The birthday trip / 生日旅行

星期天是我家小妞嘉蕊二十一歲的生日，這可能是我們唯一一次慶生的機會，所以我們要一起做一件很特別的事。早上七點的坎貝爾天還未全亮。

Sunday is Jazel's 21st birthday. This might be her only birthday we can celebrate together, so we'll do something special together. This is Camberwell at 7 am. 

沒錯，我們要去莎士比亞的家鄉旅行。雖然告示牌上寫火車準時，但最後車班被取消，我們只好跳上另外一列去伯明翰的火車再轉車。

Exactly. We are traveling to Shakespeare's hometown, Stratford-Upon-Avon. Though it says that the train will arrive on time on the bulletin board, in fact, it is eventually cancelled. We have to jump on a train that heads for Birmingham and transfer from there. 

火車上很多人，有些人在打牌。

The train is crowded, and some people are playing card games. 

雖然陽光很亮，但是氣溫跌破零下。今天有點結霜，不少車班受到影響，聽車掌廣播很有趣，他說：我們可能十一點多會到伯明翰，而我之所以說可能是因為‧‧‧。這真是典型的英國精神啊，字句中充滿「可能」、「大概」、「也許」。

Though the sunshine is bright, the temperature drops below 0 Celsius degree. There is frost on the ground, and we guess that many train rides are influenced. It's a lot of fun to hear the conductor broadcast. He talks in such a manner: We'll probably arrive in Birmingham at eleven something, and the reason why I say "probably" is that...The words such as "possibly," "probably," and "maybe" are very typical of the British way of life. 

這是中繼站Leamington Spa。

This is the stopover Leamington Spa. 

我們約十點五十分到達，等下一班去亞方的火車十二點多才會來，才走到出口要問站務人員可不可以出去逛逛，這時突然有天上掉下來的奇蹟─叫馬克的站務人員說，我們得在出口等，因為他要幫我們安排計程車去亞方，不像倫敦車站的服務人員，火車班次取消也不知原因或該怎麼辦，不過他預約十一點得到的車十一點四十五分才到，和我們一起等的有十幾個人，大家都很隨和，但計程車司機到了之後，馬克很生氣地把他念了一頓，真是少數我見過正義凜然的英國人！

We arrive at about 10:50 am, but the next train to Stratford-Upon-Avon won't come until 12:17. Right when we go to the exit to ask if we can go out of the station for a  look, there drops a miracle from the sky--the train master named Mark says we have to wait there for him to arrange a taxi for us. He is unlike those in the Marylebone Station in London who have no idea why the train is cancelled or what they should do. However, the taxi that he books for 11:00 doesn't arrive until 11:45.There are about a dozen passengers waiting together with us, and luckily we are all very easygoing. When the taxi shows up, Mark is so angry that he tells the driver off. He is really one of the few upright British people I have ever seen. 

我們到了亞方鎮！

Here we are at Stratford-Upon-Avon! 

寫給莎翁的頌歌。

The ode written to Shakespeare. 

週六市集。

The Saturday market. 

沿路的蘋果樹。

The apple tree we came across. 

這城市處處都是莎翁的痕跡。

There are traces of Shakespeare everywhere in this city. 

插畫家羅夫史戴曼畫的莎士比亞肖像。

Shakespeare's portrait drawn by the illustrator Ralph Steadman.

莎士比亞小時候的家。

Shakespeare's birthplace. 

街景。

The streetscape. 

納許之屋是莎士比亞在倫敦致富後回到家鄉新購的房子。

Nash's House was bought by Shakespeare after he made a fortune in London. 

納許之屋的花園很大。

There is a huge garden at the back of Nash's House. 

黃昏時刻。

The sunset. 

來到英國一直很想吃正統的下午茶，今天終於有個很棒的理由。

I've been wanting to try traditional afternoon tea, and today there's finally a perfect reason. 

嘉蕊挑的這家Church Street Restaurant在裝湟、服務和價錢上都令人讚不絕口，也提供住宿。嘉蕊邊吃邊說：和你在一起真的是太幸福了！

The Church Street Restaurant, picked by Jazel, is highly satisfying in terms of decor, service and price. Lodging is also offered. While enjoying the tea, Jazel can't help uttering: I am so happy being with you! 

因為太美好了，我們倆會害怕又要回到倫敦。

Because the trip is too beautiful, we both worry about having to go back to London. 

回家之前去超市買一瓶熱葡萄酒，店員要求看我的身份證，看到我的出生年份，他一副不可置信，嘉蕊問他剛開始以為我幾歲，他說：二十。嘉蕊說：你怎麼比我還年輕？

On our way home, I go to the supermarket to buy a bottle of mulled wine. The cashier asks to see my ID. When he sees my birth year, he is stunned. Jazel asks him how old he thinks I am. He replies, "20." Jazel says, "You are younger than me!" 

回家之後拿出明信片紙袋發現了個驚喜，不知名的莎士比亞畫像，提醒我再好好想想身處倫敦的存在問題‧‧‧

I find the surprise after I take out the postcard bag at home. The anonymous drawing of Shakespeare reminds me to think of my existential problem in London...