A Most Memorable Family Vacation
– Musings of Dr. Jamie C. Hsu, 8.13.2018
For the first time, our daughters, sons-in-law, and grandkids got to visit Taiwan and Beijing. We all had a marvelous time, even under the blazing summer heat. We toured the city of Taipei and visited many unique places in Taiwan and China, including the Lin Family Garden, Taipei 101, National Palace Museum, a Buddhist temple, Tailuko Gorge, the Great Wall, Beijing Zoo, and the Forbidden City.
The fascinating thing for me was to revisit these familiar places and see things through the eyes of our grandkids. They didn’t seem to pay much attention to the buildings and the history as I expected. Instead, they were mostly fascinated by the culture, the people, and their behaviors and customs.
They were in awe watching the motorcycles starting and racing through the intersections in Taipei. They were impressed by the quietness and orderliness of passengers in the Taipei subways. They loved visiting the hotel’s VIP lounge with its endless supply of espresso, juice, macarons, and tiny cookies.
The fish and crab tanks in the restaurant were like an aquarium to them. They loved touching and holding a variety of sea creatures. In the Lin Family Garden, the grandkids were just like they are at home, hopping around, taking pictures, and doing yoga and ballet poses. They wished it were really A-Ma Lin’s garden.
While climbing the Great Wall, they lamented how long and difficult it must have been to build it. The most impressive scene at the Forbidden City was the waves of crowds. We were so overwhelmed by the rush of people, we decided to take the side road and view only the outside of the palace.
Beyond all the sightseeing, the most heart-warming experience for us was spending time with family members in Taiwan. The family reunion banquet with 50 hugging and laughing uncles, aunts, and cousins was something we’ll never forget. And the endless dishes in every meal had a lasting impression on all of us.
For me, I was happiest seeing how my grandkids behaved so well through-out the whole trip. They were respectful to all people and open to the different cultures and unfamiliar things. They accepted and embraced everything in this “new” land and brought back beautiful memories.
令人難忘的家族旅遊
-作者 許俊宸博士
-中譯 薛乃綺
這是第一次我的女兒們、女婿們、還有孫子們來到台灣及北京。儘管是在炙熱的夏季，大夥兒仍然度過了一段美妙的時光。我們參觀了台北市區、林家花園、101大樓、故宮博物館、佛寺、太魯閣、長城、北京動物園、紫禁城、以及許多其他相當有特色的景點。
對我來說，最棒的事情莫過於能重遊舊地，並且從我孫子們的眼中再次去看看這些過往熟悉的地方。孩子們似乎沒有像我們預期那般關注這些建築物或歷史故事。他們反而對於當地的人文、習俗甚是著迷。
他們驚嘆地看著在台北市區十字路口疾駛而過的摩托車群；對於台北捷運裡安靜且井然有序的乘客留下深刻的印象。還非常喜歡到飯店的貴賓休息室，那邊有無限供應的咖啡、果汁、馬卡龍及小餅乾。
對孩子們來說，餐廳裡裝著魚跟螃蟹的魚箱就像是個水族館；他們喜歡觸摸及握著各種不同的海洋生物。在林家花園中，孩子們就像在家裡一樣，開心地蹦來蹦去、拍照、做瑜珈、跳芭雷。他們真心希望這當真就是林阿嬤的花園。
爬長城的時候，他們對於要花這麼久時間建造長城一事感到哀嘆。對於紫禁城最大的印象，就是人潮超多的。我們被這一大幫子匆忙快走的人群給嚇到了，決定退到只瞄得到宮殿外部的側邊道路旁。
除了參觀景點外，對我們來說，最溫馨的時光莫過於是跟台灣家人們相聚在一起。家族餐敘上，來自50個叔伯、姨嬸、堂表兄弟們的擁抱與笑容，是最令人永難忘懷的。每頓飯中，從未間斷一直上桌的菜餚，更是讓人印象深刻。
對我來說，我很高興看到在整個旅程中，孫子們都表現得相當出色得宜。他們尊重所有的人、文化，甚至是自己不熟悉的事物；接受並懷抱著這個”新”土地的一切，也帶回了美好的回憶。
