the Tate Modern / 泰德現代美術館

意亂情迷的解藥之一就是趕快去美術館修練心靈，雖然幾天前以經和卡洛來過一次，但是當時沒有時間好好逛逛，既然我都成了暫時的倫敦人，當然要好好利用這個城市的資源，自己一個人躲在大房間哀哀叫是沒有意義的。我在Blackfriars Bridge上捕捉泰晤士河的美景，很像現成的古典派水彩畫。

One of the antidotes to falling head over heels is going to an art museum to calm my mind. I was actually there a few days ago with Carol, but then we didn't have time for a good look. Since now I am officially a Londoner, I have to make good use of the resources of this city. It is pointless to hide in my big room and moan. I captured the beauty of the Thames on the Blackfriars Bridge, and the photo is like a classical watercolor painting. 

倫敦人愛慢跑到我嘖嘖稱奇的地步！大街小巷都有跑者的蹤跡，他們比我想的健康許多。

Londoners take such a liking to jogging that their passion amazes me. I see joggers everywhere in the city. They are definitely much healthier than I thought. 

下了橋要去美術館的路上，發現一家叫做「瘋狂帽商」的旅館，聽起來好有路易斯凱洛的調調。

After I got off the bridge and walked in the direction of the museum, I came across a hotel named "The Mad Hatter Hotel." Sounds very Lewis Carroll...

這陣子泰德主打的項目之一為超現實主義，我喜歡的口味很保守，還是停留在畢卡索爺爺的大眾化作品，不過仔細看喔！

One of the features now is Surrealism. I have a very conservative taste. My favorite painting goes to Grandpa Picasso's popular work. However, there's a trick in the painting. Look carefully. 

紫色的半邊臉其實也是個側臉，親吻白色的女人臉。

The purple half of the face is actually a silhouette kissing the white part of the female face! 

在某層樓時莫名其妙加入解說之旅，講解員是個上了年紀但極度優雅的女性，聽她說話我一邊會想到休葛蘭，我想老休在英國應該是個很普通的人吧！

On a floor I joined a guided tour accidentally. The guide is an extremely elegant lady in her maybe 60s. When I listened to her, I couldn't help conjuring up the image of Hugh Grant. I bet you can find millions of guys like Hugh here... 

泰德美術館也鼓勵訪客把自身的觀點畫在泰德專屬的明信片上，優秀的作品會被張貼出來。幾年前小蕙曾替我帶回台灣幾張空白明信片，現在我來到這裡，有感而發，便坐下來畫張圖。

The Tate Modern encourages visitors to express their viewpoints on specially-made blank postcards. Excellent works are posted like above. A few years ago, Hui brought home some for me. Now I was here in person, and I felt something I hadn't before. So I sat down with other young people to create my own postcard. 

我的觀點是剛來到倫敦的新居民，我努力伸出友誼的手，有些人給了我回應，而泰德美術館也是我緊抓的一隻手，因為今天早上想不開時，有一股聲音直叫我來這裡，希望泰德也能收集這類的心情。

My viewpoint is that of a new comer to the city. I make effort to reach out to people, and some of them have held my hands. The Tate Modern is one of the hands I cling to because this morning when I wasn't very cheery, a voice in me prompted me to come here. I hope the Tate Modern can collect the moods of foreigners in the city as well. 

寫完之後把明信片投入紅色郵箱，拜託選我！

Afterwards I inserted it into the red post box. Please PICK ME!

在美術館我發現一件事，通常坐下來畫的是十七八歲的孩子，他們應該也不是特別有畫畫的天份，但是每個人都很盡興在畫，如果是我的學生可能會說畫不出來，這些西方的小朋友好像很自由。

In the museum I found something. It's usually teenagers around 18 that sit down to draw. I don't Adam and Eve that they all have the gift for drawing, but everyone does their best. If it were my students, they might say that they don't know what to draw. However, these European kids don't seem to have the problem. 

我的心也要那樣自由才好！

I want my heart to be that free too! 

接下來不斷遇到老師帶學生來美術館探險，我偷瞄了一下，老師準備了問題單，小朋友除了回答問題之外，還要畫下其中一件作品的樣子，我身上可能有美術老師的氣息，因為我偷拍小朋友時，警衛問我是不是和他們一起。

Then I kept running into teachers and students coming to the museum on a field trip. I took a glimpse at the worksheet. Kids have to answer questions about the artist and also draw one of the artworks. I probably feel like an art teacher because while I was secretly taking photos of the children, the guard asked me if I came together with them. 

逛完之後，我也像戶外的人群，找個地方坐下曬太陽吃點心。我要很驕傲地說，本日花費為來回公車費2.6磅，加上我捐了十分錢給美術館，雖然很貧窮，但還是要付出！誠徵國興衛視台請我拍一個月節儉過生活的節目，或是凱莉布雷蕭的編輯如果想出藝術版的倫敦生活日記，或是大塊出版有興趣，請快點和我連絡！

In the end, I found a spot outdoors to take a sun bath and enjoy my snacks like most people did. I am going to announce with pride: The total cost today is 2.7 pounds, including the round-way bus fare, and ten cents donated to the museum. Though I am poor, I still want to give. If any TV channel is interested in making a program about how to live in London on a tight budget, or if Carrie Bradshaw's editors would like to publish an art version of life in London, or if Locus Publishing sees any market potential in me, please contact me right away!