the "mature" travelers / 熟齡旅行團

昨天夜裡做了個夢，夢到自己和多年未見的友人告別之後，突然去到了台東，搭上一班神奇的海上公車，在海面上奔馳，眼前所見的美景令我大呼過癮，尤其是那蔚藍的海面，醒來之後嘴邊還掛著一抹微笑。

Last night I had a dream. In my dream, after I said goodbye to a friend that I hadn't seen for years, I found myself in Taidong. I took a magic seabus. It sailed on the sea so wildly. What I saw was more than a feast for the eyes, especially the azure seascape. I even woke up with a smile on my face.

最近沒有機會去東海岸，不過這個秋天裡，倒是和我的熟齡旅行夥伴John和Sharon隨意到處走走，三個總年齡加起來將近150歲的旅客，大概不對年輕人的胃口，但是有專屬司機和導遊John的貼心服務，還有辛辣的Sharon作伴遊，老實說，我還挺自在的。旅行最高境界便是：無入而不自得啊！

I have not had a chance to visit the east coast. However, in this autumn, I checked out some less known places nearby Taipei city with my "mature" travel companions, John and Sharon. Well, young people probably don't find it appealing to travel with three tourists whose total ages approach the colossal number 150. But for me, there is really nothing to complain about with a professional chauffeur and considerate tour guide like John and a straightforward, sometimes too straight, companion like Sharon. To be honest, I am quite in element with them. After all, the ultimate goal for traveling is: Have fun no matter where you go, as the old Confucius suggested.

涼爽的秋日裡，我們三人來到了之前冀望拜訪的金山，美麗的白沙灣已不再令人卻步，夏日的炙熱已褪，只有亮亮的陽光和涼涼的海風，時過三星期，和我們去和平島的感受完全不同，這樣的感受走到戶外甚為明顯。但是一心一意想吃鴨肉的熟齡旅行團心不在焉，我們催促著以慢動作著名的John先生，往下一個目的地前進。

On one cool autumn day, the three of us came to Jingshan, where we'd longed for going. The beautiful Baishawan Beach was no longer intimidatingly hot. The summer heat had faded. We felt nothing but bright sunshine and lovely breezes. Though only three weeks had passed by, the change of seasons was tangible. It was especially obvious outdoors. Yet we didn't have time to linger long. We were so determined to eat the famous ducks that John, who is always renowned for his slowness, was prompted to move faster toward our next destination.

誰知，行前，一向誠實得不能再誠實的Sharon除了闡述鴨肉的美味之外，並未告知其他遊客金山鴨肉莊空前絕後的人潮，所以一當我們踏進那有名的老街，我被恐怖的人群給嚇壞了，原來食客得眼明手快地在一旁等待空位，同時必須加派同團的人手自行至某地點取菜，從頭到尾，我都處於極度驚嚇的狀態，不過俐落的Sharon無畏於下午兩點半依舊流動的人海，迅速有效率地指揮、發號司令，使得熟齡旅行團在短短的二十分鐘內已有滿坑滿谷的菜餚可食用。

I'd always considered Sharon to be an extremely honest person. However, before the trip, she didn't say anything else besides emphasizing the beauty of the duck meat. I had no clue about the CROWDS waiting for us there. As soon as we arrived at the famous Old Street, I was literally terrified by the gigantic number of visitors there. To successfully enjoy a duck feast, the tourists have to not only wait for seats available but also send their fellow tourists to get the dishes somewhere only the insiders were aware of. From the beginning to the end, I was in a over-shocked state. Fortunately, Sharon was as clear-headed and fast-moving as usual. She worked more than efficiently, even trapped in seas of people struggling for food even at 2:30 pm. We had tons of food in front of us within less than 20 minutes.

我面對著大盤地不像話的菜餚，有些不知所措，但對面的陌生旅人以自顧自、很認命的態度〈店內不提供白飯〉，一人對著一盤菜，認真地啃了起來。我盯著鴨肉，心想就是還有一口氣留著的鴨子，見到黑壓壓的人群，就是想逃也會感到前所未有的無力吧！

I was sort of at a loss facing dishes that were larger than the description of words. Strangers sitting across from me dug hard into the food with a nonchalant and resigned attitude. (Rice is no offered in the restaurant and that can confuse us more than non rice-eaters can imagine.) I stared at the duck meat, wondering how helpless they would feel even if they still had a breath. It would be impossible that they still felt like flying away, confronted by the presence of so many hungry human beings.

之後讀了Peter Mayle寫的French Lessons，有關他對法國飲食文化的觀察，相對於法國人的悠閒和優雅，如果梅爾有機會寫一本Taiwanese Lessons，風格應該會截然不同，不過每餐總是吃馬拉松式三小時很累人呢，有時也要來點直爽的、大快朵頤的東西，兩種風格相互交替才好，記得，過而不及啊！

I was reminded of our duck experience after reading Peter Mayle's French Lessons, a book on his observation of French eating culture. If he had a chance to write Taiwanese Lessons, it would be drastically different. After all, we are not a people famed for being elegant and carefree like French people.

My advice is, it can be tiring to have three-hour-long marathon meals all the time. If we can have something as straight and fast as Taiwanese-style meals, it should be fun. But never go to extremes. Bear the wisdom of the ancestors in mind: The Middle Way is the best!