Sunday, 7 December 2008

Travel to Sheffield

12月6日趁著參加研討會的機會到Sheffield一遊,剛好自己的發表順序是第一個,那就剛好中餐吃飽後出發! 為了怕被研討會的其他人發現我中途離席,我跟阿比還刻意做了稻草人:D 說真的,好天氣真的不太適合開研討會啊~

開會的地點在University of Sheffield(註一)的Firth Hall,而該地點位於Firth Court裡,在first floor(台灣的概念裡面是二樓)。坦白說,York好像還沒有這麼漂亮的地方,居然還有管風琴咧! 感覺起來,有點像是以前這邊的chapel改建而成的大禮堂。第一次在大禮堂,對這麼多人演講,特別是沒有共同的知識背景,還有點挫挫的。

從會場匆匆忙忙的跑出來後,先到中庭那邊去拍拍照。但由於方向是面對太陽,天空真的是白成一片。

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Firth Court的正門有種滿古老的氣質,藤蔓攀附其上。Firth Court於1905年在國王愛德華七世的命令下正式啟用,目前為分子生物系及生物科技系共同使用,亦為學校的行政中心。

From Sheffield

我個人還蠻喜歡下面這張照片裡面左側建築物的玻璃,相當有古味。此外,也讓我想起我們學校的Heslington Hall。Heslington Hall與牛津大學是年代相近的建築物,目前是學校的行政中心,以及校長與副校長的駐紮處。

From Sheffield

在Firth Court旁邊有個公園,稱為Weston Park。當時在用Google Map搜尋時發現公園裡有個大湖,但奇怪的是進去走走卻找不到。回家後發現,還要再更裡面一些才會看到。一進公園就會看到
Ebenezer Elliot的雕像。這位先生是為英國詩人,生於1781年而卒於1849。

From Sheffield

在上面那尊雕像的斜對面則是
Victorian Bandstand,這是一座紀念第一跟第二次世界大戰陣亡的英國將士紀念碑。

From Sheffield

在這個紀念碑的對面,則可以透過已經光禿禿的樹幹看到草地上的一座亭子。

From Sheffield

這座亭子以前用來舉辦音樂會用。使用的方式是,演奏者站在亭子內,而聽眾們站在亭子外聆聽。

From Sheffield

從這個角度看音樂亭,可同時看到一棟外表不太出眾的(從Grey's Anatomy裡面的台詞來說,就是Grey的媽媽說的"no more than ordinary"吧)建築物。這棟建築物可是有來歷的,稱為Arts Tower。這棟建築物是伊麗莎白女皇於1966年揭幕啟用,20樓的這棟建築物在當時可是相當少見。聽說好像2008-2009年的學年結束後,這棟樓要淨空並進行翻修,大概一兩年後要以新的面貌與世人見面。再近看一點這棟建築物,前面還有座小橋跟一個池塘。

From Sheffield

公園裡面還有這一支柱子。感覺起來有點來歷,不過旁邊沒有標示,而且附近的草地看起來還蠻雜的。

From Sheffield

這個公園裡面還有一棟重要的建築物,就是下面這棟博物館。他原來稱為
Sheffield City Museum and Mappin Art Gallery,一直到2006年才更名為Weston Park Museum。當天是有開,不過沒進去。

From Sheffield

公園裡的一角。From Sheffield

在公園晃完後,就離開校區往市區走。依照德朵夫人的建議,可從Upper Hanover Street往下走並左轉Glossop Street,然後從Devonshire Street穿出去一路沿著Division Street。這樣的話,就會經過Sheffield最熱鬧的地帶,並朝著盡頭的Town Hall前進。順著這個方向走,坦白說我還蠻喜歡Devonshire Street左側的店家,右側則為Devonshire Square。這些店家大多是有關藝術或是設計類的店,充滿文藝氣息啊~ 此外,下午溫暖的陽光也大剌剌的灑進這一排的店家,感覺很溫馨。

這支路燈還蠻熱鬧的,我第一次看到有十顆燈擺在一起的咧~ From Sheffield

一路上會經過Sheffield City Hall,當時夕陽已經接近日落的位置,所以光影不佳。

From Sheffield

Town Hall算是市中心最熱鬧處的交集。除了附近有Orchard Square Shopping Centre外,往北去還可以到Sheffield Cathedral,是教堂迷(比方我)的好去處喔~ Town Hall的第一階段工程從1890年開始到1897並啟用,主塔的部分於這段時間完成,而第二階段的擴充則在1923年完成。最近一次的擴充工程則完成於1977年(剛好是小弟的出生年啊),Town Hall廣場以及Peace Fountain則是在這個階段完成。

Town Hall的古老鐘樓,有百年以上歷史。From Sheffield

廣場上有放射狀的瀑布及水道。From Sheffield

Town Hall的這個立面也算是不太出眾,不過有噴泉跟廣場襯托,算還過得去。
From Sheffield

這個禮拜六,到處人都很多。在這邊遇到一個老伯,手上拿著Canon的底片相機,順便跟他聊聊以前使用底片單眼的心得,跟我的那一台Yashica Electro35古董相機(阿公送我的,比我年紀還大o_O)。跟老伯暫別後,沒想到他馬上去前方虧妹。真有他的,逗得辣妹們花枝招展的。阿比跟我說,其實他只是捐錢給那些辣妹,因為那些是募款辣妹,老伯除了捐款做善事還可以拍拍清涼美眉們,算是一舉數得了。

From Sheffield

不過話說回來,募款辣妹對男性的捐款行為似乎有影響喔。話說2003年的冬末,我跟阿比還有塔妹來到了Cambridge。那天真的冷到不行,在零度以下吃自製壽司只會更冷而已。我真的很敬佩劍橋大學生的募款辣妹,每個人都穿少少的。一堆募款辣妹往我們這個方向走來,馬上淹沒了我們的周圍。前幾個來跟我募款的辣妹,辣歸辣,不過身材不夠好,就跟他們說我已經捐了。沒想到最後來個醫學院募款辣妹,醫師袍一打開居然轉身變成兔女郎,這我馬上就舉手投降啦。冠軍冠軍,捐個一鎊吧,事後阿比一路上碎碎唸。所以,對我來說,光是辣妹是不夠低~

言歸正傳。Sheffield另一個讓我驚奇的是有地面上的電車系統。小弟才疏學淺,地面的電車系統我目前只有在Oslo看過但沒坐過。英國還有幾個城市有這種電車系統,有興趣的可以上網去找找。

From Sheffield

由於對逛街買東西沒啥興趣,就直接穿過逛街區來到了教堂。上面電車停靠的那一站就是Cathedral。Sheffield的Cathedral全名為The Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul,於1914年正式升級成為Cathedral。個人覺得最特別的就在於他的latern tower。

Cathedral的正面。From Sheffield

入口處很特別。左手邊為其入口。From Sheffield

Lantern Tower。From Sheffield

這座教堂其實裝飾不是很華麗,但在樸素之中又藏著精緻。

個人覺得這張照片的透視感還不錯。From Sheffield

蠻特別的一個角落。From Sheffield

走著走著,就想回家去。煮個飯,禮拜六的晚上跟阿比兩個人共渡晚餐,看看電視影集,就像是兩隻巨蟹常做的事情,也不知道是懶惰還是顧家。至於晚上跟與會人士一起在中式餐館聚餐,逛完之後反而覺得懶 :D Anyways,那就回家吧。

從Town Hall穿過Winter Garden後右轉,向下沒有走多久就會到車站,這是一位帶著小孩到外邊找餐館的太太告訴我們的。一轉出去就會看到一棟屬於Sheffield Hallam University的建築物,在日落時分看起來更黃了。

From Sheffield

火車站外面的一些角落還蠻別緻的,可惜白天還無法突顯他的特別處。

From Sheffield

From Sheffield

From Sheffield

Sheffield Railway Station. From Sheffield

火車站前的可愛路燈。From Sheffield


註一:Sheffield有兩所大學。在火車站對面的稱為Sheffield Hallam University,就好比台北的台北工專後來轉為技術學院一般。而University of Sheffield則為當地原有的大學,早期是由三個學院所組成。這三個學院,包括醫學院、Firth College(教授人文及科學)以及Sheffield Technical School,於1897年合併成為University of Sheffield,使其成為英國著名的六所紅磚大學(Red Brick Universities)之一。坦白說,紅磚大學我只知道這間以及University of Birmingham這兩所。後面這所比University of Sheffield晚了4年成立,而其餘的四所我參考了Wikipedia後才知道是University of Bristol、University of Leeds、University of Liverpool以及University of Manchester。



Dusk of this evening


_1010181, originally uploaded by lhy709. Taken on Foss Bank, York, England, UK.


今天的日落很漂亮喔,主要還是因為有雲朵反射落下的太陽光。冬天北國的日落每天都有不同的感受,不只日出時的橘,日落時的粉橘轉為深橘也頗令人難忘。就像昨天傍晚在火車上看到的日落,伴著狂吐黑煙的煙囪,是個很有fu的景象啊~ 可惜沒有來得及捕捉這一刻......


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Saturday, 6 December 2008

Being together, forever.


_1010116, originally uploaded by lhy709.

Weston Park, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, UK.


It's good to have some interests shared with each other cus it will bring us fun for the rest of our life. What are couples for?


Here, I'd like to share a song with you guys, "I Never Thought That I Could Love" by Dan Hill, who is a Canadian composer and singer. He is also the composer of the soundtrack for the film Rambo I --"It's A Long Road". Wish you enjoy this song with the one you love.





Thursday, 4 December 2008

Weather Warning: Heavy snow in Scotland and North England



BBC's weather report warned that there's a heavy snow in early morning today which Phoebe and I were looking forward to. The forecast said that it is predicted to accumulate about 20cm thick of snow for those places that altitude is higher than 150m, and is about 2 to 4 cm in lower level areas.

However, it didn't snow until 6:15ish this morning
. The snow fell heavily in the first hour and turned soft thereafter. When I went out around 8:35, it almost stopped. These two photos was taken in the beginning of the snow which was about 7 o'clock. The sky was still dark but you can see the snow by the street lamps.



Of course, as expected, this snow resulted in traffic jam which delayed the time being arrived at the Uni. I just can't understand why there's always floods after heavy or even light showers, but I can see why quite a few British do not like snow for it's annoying and colder while melting.


Monday, 1 December 2008

A fresh new start


PC010075, originally uploaded by lhy709.


Hope these new flowers bring me fresh start and fresh mind thereafter and wish me get further progresses of my research.


Everybody needs a break from something you are working on particularly when one spends a long time on a specific project then eventually finishes it. Alternatively, people who get trapped in a mood, deep thoughts or low tides would be more necessary being pulled out of this situation by pursuing a brand new start. But the new start is always decided by some sorts of private psychological elements for instance that one may imply oneself that today of the coming week would be the very day to start my new life. Or, one may hint oneself that my new beginning would finally come not until someone does or says one certain thing to fulfil the condition. In effect, they are not necessary. Still another, that one may cue oneself in buying something new to comfort one's mind and get a good start. Yes, I'm the third kind of persons therefore I bought new flowers thought it may not be a good strategy. But, I believe that every tact which could comfort ones mind would be a good way.


We may also need to keep in mind that the only thing is to follow your heart and everyday could be the very day to start your whole new stage. This is the reason why some people may be sad about today is the first day of December which means this year would come to the end, and, on the contrary, others may be happy and energetic every morning because he or she expects to face every new challenge and to take every chance to experience the life. All of these depend on ones mind. So, just discard the sadness and take everyday as a new start, a new experience and a new challenge to transcend yourself.