Zhaoyang – Page 2 – Our Trips Around The World

War Remnants Museum 战争遗迹博物馆

2024年4月25日，星期四，新加坡越南之旅第六天

On April 25, 2024, Thursday, the sixth day of the Singapore-Vietnam trip

今天我俩参观了战争遗迹博物馆，原名为展示美国战争罪行博物馆，成立于1975年，是越南唯一一个系统地研究、收集、保护和展示外来侵略势力对越南人民造成的战争罪行和后果的博物馆，通过展出大量的照片、文物、军事装备，向公众揭示战争的残酷性和对人民生活的长期影响。博物馆分为多个展区，其中包括关于化学武器如橙剂的使用、战争期间的摄影作品、国际支持越南抗战的展览等。除此之外，院外还陈列了被摧毁的坦克、飞机和大炮等战争装备，让人对战争有更直观的感受。

Today, we visited the War Remnants Museum, originally named the less flattering, “Exhibition House for US and Puppet Crimes”, which was established in 1975. It is the only museum in Vietnam that systematically studies, collects, preserves, and displays the war crimes (and make no mistake they were war crimes), and consequences caused by foreign invading forces on the Vietnamese people.

Ho Chi Minh City Day 2 胡志明市第二天

2024年4月24日，星期三，新加坡越南之旅第五天

Wednesday, April 24, 2024, the fifth day of the Singapore-Vietnam trip

今天早晨在酒店享用了包含在住宿费中的自助早餐后，我们便前往了位于酒店旁边的独立宫参观。门票价格为每人65,000越南盾，另外音频讲解需支付90,000越南盾。看到了很多外国游客和越南本地人。这座宫殿最初在法国殖民时期被称为诺罗敦宫，建于1868年至1871年间，曾是法属印度支那总督的官邸。其建筑展示了典型的法国殖民风格，融合了欧洲文艺复兴时期的设计元素，显著体现了当时法国对该地区政治和文化的深远影响。

After enjoying the complimentary buffet breakfast at the hotel this morning, we went to visit the Independence Palace located directly across from our hotel. The ticket price was 65,000 Vietnamese Dong per person, and the audio guide cost an additional 90,000 Vietnamese Dong. We saw many foreign tourists and local Vietnamese people.

Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City 到越南达胡志明市

2024年4月23日星期二，新加坡越南之行第四天

Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the fourth day of the Singapore-Vietnam trip

今天飞往越南的胡志明市，这是一个我从未踏足的地方，PJG曾在2003年访问过越南的首都河内市。飞机在下午1点多起飞，我俩在新加坡机场的一个Hawker Centre吃了午餐。用餐经历非常便利，扫码点餐，手机信用卡进行支付，屏幕上显示叫号，用餐后还有两个机器人帮忙回收使用过的餐具。

Today, we flew to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a place I have never set foot in before. PJG had visited Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, in 2003. The plane took off at around 1 pm, and we had lunch at a Hawker Centre in the Singapore Airport.

Day 3 in Singapore 新加坡第三天

2024年4月22日，星期一，新加坡越南之旅第三天

Monday, April 22, 2024, the third day of the Singapore-Vietnam trip

观赏日出！今天清晨6点，我俩决定早起，步行前往鱼尾狮公园欣赏日出。公园内人迹罕至，一片宁静。在鱼尾狮还未开始喷水时，水面宁静如镜，我们捕捉到了极美的倒影画面。

Watching the sunrise! At 6 a.m. this morning, we decided to get up early and walk to Merlion Park to enjoy the sunrise. The park was sparsely populated and tranquil.

Gardens By The Bay 海滨湾花园

2024年4月21日，星期日，新加坡越南之旅第二天 April 21, 2024, Sunday, Day 2 of the Singapore-Vietnam Trip

昨天晚上忘了为今天准备早餐，于是第一次在一家餐厅享用了一顿相对昂贵的早餐！上午，我们步行了30多分钟前往著名的滨海湾花园。在途中，意外发现了一条地下通道，这让我们避免了大部分路程中的酷热。滨海湾花园是新加坡的一个标志性城市花园，始建于2006年，并于2012年正式向公众开放。花园的主要亮点包括两个巨大的温室——花穹和云雾林，以及被称为“超级树”的一系列高达50米的立体花园。虽然在花园内游逛是免费的，但炎热潮湿的天气很快就让我们汗流浃背，也迫使我们放弃了原计划中在空中行走道上行走的想法。最后，我们在滨海湾金沙酒店前的会展中心美食中心吃了简单的午餐。

We forgot to pickup some pastries for this morning’s breakfast last night, so for the first time, we enjoyed a rare, relatively expensive breakfast at a restaurant! After breakfast, we walked for more than 30 minutes to the famous Gardens by the Bay. Along the way, we unexpectedly discovered an underground passage, which allowed us to avoid the scorching heat for most of the journey.

Arriving in Singapore 到达新加坡

2024年4月22日，星期六，在槟城生活工作的第八周

Saturday, April 22, 2024 – Week 8 of Living and Working in Penang

这周同样的平淡无奇，唯一的新尝试是品尝了一种较为温和的榴莲。它的气味不那么刺鼻，吃起来很甜，卖榴莲的大哥很友好的让我俩免费尝试，尝试后，我俩买了一小盒。

This week was similarly uneventful, with the sole novel experience being the tasting of a milder variety of durian. Its aroma was less pungent, and the flavor was quite sweet.

槟城第七周 Week 7 In Penang

2024年4月8日到4月14日来到马来西亚槟城的第七周

April 8 to April 14, 2024 – The seventh week of our stay in Penang, Malaysia

这是一个相对平静的一周。除了日常工作之外，我俩没有进行任何特别的活动。M&M在白天自行探索城市，晚上我们一同享受美食和餐后散步。

This week was relatively tranquil. Apart from my regular work, the two of us didn’t engage in any extraordinary activities. During the day, Matthew & Megan ventured out to explore the city on their own, while in the evenings, we savored delicious meals together and enjoyed leisurely evening strolls.

槟城第六周-家人来访之二 Week 6 In Penang – Family Visit II

2024年4月1日到4月7日来到马来西亚槟城的第六周 – April 1st to April 7th, 2024, it was the sixth week we’ve spent in Penang, Malaysia.

这周是2024年的第一季度财报总结的一周，工作比较忙，周四早上3点半就起床开始工作，下午6点多终于完成我负责的部分，晚上10点我们又和瑞典的KPMG的会计师开了半个小时的会，11点多终于可以睡觉了。周五晚上，我俩又去了大树下海鲜餐厅，为了犒劳自己这周的努力工作，为自己点了6只肥美的皮皮虾。

At work this week I was focused on the first quarter close for 2024, making work quite busy. I woke up at 3:30 a.m. on Thursday to start working, and finally finished my part around 6 p.m. In the evening, we had a half-hour meeting with KPMG consultants in Sweden. It was past 11 p.m. when I finally could go to bed.

乔治城第五周-特别的一天 Week 5 In George Town- A Special Day

2024年3月25日到3月31日来到马来西亚槟城的第五周

From March 25th to March 31st, 2024, it was the fifth week we spent in Penang, Malaysia.

3月25日，我们迁入了位于Gurney Ville的新公寓，在槟城的剩余两个月将在此度过。搬家过程很顺利，在我忙于工作时，PJG往返了两次，巧妙地安置好了新家的网络和我的工作区域。当我下午4点结束工作时，便正式加入了我们的新居。同一天，我姐姐Wei首次独立使用Grab，她自己去探索了热带香料园。接下来的这一周时间飞逝而过，我每天正常工作，Wei则自己出门游览。到了周五下班，我们一起前往我俩的老地方——爱情巷，Wei第一次玩了层层叠游戏

On March 25th, we moved into our new apartment called Gurney Ville, located closer to George Town, where we will spend the remaining two months in Penang. The moving process went smoothly.

乔治城第四周 -家人来访 Week 4 In George Town-Family Visit

2024年3月19日-3月24日，来到马来西亚槟城的第四周 – March 19-24, 2024, the fourth week in Penang, Malaysia

周一，我和PJG从吉隆坡返回，度过了一个平静的一周，上班下班，夜晚外出散步放松。到了周五晚上，我们迎来了一个特别的时刻——我的姐姐Wei平安抵达槟城，这是她首次踏出国门旅行，无疑是一件令人兴奋的大事。她为入境时可能遇到的语言障碍和心理准备似乎都未派上用场，一切都进行得很顺利。

On Monday, PJG and I returned from Kuala Lumpur and had a peaceful week of working during the day, and taking relaxing walks in the evenings. On Friday night, we had a special moment – my sister Wei safely arrived in Penang!

吉隆坡之行-下 Kuala Lumpur Visit – Part III

2024年3月18日，星期一，吉隆坡之行第三天

March 18, 2024, Monday, the last day of the Kuala Lumpur trip

短暂的吉隆坡之行今天就结束了，下午1点多的火车回槟城，利用上午的时间去了著名的黑风洞，Grab半个小时就到了，花费25马币，门票是免费的。黑风洞是位于马来西亚吉隆坡郊外约11公里处的一处自然奇观，也是一个重要的印度教圣地。这个庞大的石灰岩山洞群以其壮观的自然景观和印度教雕塑而闻名。

The short Kuala Lumpur trip ended today. We took the train back to Penang in the afternoon around 1 pm. We used the morning to visit the famous Batu Caves. It took half an hour by Grab, costing 25 Ringgits, and the entrance was free. Batu Caves is a natural wonder located about 11 kilometers outside of Kuala Lumpur. It is also an important Hindu holy site. This vast limestone cave complex is known for its spectacular natural scenery and Hindu sculptures.

吉隆坡之行-中 Kuala Lumpur Visit – Part II

2024年3月17日，星期日，吉隆坡第二天

March 17, 2024, Sunday, the second day in Kuala Lumpur

早上的首要安排是参观双峰塔。抵达售票处时，我们发现只剩下下午两点半的入场券，成人票价为98马币。意外的是，PJG能享有折扣，票价仅需50马币。购票之后，我们决定先前往旁边的KLCC公园。这里不仅是欣赏双峰塔的绝佳地点，也是这座炎热都市中的一片宁静绿洲。

The top priority in the morning was to go to the top of the Petronas Twin Towers. Upon arriving at the ticket office, we discovered that only tickets for 2:30 pm entry were available, with an adult ticket price of 98 Ringgit. Surprisingly, PJG was eligible for a discount, and his ticket price was only 50 Ringgit.

吉隆坡之行-上 Kuala Lumpur Visit – Part I

2024年3月11日-3月18日，来到马来西亚的第三周

March 11-18, 2024, the third week in Malaysia

这周时间匆匆流逝，工作依旧按部就班，其中两个晚上安排了9点和10点的会议。周四，在Coco Island美食中心吃过晚饭后，我俩遇到了一位当地人，与他聊天甚是有趣。这位生活经历丰富的老兄，讲述了他自己令人惊讶的过往：曾为马来西亚的某位皇室成员担任司机，与一位英国知名的发型设计师共事两年，因信用卡诈骗在英国坐过两年牢。他描述那是他经历过的最好的监狱，甚至愿意再次入狱，因为那里的人都受到人道对待，还因为他是马来西亚人，监狱特意为他准备了炒饭。相比之下，他在马来西亚的监狱待了六个月，坚称宁死也不愿再踏入马来西亚的监狱。他自称是一个“老花花公子”，但让我俩意外的是，他对许多实事的观点却比较自由主义的。好了，不多说了，我还是继续记录这个周末去吉隆坡的短途旅行吧。

This week passed by in a flash, and work continued as usual, with meetings scheduled at 9 pm and 10 pm on two evenings as well as an early morning meeting.

On Thursday, after having dinner at the Coco Island food center, we met a local person, and found chatting with him was quite interesting. This man, who had a wealth of life experiences, recounted his own surprising past: he had served as a driver for a member of the Malaysian Royal family, worked with a well-known British hairstylist for two years, and spent two years in prison in the UK for credit card fraud.

乔治城第二周 Week 2 In George Town

2024年3月4日-3月10日

本周日子流转得很平静，上班下班，晚上出去吃晚饭，散步，步入了日常生活的正轨。楼下一艘平静停泊的游艇意外半沉没于水面，船主立刻行动，紧急雇佣了一群人进行抢救。经过连续两天的努力，他们终于成功地将游艇重新救出水面。

March 4th to March 10th

The week passed by peacefully with the routine of work, dining out in the evenings, and taking walks, settling into the rhythm of everyday life. Unexpectedly a yacht, moored in the docks, was found half-submerged in water, prompting the owner to act quickly and hire a group of people for a rescue operation. After two days of effort, they successfully refloated the yacht.

乔治城第一周-下 First Week in George Town – Part II

2024年3月2日和3月3日，星期六和星期日

在沉浸于姓周桥的韵味后，我俩回到了舒适凉爽的家中，稍作休息。我们又Grab去了槟城一个特色景点——槟城水上清真寺。这座清真寺因打桩建在水面上而得名，是马来西亚乃至东南亚地区非常独特的宗教建筑之一，涨潮时它看起来就像在海面漂浮。

游客是允许进入参观的，在登记了我们的名字之后，守门人要求我俩穿上穆斯林的传统的罩袍——我需要穿上因为我是女人，而且要把头发遮盖住，PJG则因为穿着短裤而需要遮盖下身。这是我们第一次走进一座穆斯林清真寺里面，几位男性教徒正在进行祈祷。女性是不允许在这里祷告的，我能进来也许是因为我是游客。

March 2 and March 3, Saturday and Sunday

After immersing ourselves in the simplicity of Chew Jetty, we returned to our comfortable and cool home for a brief rest. We then took a Grab to another distinctive attraction in Penang — the Penang Floating Mosque. Named for its construction on stilts over the water, this mosque is one of the most unique religious buildings in Malaysia and even Southeast Asia, appearing to float on the sea at high tide.

乔治城第一周-上 First Week in George Town – Part I

2024年2月26日到3月3日星期一到星期日

在乔治城的第一周，我已经开始习惯了这里的工作节奏。清晨6点，当地还沉浸在漆黑的晨曦中，我的工作日就已经启程，这时是博伊西的下午三点和普莱诺的下午四点，正好能和远在大洋彼岸的同事们有几个小时的交集。到了夜晚，再从9点至工作至10点多，又和同事有了一个小时的交错时间。

February 26 to March 3, Monday to Sunday

In our first week in George Town, I’ve already started to get used to the work pace here. At 6 a.m., when it’s still dark outside, my workday begins, coinciding with 3 p.m. in Boise and 4 p.m. in Plano, Texas, allowing for a few hours of overlap with colleagues across the ocean. Then, working from 9 p.m. to after 10 p.m. again overlaps with my colleagues in their morning.

升旗山 Penang Hill

2024年2月25日，星期日

公寓算是安顿完毕，今早在晨光的柔和拥抱下，我和PJG乘坐Grab前往了槟城赫赫有名的升旗山，穿越城市的喧嚣，大约30分钟后，我们抵达了这个备受推崇的自然景观。海拔833米升旗山不仅是槟城最引人注目的地标之一，更是一处让人心灵得以净化的圣地。站在其顶峰，可以一览无余地捕捉到乔治城的繁华、槟榔屿海峡的波光粼粼以及远处连绵起伏的风光。

February 25, 2024, Sunday

We finally settled in to the apartment. This morning, embraced by the gentle morning light, PJG and I took a Grab to the famous Penang Hill, passing through the hustle and bustle of the city. About 30 minutes later, we arrived at this highly esteemed natural landscape.

安顿 Settled In

2024年2月23日，星期五，2月24日，星期六

On February 23, 2024, Friday, and February 24, 2024, Saturday,

利用这两天短暂的休假日在乔治城安顿下来，PJG把我的工作台安顿好，从家里带过来的两个电脑屏幕都毫发无伤。仔细盘点了公寓里已有的物资，列出了一份购物清单，去附近的莲花超市，步行大约七分钟。超市比较大，物价公道，我们在那里买了一些厨房用品、插线板、转换头等必需品。超市一楼的一个小摊售卖电话卡，买了一个250GB的Celcom卡，价格为每月100马币，卖卡的小哥会说中文。

I decided to take a few vacation days to first settle down in Georgetown; PJG set up my workstation perfectly, with the two computer screens I brought from home undamaged. We carefully inventoried the supplies already in the apartment and made a shopping list. We went to the nearby Lotus Supermarket, about a seven-minute walk away.

到达马拉西亚槟城 Arriving Penang Malaysia

2024年2月22日星期四 Thursday 2/22/2024

追逐了三年之久的愿望终于得以实现，这个逐步实现的过程仿佛一杯热茶在冰冷的日子里缓缓散发出的温暖，逐渐温暖了我整个身心。新冠疫情带来一缕金边让人们对”上班”的观念发生了根本性的改变，越来越多的人开始远程工作，这也为我和PJG能够实现这个梦想奠定了基础。

Thursday 2/22/2024

After three years of pursuit, a long-cherished wish has finally been fulfilled. The process of realization is like a cup of hot tea gradually spreading warmth on a cold day, warming my whole heart and soul. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a silver lining, fundamentally changing people’s concept of “going to work,” with more and more people starting to work remotely. This shift laid the foundation for PJG and me to realize our dream.

芥末酱骗局 The Mustard Scam

2023年12月3日，星期日，墨西哥城之旅第10天

December 3, 2023, Sunday, marks the tenth day of our trip to Mexico City.

今天，我们的墨西哥城之旅以一段意外的小插曲画上了句号。早上，我们将行李整理好并寄存于酒店，然后在阿姆斯特丹大道上漫步。这条大道因其椭圆形状和沿着20世纪初赛马场轮廓的设计而闻名，长约1.9公里，两旁的树木茂盛，为我们的散步提供了宜人的景致。

散步时，我们聊起了来墨西哥之前的种种担忧，现在看来似乎有些多余。虽然我们在地铁、公交和人多的地方都时时地保持着警惕，但整体来说，我们并没有感到不安全。

Today, our journey in Mexico City concluded with an unexpected twist. In the morning, after packing and storing our luggage at the hotel, we strolled along Amsterdam Avenue. This avenue is famous for its oval shape and design tracing the outline of an early 20th-century racetrack, stretching about 1.9 kilometers, with lush trees lining the path, offering a pleasant view for our walk.