天燈的英文，微妙

印象中去年某中翻英 case 就有這一詞，當時急著交貨，査過就拋諸腦後。只記得天燈的英文不只一種說法，決定趁現在閒來無事再找一遍，順便記下，也算應景（本週日 March 4 就是元宵節）。

檢索網頁出現最多次的說法是「sky lantern」，新聞局介紹節慶的英文網頁這麼說，世新大學英文教學也採用這個講法。不過就算一樣用 sky lantern，放天燈的「放」這個動詞也沒個準：有人用fire，有人用 release，有人用 fly。天燈排名第二的英文說法是「heavenly lantern」，其實我看到 heavenly 這個字有點傻眼，可是它竟然出現在觀光局網站，且是年度五大活動之一。至於以後要不要用這個說法，敝人可能……要考慮一下吧（~_~ !）

既然査了「北天燈」，那「南蜂炮」也不能忽略。前面提及的新聞局英文網頁提到蜂炮時，用的是「fireworks display」；不過英文報紙 Taipei Times 外籍記者寫鹽水蜂炮的 文章 中用的是「fireworks festival」，大概是因應當時有辦什麼蜂炮節之類的活動吧。另一派說法味挺有趣，為強調中文蜂炮的「蜂」字，用了「beehive」這個字－－但也找到兩種講法：觀光局網站曾出現 Beehive Fireworks；至於這個 Beehive Rockets Festival 看起來有點嚇人、但曾經親臨蜂炮現場的人可能會覺得 rocket 這個字也沒錯……

至於近年在元宵活動也闖出名號的台東炸寒單，英文說法只有一種：blasting Handan。

本日午餐：炸牡蠣丼

農曆年假期已進入尾聲，我家的年菜卻還沒吃完，很多菜都在「年年有餘」狀態……害我好想換口味。

幸好想換口味的不只是我，老媽也覺得需要暫停一下。趁昨天下午稍有陽光出門走走－－沒走多遠啦，去百貨公司超市罷了。回家後老媽調了麵糊炸牡蠣（勉強算「天婦羅風」），我找了一瓶日本燒酎來配，滿足～～

今天中午用昨晚沒吃完的炸牡蠣放在熱熱白飯上，淋些醬油，加點柳橙皮，弄成炸牡蠣丼，覺得挺美的，就用老媽的數位來拍張照（^_^）。醬油用最近買的 丸莊壺底油清，聞起來雖有點豆豉味，但味道甘醇，不會死鹹，還不錯！

說到炸牡蠣，想起以前去日本旅行，在東京車站的麵店看到かきあげ，一心以為是炸（あげ）牡蠣（かき），還覺得挺便宜的。沒想到送來一看，怎麼半顆牡蠣也沒有？！後來才曉得天婦羅料理中的かきあげ是麵糊混合貝柱、花枝、小蝦以及蔬菜下去炸，常看＜料理東西軍＞的人就知道，它通常被翻譯成「炸什錦」。

好望角到此一遊照

前面說過旅遊雜誌的採訪工作完全沒有想像中輕鬆，因為畢竟這是工作，並非玩樂。而另一件跟想像中不一樣的就是：去哪兒出差其實沒什麼優先選擇權。尤其我擔任的是執行編輯，之所以輪到出差是因為記者全都沒空，需要我支援，怎麼能挑三揀四。

所以，雖然我這個怕熱懶人連東南亞都不想去，非洲當然也從未出現在我的旅遊目標名單，但因緣際會卻讓我參加媒體團跑了一趟南非……我想這應該是這輩子空前絕後、唯一一次踏上非洲大陸吧。

由於工作中照舊忙著拍照，而拍的片子全部繳回公司，結果自己什麼都沒留下。幸好當時媒體團一位好心且細心的記者準備了一台拍紀念照的傻瓜相機，還幫我拍了些照片，讓我總算有張到此一遊照，證明「我有去過好望角」的啦～～

過年期間陰雨綿綿，想起去南非時太陽大到常要戴墨鏡，就借了老媽的數位來翻拍照片。一方面不想「露臉」，一方面也顧及當時同行者的隱私權，因此照片處理過才放上來，實際拍照地點如下（圖片來源在此 網頁 左下角）。

about Chien-Ming Wang：英文報導一則

大聯盟春訓開始讓媒體終於有機會看到阿民，也讓年假期間的新聞總算有更新的時候。台灣媒體把焦點放在阿民身上很正常，不過多少有膨脹的嫌疑，還是看看阿兜仔的報導才算數：目前看來，外國記者對洋基隊關心的話題，除了幾位球星的續約，主要還是討論新來的日本投手井川慶表現如何。

不過，還是有人為阿民寫了一篇報導。以下是 New York Daily News 體育記者ANTHONY McCARRON的文章。

Bombers' hidden ace
Wang back to work, but few really notice
【Originally published on February 18, 2007】
AMPA - When Chien-Ming Wang flew home to Taiwan for a two-month stay during the offseason, hundreds of fans were waiting at the airport. When he pulled up outside his parents' home, more fans were standing outside.

Autograph seekers dogged Wang's every step when he tried to go out, which meant he needed bodyguards. "Too crazy," Wang said. "It was a mess. I couldn't go anywhere."

But when Taiwan's biggest baseball star arrived at Yankee camp last week, there was little fanfare. In any other camp, the appearance of an ace would be big news, but it wasn't for Wang, who tied for the major-league lead in victories last season with 19 and was runner-up to Johan Santana in the American League Cy Young voting.

Wang is a quiet guy, and there have been other stories swirling around the Yanks - Mariano Rivera's contract snarl, Mike Mussina's make-up meeting with Carl Pavano, the will-he-or-won't-he-return Bernie Williams saga and Steve Swindal's DUI arrest.

And there are more popular stars - while Wang and the rest of the Yanks' projected rotation threw off five bullpen mounds, fans nearby mostly ignored Wang, instead yelling, "Welcome back, Andy" to re-signed lefty Andy Pettitte or telling Jorge Posada he looked good.

Wang prefers the anonymity. "Pitching is my job; that's all I care about," he said.

"If he doesn't say anything, you think he's missing and you think you have to go look for him," said pitching coach Ron Guidry. "He's not a highlights type of guy. He takes more pride in doing the job than talking about it."

"He's been flying under the radar for a year and a half," Mussina added. "He doesn't say much. He's got a goofy smile when you talk to him. It's how he is. He doesn't do anything flashy, strike out 10 a game, but it doesn't mean he can't pitch."

Wang's talent was evident again yesterday, even though it was only the second time he's thrown off a mound in camp. His renowned sinker dipped through the strike zone, causing catcher Ben Davis to whoop, "Way to go, Wanger" on several occasions.

"I don't know how you can make a ball move like that," Davis said later. "It's amazing how good that pitch is. He's got a gift, that's for sure."

Wang was less impressed, at least for the day, saying, "It's the first time this offseason the ball moved."

After a hectic November and December in Taiwan, in which he made numerous public appearances, sat for several press conferences and did commercials for Nike, Ford, a Taiwanese bank and a computer company, Wang went to Arizona for a month. For the past three years, he has worked out at Fischer Sports, a training facility in Phoenix.

There, he got away from his busy winter, slipping back into the anonymity he likes while getting into what he called the best shape of his life.

"I want to build on last year," Wang said. "My arm is stronger and I'm in better shape."

難忘北海道美味：帆立燻油漬

過年前突然想起這個來自北海道、超超超好吃的「帆立燻油漬」，日文寫成「ほたて燻油漬」。

旅遊雜誌工作偶爾也會讓人覺得「還不錯」大概就是這種時候吧——每年接近台北國際旅展時，非常重視觀光報導的日本單位多少會來拜訪一下社長、總編，如果有伴手禮的話，當然是當地的特產——這個「帆立燻油漬」就是某年來自北海道道北地區的單位帶來的。

去過北海道好幾次，卻從沒吃過。想來原因無非是此物價格不菲，再者好像也不太常見。一般會看到的干貝乾物零食，大多長得就像我們會拿來做菜的干貝or瑤柱；味道較甜、有個別包裝的是旅行團導遊拿出來在遊覽車上賣給你的「干貝糖」，在紀念品店也會看到。另外就是新幹線列車上販賣，拿來下酒，五、六顆一小包的那種。

紀念品店賣的個別包裝干貝，由於製造商不同，品質也不太一樣，調味和軟硬度都要碰運氣，所以最好先試吃、問過價格才買。至於新幹線車上賣的干貝，因為顏色和樣子長得跟市場賣的很相似，而且也不便宜，所以沒試過（看起來就覺得頗硬、要用力咀嚼的樣子）。

話題回到帆立燻油漬。當訪客離開後，大家繼續埋首工作，總編在晚上加班時拿出這盒讓大家分著吃。因為沒有圖片中的那麼大盒，大概每人分到一粒。可是這一粒燻油漬干貝讓大家都發出「好吃」的聲音——不僅充滿干貝的鮮甜，恰到好處的燻油漬使得干貝沒有腥味，而且保留了飽滿柔軟的狀態，多汁的滋味——真是人見人愛的好味道啦！

隔年我離職後立刻飛去日本旅行，拜訪當時住在兵庫縣的朋友，去看看從前出差認識的前輩推薦的高山市，為了好好利用 JR Pass，更非到北海道不可，即使只能在函館「沾個醬油」也好。那趟函館旅行的 omiyage 就是買盒帆立燻油漬囉（其實還有同事託買 ^^" ）～～

怪的是我四處逛都沒瞧見，直到臨走前才在車站附近一家飯店附設的紀念品店看到這個有金色盒子包裝的帆立燻油漬。由於得來不易，回台北後我小心收在冰箱一次吃一顆【os：搞得好像吃Godiva巧克力喔，可見我是窮人】，但過年時想好好享受，就拿出來跟老媽配清酒，不到半小時吃光光。

從那以後，再沒去北海道，也沒機會買這難忘的帆立燻油漬了。

＊圖片來源：北海道物產店網站

ps：在 yahoo japan 找了找，發現製作這種產品的商家不只一個……
　　日本訪客致贈的是這家的產品，因此我買的也一樣。