天葬鷹

我很喜歡天葬鷹的故事。

為何藏人選擇讓鷹吃掉他們的身軀？原來不只因為它們是天上之王，或牠們的眼光比誰都遠，牠們還有鮮為人知的故事。

動物吃食物需要排泄，而鳥類是一邊飛一邊排的。鷹由於飛得高，它的排泄物由高空墜落時，經過氣壓化為烏有，而人被鷹排出來的剩物，也一樣消失在空氣中。

不只沒有人見過鷹的排泄物，鷹的屍體也沒有人見過。鷹知道自己瀕臨生命邊緣時，會衝向太陽越飛越高，最後亦因為氣溫和氣壓的關係，鷹自己也在空中化為灰燼。

藏人就是看中鷹這種具傲氣的神秘特質吧。

還有，藏人認為，被鷹吃得越清光的屍體，那人生前一定是一個好人。

很玄。

What did I do in Hanoi? I ate.

After the first day of APEC conference, things became quite enjoyable. I finally had a glimpse of a correspondent's life, which I've longed to have, to walk around town, talk with people, and spot my own news story. I would say my reward in this trip is seeing Hu, Bush, Abe, Roh Moo-hyun and some other high ranking officials, and last but not the least, food, of course.

Below is a "showcase" of my gourmet trip.

I had my first dinner at the highly acclaimed Bobby Chinn, and I returned for my last lunch with other reporter friends.


Eating with an empty chair, but Dan Dan's sms has brightened my solitary moment.


One of the signature dishes, blackened barramundi on braised banana blossoms, but to be honest, the ambience is far better than the food.


Lunch at Brother's Cafe. Vietnamese lunch Buffet.


Korean dinner at Daewoo Hotel.


Lunch at a small Korean restaurant across the street from my hotel, and I think its food tasted better than Daewoo's, and cheaper.


I finally had companions!! The political reporters arrived and we had our first dinner at the cozy Vietnamese restaurant Indochine. Food was great. Waiter who served us was halirious.


I love their open kitchen.


THE MEMORY of the trip: the tasting menu at Le Beaulieu in the Sofitel Metropole Hotel. A LOT OF COURSES for only USD78.

started with a complimentary starter, still not sure what it was after tasting, should be pumpkin soup with fried eggplant, it's good anyways.

ok even blogger got jealous and prohibited me from more picture postings, so let me start a new entry...

a plate full of foie gras, innovative styles


scallop on top of something


lobster (sorry my camera sucks)


don't know what it is, something fried


lamb, with passion fruit sauce


dessert, dessert (there was a selection of cheese as the last course too but I didn't take picture of it, and yes I finished all the food, can you imagine?! that's why my face bloated after the trip.)


Last supper at Emperor, a Vietnamese restaurant that won the 2005 best fine dining award. Just look at the environment.


The food was awesome and yet not expensive at all.


They didn't serve Vietnamese dessert, but this apple pie I had was mouth watering.


Last breakfast in the hotel, I really liked the view.


Last lunch back at Bobby Chinn, the dish's called "Symphony of Flavors". Very creative, French and Vietnamese fusion. Again, food's overrated.

THE END

Hanoi

朋友問：為何這麼久沒寫blog了？
沒有，回港後完全沒有寫作靈感，所以現在到了越南，又可以寫了。

第二次到越南，第一次到河內。抵步的第一個想法是，越南完全沒變啊，5年後還是一樣，但想想河內雖然是首都，但比胡志明市落後，可能是發展了5年，才到胡志明的發展程度吧。

河內市中有幾個湖，很喜歡在湖邊逛，感覺比在鋪滿x土的街道要好得多。白天在湖邊有很多老人家和小孩在休憩，晚上則坐滿情侶，都是清一色的姿勢，就是男熊抱女的，或是女熊抱男的，反正讓我想到的，就是這裡的人，怎麼這麼懂享受生活啊。食肆旁的路上，亦總是坐上了一圍圍的食客，一家大小，一班朋友的，嘻嘻哈哈很是熱鬧。

越南人很愛笑，好像很溫文似的。河內街上飛行的機車數目，是我在任何一個城市都未見過的，人要橫過馬路，絕非易事。但你不會看到像香港般，有司機因為另一輛車插到他前面，而立即破口大罵，他們只是停一停，又若無其事地繼續開車。今天APEC的秘書處總裁說，越南人很少講多謝或對不起，因為對他們來說是太formal的事，他們只會笑笑代之。

所以，昨日當我數道開火時，得到的回應也是笑，令我滿肚子氣也罵不下去。

首次到大會會場，新建的，的士司機也不知道在哪裡。頭半段路，司機明顯在繞路，車錶已跳到比平時一倍的價錢，但心想是公司的錢，我嚥下氣不說話，況且我說英文他也聽不懂。到了下半段路，司機迷路了，叫他問道人他只會呆呆的看著我，我唯有打電話到新聞中心，叫他們自己解說。這時我的臉已全黑，本來15分鐘的路程，花了大半小時。下車前即使他聽不懂，我也要指著車錶和手錶罵一大堆，司機也只是對著我陪笑，還要伸手替我開車門，弄得我啼笑不得。

下了車，發現司機原來把我放在會場的另一個入口，而記者出入的入口是最偏遠的一個，我心裡又亂罵一通。問拿著槍守衛的士兵路，他們一句英語也不會說，只是搖頭不准我進入，我又指著他們發脾氣。

這個會場的安排讓記者感到不是人。記者的通道不單是最偏遠的，而且由於保安問題，的士不能進入，需要人行300米，到達安檢處，再行300米，才正式到達會場的入口。

辛苦進入會場，我再發脾氣，因為溝通相當溝難。河內百姓不會講英文我可以理解，但在舉行國際會議的場地，我期望大會工作人員是可以操起碼溝通水平的英文。但當我發覺，坐在「英文」文件後的小姐面亦對我的問題一曉不通，我真的十分氣餒。

7個小時後，我離開會場回酒店寫稿，由於等不及每兩小時才開出一班的shuttle bus，唯有再走出那漫長的通道。我又越走越氣，越走越氣，就拿出電話，漫遊撥了一通電話到新聞處，像爆發般發洩所有不滿，自覺也有點咄咄逼人。最後，電話的另一端心平氣口的說，會將我的意見「反映」的，雖明知沒結果，肚裡的氣也算消了一半。

還有大會將delegates和傳媒隔得遠遠的安排不說了；我昨天才發現，香港安排世貿會議，安排得很好。

罵完了，下次給大家看點吃的。