节俭？ 吝啬？Thrifty or Stingy? (II)

自认是个量入为出的人，除非万不得已，不会出大手笔钱买贵重物品。

还没有就业时得依靠父母的金钱资助，更要节制开销，浪费较多的是电影戏票 ，衣着方面，能省则省！

成家立业后，支出最多的是住屋，汽车； 再后来是孩子们的大学学费，及历年的家庭旅游。

其他奢侈品，如高档手机，相机，电视等等，极少会去购买。往往的思前想后了好多回，才会下决定落款买下来。

比如最近小米推出一架具有高性能摄影的手机，价钱当然也不菲。我还是无法下定决心把它买下！（不是无法负担那费用，就是有点迟疑)。

最近新推出的高性能无反相机，非常吸引人；但我还是无法说服自己，把它拿下，因为其价格也不低。身为业余摄影者，付高昂价钱买高端相机，似乎并不划算！

这是节俭，还是吝啬？

I have always been careful when spending large amount of money on any purchase.

My big item purchases are on housing, car, child's education.

When it comes to purchase of "luxury" items such as handphone, TV, camera, I have to contemplate many times before committing to any purchase. (even though those purchases are within my budget).

Am I being thrify or stingy?

乘搭地铁的联想

身为一位拥车奴，往往出入都驾车。

但偶尔也会弃车去乘搭公共交通工具。

就如前天，我便把车留给靖捷，以方便他在中午时分，载送内人到机场去。

地铁站内的设计，蛮新颖有趣。

上下的梯级，给人一种志不合不相为谋，分道扬镳的感觉！

当我老了。。。As I age...

接下来（两个星期后）将会陆续飞返槟城度过清明节，然后隔一个星期后启程往西宁/西藏度假。

之前订购的机票，一波三折，新加坡飞往上海（浦东）的航班，以及从西宁飞往上海（浦东）的航班，皆被取消了。结果得往东方航空新加坡总公司办理更改机票的手续，所幸时间变动不大，除了回程稍微延迟六个小时之外 （导致靖捷可能得在抵达机场的一个小时后，便得上班去了）。

冠病疫情爆发后，这将是第二次在清明节时回老家祭拜老爸。突然惊觉自己也已经不在年青！目睹年迈的老妈，现在已经全身瘫痪，整天躺在床上，吞咽功能也有些失调，我应该乘着自个儿还能行动自如时，多多走动，多飞返老家探望老妈，及出外旅游。

西藏旅游，是我与老婆期待已久的行程。希望不会有高原反应！

I turned 60 years the past October.

Witnessing the sudden deterioration in my mother's health over the past 3 years (during COVID pandemic), it dawned on me that I am no longer young!

As my children are now financially independent, I should relax a bit, and enjoy life more!

Going to Tibet for a tour by end of the month. Hopefully, with the arrival of new budget airline to Japan, I may be able to fly to Japan for short tours more frequently.

Don't let your vision confined by the physical space... There are better views outside... Ventured out!!!

捕鱼"天堂"

 每个人都全神贯注的往河里的某一个角落望去，想必是某人成功捕捉到鱼了！

这个角落，是休闲捕鱼者的"天堂" -不少人在这里捕捉了体积蛮大的淡水鱼。

傍晚时分，往往会有不少人来这里钓鱼。

他人祭花，我们则献上橘子皮。。。不晓得它有什么用途？？？

闲逛 Leisure walk

沉静了好一段日子，终于“逼迫”自己该往外走走。

最近糊里糊涂的忙了几个星期，连续几个夜晚，再凌晨1-2点左右，被急诊部门呼唤去看看病者，导致睡眠受到冲击，隔天便提不起劲来。

乘着周六，家里没车 （靖捷驾车“护送”我家小狗到他女友家做客），我下班搭地铁回家并小睡一会后，在傍晚时分，穿了运动鞋，带上相机，往外闲逛去了。

还是步行与同样的运动走道，捕捉了以下的照片。

慢跑，悠哉闲哉的踩者铁马。。。

能在城市了塑造绿意盎然的景象，着实不易。。。

重重叠叠的形容天桥，乍看之下，有点复杂！

高楼民宅，自然避不开。

没有衣服点缀，就衬托不出人气。

最终还是需要柔和的绿意来养眼。

Time flies! It is already one month past Chinese New Year. 

Within this short period of time, I flew back to Nibong Tebal in the second half of CNY to visit my mother. Had a "shock" when I was charged RM 20 for a simple hair cut in local barber shop! (it used to be just RM 10 pre-COVID years). CY came back for 2nd time in the past 3 months - to attend her close friend's wedding, and to do eye surgery (intraocular lenses) for her short sightedness and astigmatism.

Busy catching up on work as well. Being called to attend to patients in Emergency Room at ghostly hours in the early morning (1-2am) for several nights the past week.

Finally, managed to drag myself for a leisure walk around my neighbourhood this evening.

Praying for Prosperity and Happiness in Lunar New Year 祈福

It is customary for people to go to nearby temple to pray for prosperity and happiness in first days of Lunar New Year.

The temples that are auspicious will inevitably attract  many visitors.

We went to Goddess of Mercy Temple (观音亭)  at Waterloo St on first day of Lunar New Year. The queque to enter the temple was very long (we could not see where the quequ started)... gave up and decided to come another day.

Went there today (on 3rd day of Lunar New Year) - the queque was interrupted by sudden downpour of rain. Many people ran for shelter in the shop housed nearby. 

CJ and my wife joined the truncated queque (under the shelter of umbrella), and I joined in a few minutes later when the rain abated somewhat.

As we left the temple after praying, a long line of worshippers had started to form a queque outside the temple (much longer than before).

新春期间，到附近的庙宇去拜拜祈福，是个习俗。尤其是非常灵验的庙宇，往往会吸引很多人潮。

四马路的观音亭，是众多新加坡善男善女，喜欢去祈福的庙宇。尤其在农历新年期间，其香火之鼎盛，人潮的攘来熙往，自然不在话下。

我们年初一到该庙祈福，一条长长的人龙，排得整整齐齐，弯弯曲曲，绕了好几个弯，只见其头（观音亭），不见其尾 （队伍的起点）。罢了。。。只好改天再来！

今天年初三，十一点多时分，再闯观音亭。 今天的人龙比较短。恰好来了场大雨，很多人都一窝蜂跑到附近的店屋避雨； 顿时人龙更缩短了不少。

我们兵分两路，CJ与内人先撑伞加入人龙，我再几分钟过后，雨水没有那么强时走入队伍。

从观音亭出来时，雨已经停了，人潮也开始热闹起来。排队进庙的人龙也长了许多！

Himeji Castle 路姬城

Himeji Castle was an unexpected surprise in our recent Japan road trip.

We have visited a few castles in Japan previously, and were not particularly impressed. Don't get me wrong - the castles were elegantly build, and are aesthetically appealing, and excellent for photography. But they never leave long lasting impression.

Himeji Castle was included in our travel itinerary because we have to stop overnight at Himeji (on our return trip from Hiroshima to Kansai Airport).

But boy, were we surprised by the castle! 

I realised that it is a UNESCO Heritage Site, and the very first one being given such privilege in Japan! The castle compound was huge.

Remnant of one of the huge pillars that supported the castle.

It is indeed a treasured historical building!