Train to Birmingham stopped at Stoke Upon Trent/Carlos Pueblo

Train to Birmingham stopped at Stoke Upon Trent/Carlos Pueblo

After 6 days in Manchester, I took a train to Birmingham to continue my

month long repeated tour of England. The train stopped at Stoke Upon

Trent for transferring. Trent is a name of a river passing through the

Borough of Staffordshire in the central part of England. There are many

names of city or township identified by the river in England. I visited

Dr. Laow and his temple last year at Burton Upon Trent at the same

borough about 30 minute drive away. Staffordshire is a land lock

borough in England. Borough is similar to County in Texas and smaller

than Prefecture in Japan, of course, smaller than State in the U.S. or

Province in Canada. I walked out of the station and marched directly toward

the Newcastle Canal nearby.

Stoke is famous of the pottery yet the business is also lost due to the

globalization. Before my turn to the left toward the south, the University of

Staffordshire campus is on the right. My luggage was compact and manageable

to carry up and down of the steps of the entrance of the canal. A canal lock is

about half a mile away and the pedestrian path is nice and wide. I chatted with

a biker about the canal. I explained why I was interested of English canals. A

barge, long canal boat, was approaching. I stand by the bank and make a hitch

hike sign. The Englishman was confusing and willing to take me to Birmingham

after I explained what it was means. I believed that I met the same barge in

Birmingham downtown several days later.

I watched how the barge to pass the lock. An owner who was waiting on line to

pass the lock explained briefly to me and watched another barge doing the pass.

The boater needs to use a king of ranch to un-lock the gate to make level of two

sides, it is all tunnel effect in physics. After the leveling of both basins, the boater

turns the wood bar to open the gate completely to make the barge to pass. I

learned it later that the horse power of a canal barge was very small and not enough

to overpower bigger wave at a surface of a river or at sea. While I walked back

toward the entrance, I saw another barge carrying some building supply and regular

residents utilized the pedestrian path to commute.

It was quite often at the train schedule to Birmingham. What I do in England for train

Is a standard procedure, first ask the platform number, then look at the sign of

approaching train and destination, finally ask the fellow passenger for the final check.

I find that English are always willing to help and that is why I enjoy to travel in this

country.  

火車停英國史拓克市/莊峻華

火車停英國史拓克市/莊峻華

結束曼徹斯特市居停，下一站就是伯明罕市，也是一古運河城，兩

城市，我在去年都有逗留，這次真是駕輕就熟，一上車就打嗑睡，

直到車長叫醒下車，原來需要換車，車站名史拓克在川特河，是一

內陸郡，去年我曾搭火車拜訪一泰國廟宇，也在同一史塔佛特郡，

該廟在波頓在川特河，據曰三十分車程，史拓克市，十分別緻，我

決定留下，拍攝相片留念，車站對面，就是一漂亮之旅社，有一銅

像，我問一東方女士，曰此地古以陶器馳名，如今因全球化，已經

沒落。我看地圖，運河就在車站旁，於是我問好車班，就拖行李前

往。

史拓克也有一史塔佛特大學，就在車站附近，走過一陸橋下，就是

運河入口，牌曰新城堡運河，紐凱瑟，顯然是通往東北角之新城堡

，也是一歷史古城，去年我曾拜訪兩日，印象深刻。運河有船行駛

，我好奇站在河畔，手比搭便車手勢，英人不解，我稍解釋，他了

解後曰可，但我已購有車票，而且不清楚可要多少英鎊？幾日後，

我好像再遇此船於伯明罕城中運河。運河旁有步徑，供行人鐵馬騎

士用，我拖著行李走一小段，觀看船過水閘，前船渡過，未關閘門

，以讓等候通過之次船，此運河當甚為忙碌，顯然該水閘門未得關

閉過，有些船携帶凌星貨物。

我因趕路，而且携帶行李，行走不便，只好回車站候車，有英國人

熱心，聞我擬赴伯明罕，特別交代辨識列車，以免搭錯，即使是相

同月台，後來有經驗，可以先問幾號月台，再看跑馬燈，再問他人

，就萬無一失，這是我喜歡旅行英國之故也。

Re-visiting the Peak Forest Canal, Marple, England/Carlos Pueblo

Re-visiting the Peak Forest Canal, Marple, England/Carlos Pueblo

On my last day of stay in Manchester, I decided to re-visit the Peak Forest

Canal at Marple. This time I got off at Marple Station and marched toward

16^th Lock with a help from a college student on her i-phone to be sure of

my direction. Before the entrance of the Canal, there is a super market

center and a war memorial park with  a fountain and nice garden on it.

I made a detour to avoid a repair construction of the 12^th Lock due to the

earth movement of lock shrinkage. The size of the lock is standard, yet

the water basin is quite a size for maneuver of the barge or canal boat.

I went to visit a nice two story brick house by the bank, an active art

craft store and museum. It was closed yet I could see through the windows

of what was inside. There is a residential houses next to it, very quiet and

lovely. It is what makes me to write this report after the first one. I found

four peony plants fully blooming on a front yard of a senior living house.

I always love to see pretty flowers in my life and I adore the peony. In

classical Chinese literature, the peony represents noble and elegant. I still

remember where and when I run into the peony blooming during my

traveling worldwide, i.e. the flood control zone of River Main in Frankfurt,

Germany and the subdivision of the old East Berlin under a ruined wall

between French and Soviet concession. I read very much about the flower

in Manchuria, NE of China and a special mention on a famous samurai

novel and movie, Miamoto Musashi. Dahlia flower is identical to the peony

in appearance of the flower and the plant overall. I regret very much that

I miss a peony blossom at a cruise stop at Cannes, France where I turn around

before reaching a Cathedral garden.

I passed by the Aqueduct House again and went down to the River Goyt to

see the huge Marple Aqueduct Arch. My neighbor told me that during the

Roman Era, engineers had already made construction to transfer water for

multi purposes. Aqueduct is sounded as water pass way to me in Spanish.

I marched pass Romiley where I exit on my first visit to Woodley Station. These

are all called civilization area for coffee after the canal. I went to thank the lady

at Manchester Information Center for her recommendation of Marple Canal and

she recommended me visit the canal in Manchester. It is right in the downtown

area where the great industrial revolution started. There is also a canal street

yet the canal is very old and need to be innovated.

重返英國瑪頗鎮運河行/莊峻華

重返英國瑪頗鎮運河行/莊峻華

居停曼徹斯特市第六日，我仍是懷念山峰運河，於是決定重返小鎮，

火車在瑪頗站下車，和首次有異，但我仍認出大街方向，此鎮有一大

學，一位外地學生，幫我査手機，肯定運河方向，運河第十六號水閘

是入口，旁有一超市，紀念公園，紀念小鎮出征鎮民有花園水池，有

落石草坪，供居民愛犬嬉玩，十二號水閘正在整修，改道經一街道橋

進入運河，此運河水閘標準尺寸，但蓄水池幅面廣闊，馬上看到一獨

立二樓專屋，標誌獨特，原來是一手工藝博物館，我特別穿過小巷，

但館內尚未開放。

我特別重述此行，主要是在此館鄰近，原是一小住宅區，小街門面，

是養老院，一樓住宅，前院有小花園，約五株牡丹花怒放，我非常喜

愛此花，小時候讀書，經常讀到牡丹，宮本武藏小說裡，也有牡丹一

幕，華府淑英府，植有牡丹，但花開後於櫻花，因此不曾相遇，倒是

在德國旅行，遇見兩次，一位緬茵河畔園藝者告知，年度法蘭克佛有

牡丹花展，花朵巨大者，超過常人面孔，牡丹花葉均似大理花，玫瑰

花朵，也有一類似牡丹大理花，易見者為多種類大花園，像加拿大溫

哥華島之巴格哈花園，這是繳費花園，一次郵輪旅行法國南部坎城，

一位台灣太太語我，錯過一大教堂花園之牡丹花，令我遺憾終身。

我想再遇河畔運河基金會之義工戴夫，感謝他推薦麻斯登和伊戴爾行

，但他之小攤位已空，我仍舊沿運河北上，運河上有兩艘船在維護河

堤，就是清除雜草，也有一對情侶在釣魚，我問何魚？曰鯽魚，而非

我看老英國電影中之河鰻，他們很肯定，運河中無鰻。很快再經過水

道橋，這是拱型橋基結構，羅馬時代工程技術，中國蘆溝橋型式，橋

下有碑說明，採用始末，回家後清晨散步，與兩愛犬友主人聊天，提

到水渠，他立即知道是羅馬時代專用語，旅行真能增廣見聞。

我在物德莉出口，搭車回曼市，出車站逕赴訪客中心，感謝這位推薦

瑪頗運河之女職員，她再建議我，就近參觀曼市運河，就在城市中心

，不甚吸引遊客，市中心運河，甚具歷史，我可以體識，曼市正在清

理老運河，也有運河街，已是老商區，像路州紐奧良市之運河街一般

，僅規模造遇不一耳。

Flying to Vancouver, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

Flying to Vancouver, Canada 2019/Carlos Pueblo

While checking the e-mail from the cruise liner, I found an attractive

Alaska back to back route between Vancouver and Seward. This is how

I make the purchase. I add up the basic rate of each back, northbound

and southbound, and tax and gratitude added, then I check on the

airfare and any additional expanse, etc. If the average cost is about

$100 a day, I call my travel agent in Miami to book the cruise and

book a round trip ticket on line. Of course, I apply Cruise next vouchers

to utilize the $250 discount. It was the fly to Vancouver cost more than

I expected; therefore, it was a little bit over my $100 per day limit, yet

It was attractive.

I arrived at Vancouver Airport via a transfer plane at Calgary, Canada

early next morning for the embark. I have been to the exactly same

trip before and known that I can visit Queen Elizabeth Rose Garden

before going to the port. This was what I did, carrying my luggage out

of the King Edward Station and marched toward the Rose Garden. I

love to visit Rose Gardens around the world, i.e. Queen Mary’s at the

Regent’s Park, the Hyde Park Rose Garden, city Rose Garden in Buenos

Aires, the Rose Garden by the city hall of Malaga, Spain, and some

attracting front yard gardens such as the unique flood control sheds

garden by the River Main in Frankfurt, Germany, the subdivision of

the old East Berlin by the French Concession in Berlin, etc. I took many

photos for my own collection.

A local resident came to chat with me about the flowers. He pointed out

the combination of several kinds of flowers made this garden so attractive.

It was the first time that I noticed the poppy blooming. Gardeners wisely

mixed them on the beds and expected blooming simultaneously in spring.

There are many colors of the flowers, red, white, pink, yellow, purple,

orange and many which I wish I can describe more. The roses will be

blooming until late summer. He also recommends me visit here for

another of my favorite, cherry blossom in Vancouver that I have heard

about it and I shall try to make it.

Late in the afternoon, Jewel slowly sailed out of the port. Vancouver is

really a beautiful city. The city has expanded to the hill areas nearby which

we can view from the deck. We’re going into the inside pass of the Alaska

inner sea coast back to Alaska in a day and night. It was comfortable to

stay out with a jacket.

  

飛抵加拿大溫哥華市2019/莊峻華

飛抵加拿大溫哥華市2019/莊峻華

從英國旅行回家，我繼續注意郵輪廣告，此為我之生活習慣，每日

下午二時整，公司電郵廣告，我查當月價格，選上約兩週航程之特

價項目，這次剛好看到珠寶號，溫哥華到蘇握七日$229，蘇握回程

到溫哥華$299，一共兩週，加稅四百餘，小費兩百一，機票五百四

，預購優待券兩張，省兩百五，已經接近一日一百美元支出，於是

馬上訂票，這是成行前九日，唯一遺憾者為飛溫哥華機票稍貴，是

單程三百八，此為我之標準購買流程。

我搭休市公車到機塲，搭夜機經卡爾格列市轉溫哥華，抵溫哥華，

已近凌晨，一早我就坐上輕軌列車，直奔伊莉莎白女皇公園，我

旅行溫哥華多次，每次都參觀女皇玫瑰花園，這是世界級玫瑰花園

，我順便舉些免費世界級，倫敦之皇家攝政王公園之，瑪莉女皇玫

瑰花園，皇家海德公園玫瑰花園，西班牙瑪拉卡市府前玫瑰花園，

阿根廷布宜諾斯愛莉斯市立玫瑰花園，還有德國法蘭克佛市緬茵河

畔24座防洪庭院花園，柏林市法蘇佔領邊界，原東德住宅社區庭

院玫瑰花園等，我攝有幾千張相片留念，每處花園，我均有幸拜訪

幾次。

我將行李放在草皮上，然後兩相機，輪流使用一圃圃拍照，園丁有

情，參植罌粟花，使花叢多彩點綴，有位華裔當地人，清晨散步，

與我聊天曰，家住附近，有甚馳名之日本櫻花季，我曾聽聞，只是

櫻季稍早，阿拉斯加郵輪，尚未啟航，若專門前來花見，則是耗本

，當然需要把握機會，溫哥華確是迷人都市。

傍晚，珠寶號啟航，緩緩駛出溫哥華港，我在七層甲板，觀看港口

景色，溫哥華市，已經發展到山麓，此市依山傍水，氣候溫和，連

樹木都高大，花草宜人，我沒有繼續觀看船長推薦之內海通道，這

是出加國，回阿州之內海通道，船兩面都是高山，山頂積雪，搭郵

輪速度稍緩，有異於火車之快飛。

Visiting Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala/Carlos Pueblo

We landed at Puerto Queztal, Guatemala by passing by another two

Central America Nations, Nicaragua and Hunduras. It is in adjacent to

Mexico to the north and famous for the current migrant issue of the

U.S. Mexican border which Trump wants to build a wall. I remember

after I visited Belize and found Guatemala had a territorial demand

of Belize and forced the British Air Force stayed at Belize for a certain

time period. Now, the Guatemala is in turmoil and its population

take caravan or march toward north to the U.S. for new life.

There is a nice shopping area near the pier for passengers who selected

to stay near the ship and another group to join the excursion to visit the

beach or an active volcano. I chose the third one to march to the city

center which I believed was Antiqua Guatemala, the old Guatemala city.

On the previous night, the dinner with officers was greasy and I drank too

much wine; therefore, I did have a diarrhea and was under such pressure

for the entire morning. I walked pass a gate guarded by security and they

told me not far away. On the way, there were small cabs of three wheels

soliciting business. I was still insisting walking.

The march was a reminder of my youth. I was fond of marching to another

township nearby my hometown, later by bicycle. The scenery of Guatemala

is similar to Taiwanese countryside of the 50’s. I went back to Taiwan and

joined a 30 Km march, about 18 miles, at my old hometown and it was

dramatically changed due to the rapid increase of population. I saw on the

way to Antiqua was still the same. I stopped by a mango stand to enjoy a

piece of big mango. It was a dollar for one and three kinds for me to select.

It was very delicious.

I passed by a Naval Base on the road side and once close to the city center,

the small cab business became busy. I didn’t get in to an outlet center for

tourists and kept on marching until I reach to the third intersection. Someone

mentioned to me that if I would go further blocks, I should meet a parade

and saw a clear picture of the volcano. I was glad that I made it back safe

of diarrhea threat when I reached a restaurant toilet.

Aiza, my adopted daughter from Jade, asked me why not brought back mangos

for her. She said the cruise security allowed passenger to carry one back and it

was too late.