress shoes were larger than my actual sizes of feet. Therefore, I always keep additional shoes available in case of need and without sale at hand.

I still have a good memory of shoes repair in Taiwan. I watched the shoe repair at a corner of the street to cut the shape of the leather and hand saw it on the bottom of the shoes. One day, I checked on the Google to find the shoe repair store nearby my home. A quote came back with the price more than what I paid for that pairs in Argentina; therefore, I might keep them for future yard work.

Amy finished her shopping and woke up me waiting at the lobby. She said that it was not expensive at all and I should try to buy something. I am very frugal and I am taking an old suit for my cruise trip Friday. It costs me nothing and makes my daughters on board very happy that I dress up to visit them.

購買球鞋/莊峻華

購買球鞋/莊峻華

昨日隨愛美，遠赴凱蒂鎮大商店，購買球鞋，她說這是黑色星期五週，東西折扣出售，我剛好需要準備一雙球鞋備用，現用球鞋，鞋底開始磨壞，備用一雙，已經開始派上用場，所以多買一雙，也無甚浪費，這些商店，多半將過時存貨，折扣賣出，我習慣找到男鞋部，迅速發現三雙適穿球鞋，於是一口氣買下，然後坐在商店間沙發，觀看來往購物者，這是感恩節一週，商店尚未忙祿，因我週五離開，所以提早來購物，愛美一直算多少折扣，半折後再百分之十，使用店信用卡，再百分之十，她說商人如何賺錢？我說滯銷才賠錢。

講到穿鞋，我有我的看法，當兵完前，我一直有布鞋困難，因為家境拮据，經常鞋底磨破，而無法更換，非常忍耐，我穿過賊市皮鞋，這些小販將收集來舊皮鞋，糊上一層假紙皮，打拌後廉價賣出，我都覺得不衛生，當老師後，開始有固定收入，我都買店裡滯銷貨，因此鞋稍大號，行走有聲音，但我毫不在意，一直到九十年代網球前，我都穿廉價步鞋，當時就是偶爾打壘球等，平常穿皮鞋。恢復網球運動後，開始我還好奇請教這些不同歸類之球鞋，現在已經是清楚如何購買，便宜即可也。

鞋底磨損，我就將其打入散步用，抑或割草用，雨天我不會散步或割草，鞋無入水之慮，倒是網球劇烈，鞋底需穩定可靠，如今我有很多可穿用之鞋，家裡最多又常見之物，就是鞋架，鞋櫃等，而且有皮鞋底磨損，尚不知如何楚置？丟掉又想起過去之困境，所以堆在車庫。

Receiving gift chives/Carlos Pueblo

Receiving gift chives/Carlos Pueblo

The chives is an onion family or something related to garlic by its common English name with garlic chives. It is very common now a day on the oriental super market. It is very easy to grow on the yard with a small space. What I do with the chives is unique, I cook my breakfast with eggs and the chives, usually the bottom part of the stem to replace the onion white for flavor then scramble the pan till it is done. Amy would buy a small batch of the chives every week if she remembers. Mrs. Chiu Ying Lee, an old friend, gives us a whole bunch of the chives this time almost every year. She has a small garden on her back yard used to be for roses and now chives and is very successful. She is one of the two families which I pick the persimmon often.

I sometimes regret that I have missed the joy of growing something enough on my back yard in my life. If there is an acres lot of my house, I can till some part to grown fruits, flowers, and vegetables, etc. Now I barely make it to a 8000 square feet lot with lawn of some fruits trees and flowers not that organized. It might be easier just go to the market to get what I need. I find that is easier to walk in the morning on the neighbors and enjoy their nice garden instead.

I know two friends who go out to the city to have lands, 50 acres or 100 acres in size. One makes a lot with well water to help her to grow something. It is too far for me to get her gift during harvest. I can't imagine the hundred acres farm which he can only let the hay grows. The U.S. is a nation of abundance that grows too much to serve as a gift to the needed part of the world.

受贈韭菜/莊峻華

受贈韭菜/莊峻華

昨夜，愛美禮拜回家，攜帶一包韭菜，是北市郊秋英姊贈物，她專長韭菜種稙，後院一小塊地，可以生產大量韭菜，她說種韭菜，比玫瑰花容易，約三十餘年前，這後院是一美麗玫瑰花園，現在除韭菜外，尚有一株台灣蕃石榴，前院有株柿，若豐收季，晚秋時，我可以採柿。

我的早餐，需要一盤青菜，就是蛋炒青菜，青菜之一，韭菜也，平常愛美一週買回一束，我就取上一小部分切細，韭白部當蔥爆香，然後敲蛋入熱鍋，置入其餘，非常容易，若無韭菜，則以山東白，或蕃茄代替，我現在越來越享受矣，也有豬肉鬆，花生，和澤庵，若有海苔醬，其不更理想？

我家後院，車庫與籬巴間，有塊小地，因在樹蔭下，稙物不易生長，我從茶花女街，移來幾小叢韭菜，七年後，僅存幾根，非常遺憾，有時後迫不得已，需要割取採用，這又讓我想起有後院花園或菜園之美夢，一夜，我從新竹車站，隨瑞耀兄趕回苗栗頭汾，在超市買上一包凍水餃，回其農舍，他就半夜到旁邊農田拔幾根蔥，非常羅曼蒂克。

Visiting a friend in New York City 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting a friend in New York City 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Before the cruise, I made an appointment for a lunch with a friend of my elder brother, Patrick Chen at Flushing. After the disembark, I carried the luggage on 49th Street from the 12th Avenue of the pier crossing the 11th, 10th, 9th, to reach the 8th Avenue subway station, then took #7 to the final station. Pat came in to a gas station across a mall to pick me up. He lives out side of Flushing without subway facility. In late 1975 or early 1976, I was traveling across the U.S. and came to NYC to meet my brother Yancy. He was on his way to Houston for a new job. He took me to join a protest against the Nationalist Chinese rule in Taiwan specifically for a man called Ya Tsan Pai. He was sentenced to life in prison due to a simple question to then a vice premier, Chin Kuo Chiang, how much he paid for estate tax when his father Chiang Kai-sek died in 1975? Patrick was in that car to the front of White House with me. Later, Yancy told me many stories of their singles club at that time in New York.

There was this story which Yancy had mentioned throughout the years about a gift which Pat asked him to carry to a pretty girl in Taipei. The girl was a banker and was from a graduate of a prestige university in Taiwan. Yancy thought that was a match maker between the two, Yancy and the girl. It didn't turn out well at the end. Yet Pat and Yancy are still remember the last name of the pretty girl and still discuss about her. Pat was an excellent student when he was at the junior high school and passed both entrance examinations to the #1 senor high school in Taipei and also a famous 5 years technical school. He selected the later for a quick engineer career at that time. After the graduation, he came to Stony Brook, the State University of New York for the graduate study with a scholarship. He told me that on the first year his professor already introduced him to work at an engineering firm in NYC. After a brief employment with a large firm, he joined a partner to make computer board business. Gradually, he made another change to be a business venture broker. He is a real story of a successful immigrant.

Several years ago, I visited him with Yong's family from Staten Island. He treated us at a very nice Taiwanese restaurant some where at Flushing. I like to pay him back of his kindness and talk to this enjoyable company. He rejects the idea of me to buy him a lunch instead postpone my treat till his visit to Houston. He took me to a nice Korean restaurant with excellent Kim-chee side dishes. Even the waitress speaks Mandarin Chinese.

紐約訪友2, 2019/莊峻華

紐約訪友2, 2019/莊峻華

從曼哈頓碼頭下船，需要走49,或50街，橫跨12,11,10.9,到8大道地下鐵車站，然後搭乘地下鐵，到法拉盛華埠，我將拜望阿火兄，他是家兄峻嚴居紐約之好友，我們有緣，見過幾次面，我都留下美憶，第一次是75年，我雲遊美國，跑到紐約市，參加華府白雅燦示威，阿火兄是位風趣健談者，第二次是他來休市拜訪大客戶，來峻嚴家，約是80年前，因為峻嚴婚事，與我有關，有不成一件又與阿火有關，他們都津津樂道，12年回台灣，在虎尾舊空軍基地附近，巧遇一位美麗之女校長，她說阿火是其姊夫，隨後我經紐約到華府賞櫻，就設法拜望，他都非常熱烈招待，他是一位典型成功之移民。

他是桃園人，家境也是清寒，甚能讀書，初中畢業後，同時考上台北工專和建國中學，他選責工專，五年畢業後，服完兵役，他就取得石溪紐約州大獎學金來美，兩年研究所內，他就已經在紐約市兼職，畢業後，在一家大公司工作些時，就自行創業，做電腦底板生意，後來轉入買賣生意，也加入客戶投資，這次我想拜望他，就是想答謝他幾年前，慨邀請台菜料理晚餐一事，結果還是他們夫婦請客，我們到一家法拉盛韓國餐廳，這家餐廳泡菜很好，一解我三週船上口饞。

他是從法拉盛車站附近之一家大商場，將我帶到稍郊外之住家，他解釋一下這種房產所有權，與傳統房產產權有別，我能了解，現在休市豪華老人公寓，也有如此安排。他在我面前，當場與峻嚴通話，兩老人閒話當年，很多人地時事，峻嚴都與我描述過，非常親切，他是高爾夫球客，住家附近就有球場，於是我請教他高爾夫球入門。

紐約真是大都會，據他說日本料理，也非常普遍，非常精緻，我們用餐這家韓國餐廳，也是非常道地，連女侍者，都能華語。

Returning to visit Newport, Rhode Island 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Returning to visit Newport, Rhode Island 2019/Carlos Pueblo

The ship left Portland, Maine sailing south to Rhode Island at night. We arrived Newport at noon and scheduled to leave at 6:00 pm to NYC to complete the trip next morning. I watched the cross ocean bridge named after the late Senator Pell for his service contribution to the Nation. I also remember his spiritual support of Taiwanese pursuit of democracy under the Nationalist Chinese authoritarian rule. I asked the same sales clerk at the antic furniture store about his mansion on the Ocean Drive. She told me that required a vehicle to reach. I turned back to the City Center to visit again the Trinity Church and those 400 years old frame architecture still in excellent condition next to it.

The newer business area is on the other side of the church with busy crowds gathering. Basically, the city is a rich city with nice environment to attract visitors. We took the same tendering service provided by the ship back. I was sitting on the back of deck 12 cafeteria to watch the ship sailing out of the bay. I was caught by surprise that the same scenery as St. Lawrence River after Quebec City appeared to me. Luxury colorful Mansions on beautiful farms by the river. I have had such good memory of several places in both the U.S. and Canada which I call them the paradise. I didn't have my cameras at hand and even so I still couldn't take a good picture for such distance. I could only remind my daughters on the restaurant to watch such good view. I always admire their experience to see the whole world at young age.

Tomorrow morning, we'll be at Manhattan port early in the morning. I shall go to visit a friend at Flushing and have a lunch together. He was my brother's friend when he was in NYC in the mid-70's. I remembered him well and visited him once. He is a trained engineer and  now a successful business venture broker.

重訪羅德島州新港市2019/莊峻華

重訪羅德島州新港市2019/莊峻華

從緬因州波特蘭市南下，翌晨抵達羅德島州新港市，這是裴爾參議員之故鄉，非常親切，此次三週郵輪旅行，已近尾聲，天無不散之宴席，我開始與船上愛女一一道別，明晨，船直駛曼哈頓碼頭。我搭接駁船上岸，特別眺望那座跨海裴爾大橋，出入新港到新英格蘭大陸，我仍舊逛逛海岸碼頭店面，走向那座舊城堡商場古傢俱店，這位女士憶不得我之詢問裴爾，僅告知其住居，在大洋路郊外，需要開車，於是我從此放棄，走回郵局方向，再回城中心，參觀三一教堂，和附近四百年建築，而且很大部份是木屋。

我在稍新商市區，折回碼頭，行人多半來自郵輪，回船後，又去高爾夫練習場，整理行李。船在日落前啟錨，我已在十二層花園餐廳，船緩緩駛出新港，經過一美麗之農莊，這些農莊，屋舍色彩鮮明，紅瓦黃橙外表，有很多是豪華住宅，就像魁北克聖勞倫斯河畔一般，我和愛女伊美妲提此美景，她果然站在窗口走道上欣賞，在郵輪工作辛苦，但可以看到全世界，真是難得人生經驗。

我下船後，有一整白日在紐約市，我已經約好到法拉盛區，和阿火兄午餐，他是家兄舊日朋友，我來紐約，都想拜訪他，工程師出身，現在專事商業投資房產代理。

Learning how to use an i-phone/Carlos Pueblo

Learning how to use an i-phone/Carlos Pueblo

Yesterday, I took my i-phone to visit a Cricket store for a help to set up the Yahoo connection which I liked to have in order to disregard a notebook computer on my trip to New Zealand. What I like to have is to use the small i-phone to check on the internet if I may during the trip such as send an e-mail back home, read the Yahoo news, Market Watch, and You Tube etc. I did have a hard time to get Yahoo connection on the new i-phone for several reasons, first I didn't know how, second I forgot to bring the i-clud user's name and password to another help, third my son Arthur's complaint download Yahoo for this phone is too slow. Those are frustrating. I see all the rest of the world of people are engaging i-phone everywhere and every time.

The staff at the second Cricket store is not that busy; therefore, he has time to work on my download process. After almost a give up of non-response of my password on the i-phone, he tries my e-mail account on his desk top and it works; therefore, he keeps on working on my i-phone and gets it done. He shows me to use Safari to get on the internet which reminds me those time of visiting the Apple's store around the world to use their desk top computers to send an e-mail. Now, they all provide small i-phone at the stores. Safari is not used for Microsoft system or IBM system, is the Apple system.

He teaches me to use the camera to take the internet purchase bar code and auto save at the i-phone and later show the picture to the gate person's bar code machine in lieu of the paper receipt. It is what I have been so behind in my travelling. I also need to know how to check the map on i-phone. It is my problem that I use the traditional way by asking street people for help and they always stop and check on their i-phone.

It will be nice if I can learn how to use the i-phone to write my blog. You see that there is plenty of time on the cruise. By so, I shall be able to keep my routine every day, to walk in the morning, to write my blog, and to watch You Tube to keep myself occupied. I should go to visit the Cricket store and ask him to help me how to get on the Microsoft language set up and word pad, etc.

學習使用智慧型電話/莊峻華

學習使用智慧型電話/莊峻華

剛從蟋蟀商店回家，店員幫我設定雅虎網頁，在我智慧型手機上，於是我可以在平常閱讀網頁郵件，回覆郵件，或是在手機上訂購機票和車票，這是多年來，我僅賴桌型和手提電腦，如出外旅行，亦可拍照車票上之電腦碼圖存檔手機，就在過關時展示刷檔面，這是多麼智慧，約是七年前，有張教授在台北，就指出我之落伍旅行方式，蘋果公司和台灣之鴻海郭台銘等，賺錢是有道理者也。

傳統之傳真，我很有意見，剛好我不做生意也久，過去需要先傳真申請表，給保險公司，同時寄上原本，取消傳統電話線電話後，就不知如何手機接上傳真，非常不方便，某日一郡辦公室職員，要我傳真一授權狀，在海外投票，我只能提早寄出原本，再查看許可否？郡許可後，就電郵選票給我，我將選票印出，圈選簽字後郵寄，有一次親自交給捷克布拉格大使館，郵票都省下。

剛接到智慧型手機，與舊三星最基本之聰明型手機有異，我一直很不習慣，而且中國總領館從全國各地，打電話來提醒我，有一未領郵件，我也生疏如何聽留言方法，查閱簡訊，非常不方便，幸好愛美使用智慧型多年，教我滑食指，推出取消，除去老存電話和簡訊。

倫敦地鐵上，尚有些人讀書，其餘全球年輕人，都在滑手機，我則發呆，抑或是觀看四方，平常我看雅虎新聞，讀電郵廣告和信件，看網誌電影，台灣政論，和柯文哲新聞等，大概都可滿足於這小手機，不滿意者為每月例費一百美元，三隻手機。

Returning visit to Portland, Maine #4, 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Returning visit to Portland, Maine #4, 2019/Carlos Pueblo

The cruise ship turned south at nigh to the U.S. Coast from Nova Scotia, Canada. We arrived at Portland. Maine on the next morning. It is my 4th time to visit this city. I took a senior Taiwanese lady to walk on the city center closed to the pier. She was with her daughter Kathy
from New York City and had had also a back to back trip like me, a gift from her elder son. She and her daughter  are here for the 9 months resident requirement after receiving the green card status. Her late husband is about my age and she lives in the south of Taiwan.

We walked to the lobster restaurant and I showed her the price of what we had had in 2018, a pair of 1.25 pounds for $25 with potatoes and corns. She remembers what she has in NYC. Eating lobsters is a treat for Taiwanese and I believe that there is no such kind of shrimp in that island and around area. We do have a large size of shrimp which we call the dragon shrimp exactly the same name as lobsters. Actually, the taste is different.

I took her across the restaurant to the other side of the street to visit a fish market. We all love to visit the fresh seafood market. She is from a big and famous seaport in Taiwan with plenty of experience of seafood. She is so delighted to see the mackerel on the shelf. It is very popular and inexpensive in Taiwan and Japan. Japanese would grill the fish to make a delicious dish on the table. We also compare the price of the seafood between Taiwan and the U.S. She told me that you could get good price in NYC, of course, the market which we visited was also reasonable. We also circled to the end of the pier to see some warehouses, fishing boats, and the nets for lobster baits, etc. Obviously, the city is a production center of lobsters and delivery center as well.

We came back to the main street of the city and walked toward the city hall on the other direction. There are some stops for shuttle bus or van to take passengers for excursion. I know that Kennebunkport is south of here yet require a vehicle to visit. We ran into the fellow Taiwanese from Arizona and I recommended them to that lobster restaurant we just visited.
They were very happy for that experience afterward.

重訪緬因州波特蘭市42019/莊峻華

重訪緬因州波特蘭市42019/莊峻華

緬因州之波特蘭市，我一共來過四次，也不覺單調無味，這次下船，當一位台灣太太導遊，我先在船上認是她女兒凱西，分別邀請她們兩位，到兩收費餐廳晚餐，她們兩位是來紐約領取綠卡，並且按照規定，需要在美國居住九個月，始可離美返台，她長子是位電子工程專家，這次也購買來回船票，到魁北克市旅行，她足有微恙，不便長行，剛好我也不復青年，於是自動邀請逛街。

我先帶她去參觀小碼頭旁之龍蝦餐廳，去年愛美與我從倫敦搭船返美，路過此餐廳用餐，兩隻1.25磅之龍蝦要價$25，價格五年未變，還給馬鈴薯和蕃麥，啤酒另計，餐廳旁就有漁船打撈龍蝦上岸，我再帶她參觀一大鮮魚市場，她是港都高雄人，識得許多魚類，而且比較高雄價錢。我們再逛該碼頭停泊老漁船，和堆積甚高之龍蝦餌框，也有倉庫提供儲存外銷。

然後我們再逛大街，來回參觀店面，這波特蘭是緬因州大城市，又是熱鬧海港，引來許多遊客，附近也有許多美景，有許多叫客導遊生意，我因有經濟算盤，僅逛街海港城中，吃東西一律回船上，也不購物。三位亞莉桑娜台灣人，在街上相遇，我問他們找到龍蝦餐廳否？曰未，於是我推薦碼頭這一家，我說整城中價錢均一，而且都是相同重量，也有大號龍蝦，我不熟行價，按魚市價約十元美金一磅，他們三位欣然而去，回船後，在自助餐再碰面，非常滿意，三人花費不到百元美金，我還聽說豐收滯銷，當地人可已一磅龍蝦，三美元購得。

Returning to Bar Harbor, Maine 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Returning to Bar Harbor, Maine 2019/Carlos Pueblo

We left Halifax, Nova Scotia at night re-entering to the coast of New England over night. The ship was moored at the bay of Bar harbor. A tender service was in use to transfer passengers to and back from the ship to the town. It is a familiar port. I followed the old route to pass the lovely inn and garden and went down to the walking path along the coast. Wild roses and the floating baits of lobster were still vividly seen. Passing the lone apple tree, I was again attracted by that pretty sea front mansion with a lovely backyard. I met a family with two lovely dogs from Illinois. One of the dogs seemed to be very attracted to the sea view and always stared at the sea. They were driving from home on a long vocation.

Before the end of the path where I made a turn, I noticed several deer, three exactly, having their morning breakfast on the back yard of two frame houses. I had had my cameras ready and also reminded my fellow pedestrians of such scenery. The Illinois family group  caught up and indicated the regular scene because that they had been here for days. At the corner of that turn into the town park, I stopped by the small front yard garden again. It was full of beautiful roses, dahlias, and others colorful flowers. It is not that of a distance for me to pass through a hospital, across a street to a town park. It was almost empty that morning. I stood by a YMCA building to watch the You tube on my smart phone to get some news in Taipei, Taiwan.

On the main street, I ran into the Arizona Taiwanese families in front of a lobster restaurant. We checked the menu together and felt the price was not quite reasonable. Still on my way back to the ship, I passed by a inn with a lovely garden again in the front. A lady was working on the garden and approached to chat with her. She is the owner's mother. I make a compliment to the garden and the local residents who appreciate flowers so much.

As a matter of fact, when I check my records of photos at home, I found that I have missed a nice garden of a restaurant on my first visit of the town. It was on my way back to the pier from the town park. I was lost from the main street. After asking locals for direction, I was back to the right track and saw the town center. There is a restaurant at a street front of a residential area on the back ground with a colorful lovely garden along two edges. I have kept the photos and perhaps in the future I shall place them on my blog site with the title of the article along with it.

重訪緬因州巴哈柏鎮2019/莊峻華

重訪緬因州巴哈柏鎮2019/莊峻華

船離加國夜入緬因州海岸，重訪美麗之巴哈柏鎮，我們是搭乘郵輪救生艇接駁上岸，我仍舊依海岸步徑，從白色二樓旅館游泳池，走下步徑，已經有些遊客，在我前面，這海港碼頭很熱鬧，有古帆船攜帶遊客，揚帆海上，也有近代遊艇，附設餐廳，提供龍蝦大餐，我算是節省遊客，我僅散步花園，拍攝花朵留念。野玫瑰花仍是怒放，經過那座出售中豪宅，遇見一對夫婦，從伊莉諾州來，也攜帶兩隻愛犬，在步徑底轉角處，有兩住屋，庭院中有幾隻高大鹿，不知何種鹿也，顯然不是家畜，木屋也不像人家。

我有走入轉角處美麗花園，捕捉玫瑰花和大理花之英挺秀姿，沿那醫院，穿過大街，走向鎮立公園，球場空無一人，也不見人遛犬，我在一基督教青年會館旁，聽手機網誌，我還是掛念台北柯市長，是否投入台灣總統選舉？這時候天晴暖和。

走回大街，注意到龍蝦餐廳之價目，遇見三對亞莉桑娜州，台灣人夫婦，也在查看價格，我說無俗，然後分別散去，走近鎮中心，看到一貴婦人持剪，整理旅店前美麗花園，這小鎮居民風雅愛花，我稱讚花園美麗，原來她是旅店主人之母，真是不俗。

上週，從公園走回碼頭，經過鎮住宅區，巧遇一餐廳，生意興隆，其庭院有很美麗之各類春花，我是一株一株特寫近照留念，待公佈後始發現遺漏，特此補述。

Citric fruits gift from neighbors/Carlos Pueblo

Citric fruits gift from neighbors/Carlos Pueblo

After November, citric fruits like lemon, orange, and tangerine, etc. are hanging on the front yard of our subdivision. The weather of Houston is good for oranges and persimmons which I have been picked throughout the years. We do have a lemon tree and a tangerine tree on our back yard. Amy blends several vegetable, fruits and lemon juice to make a smoothie drink for my lunch that the elder is allowed to skip. Those ornament like fruits always been attracted to me while I have my morning walk. Two ladies of my favorite pet dogs owner ran into me on the other morning and recommended me ask permission of a lemon tree owner to pick them. I did and got a permission to have some. Yesterday morning, I took Amy to inspect the tree to show her our new supply of lemons.

On our way back to the morning route, we dropped by Kathy's house to visit my pet dog friend Forest, She asked if we liked to have some mandarins. She has a tree on her back yard with a crop exactly like a popular one in Taiwan yet she doesn't eat them at all. On her back yard, there are three citric trees with plenty of fruits now, lemon, mandarin, and orange.
She put some lemons and mandarins in a big bag for us and will give us some more when we drop by to visit Forest.

I always enjoy pick them, picking the fruit of any kind. The squirrel will not bother orange; therefore, the fruits can be well kept till their ripe. The orange is more popular in the society because the juice is very common drink at home. I wish I could have a bigger yard and more of my life to grow some more fruit trees to enjoy the pick them harvest.

鄰居贈橘/莊峻華

鄰居贈橘/莊峻華

休市氣候溫暖，橘科花自初春開花，到秋天果實成熟，不遇冰凍天氣，於是鄰居栽植橘科植物於庭院，春花未必顯然，冬日橙黃果實，掛在樹枝下垂落，像是耶誕樹掛燈般之美麗。我們鄰居，許多人種植橘科株於庭院，但並非每戶採食，這些橘科類為檸檬，橙，和柑橘等，連我們家後院，都有前人留下，檸檬和椪柑各一株。

幾年來秋天，我都出外旅行，錯過檸檬椪柑採收期，今年剛好在家，於是親眼目睹果實，由綠轉黃變橙，這時後已經可以採食，除自用外，我邀兩位路過鄰居，入後院分享，也贈一些椪柑給景瑛兄，他夏天容我採食其無花果好幾年。

愛美習得製作綜合果汁，是我之午餐，其材料包括檸檬汁，多種蔬菜水果，如蘋果和麥片，一起在攪拌機內攪豁，贈我兩大杯於冰箱中，聽似合乎營養，在郵輪上一杯叫價十元美金，她喜愛家裡檸檬和鄰居無花果，於是我開始注意鄰居機會。

昨晨伴鄰居黛安和其愛犬伊莉，另一鄰居芭芭拉和其愛犬喜洛，走過一死巷，旁有一株檸檬，結實累累，兩女士嘆曰，屋主不食檸檬，甚為可惜，於是我自告奮勇，將敲門爭取同意採食，黛安語我女主人名，走畢一大圈，我在回該宅敲門，男主人開門，同意贈我若干，但非整株，我估計約有百粒檸檬。

清晨再遇黛安擕伊莉散步，我和她提起檸檬事，她嘆口氣，真是要物盡其用矣，我再帶愛美走訪該檸檬株，她驚呼真美。我們回程，拜望凱西和其愛犬佛瑞斯特，臨別她詢問是否願食椪柑？我說是，去年她出示一粒過期熟透椪柑，今年開始注意果實變色，我們到其美麗後院，愛犬清晨可以重後院，聽聞我口哨呼換，她有一株橙，另一株檸檬，她說食用檸檬，但跟不上產量，於是她開始剪取檸檬和椪柑，那椪柑真是道地椪柑，與台灣產無異。

Re-visiting Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Re-visiting Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

The ship sails south from Sydney, the Cape Breton Island to the port of Halifax, the Nova Scotia Provincial Capital, Halifax overnight. It is the the peninsula part of Nova Scotia attached to the Province of New Brunswick along with PEI called the Canadian Maritime Provinces. At St. John's, NB. there is a rail road station with the Trans-Canadian Rail to reach
Vancouver. British Columbia on the western end which is one of my life time desire to take this route for a cross Canada trip. I am not sure if I can make it. When the ship entered the harbor, I saw the new Queen Elizabeth I diesel power British Air Carrier dock on the bay. She is on her maiden drill at Halifax  for this year. I notice that the air dock on board is slightly different from the carriers made in the U.S. France, or Japan. It is with an ascending cure to help the fighter jet to take off. I see that Russian one is similar to this one. There are another two Elizabeth class carriers coming out very soon.

On my way back from the harbor walk from the Marriott Hotel at the other end, I didn't see the carrier again. She should be out for her routine exercises at sea. I took a turn away from the coast toward the city center. It is a bit higher elevated streets toward the citadel up to a top park. Suddenly, I heard a loud cannon shot which reminded me my first visit of the city. That was my first cruise trip with the Jewel in 2011. We stopped by Halifax and walked up to the citadel and took some photos with the red coat guards changing duty and the noon cannon fire toward the sea. I didn't go up to the park on the citadel this time, instead I walked down to the pier through the beautiful city center.

I admire this kind of city where everything has been well planned. Nice and structure sound buildings and meet any kinds of beautification. It makes me very pleasant to be in such environment. Of course, I can also be related with modern city planning in the U.S. or Houston specifically. Only a nation with good rule of law and a city rich enough to make such joy happen.

重訪加國新蘇格蘭省會哈里法克斯市2019/莊峻華

重訪加國新蘇格蘭省會哈里法克斯市2019/莊峻華

船離新蘇格蘭省老省會雪黎市，南向到省會哈里法克斯市，此半島與北美大陸相連接，向西可在新布朗西維克省聖約翰市，撘火車直達西岸之溫哥華市，這是我旅行中之美夢，似難成真矣，船入碼頭，就可以看到英國海軍，嶄新柴油動力航艦，女皇伊莉莎白一世號，停泊海灣，隨艦演習艦隊，據鄰居說明，六月中已在哈港，如今已九月中旬。此航空母艦機道類似古型蘇聯航空母艦，跑道前端微起，約是助於起飛，美國海軍航艦跑道，維持水平，日本之出雲級航艦更小更有趣，機道更短，似僅供垂直降落，傳統跑道起飛，英國戰機，有專門垂直起飛和降落之經驗，我一直喜歡看海戰影片，這些新大陸移民，與海軍船艦，有絕對之關係，走回郵輪時，航艦已他去。

我仍舊沿美麗之海灣步徑，經過多少景觀點，仍舊憶得那艘老驅逐艦博物館，沿路遇見一對年輕夫婦，攜帶兩隻愛犬，停在步徑旁，供人認識，我在家每日清晨散步，都固定拜訪鄰居愛犬好友，這兩隻愛犬一大一小，都是來自歐洲瑞士高山品種，大者約重一百多磅，而且是長毛，躺在地上，腹面四足朝天，供老男遊客撫摸嬉玩，不以為意，而且十分樂意，我就習慣問愛犬道，我知你喜愛如此天氣，當時已是秋涼氣候，馬上就是北國嚴冬，主人介紹他們之血緣背景，再過幾個月，小愛犬就將有巨犬之體材，這小犬在旁，也不干寂寞，展示愛玩習性，讓人撫愛，我迅速掏出相機拍照留念。

看到英海軍新航艦，我就忽略海岸衛隊碼頭之船艦，直接到步徑尾端，這次我從瑪莉奧特大飯店入口，沒入上次輸掉四元於加幣零錢之賭場，然後折入城中街道，這市中心街道，是建立在山坡上，街道建築，古典古香，令人覺察有英帝國之風貌，當然沒有倫敦市之熱鬧規格，但也雖近不遠，有兩百餘年歷史，聽到一聲砲響，原來是山坡頂端城堡衛兵之時計，這令我憶起八年前，首次搭船旅行，到過此港，城堡上之少年紅衣衛兵，一車一車之觀光巴士，參觀城堡，城堡前是一美麗之草原公原，有步階梯可上，我已無精力，幸好下坡易於上坡，欣賞城中美麗建築，我們船在黃昏離港。

Returning to visit Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada in a week 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Returning to visit Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada in a week 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Ship left Charlottetown, PEI southbound returning to visit Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. I don't mind it at all and I feel very fortunate to visit again a lovely city of tourists in the maritime provinces in Canada during a summer time. It would be very hot in Houston, Texas. I stay and short cut my routine along just one direction toward the Wentworth Municipal Park. I turned around at a Honda dealership back to the lake park. Everything was so familiar and the weather was fine. Those wild birds on the lake and the ground were still ignoring my presence.

I turned to the third street from a corner at a church. there is a big casino on the way toward an end of a city block. It was on Sunday and was not busy everywhere. I saw some cruise staff gathering in the front of a hamburger restaurant to use their i-phone. Three oriental restaurants are on a street between the 3rd and the 2nd street. I checked on their menu posted in front of their restaurants while I really had had nothing more important things to do. The 2nd street was much busier than the 3rd one above. There are more tourists gathering on the street and stores. The city has provided many seats almost in front of every store and petunia flowers pots are hanging on the light posts. On the second corner between the 2nd and the 3rd street, there is a small art market exhibiting art works of their owner. I understand such beautiful tourist city with sea and mountain always is attracted artists.

I walked toward the end corner of the 2nd street and made a turn again at an old frame church toward the 1st street. There is a farmers' market on the side. It was not open on Sunday again. I turned around toward the dock and ended my second visit of the city.

週内重返加拿大新蘇格蘭雪梨市2019/莊峻華

週内重返加拿大新蘇格蘭雪梨市2019/莊峻華

船離愛德華王子島，一週内重返新蘇格蘭，布列登角島之雪黎港，剛來過是剛來過，選擇如此郵輪旅行，實在是我老年生活之一大宗，旅行這航線，就像旅行樂園一般，美國新英格蘭海岸，加國濱海三省，新蘇格蘭，還有新法蘭西之魁北克市，而且來回重復，加上舒適豪華之郵輪，食衣住行，家人一般親切之愛女群，我真是生活在天堂中。下船後，我依相同海岸步徑，走向溫渥斯市立公園方向，這次我走過小溪入海灣處小橋下走道，走到一本田汽車代理商店，再行折回溫渥斯小湖公園，這一日為週日天晴溫和。

這次，我不再好奇逛入住宅區，只選三條大通，從公園折入第三街，往一美麗賭場方向，賭場未見人潮，在一轉角，我就折入第二街，這裡有兩三家中越餐廳，都未開門生意，第二街甚是熱鬧，整個街道都有座椅在店面前，整條街都佈置培突妮亞花盆，非常不俗美觀，我隨時折入有趣街景，有一處小藝廊廣場，有藝術家展示作品銷售，如此美麗市鎮，經常結集許多畫家，和手工藝技者。

我不再雄心，越過另一方向，到老鎮鋁廠方向，我再逛入第一街，這是面對郵輪碼頭，有大型辦公大樓，大飯店，和餐廳等，因為週日，想逛農人市場不果，然後又走回碼頭，準備回船，我不覺無趣，在家閒居，生活固定無甚新奇，郵輪旅行，輕鬆愉快，難怪我是樂此不疲。

Back on cruising 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Back on cruising 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Yesterday morning, I purchased another back to back cruise trip and back on cruising. It will be for a trip to New Zealand in December, 2019, a month before our Asian trip in 2020. I find out that the cruise traveling  is very important in my senior life. I can write my journal about my trip and it also plays a major role of my daily life.

There are three days after two days at the sea, we are going to stay wondering on three narrow bays between cliffs called sound, fiord or fjord, Milford, Doubtful, and Dusky. I do have some experience in Alaska as well as Chile. I shall see if I can catch some good photos with my Pentax and a tripod.

I admired my junior high school teacher, the late Professor Hou who went to his graduate study in Economic at the University  of Sydney on an Australian Government scholarship with his entire family in 1961. He wrote back to me often to describe how rich the new nation was. In Taiwan at that time, people gathered dry branches or leaves for fuel purposes while in Australia, people burned the entire forest for the land of cultivation. I like to take some photos of that famous University on the break of my flights in and out of Sydney, Australia.

I see the flight itinerary that I shall have about 8 hours break at Honolulu, Hawaii. I shall go out of the airport to visit my tennis friends at Waikiki park, visiting Marukami Noodle Restaurant, and even take a bus cross Oahu Island to visit a fruits stand owner and the Matsumoto sweet red bean icy in the Sunset Beach.

紐西蘭郵輪行/莊峻華

紐西蘭郵輪行/莊峻華

今晨訂妥兩週後之，紐西蘭郵輪旅行，我已經遺忘兩個月前，魁北克市行之小不愉快，郵輪旅行，仍舊是我老年生活之大宗，費用也在我預算之中，我先飛抵澳洲雪黎市，當日搭船珠寶號，駛向紐西蘭十一日，再從奧克蘭回航雪黎十日，一共三週。我因想訪問澳洲一生，這次能抵達雪黎市，也可稍解心願，我小時後恩師沈翠瑩先生，小學訓導，南京師範出身，隨其夫婿恩師侯家駒先生，安徽無為人也，獎學金留學雪黎大學，我在1989年返鄉掙扎，曾到東吳城中校區拜望二位，值中國北京天安門大屠殺，如今香港行將被複製，若兩位尚健在，我是可以順道台北，與恩師們談論這60年，說不定我可以安排到雪大校園拍照留念。

這次來回旅行路線，將重復三海灣峭壁，有過阿拉斯加冰洲，和南美洲峭壁郵輪旅行，可以體會大自然之美和壯觀，郵輪也有挪威峭壁行，是經過冰島，沿挪威西海岸行，我將注意其條件，我希望明年春天有歐洲行，看是否有機會，接上挪威峭壁郵輪旅行。

Visiting Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

After leaving Quebec City for a day at sea, we arrived at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on the 4th day morning. Remember that we skipped the port due  to Hurricane Dorain was on our tail. Prince Edward Island is one of three Canadian maritime provinces on the east and one third of the island's population live here about 150,000 residents. PEI is the name of the province for short, not for the famous deceased architect. Prince Edward is the father of Queen Victoria, fourth son of George III who lost in the American Revolution, his brother George IV is the Prince Reagent of the London Royal Park named after him where my favorite Queen Mary's Rose Garden located. Now, we all know my connected travelling lately.

I disembark at the pier via ship's tender service from the Bay. I walked directly to the old town and asked if Mr. Pei used to work here. One lady resident recognized him as a famous architect yet the signs are for the short abbreviation of the island. I came to an old post of the Canadian National Guard with an old tank which was on duty during WWII. The Canadian royalists devote their patriotism during both world wars to help England. They do keep very good record and has made the post as a armory museum now. From here, I turn into a beautiful coastal park with a marble monument in memory of the Irish immigrants during a ship wreck of hurricane. One of the major crop of this island is potato about one third of Canadian potato crop are from here. At a nice house, the sea coast path is interrupted and I turn toward the city center streets. There is a nursing school with a hospital in front of me.

The downtown buildings are built with many bricks quite classical European style with nice decoration of flowers. I stopped at the corner of the City Hall to enjoy the feeling of greatness, then I continued to march to the rest of the downtown. There were many tourists on that day and I wondered if they were all from Cruise ships. You may have some kind of ferry to carry vehicles to enter this island.

I entered a part of the downtown with a bazzar party going on. Along the street, there are beautiful gift shops, restaurants, and other stores for tourists needs. It was a beautiful day and I was tired and I didn't know the reason why. It might be the back to back was long enough.

船靠加拿大愛德華王子島省夏珞市/莊峻華

船靠加拿大愛德華王子島省夏珞市/莊峻華

船駛出魁北克市一日夜，抵達愛德華王子島省，省會夏珞市，上次颶風尾隨，郵輪直奔魁北克市，這次安排靠岸，由救生艇接駁上岸，我查一下谷歌，這愛德華王子，何許人也？原來是丟掉美國之喬治三世之第四子，封為肯特公爵，是箸名女皇維多莉亞之生父，其伯父喬治四世，就是我喜愛玫瑰花園，瑪莉女皇之攝政王，很是複雜，何以皇位傳到其女，維多莉亞？下次再研究，此島土地肥沃，開發甚早，馬鈴薯是主要農作物，還有漁業，像是龍蝦等，餐廳旅館林立。我是按習慣行軍老市中心。

街道上都是貝律銘之姓氏英文縮寫，我道是貝氏曾在此工作設計過，他是一全球馳名之建築師，剛過世不久，原來這貝音三字母係愛德華王子島之縮寫，在一加國國民兵博物館轉入海岸公園步徑，這博物館置放一美制坦克，曾在歐洲服役，兩次歐戰，此島均遣送軍隊赴歐洲，均有詳細歷史紀錄。我在一海邊住屋前折入市區，之前有一愛爾蘭移民海難紀念碑，這是另座美麗公園，也有幾處花圃。

街道開始，有一座護士學校，兼設老人照顧醫院，街上有遊客馬車穿梭，走到大街，就在市政府大廈前徘徊，這夏珞市古典建築，別樹一格。我繼續穿過橫溯兩街方向，確是經過熱鬧市集，很多遊客在餐廳用餐飲酒，許多人在商店購物等，也有我這種遊客，僅滿足到此一遊，我已看開此生再也無緣，驅車拜訪如此美麗之城市，加國濱海三省，春夏秋三季均甚美麗，喜歡冬景者，冬日大雪，亦是一絕。

很快走回碼頭，我因船上許多相識家人，所以不作逗留，回船上拜望幾處餐廳，和值勤愛女們聊天，因乘客有些人下船遊覽，留在船上者，也有節目，而且豪華郵輪，設備完善，比市面老街舒適甚多。

The joy of playing tennis at old age/Carlos Pueblo

The joy of playing tennis at old age/Carlos Pueblo

Last weekend, my fore hand partner Dominique and I won a B-2 league match against another team on our Western Houston Men's Tennis League. There are three teams at our club, B-1, B-2, and B-3 and we play weekly on Saturday morning versus some other teams at our league. I was assigned to play on line 5, second one from the bottom on B-2 team. Our opponents are much younger and stronger than us; however, we come from behind and won a closed yet interested match. A win is a win in my life now a day, it is the joy of playing tennis at old age. Dominique, a French American, is so happy and is still telling people that win, at least his wife Denise writes me an e-mail about it. Tennis is the only hobby which I have had so far in my life, yet it also has come to me in a long way.

My strategy of playing a match is waiting for my opponents to make and error or my partner to make a kill; therefore, I love the ball quite often in order to make them to run especially testing their back hand stroke. My tennis level is a little bit higher than a beginner yet experience enough to enjoy the game. I can only slice the ball due to my lack of proper training at the beginning and no proper conversion of the rubber ball tennis to leather ball tennis. I manage to return balls most of the time. I feel comfortable to play at 3.5 USTA level or below.

Usually my week is passing by quickly by waiting to play on Saturday, once a week tennis. The rest of the week time, I can only do walking 2.2 miles in the morning and visiting my dog friends in the neighborhood and fill up the blank by writing my blog for a good memoir. I like to quit travel and may add golf two mornings a week to build my second hobby. I shall also go back to my old writings to make English edition available.

週六網球局2019/莊峻華

週六網球局2019/莊峻華

週六網球局，是我一週内唯一運動機會，二十幾年前，前社區球隊解散，老隊長將我們介紹到鄰居社區球隊，然後隊友老化，約是七年前，搬離茶花女老街老屋，史丹那隊長也搬家，球隊友逐漸老化，好不容易附近另一球隊接納，我又有機會，繼續週六網球局，上週六，我和一位隊友，法裔美人多明尼克，苦戰一對青年，後來居上，我們互相恭喜，他繼續談論球局，伯内基隊長和他太太德妮斯，都寫信來道賀，因他仍在美憶中，其實我也是沉醉於球賽，若是球局敗陣，真是影響新週日情緒，我已感覺體力和糖尿病之作祟，如此網球局，不知尚能持續幾年？伯内基隊長曰，有一健耆，年已90許，我們乙二級第一線，球局仍無法制服，他是以球技和戰略取勝，與我相異，我之網球樂趣，完全在以柔制鋼，太極打法，當然無法面對強勁穩定之對手，若是稍不穩定，而又無後來居上哲學背景者，我就有機會。

小學三年級，先母攜我觀戰家兄峻嚴之網球局，當年，埔里糖廠有兩網球場，日本人崇尚西洋運動，剛好吾家有一支日人遺留球拍，峻嚴小時候，在球場隨人練習，一日先母帶我觀戰，這是一局埔里三國小校隊，爭取到縣府南投鎮之決戰，他先勝第二國小南光隊，但敗於第三國小育英隊，這育英隊選手，在南投也敗陣下來，這遺憾一直深植於我心中，其結論為戰術，這位育英後排選手，就是美語右手接球者，可以調高球，考驗峻嚴之反拍球，這是網球技中稍弱於正排擊球之一般常識。

先父隨後調職虎尾，安慶為代用國小，原糖廠小學，專型為一般國民學校，學校都為中國教師主政，中國學校毫無西化運動經驗，糖廠網球場，緊鄰安慶，虎尾也有其他鎮内國小，鎮内第一虎尾國小，第二國小立人，但是當年雲林縣，並無南投縣學校網球比賽，因此，我一直等候到初中二年級暑假，始與同伴，在糖廠球場學習網球，都是無師自通，參加比賽，因為準備台北高中聯考，未能從事網球運動，但網球雙打戰略，早以體會奠立，日後來美國，重拾球拍，幫助甚大，也是建立長年嗜好之助力。

因為有過少年網球因緣，琳兒幼年也參加網球，球藝更高，轉戰德州南北，一直到德大，都秉持網球雙打戰略，當然年輕一代，有教練教導，球藝精進，調球機會不多，我可以打網球當運動到現在，完全是進入業餘網球界之樂趣，當年無意間插柳，如今柳成蔭。

Up from poverty/Carlos Pueblo

Up from poverty/Carlos Pueblo

Last Thursday night, we were on our way out for a joint-birthday dinner in Austin, Texas with our entire family. Michelle pointed it out a small tent city of homeless on highway 183 underpass due to an abolish of a city ordinance to jail illegal camping on the public land. I asked the reason why of such change. She said that again due to lack of jail facility. A week later, the nationwide Wall Street Journal reported such issue on its third page with a debate between the Republican Governor and the Democratic Capital City Mayor of Austin about the national issue of poverty. I can sum up many issues existed and facing a rich nation such as the United States, the national healthcare, students debts, budget deficit, and homeless, etc. Just about a month ago, there was a shocking news broken out in England that 39 illegal immigrants frozen to their death in a refrigeration truck. These are all the sad stories of the modern world we are in. I don't believe that social welfare would make you up from poverty or a government should provide such help which they can't afford. I believe that the family should take the main responsibility, especially the parents who brought the innocent children to this world. Take me as an example.

I was from a very humble family. One year, I went back to Taiwan to purchase a family registry of my paternal grandmother. It was so stressful for him to introduce his ancestors. He was the first one to receive two formal schools education with total of 10 years. They were all illiteracy and very little to pass on to him. He received a technician job after school and then found a permanent job with the sugar company until his retirement in the late 60's. His job with a very humble income yet provided us, his children, the opportunity to receive proper schools education. Like the frozen death Vietnamese, I was also very anxious to leave Taiwan at young age upon my dad's encouragement. He did have a week tour of Japan when he graduated from the second technical school with the fee paid by the Japanese Governor-General's Office. I applied for the graduate study in the U.S. and formally enter this great Nation. I also have provided my two children with college education and they are both working for more than 10 years continuously after the graduation. They are doing better than what of mine at their age. I consider myself is the first generation to break that poverty class, just takes one generation.

When I was a young high school freshman, I read an English book written by an inspirational author, Booker T. Washington called, Up from Slavery 1901. Because of this reading, I even made a special visit to Tuskegee University near Auburn Campus in Alabama. In Texas, the school district provides free breakfast and lunch for at risk students. At risk students mean students in families of poverty. I applaud for such policy at least poverty students will have enough to fill their stomach for study. School education is very vital for the struggle from poverty.

It was also from that year's high school Confucian Study of the book of Tai-Po, when a country is well governed, poverty a mean condition are things to be ashamed of; while when a country is ill governed, rich and honor are things to be ashamed of. This is a philosophy and indeed an influence of my life. I don't see complaint can help me to break of poverty, education and dedication will.

力爭上游/莊峻華

力爭上游/莊峻華

最近幾則經驗，觸目驚心，上週四夜，在州府路過超速公路天橋下，有幾帳蓬林立，琳兒曰，奧斯汀市法，取銷非法夜宿居留條例，減少監獄不足壓力，一週後，全國性華爾街日報第三版，提到這件有礙觀瞻憾事，阿巴特州長，下行政命令，遣移帳篷族到市東南角，州府五畝空地，由州府提供活動厠所，洗衣用水等，由州共和黨發言人，提供新聞，安排慈善機構，提供義廚服務，奧斯汀市長有異議，這是美國最弱勢族群之問題，稍上一層，有全民健保問題，有上兆以上學貸呆帳問題，有川普總統之所有問題，有國防預算擴充無限問題等，美國全國都在力爭上游。

另一則觸目驚心之新聞，是一冷動車，活活凍死39名越南籍偷渡者，土耳其總統，因為種種理由，在美軍一千人撤出北敘利亞後，進攻北敘利亞，轟炸市鎮，引起無數傷亡，恐赫歐盟不滿者，將開放難民門潮，氾濫歐洲，香港人對中國之抗爭等等，都是人類力爭上游之實例，弱勢族群，有不同途徑，力爭上游，爭取活下去之空間，以我為例。

 我們莊家自古貧困，漢文曰赤貧，父親從來不提家世，有一年我親自到山峽區公所，申請祖母戶口謄本，始可猜出身世，一直到先父一代，亦僅他一人接受過十年學校教育，這是當代日本學校教育之賜，於是他在糖廠有一份工作，讓他七位子女，有機會接受學校教育，我把握箸如此機會，公費進入師範大學，畢業當兵後，在中學校教書，我還是不滿意，為中國人統治，於是依照規定，來美國讀書，畢業後，想辦法申請永久居留權，入美國籍，自給自足，力爭上游，最近，我開始在姑計退休金，能否讓我活到80歲，我這一代之莊家，已經脫離當代苦難之赤貧階級桎酷。

我高一時代，開始讀論語，泰伯篇裡有兩句，邦有道，貧且賤焉，恥也，邦無道，富且貴焉，恥也。此兩句話對我一生，影響至具，美國，英國，日本，和西歐諸國，有道之邦也，如果生活在這種國家，仍舊無法財務家政獨立，這是沒有藉口者也，當然我同意，有者為先天之缺陷，需要國家社會之幫助，這時候家庭和雙親要考慮進入幫忙，有道國家，就是貧戶之幫助，社會福利。

世界上無道之國家，像越南，北韓，古巴，和中國等共產黨政權，國民顛沛流離，就是非顛沛流離，也令人窒息，過去之台灣，現代之香港，在中國人統治下，令人窒息無望，所以國民一心向外，就像現在之美國川普政權，邦無道日久，讓社會開始失望，人心思變。我不覺得社會國家，有責任出錢救助貧人，更不該捕助有能力自給自足者，這是家庭之責任，家庭要先搶救，家庭要先負責任。

Transplant Amarillo flowers in the autumn/Carlos Pueblo

Transplant Amarillo flowers in the autumn/Carlos Pueblo

Amarillo flowers plants have been propagated so many on a shaded spot in the back yard and I decide to do something about it. Amarillo flower is very easy to grow no matter how difficult the climate is, it always makes it year after year. It is not like lily yet similar with a ball shape stem underground. I moved some of them from the old house on Traviata Lane where my cross street neighbor Estalla gave them to me when she decided to quit growing them in late 90's. I filled them up to the narrow lot under the eaves with roses. Throughout the years, I have transplanted successfully some into the front yards of my rental houses and Michelle's back yard in Austin. The last move was in late 2012 when we sold the old house where the builder tore down the old house and built a mansion on the home lot.

This past spring, I first witness the orange flowers on the shaded area bunch. I also see many more plants coming out through the 7 years period. They are not that organized; however, I don't mind to see the annual blooming in the spring after the azalea or before roses. Just about a month ago, I volunteered to move some dirt soil from neighbors across the street due to a broken water pipe which was fixed by the city and left piles of dirt soil to block the storm water line and one driveway. The extra dirt soil by now is settled on the yard front and back and I decide to re-arrange the Amarillo plants to beautify my garden. I fill them around the empty space vacant by dead shrubs or new higher dirt level around tall trees. I shall have another 7 years to see them propagating. I have moved more than 40.

The ground is wet and the rain is still coming nicely so far this fall. The Amarillo plant doesn't need very much sunshine at least for survival no guarantee blooming. The sunshine may penetrate through leaves during the year. Some time I feel like to have a little more space on my yard to grow some more flowers. Our neighbors in the subdivision have lovely garden with flowers around in the whole year.

秋日家庭園藝/莊峻華

秋日家庭園藝/莊峻華

幾日來，移植後院喇叭花，不亦樂乎？庭院種植此花，是有緣起，二十餘年前，舊屋過街鄰居，愛斯迭拉贈與其花園內捨棄花種，我沿屋簷下狹窄玫瑰花圃，塞入許多挖出球莖，幾年後，已是衍生遍地，01年初，開始整修出租屋舍，移植一些花莖，到租屋前後院，美化庭院，後來她搬家，建商需整地規劃，又贈我其花園玫瑰花，我到處設法移植，一直到10年，琳兒在奧斯汀置產，我又幾次移植兩種花到其前後院，12年底，搬入新居，我將兩花隨便塞入後院空隙，七年來，喇叭花繁殖甚速，美國松下，已經一大片。

一兩個月前，市府工程處，前來整修對面破裂水管，遺留積土甚多，兩鄰居苦無對策，於是我自願效勞，將積土手推車，過街運回，填置於庭院遺失土處，蓋草皮不甚健壯，根護不住雨水沖刷泥土。今年，我決定秋日家庭園藝計劃，將兩處繁生花種，重新佈置到前後院，春天就有橘色花開，說不定愛犬罕具克主人，見此花開，康慨贈送他前院，大號混種喇叭花，這是社區最美花園，講究之鄰居前院，都有園丁割草，整理佈置前院花園，平常輪我割草，愛美則喜歡整院除草。

我一直憶得此花宜移植於秋日，不解不在立春，現在領悟，秋日球莖肥大，移植可以減少冬日損傷，鬱金香移植，在休市氣候，需要在冰箱過冬，要足夠冷，刺激花株内開花激素，翌年有壯大者，即刻開花，花果仔落地，雨水滋潤萌芽，衍生不斷。我略數一下，約移植40餘，待雨後，仍是11月，我可再移些花莖，讓花有較多空間，我也有春花期待。

The third day at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

The third day at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

It was the day of disembark and embark for one way passengers to get off and get on the ship at the city while for the back to back passengers that there was the third day to tour the city. I was a bit confusing and didn't go out again. In the late afternoon, the ship was sailed out of the River Lawrence north toward the sea entrance and southeast bound to the maritime provinces. On the western river bank, there is a beautiful Canadian farm with colorful farm houses and mansions. The farms are extended to the hill not so closed to the river as are far away. Now, I can imagine the reasons why Canada is the top world producer of crops. It reminds me the same scenery along the same river at the same side up stream from Montreal to Quebec City at the city called Trois-Rivieres or Three Rivers. I have also seen similar farms in mid-west U.S. States or yearly calendar pictures.

It might be too long for me to stay on the ship and I ran out of my activity. I was standing by the guard rails on Deck 7 watching an old man playing harmonica with a small amplifier. This was before the taking off of the ship. He was performed by the pier while people were passing by. He played most of the old hit songs one by one and I applauded on the deck to encourage him and soon my fellow passengers followed  suit and got his attention. I think that this is one of his daily routine like my morning walk in my subdivision to visit my pet dogs friends.

This was a cruise trip that I could not utilize my perk, four vouchers to invite my adopted daughters to fee paid restaurants for dinners free of charge. It was because of my negligent to mess up the procedure. It did happen once before with the Pearl which was a lack of time planning and this time was simply to blame on myself. For the following two months, I haven't monitor the advertisement from the cruise liner for my future trip and I think that by quitting cruise travelling I shall save some money. I also consider my aging physical condition, then I shall have even more limit living activity at home. It is very stressful.

I always have thought that I am getting my money worth by taking a last minute deal of the cruise ticket in compare with the cost of a land trip add up. In addition to that, the latitude member's perk of two dinner vouchers with the price listed on the menu, etc. Recently, I watch the Mayor of Taipei to explain the cash pay out for the senior and voucher value for the senior that the cast pay out is more costly for the city budget. I think that also apply to the vouchers I receive from the ship. It doesn't cost as much as the menu is indicated, yet just make me feel better.

魁北克市第三日2019/莊峻華

魁北克市第三日2019/莊峻華

魁北克市第三日，原是行程之下上船日，紐約市北上單程旅客，在此日下船離開，魁北克市上船旅客，當日上船南下，來回旅客仍舊可下船出遊，一直到下午啟航前刻，我原本無外出計劃，算古砲台兩日，亦足夠矣，揮高爾夫球桿一百邊，然後站在七層甲板走道欄杆旁，觀看下面一位老頭，吹口琴愉眾，他自備小型擴音設備，吹者盡是老熱門曲，我每一曲畢，就在船上鼓掌，漸漸引起他和一些路過者注意，終於等到行船前之安全講習課，然後，船開始啟航南下，當然需要先北上，駛出聖勞倫斯河。

 聖勞倫斯河西岸農莊一大片，村落屋舍井然有序，色彩艷麗，又像是富人別墅，我肩上剛巧未背兩相機，其實背上相機，也未必攜帶廣角鏡頭，就是有鏡頭，我也未必能操作，此為旅行之遺憾，這次我帶廣角鏡包，前來請教船上攝影部職員，尚未熟悉使用，這種美景，使我回憶到過去驅車，經過同一河川之上游，有一城市曰三河，就是三條河川匯集處，在魁北克市和蒙特婁市之間，美國中西部，也有如此美麗農莊，就像月曆相片，或是季節賀卡風景一般。

這是海上郵輪旅行，意外收穫處，陸地火車旅行和汽車旅行，可以稍微仔細，觀看到自然和文明產物，郵輪旅行，甚至包括食衣住行育樂各項，簡單之旅行目的，都可達成。

My apology/Carlos Pueblo

My apology/Carlos Pueblo

I have been wrongfully accused someone stole my new leather jacket at the La Guadia Airport baggage handling room and I must apology for my rudeness. Yesterday, Amy discovered the jacket which she put into the front door closet instead of my regular bath closet where I only use for my old suits, overcoats, and dress shirts, etc.

The airliner rejects my claim automatically and the case is closed upon my report during the weekend. However, I must apology to my world wide readers and my adopted daughters when I send the notice of missing jacket on my blog and photos to them. The airliner has no fault with my mistake and it was Amy's. That was a late night arriving at home and I left the luggage at the garage over night and she took the contents out for the laundry and proper closets.

I decide to left my sanction for not making any more travelling in order to save money and avoid the bad taste of this false alarm and one other incident which I have not mentioned during my recent trip. Please forgive me.

Second day at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Second day at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

It makes more economic sense to have this back to back cruise trip to Quebec City because of over staying at the city two nights, the cost of room in the city. I made a day round trip driving from Montreal to Quebec City more than a decade ago due to the high cost of motel room violating my frugal habit. I took the advise from my travel agent to book the trip a little bit early to avoid missing the cruise tickets; however, I was told by another passenger of his holding until the real last minute deal which was a better deal than mine and I felt bad. However, I also value to the opportunity to see my adopted daughters on board as a family reunion, a precious experience.

It was a raining day on the second day at the city, yet I was determined to go out again to count the old cannons and I didn't mind to repeat the same route. Basically, the city has been settled since the early 17th century with a very nice of the European influence, the stone or brick architecture. This is why visiting Canada is a prelude of visiting Europe if you can speak French which is even more amazing. Quebec French is the best advanced French now in the world by the standard of literature. I made it to the battery park under innovation and counted it again how many cannons facing the River and also made it to the Congressional building and the garden in front and surround it through the St. Jean Gate. The old town street was still crowded with visitors with rain cover plastic on the outdoor items. I took a pedestrian path, a nice wide wood boarded path, to the only battery post at the end of the path. It was built yet never put into use. I guess that the top floor is for observation post, the second floor is for cannons on every direction, while the bottom floor is for the ammunition storage. I read the instruction outside for the history background of the structure. There is also a lovely
garden next to it with a big gazebo for outdoor musical performance.

It is quite enough walking exercises for me in a day during the cruise. I am very satisfied with what I am doing everywhere I go or disembark. I do not dare to drive due to the old age and less relax on driving than leisure walking. I can take photos for the garden flowers everywhere I reach.

魁北克市第二日2019/莊峻華

魁北克市第二日2019/莊峻華

這是一天雨日，我仍不願放棄逛街機會，舉著小紅傘，邁上老城街頭，仍舊有不絕遊客，老街許多店面外店，在小巷内設攤位，加上一些防雨塑膠布，爭取難得門市機會，也有很多餐廳，我習慣查看菜單，從來未曾入內品嚐，只有一次在加勒比海安地瓜，在一小中餐飯館吃鮮魚，其餘海港，我都因遊客物價而省略，街上是有很多法國麵包店，許多甜食，有一些畫廊。很快走出聖約翰拱門，又到省議會前美麗之花園，陰雨中賞花，不減雅興，繞過一段草原，走到一木板步徑，沿著漫長木徑，走到僅存古砲台閣樓，應是砲台攻勢碉堡，英軍接手後，仍舊不曾鬆懈南方入侵之美軍，所以魁北克市，仍有許多古砲管。

就在此碉堡閣樓旁，也有一大型涼亭，可以容納許多人，旁邊附設一小花園，這是一高地，可以俯瞰對面之聖勞倫斯河，在高地上興建砲台，可以強固防守，美加和平兩百餘年，邊境互不設防，但僅移民關卡。我又走回城牆十餘座砲台，這附近有一小公園在整理中，我算一下有十餘座架設巨砲，砲口朝向河流，也有許多鐵凳在小公園內，提供遊客乘坐，昨日下山階梯處，也有一公園，是在河畔，也有幾具古砲，難怪十餘年前，我一直留下古砲印像，到德國訪問海德堡宮殿，聽聞路易十四之砲打宮殿，巴黎陸軍館存放之拿破崙巨砲，那個時代，那個武力迷信。

 剛來美國，有一說法是，擬訪問歐洲，可以先訪問加拿大，蓋加國是有古歐洲風格，魁北克市其一也，就在古市區老街古堡，仍舊保留十七，八世紀，歐洲城市建築，對美國西部城市居民，亞洲移民等，則是新穎好奇，羨慕不已。

How much saving is sufficient for us to pass through our life?/Carlos Pueblo

How much saving is sufficient for us to pass through our life?/Carlos Pueblo

It is a small division to figure out, how much saving is sufficient for us to pass through our life. First, we need to know how much we have already saved on our hands, i.e. $240,000 value in my pension accounts. Secondly, how old do you expect to make it to? I like to make it to age 80 which is 8 years away. The number is equal to $30,000 a year, $2,500 a month income. I sum them up with my net monthly social security check $1,500 and a miscellaneous defined benefit income of $204, I shall have a total of $4,200 a month income for myself. Now, I always have had a number which I keep my records on throughout the years, how much average of my annual cost of living, etc. and in compare with my income and expanse that I know how much saving is sufficient.

Of course, we need to save that amount from the beginning through life time frugal habit and hard working, etc. We also need to have a healthy body and less stressful life, i.e. know that we have had sufficient amount of saving to power through our life. When I visit my physician for semi-annual physical check, he always asks me if I have signed a living will that is at a critical stage of medical condition, I can have a choice to let myself go. It is my religious belief which after the survival, I shall never have the opportunity to live in a meaningful life thereafter; therefore, I would authorize someone in the family to stop any further treatment. That miscellaneous benefit is also very thoughtful to cover $1,000 cremation, a life insurance company.

When I was young in my early life, I didn't think too much of this at all, yet I worked and tried every way save the money. I have been very lucky to have a health body to avoid spending any un-necessary expanse in medical care. Saving money is a dedication with a great effort to make it. The U.S. has provided an environment for her citizen to live and make it for their life in peace.

退休後錢多少才夠/莊峻華

退休後錢多少才夠/莊峻華

退休後無工作收入，錢多少才夠？這是家政好問題，我一直深富自信，年輕時儲蓄之退休金，我的身體狀況，我的生活習慣，和我壽命之期待等，把所有儲蓄退休金，除以期待壽命年數，答案和平均一年支出額，一相比較，就知道錢夠，還是不夠，現在家庭醫生，都提供老人填表，有臨危重症，需要不需要繼續急救？這是老人最大之意外支出，於是宗教人生觀要進來，幫忙決定，例如花錢急救後，是否能維持過有意義之每日生活？

現在美國男人，平均壽命是78歲，以我為例，我希望能活到80歲，於是我將所有退休金總額，除以8年，如總額是24萬，答案是3萬一年，就是一月有兩千五，需要加上美國政府之社會福利金，我大約有一千四，還有一小筆古公司退休金，每月兩百元，所以我有每月約四千元之退休金，可以使用，比較我一年之總支出，於是乎一目了然，夠與不夠。

美國是一有效率有理想之國家，像社會福利制度，老人健保制度等，幫助中等收入家庭，安排老年退休生活，我雖非財經專門，但學校化學背景，在加上多年從事保險推銷工作，深能體會此中奧妙，也幫忙節稅，務使收入極大化，於是美國各式退休金計劃，派上用場，國家寧可延稅收入，但願國民平時養成儲蓄習慣，財務自給自足，退休金聯邦政府有股份，但上述數目，年稅率不高，一般老人有準備者，退休後，收入反高，聯邦稅率，也不比當年工作稅率低。

最近有兩位工程師客戶，準備退休，和我談論到當年購買之浮動壽險，就是人壽險準備金，投資於股票基金，這些年股票水漲船高，壽險計劃累積許多現金，我一時想通，分析給客戶，繼續繳交保費，當作一儲蓄，讓這些保費躲入壽險，待死亡後，受益人領到一筆免所得稅之現金，比贈與一棟房屋，更加清楚乾脆，我真遺憾當年無此觀念，幫助推銷，也許可延長幾年就業壽命。

Returning visit to Quebec City, Quebec, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Returning visit to Quebec City, Quebec, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Hurricane Dorian was weaken substantially behind us while we sailed through the fresh water of the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It's it the main reason why I select this cruise back to back because that I like to return to visit Quebec City one more time to see more of the gorgeous city of the world. Once I came to visit Montreal, Quebec, when I was a little bit younger and people advised me hat I should visit Quebec City as well. I did come back for another trip from Boston driving through the Niagara Falls, Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, and Montreal again by car on the following year. I did make a special driving from Montreal to Quebec City and made it back in a day. I have been very impressed and always like to spend more time to count the cannons on the old city wall. We came in earlier and spent three days and two nights at the pier by the River.

I am always aware of the French speaking city of Quebec City is; however, I don't run into difficulty in the old down section of the city in English speaking. As a matter of fact the locals are very friendly and nice when I pop up one or two sentences in French. The European came to Quebec in around 1602 and the French were dominant and in control of the area called New France until 1760. The decisive battle was fought at the Plains of Abraham near by the old city settlement between France and England. New France since then changed hand; however, the English continued to strengthen the citadel with the cannons defense of the city from the invasion of newly U.S. expedition force until 1812. The U.S. and the British Empire signed a peace treaty. The story of the city has been continued since that time yet under a permanent peaceful settlement among three nations.

A young English army general who lead to fight that decisive war of 1759 in Quebec was also died at the battlefield. English adored him and built a statute on top of the Greenwich Hill by the famous Greenwich Observatory. I have been there to visit him three times and visited his mother's childhood home town Marsden, England on the suburban of Manchester. His name is James Wolfe. He also has a statute at the old Montreal park, Montreal, Canada along with his counterpart at the battlefield Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. Canadian school children learn two different descriptions of the battle on their two different editions of textbooks. At that time, the Europe was not in peace at all.

I marched across a busy street up to the city wall or citadel and found the familiar scenery in my mind, the cannons on the wall facing to the River. I intended to count the total numbers until I read a monument at the urban park on the next day. At the beginning, the French attempted to built 5,000 of them with a financial help of Louis IV, he and the Napoleon Bonaparte both believed big guns. After 1760, the English authority still tried to build up the cannons defense. Now, the city keeps the old cannons in site to beautify the city wall. I saw one site somewhere was under innovation with 14 cannons available to show also facing to the River.

I reached to a huge building like a governmental office with a big lovely garden in front of it and small pots surrounded the building. I think that the building is the assembly house of the Province. Quebec City is the capital city of the Quebec Province. On a side of the Garden, there is a St. Jean Gate directly to the old town streets of Quebec City. At another site of the building on the back, there is a big garden named Joan of Arc to memorize another hero in the 15th century between the endless wars of the two nations. It was donated by anonymous American donor.

I came down from a steep wood board ladder by the Museum to a street by the river. It is very steep and not that comfortable for me to get down while many youngsters are jogging up and down for exercises. From the street, or highway, I walked back to the ship. Along the way, I saw some lovely housing for the residents.

重返加拿大魁北克市2019/莊峻華

重返加拿大魁北克市2019/莊峻華

船從海岸，沿聖勞倫斯河口，南下，此河水源自美加邊界之大湖區，分水嶺也在附近開始，河流北向入海。魁北克市離河口入海處，尚有一段，但水深無慮，大型郵輪可以停靠。魁北克市是加國魁北克省省會，世界馳名法語城市，在1602年，有紀錄歐洲人開始開發，比較箸名一戰役，發生在1759年，就在魁北克市附近之，亞伯拉罕平原，英軍擊敗法軍，這位年輕將校，詹姆士渥爾父，戰死疆場，他的銅像聳立於英國倫敦格林威治天文台山頂，我也到過其令堂大人之故鄉，在英國曼徹斯特市近郊兩次，很有趣者為老蒙特莉爾市街，有兩銅像同時存在，據曰加國學校歷史教科書，有不同之解釋該決定性戰役。隨後，英軍也擊敗入侵之美國遠征軍，約是1812年英美簽訂和約，美加英三國和平至今。我曾開車來過魁北克市，當年勤儉節約，從蒙特莉爾市，北上魁北克市，當天往返，非常倉促辛苦，這次郵輪停靠三日兩夜，時間充裕。

下船後，穿過馬路，就直接登上仍舊維護甚佳之城堡，當年我就想細數，尚保留多少口巨砲在城牆砲口上，有車道街，沿著一部分城牆，巨砲面對河面，後來我在市立公園碑文讀到，法人曾在路易十四時代，取得資助，在魁北克築城堡，廣設砲陣地，宣稱有五千門，英軍接管後，沿河岸擬築四砲樓碉堡，有四門砲在砲樓内，防御四方，美加和約簽訂時，尚未完全竣工，現在仍包留一棟，在大公園草原内。這些箸名宮殿議會大建築，都在城堡內，魁市老街，也都聚落在城牆内，我需先提起一座美麗花園，就在議會大樓前，是法文，我不甚肯定，大約是省議會，這花園甚有規模，而且美麗大方，前面是兩區花園，旁有聖約翰拱門，通老街店面，然後是環大建築旁之袖珍花圃，充滿錦繡春花，不遠處又有一美國無名氏富人，捐贈一聖女貞德花園，也甚規模美麗。

我沿博物館外圍，走下木板階梯，非常辛苦，真是苦不堪言，年輕人則是跑步上下，這一日天晴無雨，下階梯後是路面濱河，有一繁忙公路，我甚有信心，沿河濱步徑走回郵輪碼頭。

To my daughters on Dawn 2019/Carlos Pueblo

To my daughters on Dawn 2019/Carlos Pueblo

I must apologize for delaying the pictures which I have taken on board. There are things not necessary yet tied me up these days. I am working on my writing on my blog every day and monitoring how many readers each day. Now, I have finished my trip to England and my back to back to Alaska, and I am almost half way to Quebec City. However, I just found out that I lost the Emporio Armani Jacket at the La Guadia Airport luggage check in process.

I shall sort out my notes from the trip and e-mail the pictures to each one of you accordingly. I'll miss you as always and thanks to give me so much joy at my old age life.

Hurricane Dorian was on our back 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Hurricane Dorian was on our back 2019/Carlos Pueblo

The Captain announced to skip the next two stops at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and Saguenay, La Baie due to the Hurricaine Dorian was on our back after leaving Sydney, Cape Breton Island. Therefore, there were two sea days before arriving Quebec City a day earlier. I always enjoy the cruise on sea day because that I have had more opportunity to visit most of my beloved adopted daughters on board. There are about 350 of them among all ships on this cruise liner and about half of them are from this particular ship Dawn which I have been 6 times in two years. Going on cruise is like coming home.

I wake up early every morning and get my oat meal and drinks at the 24 hours restaurant, O'Sheehan's Restaurant on deck 8 mid-ship. The male waiters are still from a previous night shift; therefore, I change my habit going directly to the Garden Cafe on deck 12th to meet my daughters, from the top of the manager called MD, Matre d'hotel, to the junior waitress. Imelda is one of the three MD on the ship assigned to this restaurant who is one of my favorite daughter. She is very charming and kind like a battalion commander while she manages a busy restaurant. She is in charge of the Cafe for the breakfast and for the dinner while another two MD come to release her at lunch, Clarita of the largest Restaurant the Venetian and Ramon of the second largest restaurant Aqua. All three are two and half stripes officers. They all have two or three assistant MD to assist them while on duty. Ramon is always in charge of scheduling 350 restaurant staff every week. Clarita is going to a brand new ship Encore in Europe in October on her maid voyage to NYC with a big group of staff from this ship.

I go to a Mexican Los Lobos Restaurant to seek an opportunity to play bridge in the morning. The ship makes it available for passengers to use the empty restaurants before 4:30 pm for any kinds of usage such as a view of the ocean in the lovely Venetian Restaurant window seats, etc. I also go to the golf simulator by the pedestrian path on deck 12 afterward. I am very good now to hit the small ball straight with a good crispy sound and no slide. The atrium on deck 7th is the activity center of the ship. I have been wondering around this area during sea days. I can visit Marcy at the Cruise Next stand, Charlene at the restaurant reservation desk and many others for a hi for several times in a day. I can also go to the ship casino on deck 6th to visit some other daughters even though I don't believe gambling.

At night, the Garden Cafe is less crowded and Imelda can find me sitting alone with a kind chat which makes me very happy. On this trip, I brought up some formal dress to wear. I would come up to restaurants to visit daughters and take photos with them to show my formality and respect to their kindness and friendship. I go to piano bars to listen some performance at night and sometimes I would request one or two popular hits.

颶風多蓮緊隨船後2019/莊峻華

颶風多蓮緊隨船後2019/莊峻華

郵輪旅行前，氣象報告，颶風多蓮已在百慕達形成，但船機票已訂妥，無法更改，只好聽天由命，倖巧船上網路局限，新聞不易取得，當然我也不看房間有線電視，一直到新蘇格蘭雪黎港後，船長通知航程取消兩站，直奔魁北克市，因颶風多蓮尾隨在船尾，為船安全前起見，早日離開風圈，提早一日抵達終點港，因此，我們有連續兩海上日。

郵輪旅行中之海上日，也是多彩多姿，我在船上認收許多美麗之義女，也結識許多年輕職員，非常親切，就像家人一般，海上日，我可以更多機會，分別拜望她們。這次，她們勤務有調動，我較少光臨第八層甲板之整日餐廳，直奔第十二層甲板之花園自助餐廳，因為愛女伊美妲是餐廳之經理，早晚餐常駐，中餐則由另外一位愛女，克拉莉妲來幫忙，她也是七層大餐廳之經理，兩位都是兩線半階級制服，穿海軍官階，十分美麗，她們都需要在船上服務十五年以上，從助理侍者，侍者，帶位，助理經理，到經理職位。我的早餐僅是麥粥，和一大盤水果，西瓜，鳳梨，哈密瓜，和蘋果等，實在不利糖尿病。早餐後，我尋視十二層墨西哥餐廳，看是否有橋牌局，結果沒有，於是我到甲板外步行徑旁，高爾父練習場，打上一百桿，越來越滿意。

平常我都四處逛，包括七層中之大廳，瑪西是船票優待劵之代理，我認識她幾近四年，從珠寶號開始，好幾艘船，也是美麗甜蜜愛女，服務櫃台旁，有餐廳預約站，這些職員大多數是各餐廳帶位招待，很多都是我的愛女，我約有三百五十位愛女，在這家郵輪公司之多艘郵輪，其中這艘最多，公司將她們輪調各方，因此，我幾乎每上船，都可以遇上愛女，或是她們之好友，例如，她們通知我，經理克拉莉妲，在十月將帶領一匹人，到倫敦接新船再唱號，我之期待是再會無期。海上日，睹場開放幾乎終日，我在睹場，也有愛女，一對南非詹巴威小主管夫婦，也是愛女，一位越南帶位美女，我在多艘郵輪，經常遇到，寶玉號，珍珠號，極樂號，和此艘黎明號，名端，姓似伍。

一日中午，伊美妲來墨西哥洛伯餐廳通知，她餐廳有烤乳豬，有我敢吃之豬頭，我大概是極少數乘客中，膽敢公開食用豬頭，標新立異，後來發現胃腸不適，食後常泄痢，而且豬頭飲酒，對糖尿病藥劑有妨礙，以後需要謹慎。晚上節目更多，就是愛女們忙碌不堪，帶位愛女，總是固守崗位，我路過打聖招呼，已經心滿意足，一日我待爭取她們同意，將這些如花似玉之親切姑娘相片，隨附在我之部落格，我現在已有全球讀者，也讓大家分享我之愉快。

Visiting Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Sydney is on another part of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, even more eastward than St. John, New Brunswick. I have been through this Canadian Maritime Provinces twice and can't recall any memory of being here. It is because that I attempt to find a rail road station to connect the Great Trans Canadian Rail Road which now I believe starts at St. John, NB, Canada. It may be due to the sea strait separate the Island from the Continent. On this visit, I did try to find a rail road station yet in vain. I did visit two parts of the old settlement along with the harbor walk, on the Wentworth Municipal Park and another part of that walk to an old city center with a beautiful church and an old aluminum factory.

There is a paved pedestrian path with nicely wood board toward the Park, as a matter of fact, there is a nicely arranged park along the path. It is a typical experience for me to march on the harbor walk and then to the old city center of the port city when I disembark. I enjoy the march on the harbor walk and also appreciate the art arrangement of the city gardeners. Instead of a visitors center right by the pier, the city put an office not far from the pier by a side of the path with an ice cream store next to it. Bush flowers were blooming with spring green lawn all over. When I reached a sea front monument of a wrecked ship of early immigrants, it was almost at the end of the current harbor walk. I turned up to the first city main street and turned to the direction out of the city center. A nice fire station is on the corner of the street turned highway. The Wentworth Municipal Park is not far away a small creek drains the water from a lake inside the Park. I didn't enter the Park, instead I turned into a street perpendicular to the four main streets of the city to a church by a bridge across the lake in the Park. I believe that the lake is a flood control basin originally a river itself.

I entered the Park to use it portable toilet. The wild birds on the lawn ignored my passing through, the white geese, wild ducks, and even the wild pigeons, etc. There facilities for out door performance and many nicely placed flowers gardens. There are several stands posted introductions of the history of the Parks, one of the city fore fathers with the vision to develop this Park has a business building behind his monument. On that side of the Park, there are prestigious mansions with nice gardens in the front. I can sense that the city is still very rich and very well maintained. I made a nice walk around the lake and exit to the church to enter an old  subdivision. The frame houses are more like for the commoners, local residents, not like the gorgeous mansions on the main street. There are petunia flowers pots hanging every where on the main street which reminds me of the European cities. Benches seats also provided in front of each shops on the street.

I didn't enjoy too much in details on the city center, instead I marched to the other direction of the harbor walk. I passed by another harbor walk park and chatted with a young man of the Jehovah Witness. He answered my curiosity of an old set up by the path. It is a set up to receive the aluminum ore from the shipment twice a week from outside. There is a factory here to make aluminum for years. I did see an old factory by a bride across a creek not far from a beautiful church with light rail to transfer ore and products out of the plant. I did see a small memory park across the street of that church and read the introduction that Alcoa of the local division closed some time ago. I was curious again and walked again into the residential area. Most of the resident are fully utilized the nice climate by placing their flowers pots outside to make it very unique and beautiful.

船靠加拿大新蘇格蘭雪黎市2019/莊峻華

船靠加拿大新蘇格蘭雪黎市2019/莊峻華

新蘇格蘭雪黎市，在布莉登岬島，新蘇格蘭省，有兩部分，一為半島本部，與新布朗斯維克省相鄰，就是省會哈里法克斯市所在，另一部分是離島，布莉登岬島，前省會雪黎市所在，布島在半島東方，我兩次郵輪經過加國濱海三省之二，誤以為到過此地，因尋找鐵道車站不果，結論是我經過之兩次，是新布朗斯維克省之聖約翰市，加拿大越國鐵道之起站，當然終站是英屬哥倫比亞省之溫哥華市，這是一箸名之跨國大鐵路，單程單座，十年前最便宜車價約五百五十美元，我一直存有次夢想，布島在聖約翰市之東，但有一水之隔，鐵道不易。我下船後，仍舊是行軍海岸線步徑，有些乘客亦如此選擇，然多數步行者，則直驅市中心，約是四條大街，船碼頭為中心，另一方向，也有一市區，一日間我之行軍步程，包括此兩部分市區。

先是溫渥斯市立公園方向，這海岸步徑，非常精緻，是木板拼置，剛開始有幾處店面，在公園辦公室旁，辦公室有換洗室設備，漸出碼頭方向，就是海灣，公園綠地如茵，有樹叢花朵點綴，在一海岸紀念碑後，就是步徑盡端，紀念碑是憑弔愛爾蘭海難移民，然後就折入第一條街，同一方向，溫渥斯市立公園，就在眼前。我需承認，並非直入公園，而是穿過馬路，走過幾條大街，都是市中心，欣賞這寧靜之小市鎮，市政府鼓勵市民商家，或是市府公園處，佈置掛藍裴突妮亞花，在街頭巷尾，令我想起歐洲城市，雪黎住宅或商區，幾乎都是木造建築，幾百年來，維護甚佳，吹毛求玼如我者，都需要在深巷住區，找到需要整修之房舍，我在第四條街，進入市立公園。

園内有一湖泊，許多白天鵝，野鴨野鴿等，原是一河流水道，流經低漥區，我讀碑文，市府佈置成洩洪池，遂成湖泊，前後有兩橋，跨過此水道，湖畔就是美麗之市立公園，許多活動設備，也有幾座花園，有一紀念碑，說明公園始末，有功者前人企業大樓，仍在公園旁。我從一教堂方向，走出公園，步入住宅區，這些住宅，房舍規模，就無大通之宏偉美觀，很像我們休士頓五十年代之老社區。很快就走入大通，比較迷人者為第二街，都是美麗店面，這市中心，也有好幾家中餐廳，也有日本越南料理，我說迷人是指街上安排許多座位，讓遊客休息。

船另一方向，也有海岸步徑公園，我想近觀一古舊海港碼頭卸物設備，原來這是礦砂海運而來此地煉鋁，一週約有兩艘船，我信行完成海岸步徑，接近遠處市區建築，這是另一市區，有兩宏偉建築，一為大教堂，一為市政府大樓，其腹地就是社區住宅，我是經過此煉鋁工廠，有小鐵道運入礦砂和成品，顯然仍在操作生產中，大教堂前，有一小紀念公園，園内碑曰美國製鋁，早已關閉，此部分市區，是當年員工私人宿舍。

Returning to visit Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Returning to visit Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

The cruise left Bar Harbor, Maine late in the afternoon for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Halifax is located on the northeast of Maine on the east side of the Province of New Brunswick, still is attached to the North America Main Land and a peninsula, along with an adjacent Cape Breton Island to form the Province of Nova Scotia, means New Scotland. Combing with another near by the Prince Edward Island, it is the famous Canadian Maritime three Provinces, one of the most beautiful scenery of the North America. I always like to have a land tour of this area ever since 2011 when I have had my first cruise trip and Halifax is one of the repeat visited city. The settlement of the area began in the beginning of 1600 A.C. with the French immigrants, and before that were some Norwegians and others. The English came in to take over, this was also reflected to the European conflicts at that time, until the last conflict with the neighboring United States. The combined force of English and the native stopped the invaded U.S. force to sign a permanent truce treaty between the two Nations. The difference between the Canadian and the American is that one is revolutionist while the other one is loyalist or patriot to the Crown.

I got off the ship and marched right on the harbor walk along the sea coast toward another end. Ships were coming in and out of the small strait on the bay whole day. A gray color coast guard ship slowly sailed in to a base on my side. I didn't see the new British Carrier, the new Queen Elizabeth II, on her maiden voyage here for months until my return trip here. Shops and business are on inside while on the piers, there are yachts touring business and an old destroyer ship during the WWII converted to a museum, etc. It was very busy because there were more than one ship disembark here on that day. There are plenty of benches and seats for visitors to sit and rest of feet and observe the sea strait traffic. A small distance away from the Coast Guard base, that is the end of the harbor walk. I went inside a casino to use the toilet and contributed my collection of the Canadian coins to a slot machine.

Usually I don't do any shopping at all on my trip because that I have done my purchase with all tickets with the cruise liner and air liners, etc. However, I did watch the performance of some street artists of their works. It was a nice day and I could imagine the crowded night scene. Some visitors and the locals did bring out their pet dogs to enjoy the lovely weather.

重返加拿大新蘇格蘭省會哈里法克斯市2019/莊峻華

重返加拿大新蘇格蘭省會哈里法克斯市2019/莊峻華

諾娃史濶西亞，是拉丁語意，新蘇格蘭，是加拿大東岸濱海三省之一，其省會哈里法克斯市，在本半島東面，面向大西洋，我們從緬因州條港下午啟航，緩行東北向，繞過新蘇格蘭半島東南端，駛向東北方向，已經是夜行，我在初次郵輪旅行，就拜訪過此城市，這是2011年，而且我多年來，一直希望開車旅行這三省，一直無法如願，倒是有過幾次郵輪路過，這次旅行回程，我始在逛到哈里法克斯城堡腳下，古砲聲響，始勾起當年回憶，真是舊地重逢，這次下船，只在海岸人行道，逛到盡端來回而已。

這是一甚講究之步道徑，寬濶似商區街道，其實也是新設立之時尚商區，應有盡有，餐餐，大飯店，酒吧，禮品店，時裝百貨，連街頭藝人，都來湊上一腳，幾處有突出人工碼頭，是為遊艇生意，哈港是大埠，許多有趣之觀光區，連英國海軍新艘航空母艦伊莉莎白女皇號，和其隨行艦隊，都選哈港為處女航基地，我在返行間，看到此艘航艦，起飛跑道，與俄式相同，而且是柴油動力。

一艘加國灰色海岸船艦，從遠方駛入海岸艦隊碼頭，艦上沒有重砲，僅一兩具小型艦砲，當作警告用，加國在二戰時，參加歐戰保護商船，一艘退役驅逐艦，停泊在一碼頭，當作博物館，若加國海域有需要，且空軍新型戰機，可以派上用場，在船旅行中，我曾看過幾次，戰機高空訓練飛行。我在步道終點一賭場借用廁所，順便將積存多年和鄰居贈與之四元許零錢輸掉，約是三十秒不到，而且輸不乾淨，尚有七分加幣紙收據，我常在散步時，俯首觀地面拾一分塑膠幣，加幣一分，約值四分之三美金一分。

我查過這新蘇格蘭，和附近之濱海兩省，一直到1812年始和平，這一年新獨立之美國，和英帝國，互有戰場勝敗，美國攻打加拿大失敗，英軍在路易斯安娜州紐奧良戰敗，雙方，英帝國和美國，簽訂和約，迄今兩國國界，堪稱世界之最不設防，大部份是鐵絲網而已，兩國都不在意，兩次歐戰，美加都派遣軍隊，幫助英國，加拿大是加拿大，其當今元首，仍奉英皇伊莉莎白二世，澳大利牙，紐西蘭，連星加波都是，非常有趣。

Visiting Bar Harbor, Maine 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Bar Harbor, Maine 2019/Carlos Pueblo

It's very interesting that the cruise select Bar Harbor for a visit. The town is beautiful yet very small in population and located on the northeast of Portland, Maine on the middle of the Maine coastal line. I have read some of the historical background of the State and I think that they have had French ancestors, like the name of Maine and Acadia, etc. yet it is more than that. The entire New England, New France, and New Scotland, Quebec and Nova Scotia today, are all together during that era of the great European immigration. We moored out side on the bay and took tender service to reach shore.

I made a very quick survey of the downtown, just one main street surrounded by the residential area on both side, then joined some of my fellow passengers to march on a pedestrian path along the coast. There is a lovely white color inn by the seaside with lovely garden with spring flowers blooming, two of them are my favorite, roses and dahlias. The inn provides a gazebo and many benches for guests to sit down and view the beautiful bay. There
are sails, big classic and modern yacht, waiting on the piers for business. A swimming pool with running water down is between the main building of the inn and some apartment style of buildings with a big parking ground attached. I believe that is for the driving tourists from outside of the world.

I entered the walking path with my cameras ready to work. There are many lobsters traps floating on the sea surface. Lobster business is another main source of income for the local. I noticed the wild roses on inside of the walking path. They are not as pretty as the current hybrid roses as we have seen in those rose gardens, smaller petals and large hips. Some European use the hip to mix with the liquor or make drinking tea of it. After an apple tree with many green apples, there is a mansion on the right with the front facing to the sea and several bench seats arrangement. It is all very peaceful and lovely. We can't reach to the villas belonged to the Rockefellers' or Martha Steward's Island or some other significant villas
by a detour dead end. Right before the turn on the corner, there is a nice two story house with a beautiful garden in the front yard with two of my favorite flowers and I have had many shots collected for my own memory.

I was walking to the residential subdivision with tall trees for the commoners. Not far of walk, there is a hospital before hitting the main street. I believe that the hospital is major for the senior care facility. I went into a park to watch two pairs playing a kind of tennis. They explained to me the name and how it was worked. This is a large park with a public toilet set up. An old lady with a small dog chatted with me to introduce the town to me. I asked many questions about what and how the residents earned their living. It is mainly tourism and lobster fishing. I was lost on the way back from the park; however, it was not difficult to find my way out because of the small size of the town.

船靠緬因州巴哈伯鎮2019/莊峻華

船靠緬因州巴哈伯鎮2019/莊峻華

巴哈伯漢譯條港，座落於波特蘭市東北方向，緬因州海岸線之中央，難得郵輪尋覓到如此迷人之小鎮，人口僅兩千五百人，附近有一座愛凱迪亞國家公園，需要開車，整個新英格蘭是美國移民之開始，我曾讀過愛凱迪亞，似與法國有關，整個緬因州，或是新英格蘭地名，多半取名於英國各地。郵輪停泊在港外，有船上六艘救生艇接駁岸上。

一上岸就是鎮中心，左邊有一座大旅館，白色建築，四方都是美麗之花園，臨岸有大型帆船，提供海上遊覽活動，我先到鎮中心觀察地形地物，然後回到大旅館，捕捉美麗花朵，主要是大理花和玫瑰花，花園中有一涼亭，許多觀海板凳，這旅館規模甚大，本棟大樓外，尚有幾列公寓型建築，其間夾有一座階梯式游泳池，池水有進出活動，旁邊就是美麗之花園，相當迷人，我猜惻這些都為識者遊客設計，驅車遊覽新英格蘭，是傳聞中之人生一大樂趣。

我沿著泳池水路小徑，步入環海步徑，許多遊客已經先行，海灣遠近，有許多彩色浮球，整整一片海面，這就是箸名之緬因州捕龍蝦，美國國富，如此漁業生產，輕而易舉，看似謀生容易，好像也無人垂釣，後來我知道當地人，多半服務於觀光業，和這些別墅主人等為大宗。續行海岸，沿途都是野玫瑰花，這些野花，我想是玫瑰花之先祖，花多沒有現代玫瑰花之美麗，但仍舊盛開，凋謝後之花果，則與近代品種相同，歐洲人呼之為希普，有人參入酒中添加酒味，有人泡茶喝。過一蘋果株，就是住宅區，面對海者，均有美麗草皮庭院，有觀海座位，非常豪華舒適，有的甚至有花園，若要接近洛克斐勒家族別墅，則需更加深入，聽說電視名人，瑪莎史徒沃特，在此有一小島別墅。

我是在步徑盡端，折入鎮内住宅區，特別一提者為第一家住宅主人，有一座小花園，玫瑰花和大理花怒放，我近攝許多相片留念。再進入社區，就像一般美國社區，有古樹聳天，草皮陽光不足，遇到一座醫院，稍俱規模。已經回到鎮内大街，有一大公園在前方，我走近網球場，觀看一種另類小型網球，他們也是遠來遊客，只不過自行攜帶球具設備，就是球網雙架等。離去時，與一位溜犬婦人，談論政治，我們觀點不同，但也充分表達，她甚有耐性聽聞異議。

Disembark at Vancouver, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Disembark at Vancouver, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Two weeks Alaska back to back cruise vacation came to an end, we disembark at Vancouver, Canada early in the morning after a day and night through the inside passage or Seymour Narrows of the Canadian Coast. I made my two visits to the beautiful city on that day before my return home to Houston, Texas. I went to visit again at the Queen Elizabeth Rose Garden and the Chinatown at Richmond.

Roses were still at their peak blooming after two weeks. I took photos a lot after a lot along with poppy flowers of many colors. I admire the city gardeners for their arrangement of flowers on the garden to make it so lovely. It is one of my favorite roses gardens around the world. My visit also extended to the neighbor golf course facility with beautiful flowers as well. The local climate and moisture are the main reason for such lovely flowers. I have been also informed that another lovely cherry blossom is also in the same area in late march every year. I need to figure out how I can arrange a visit to cover both lovely scenery.

Back to the light rail station, I was still covered by a daily pass for the Vancouver Metro on both of the bus and the light rail. It is still not that complicate to figure out the public transportation. Richmond is a new city with many Chinese immigrants. I have been here on my previous visits. It is different from the old established Chinatown at downtown area. Usually, I would get a bowl of noodle for lunch or dinner and some sweet crispy cover red bean cakes for my desserts. I got off at a wrong station and couldn't find the restaurant in my memory; therefore, I had a Sushi and Sashimi lunch box instead.

I ran into a fellow passenger and also a Texan. He remembers my cowboy hat. I thought that I had a long flight, 4 hours from Vancouver to Houston and another two hours plus on buses to get home.  He needed to take the same flight to Houston, transfer to San Antonio,
and take a long distance bus to the Mexican border city of Laredo, Texas. It was all for the lovely trip in Alaska to stay away from the cruel summer heat way of Texas.

加拿大溫哥華下船日2019/莊峻華

加拿大溫哥華下船日2019/莊峻華

郵輪夜渡西蒙窄峽，清晨抵達加國溫哥華港，我熟練攜上隨行行李下船，天無不散之宴席，走向輕軌站，今日仍有兩行程，重訪伊莉莎白女皇玫瑰花園，和重訪溫哥華里治蒙華埠。溫哥華輕軌新穎方便，下自海灣碼頭，上達國際機場，其間穿過城中鬧區，並有分線到達兩處，這新興美麗城市，一目了然。

兩週前，我剛來此花園觀賞，玫瑰花仍是盛開怒放，我仍是一處處欣賞排攝相片，園丁設計佈置罌粟花，多種顏色陪襯，益顯嬌艷美麗，我一直逛到旁邊之高爾夫球場，此玫瑰花園，我來過幾次，幾次拜訪溫哥華，每次都來賞花，先後兩次，都有當地華人，推薦當地日本櫻花，花季稍早玫瑰花一個多月，溫哥華有太平洋暖流，氣候溫和，而且有山有水，真是山明水秀，美加兩國之太平洋海岸線，都是如次美麗，其時可以延伸到墨西哥之巴哈加利佛尼亞半島之，柯波聖路卡市，只不過稍暖和些。

也有幾次上里治蒙華埠逛街經驗，我想吃碗牛肉麵解饞，船上伙食，沒有如此湯味，但我幾乎找不到一家，於是只好就地逛街，找到一東方超市，內有食物可購買，我選日本生魚片便當，然後尋找廣東西點麵包店，找我喜歡之豆沙酥，卻未如願。

Re-visiting Portland, Maine 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Re-visiting Portland, Maine 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Portland, Maine is not on the border to the State of New Hampshire where Portsmouth is. One year in the fall, I drove a car from Boston to Portsmouth to visit the site of a peace treaty between Russia and Japan in Manchuria in 1904-1905. The meeting was held at a naval base on the border of Maine and New Hampshire recorded as at Portsmouth and one site became a museum at the downtown Portsmouth where I visited. All three Emperors and Empress sent gifts to Theodore Roosevelt for his effort to broker the truce. I also have visited a museum on a National Park site on the Oyster Bay, his old residence. I love history and visiting historical places helps me to enlarge my interest. Portland is on the northeast corner of Portsmouth. There is another Portland on the west coast of Oregon State, much larger than the eastern one yet about the same latitude, another lovely city. I have been here twice before all by cruise and two more after I finish this back to back between New York City and Quebec City.

Depending on where the cruise moors, there is an easy access from the pier to the Main Street, one toward the old downtown full of piers with fish warehouses and other business stores and restaurants, etc., another direction is to a newer development of the area and highways toward other famous parts of Maine such as Kennebunk Port as described in recent history. I chose the old downtown route to visit a beautiful garden lobster restaurant, not for eating yet for the price on the manual. On the back door of the restaurant across a small alley, there is a fish market which is my old acquaintance. I also checked on prices of the local harvest. A pair of 1.25 pounds lobsters with a small boiled corn and another small boiled potato for a meal is $25 plus tax and service charge. You can order a smaller portion on a street food stand for less cost; however, that meal is still a better deal. The best deal is for the local to purchase bulk of lobsters while is at the season and freeze them for the entire year. I was told that you could get as low as $3 a pound while we pay about $12 a pound in Houston, Texas.

I didn't eat the lobster and went up to visit another part of the city following the nicely divided streets, one by one and up hill to the city hall. It is a very nice 19th century brick building all over and very well kept. Inside the city hall, it is very neat, clean, and well managed in deed. I can see all the photos of previous mayors. It was settled in 1632 and incorporated in 1786. Outside of the city hall, I visited a Catholic Church of its soup kitchen and pantry to help the needed and I also visited an old city park named Lincoln Park.

A small dahlia garden was blooming with red flowers. I took many shots for my memory.

重訪緬因州波特蘭市2019/莊峻華

重訪緬因州波特蘭市2019/莊峻華

緬因州波特蘭市，稍小於西岸奧勒岡州波特蘭市，我查閱地圖，緯度卻是相當，在新罕斯菲爾州之普特茅斯港東北角，幾年前，我曾自波士頓，驅車專訪普市，參觀日俄戰爭和約舊址，是在緬因州邊界一海軍基地談和，三帝國皇帝均感激小羅斯福總統之善意，主導停戰，生民塗炭，均贈送紀念禮物給總統，珍藏於紐約長島蠔灣總統故居，今為國家公園，我曾專程參觀過。波港較像一古漁港，轉變成近代城市，舊式紅色磚房高樓建築，仍在使用，而且維護甚佳，我下船逛街，包括碼頭附近海鮮商店，許多龍蝦餐廳，和遊客禮品店，這次，我更上坡，逛到市政府，參觀一處公園，一善心教堂。

我到街上，立即發現這城市，我是來過兩次，這次旅行，將再拜訪兩次，我找到上次用餐之龍蝦餐廳，詢問價格，都是1.25磅重，一對$25，贈送小塊水煮玉米和馬鈴薯，據曰價格四年不變，餐廳就在碼頭木板岸上，格街小巷對面，有一大規模新鮮魚市，都是當地漁產，價格和理，較多選擇，而且難得新鮮，回大街路上，也有龍蝦小攤，販賣龍蝦三明治，按大小論價，現買現煮，若要薑蔥龍蝦，則需上中國餐館，當地也有。

沿著整齊劃一之街道，我逛到市政府，也是古色古香，大廈內也是整潔一層不染，走出市府不遠，就看到一公園曰，林肯公園，正在整修維護中，有一處紅大理花正開，我排攝許多相片留念。出公園過十字路，就有一天主教堂，提供早午餐，和一些家用蔬菜水果，還有米麵食物等，給需要者，真令我感動，我幸好一生努力節約儲蓄，未使家人淪落到此地步。

還可以再逛街，但我選則結束，我也省掉吃龍蝦之打算，現在物價上漲，連休市藍蟳都漲價，傳聞當地人在龍蝦豐收時，可以買到$3.99一磅，整批購回凍箱庫存。

Train ride back to Manchester, England 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Train ride back to Manchester, England 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Ending my last week visit to London, I took a train ride back to Manchester, England to catch on a return flight to Houston, Texas. I am getting more and more accustom to the English System which is operated individually by individual company on an individual route, i.e. the London-Manchester route is by the Virgin Trains. There are several stations on several cities also covered by this company like London Euston, Manchester Picadilly, Birmingham New Street, and Liverpool Lime, etc. Train fare is in direct competition with the air fare, the bus fare, and rental car, etc. I have seen many travelers well prepared to purchase their tickets in advance by internet either by computer or i-phone. I rely on my senior discount, one third off, by purchasing a voucher good for a year and take the train after the peak hours, yet it is still not quite comfortable. It takes about 2 hours and 4 minutes from London to Manchester and 34 trains scheduled in a day, about every 14 minutes. There is no stop before arriving the destination, about two stations outside of Manchester to save time.

I got off at Picadilly and walked to China Town to get my favorite Cantonese red bean pasta cake for dessert. I found this bakery on my first visit of the city and became my routine to drop by. The cake is sweet and crispy outside similar to some Moon Cakes of this kind. I shall keep them on my way back to Houston in case of my need to make up blood sugar due to my diabetes. I still had had a plenty of time; therefore, I took my luggage and back pack to board two free buses in front of the Picadilly Station to tour the city. It is a 30 minutes bus tour which many visitors taking advantage of. The tour has covered some of the old city like the Canal Street, Museum, and soccer stadium, etc. Manchester has a top soccer team in England or the entire Europe.

It is all because of the direct flight provided by an airline from Houston to Manchester; therefore, I have had the opportunity to visit some parts of England. We're going back again in late January of 2020 for a trip stopping by Manchester and continue flying to Bangkok, Thailand. I don't know if I can show Amy that Cantonese Bakery during the changing plane.

搭火車返曼徹斯特2019/莊峻華

搭火車返曼徹斯特2019/莊峻華

結束倫敦行，搭火車返曼徹斯特市，搭乘飛機返回休士頓。火車是從倫敦幽斯頓站出發，在曼徹斯特皮卡地利站下車，耗時兩小時許，一路直達不停，一直到接近曼市郊外，一天有34班車，每14分鐘一班，真是便利，在英國搭火車，是件藝術，車價隨時調整，預購較為便宜，因此很多年輕外國旅客，使用智慧型電話，查看訂票，我沒有可靠手機，是有手提電腦，但因有老人折扣券，所以選擇早上十時後上車，仍舊覺得火車票，非常昂貴。

沿途經過英格蘭農村，想到運河網，想到大工業革命前之戰爭，這些騎兵，真是需要穿過山丘原野，征戰四方，我曾多次在日本搭日本鐵道，在德國搭德國鐵道，在西班牙之阿貝高鐵等，留下非常好印象，當然台灣之高鐵，東岸環島火車，是終生回憶。下車後，仍舊有許多時間，我就隨眾，在車站前，搭乘兩班免費觀光巴士，遊覽幾處此箸名工業革命起源城市。結束後，拖著行李，走到華埠廣東麵包店，購買四粒豆沙餅，我來過此店多次，非常喜愛其品質口味。

一個月後，家兄峻嚴與家人遊歐洲，搭同航空公司，在曼市下機，在倫敦搭另外一航空公司班機返美，他們在曼市有居停，我僅稍描述一二，未提到華埠和豆沙餅，明年一月底，我們將搭同班飛機，經曼市轉飛泰國曼谷市，轉機間或有時間到曼市逛街。

Dining with daughters on board 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Dining with daughters on board 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Sailing out of Ketchikan, we were in the Canadian Water of the Seymour Narrows or the Inside Passage, yet I had a dinner scheduled with Mary Ann, one of my pretty daughters at Le Bristos, a French Restaurant on Deck 7 Mid-ship. It was the last night before the disembark at Vancouver, Canada. I adopted her on my previous ship Dawn and she was transferred to the Jewel with some of her Dawn colleague and I had invited 4 of them on this back to back trips. Because of my latitude status, I can invite two guests for dinners at a fee restaurant on a certain designate restaurants of four two at a time. Usually I can get it approved by their managers and let them off early about 30 minutes at 8:30 pm that night. I feel good based on the manual price of the three courses, an appetizer, a main course, and a nice dessert. In addition to that, the cruise also give me a bottle of wine to be selected and an inexpensive bottle of champagne in my state room. It is one of the best time which I have had on the cruise. Daughters are happy and I am happy to get some of my money back from the company.

She is a senior waitress on restaurants with many fellow colleague around. It was late at night and the business was not that busy. They came around to chat with us and some of them even dropped by to say hello from the next restaurant. I have adopted many daughters on many ships; therefore, we can chat on many of our mutual friends with the cruise line and know where they are. The company always move them around ships in case of needs. I have been cut off from my fellow Taiwanese society in Houston and by cruse to meet many of the friendly staff on board is a pleasure of my senior life which I treasure it very much.

Because of this relationship with daughters on board, the majority of them are Filipino, I practice some of the popular Tagalog, change my name in Spanish, and claim myself as a naturalized Filipino from Sibu, Philippine. They don't believe it because that I don't speak the Sibua, another spoken language in that island. Recently I watch a documentary o a big sea battle at Leyte Island between the U.S. and Japan during the War. Sibua Island was also involved. Filipino are hard working people in the world and I believe that we are more closed to them biologically, Austronesian by definition the Pacific Islanders.

Since my latitude class promotion last year, I got an additional free drink dinner, dine with officer, one night at a seated restaurant. Some of the officers are my daughters as well. Because of the free drink, I have the cost of the drink out of my mind to enjoy myself and have daughters to remind me drink slowly. Actually, I must avoid drinking to affect my diabetes medicine.

與郵輪愛女晚餐/莊峻華

與郵輪愛女晚餐/莊峻華

郵輪旅行最愉快事者，與船上愛女晚餐，旅行路線不很重要，重要者為價格，上船後能否與愛女晚餐，可以決定旅行之成功與否，我自晉入鉑金級客戶後，郵輪提供兩張餐廳招待劵，可以攜伴在收費餐廳用餐，因我隻身旅行較多，因此開始認收美麗義女後，開始嚐識邀請愛女晚餐，一般我都選牛排店，愛女們多半同意，偶而選法國料理，然後我請示其上司同意，安排她方便之時間，通常是晚上八點半，餐廳打佯是九點，我毫無問題，此夜，剛好是海上日，也就是上岸加拿大溫哥華港之前夜，郵輪正駛過西摩爾窄峽，餐約兩週前底定，時間延到最後一夜，我的晚餐愛女，瑪麗安是位年輕高大美女，兩年前其經理就推薦我請她晚餐，這次她隨經理一群，從黎明號調職珍珠號服務，我邀請之四位愛女，都是黎明號認收愛女。

瑪麗安人緣好，在東方餐廳當侍者，認識很多同事，於是餐桌男女同事雲集，許多人認出我在它船出入，而且也提供我一些愛女現今服務之地點船號，許多新認收愛女，回家後，我認出相片姓名地址，一一電郵寄送，從此成為家人，奧斯汀琳兒聞此曰，她才是真正愛女，其實活到現在年紀，真是不分彼此矣，船上愛女都我真誠對待，於我空虛之老年，有短暫之父女真情，十分難得。

這艘船走東方航線，就在下個月，有兩路線，價格甚佳，合乎我之限額，是從夏威夷到大溪地，再從大溪地回雪黎母港，然後就是大洋洲和一些東方路線，我因機票問題，和最近黎明號與愛女餐局受挫，遷怒於郵輪公司，準備杯葛郵輪旅行。