¨Tant pis pour moi si je suis malade，Je m’ennuyais toute seule dans mon coin¨

就算我对一切都漠不关心了也没关系，我厌倦了独自待在同一个地方。

Too bad for me if I’m nonchalant, I’m so tired of being all alone in the same place.

澳门这座城市拥有西方的骨架，东方的面貌，海洋文明的灵魂，赌城应有的张扬、洋洋大观景，却又有宜居小镇的悠闲、人间烟火气。年轻、活力，又充满历史与多元文化的交融；一面张扬、金碧辉煌，另一面又平淡、怡然自得。每个人都能在这里找到属于自己的一片小天地。坐落在中国的东南一隅，她规模虽小却包容，东西方各国的文化似乎在澳门实现了完美的平衡，各种宗教，社群，人文生态和谐并存，虽以金钱为主要导向，毕竟是这座城市的主要产业，但仍能做到人文关怀，为抱着不同目的来澳门的游客提供从餐饮到观光，简单却多方位的免费服务。

Existing as a special administrative region of China, Macau holds the skeleton of the West, the visage of the East, the soul of the maritime civilization. She has the flamboyancy, imposing and spectacular urban view of a casino city, yet she also embodies the leisure, warm and comforting atmosphere of a livable suburban town. Young, vibrant, and full of history and cultural diversity; dazzling and resplendent on the one side, unadorned and tranquil on the other side. Everyone can find a piece of their own here. Located in the southeast corner of China, she’s petite in scale yet highly inclusive, Eastern and Western cultures seem to have achieved a perfect balance here in Macau. A variety of religions, communities, human ecology coexist harmoniously, although she is money driven in principle, after all, the city's main industry is the gaming business, but there is still a strong sense of human care, where she offers visitors who come to visit her with various purposes, simple yet multifaceted and free services, ranging from dining to sightseeing.

一直不是很热衷做旅行计划的人，但之前出于签证申请以及随行群体的习惯，出行前都规规矩矩地在做travel itinerary 的表，但后来发现可能出于天气，出于景点开放时间的变动，出于这样那样的原因，计划总是赶不上变化的，所以便不再热衷于做表，选择“Live like local.”（像当地人一样生活）作为自己的travel motto（旅行宗旨）。严格意义上来讲，作为一个游客并不能完全做到像当地人一样生活，毕竟不是live as local（作为当地人生活），所以出行前综合自己搜查到的目的地的文化特色，习惯风俗，作为个人旅行宗旨的延伸，总会设想并这样问自己：如果我是当地二十多岁的年轻人，我会怎样过周末? 下班后会去哪里消遣打发时间? 但现实中游客的身份也给到了自己被问到：“那个景点有什么好玩的？就只有游客才去。”的时候回答：“可我就是游客呀:D”的自由。

I’ve never been someone who’s very enthusiastic about making travel plans, but in the past, due to visa applications and the habits of the group I was traveling with, I would always diligently make a travel itinerary before the trip. However, I later realized that due to unforeseen external factors like the weather fluctuation, changes in the opening hours of attractions, and various other reasons, the plans never seemed to keep up with the changes. So, I stopped being keen on making travel itineraries and chose "Live like local" as my travel motto. Strictly speaking, as a tourist, I can’t truly live like a local — after all, my motto is not "live as local." So now every time before traveling, I would research the cultural features and customs of my travel destination, and as an extension of my personal travel motto, I would always envisage and ask myself: If I were a local person in my twenties, how would I spend my weekend? Where would I go after work to kill time and relax? But being a tourist in reality also gives me the freedom to answer when asked, "What’s so fun about that attraction? Only tourists go there": "But I AM a tourist tho! :D"

第一次抵达澳门机场/Landed in Macau for the first time.

第一次去澳门，坐了很久的地铁去机场，精神是极度疲惫但心情是全然轻松愉悦的，吃完飞机餐后小憩片刻睁开眼发现空姐在给飞机上的小孩发冰淇淋。因为除了主要景点信息检索之外没有做任何准备只打算live like local的缘故，飞机降落出关后第一件事就是在机场找可以换MOP (澳门货币)的地方，但是后来逛超市的时候发现港元似乎在当地也通用，大部分店家也都支持移动支付。搭计程车从机场去宾馆的路上降下车窗，空气中可以闻到海风咸潮的气息，路边可以看到高高的棕榈树。

The first time I went to Macau, I sat on the metro for quite a long time to get to the airport after work. My mind was extremely exhausted, but my mood at that time was thoroughly relaxed and happy. Waking up from a short nap after eating the airplane meal, I found the flight attendant was handing out ice cream to all the children on the plane. Because I didn't make any preparations other than retrieving information about the main attractions in Macau and had only planned to live like local, the first thing I did after the plane landed and went through the customs clearance was to look for a place where I could exchange some MOP (currency used in Macau) at the airport, but while I was shopping at the supermarket later that night, I noticed that the Hong Kong Dollar seems to be another common currency used in the local area, and most stores also support mobile payments. When I took a taxi from the airport to my hotel, I lowered the car window, sensing the air carries the salty scent of the sea breeze, and noticing there are tall palm trees growing along the roadside.

雨天在澳门的公车上。/ Rainy day in Macau on a bus.

到宾馆办理完入住已经很晚了，为了第二天一早出行方便背上相机出门找了附近的一家7-11跟店员讲要买澳门当地的公交系统一卡通，付完钱后被递过来一张绿松石蓝的卡片，上面是银色框出来的澳门英文名的字首m，觉得是很简单清爽，大方漂亮的设计。很经用，去了澳门两次，因为想要live like local都选择坐公车地铁出行，行程结束后发现居然还有余额。澳门的公交系统也是十分方便的，公交车上放的广告都是给当地蓝领阶层的一些工作贴士和一些粤语小品，极具人文关怀又趣味性十足。地铁和地铁站的设计极致简约，公共空间也十分干净整洁，夸张一点讲，是外科医生直接在车厢里操刀做手术的那种干净整洁，其中一段悬空可以看见海的路线，让人想起《千与千寻》里海上小火车的场景。

地铁上路过玻璃红葱头。/ Passing by glass shallots on the metro.

By the time I finished checking in at the hotel, it was already quite late. To make it easier to travel early in the morning the next day, I grabbed my camera and went out to find a nearby 7-11. I told the clerk I wanted to buy a local public transportation card for Macau. After paying, I was handed a turquoise blue card with a silver-framed letter "m" representing Macau's initial. I thought it was a simple, refreshing, and elegant design. The card is very durable; I visited Macau twice, and since I wanted to live like a local, I chose to travel by bus and metro every day when I was there. After my trip, I was surprised to find there was still a balance left on the card. Macau’s public transportation system is very convenient. The content of advertisements on the buses are mainly thoughtful job tips for the local blue-collar workers and some Cantonese skits, offering both humanistic care and entertainment for the passengers on the bus. The design of the metro and its stations is in the style of minimalism, with public spaces being extremely clean and tidy. To exaggerate a little bit, it's clean to a degree that a surgeon could perform an on-site surgery directly in the train carriage. One of the metro routes that runs mid-air offering a view of the ocean, reminding me of the scene of the train drifting on the railway across the shallow seaside in Spirited Away.

每次去一个全新的地方旅行总是喜欢去逛逛当地的超市，菜场和市集，既满足了自己live like local愿望，作为游客心理上也能迅速驱离陌生感并融入当地的环境中去。毕竟，不论你是谁，大多数人总是要吃一日三餐，作为社群的一份子生活，社交消费的。买完交通卡后去附近的超市逛了逛，觉得澳门的超市也和这座城市一样，麻雀虽小五脏俱全，各色进口酒类和新鲜热带水果琳琅满目。随手在冷鲜区随手拿的维他甜口豆腐花却成了两次行程下来最喜欢的商品，每天晚上回宾馆前不论在别处吃到多撑都要绕路去买一份收进胃里，发现内地只有线上电商有价格略微离谱的代购后，行程结束前都要特地跑一趟超市买上一排把行李箱撑满再走，回去分给家人吃并当作“你看澳门是不是很值得去”的主要论据（玩笑，但也算至于啦）。

Every time I travel to a completely new place, I always enjoy visiting the local supermarkets, food halls, and street vendors. It not only satisfies my desire to "live like local," but also helps me quickly get rid of the feelings of strangeness and blend into the local environment as a tourist. After all, no matter who you are, most people still need to eat three meals a day, and as a member of the community, you live and consume socially on a daily basis. After buying a transportation card, I went to a nearby supermarket and was reminded that, just like the city itself, Macau's supermarkets may be petite in size but well-sorted. There are a wide variety of imported alcoholic beverages and fresh tropical fruits on the shelves. The Vita sweet tofu pudding I grabbed from the refrigerated section became my favorite item of the trip. No matter how full I was after eating elsewhere, I would always make a detour to buy a portion and eat it before returning to the hotel. I later discovered when I back to mainland China, the only place to find it was through E-commerce platform, where the prices were slightly outrageous. So, before the end of the trip, I made sure to run to the supermarket to buy a bunch of them to fill up my suitcase, which I later shared with my family as a gift from my trip and also as my main argument point for why "Macau is definitely worth visiting" (just kidding, but kind of true).

大三巴前的人山人海。/ Ruins of St. Paul's filled with tourists.

有在努力当俗气游客。/ Trying my best to live up to the title of a “tacky tourist.”

小飞象葡国餐的腊肠炒饭，焦糖蛋布丁配甜酒。/ Portuguese Sausage Rice, Caramel Egg Pudding with Favaíto from Dumbo Portuguese Restaurant.

在氹仔的大三巴前吃了葡挞，当了俗气游客后，中午在官也街附近找了一家餐厅吃葡国菜，一人份的炒饭份量巨大，满满当当地堆在盘子里，点来配点心喝的法瓦托葡式小甜酒很好入口，让人轻松上头。一人出行的好处也在此时达到了峰值，服务生不在视线范围内的时候就坐在座位上四处张望，研究餐厅的摆置陈设装修，再在网上查一下葡萄牙的主要出口木材信息和相关建筑风格，桌上放的橄榄油也是要拿来细细的观察一番，顺便检索一下葡萄牙的橄榄油进出口份额再淋到餐厅送的餐前面包上来吃的，如果是和家人朋友出行，是不可能有心思和时间去过问这些细枝末节上的东西。夏日午后的阳光下微醺着在澳门大街小巷上压马路，可能是因为酒精，每路过一个路口或者街区，总能听到自己在发问：

“这不旧金山么？”

“我怎么又来广州了？”

“谁能告诉我为什么刚从上海逃出来又被送回去了？”

“我怎么在纽约法拉盛？”

“说这不是京都谁信？”

“谁把我送香港来了？”

“这难道不是拉斯维加斯？”

“我现在绝对是在哥本哈根。”

梦回旧金山唐人街。/ Took me straight back to San Francisco Chinatown.

感觉回到了法拉盛在给父亲买花旗参。/ Feeling like standing in Flusing buying American Ginseng for my father.

香港的风还是吹到了澳门。/ This is Hongkong I’m telling ya.

这难道不是巴黎嘛？啊不对，巴黎没有棕榈树，这是戛纳吧？啊不对，铁塔不在戛纳，巴戛黎纳。/ C’est Paris, non? There are Palm trees tho… C’est Cannes, non? The Effiel Tower tho… C’est Par-Canisnes!

After eating a pastéis de nata (Portuguese custard tart) in front of Ruins of St. Paul's in Taipa and being a tacky tourist, I found a restaurant near Rua de Cunha to have Portuguese food for lunch at noon. The portion of fried rice for one person was huge, piled high on the plate, and the Portuguese sweet wine, Favaíto, I ordered to pair with my dessert was easy to pour down the throat and quickly went to my head. The perk of traveling solo also reached its peak at this moment. When the server who waited my table was out of sight, I sat back in my seat, started looking around and examining the restaurant's decor and furnishings. I then looked up information online about Portugal's main export woods and related architectural styles. The olive oil on the table also had to be closely inspected by me, so I took a moment to check Portugal's olive oil export and import share on my phone before drizzling it over the complimentary appetizer bread. If I were traveling with family or friends, there would be no time or mentality for me to focus on studying these little details in my surroundings. Under the summer afternoon sun, being slightly tipsy, I wandered through the streets and alleys of Macau. Perhaps because of the influence of the alcohol, every time I passed an intersection or block, I could always hear myself asking:

“Is this San Francisco tho?”

“Wait am I back to Guangzhou again?”

“Can somebody tell me why I’m back to Shanghai again?”

“How come I end up in Flushing, New York?”

“Why am I in Kyoto right now?”

“Who the heck send me to Hongkong?”

“Las Vegas is that you?”

“I’m definitely in Copenhagen at this point.”

酒醒之前开始live like local，假装自己是攒够了首付的当地年轻人，途中停下来看了几眼南京路上地产公司张贴的广告，并试图算出澳门的平均房价。走到望厦山继续饭后消食逛公园，不经意抬头看到路边的几棵树上挂二维码，扫来发现是澳门市政给公园里的植被作的介绍名帖，觉得很用心。澳门给人的反差感在这一刻又得到了集中体现，像是看到珠光宝气穿着水貂皮的富家大小姐出于个人喜好拿着花园铲蹲在自家后院里搞园艺。在公园徒步到把仅存的酒精挥发掉后，打算回宾馆休息片刻再出来继续逛。路过昨天晚上关门所以显得有些冷清的当地市集，日光下的临街商铺因为熙熙攘攘的人群显得格外热闹。当地南欧长相的阿嫲拎着刚买的新鲜蔬菜与肉，神情怡然地从我身边走过，水果摊的老板摇着扇子用粤语和顾客讲价，卖关东煮的小吃亭锅中的汤底氤氲出蒸腾热气和煮物的香味，鲜花小铺的阿姨安静地坐在色彩缤纷的花束中间修剪玫瑰，南方三十多度的盛夏傍晚里非洲长相的商务人士穿着西装三件套背着公文包经过，因为是周末，可以看到菲佣们在属于她们自己闲暇时光里在附近的广场上成群席地而坐，刚到宾馆楼下，听见三个欧洲游客边用瑞典语聊天边从玻璃门里走出来。从宾馆休息完出来，打算徒步去主教山眺望澳门全景。拍完照片从主教山山顶的天主教堂散步走下山，去吃海鲜粥的途中路过基督青年教会，吃完去搭公车没几站就到了妈祖阁，在码头发呆吹海风的时候，偶然间抬头看见对面清真寺的建筑。澳门虽小，小得却如此精妙。

饭后微醺压马路。/ Being tipsy and wandering around on the street in Macau.

在码头吹风。/ Feeling the sea breeze in Macau Fisherman’s Wharf.

从主教山眺望澳门城景。/ The panoramic view of Macau from the top of the Penha Hill.

Before the effect of alcohol had worn off, I began my journey of "live like local," pretending to be a young local who had saved up enough for a down payment, paused to glance at some real estate ads posted by property companies on Nanjing Road and tried to calculate the average housing prices in Macau. I continued walking towards Parque Municipal Mong-Há to digest my meal while strolling through the park. Unintentionally, I looked up and noticed a few trees by the roadside with QR codes hanging from them. scanned them and found that they were introduction cards made by the Macau Municipal Government for the plants in the park. I thought it was a thoughtful touch. The duality of Macau once again became apparent at this moment — just like seeing a wealthy young lady dressed in her mink fur coat and glittering in her pearls and jewelry, holding a garden spade, squatting in her backyard and taking horticulture as her free-time personal hobby.

After walking in the park until the last drop of alcohol evaporated off me, I decided to go back to the hotel for a short rest before heading out again to continue exploring the city. I walked by the local market, which seemed a bit deserted when I passed by the night before because all the shops and vendors were closed. Now the street shops were bustling under the sunlight, filled with crowds in the late afternoon. A Southern European-looking local grandma walked past me, carrying freshly bought vegetables and meat, with a calm and content expression on her face. The fruit vendor waved a fan in his hand while bargaining with customers in Cantonese, the soup base in the pot of the street food stall selling oden steaming and emitting the aroma of cooking food. The auntie who owns the small flower shop sat in the middle of the colorful bouquets and trimmed roses unbothered and quietly. In the midsummer early evening with temperatures over 30 Celsius, a businessman with African features carrying a briefcase walked by in a three-piece suit. Since it was the weekend, I got to see the Filipino domestic workers gathering in groups by sitting on the ground in the nearby square, enjoying their leisure time. Just after arriving downstairs of my hotel, I heard three European tourists chatting in Swedish as they walked out through the glass doors. After a short break in the hotel, I decided to hike to Penha Hill to see the panoramic view of Macau. After taking enough photos, I walked down the mountain from the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha (A Catholic Church). On the my to have seafood porridge, I passed by the YMCA Macau. After dinner, I took a bus to A-Ma Temple. While lingering at the pier, staring blankly into the ocean and feeling the sea breeze, I accidently looked up and noticed the mosque across the pier.

Macau may be petite, but she is exquisitely intricate.

“你要去澳门干嘛，赌钱啊?”

之前跟别人提起想要去澳门玩，基本上所有人的反应如上。可能是因为当地的博彩业声名在外，再加上去那旅游和中国境内的大部分城市相比要多一道手续，多办一张证件，所以在大多数对澳门缺少了解的人心目中这一刻板印象就这样定了下来。懒得再费口舌解释，所以第二次去之前再有人问，我干脆利落地答：“不，去跳楼”。

"Why are you going to Macau? To gamble?"

When I mentioned to others that I wanted to visit Macau, nearly everyone responded with the same reaction as mentioned above. Perhaps it’s because given to the reputation of local gambling industry, and compared to most cities in mainland China, traveling to Macau requires one more procedure for document application, so this stereotype has firmly taken root in the minds of most people who don't know much about Macau. I don’t want to be bothered to explain further, so when someone asked the same question before my second trip, I simply replied, "No, to jump off a building."

两次去澳门的主要目的都是去蹦极。决定去之前反复确认蹦极的条件，参加活动开会的时候都在分心用手机搜查相关信息上反复确认自己这种中高度近视眼到底能不能玩这种极限运动，还跑了医院咨询了眼科医生，在得到“还是建议最好不要去哦“的回复之后，逆反心理当场发作直接下单了去澳门的机票。

Subtitle Translation: You think you can tell me what to do!

The main purpose of my two trips to Macau was to go bungee jumping. I repeatedly confirmed the conditions for bungee jumping before I made the decision. When I was attending events and meetings during the weekends, I was distracted by searching for relevant information on my phone to repeatedly confirm whether someone with my level of near-sightedness could actually participate in such an extreme sport. I also went to the hospital to consult an ophthalmologist, who advised me, “It's best not to go.” After hearing that, my rebellious punk side kicked in, and I immediately booked a flight to Macau.

蹦极地点澳门塔。/ Bungee jumping location Macau Tower.

第一次去蹦极的早晨，从睁眼到出门去蹦极地点澳门塔的路上把开头出自法语动画电影《自杀专卖店》配乐的Y’a d’la joie循环了无数次，早就被工作生活折腾到麻木的心智却又因为自己的黑色幽默坐在公车的后排角落暗自发笑。一直觉得法国人做电影很有一套他们自己的公式，片头积极阳光乐观的配乐跟随着在楼宇间轻快穿梭的鸽子的视角会让人误以为在看什么法国浪漫爱情电影的开场，结果下一秒两条上吊自杀人的腿就从镜头上方落下，接下来的场景便是一个又一个想不开的人从城市灰蒙蒙的高楼上不断坠下，惊得鸽子羽毛和表情一起乱飞。结局却又是大部分人喜闻乐见的大团圆：“做人嘛，开心和吃饭最要紧啊: )”。再回忆当时的我，听着歌颂欢乐时光快乐生活的法语香颂，脑海里想的是与歌词相映的电影场景，脸上挂着令人匪夷所思的笑容，去跳大楼:D (主要是以解压为目的啦~)

On the morning of my first bungee jumping trip, from the moment I opened my eyes till I went out to the Macau Tower, where the bungee jumping located, I played Y’a d’la joie — the opening song from the French animated film Le Magasin des Suicides — on repeat countless times. My mind, long numbed by the grind of work and life, found amusement in my own dark humor as I sat in the back corner of the bus, silently laughing to myself. I’ve always felt that French filmmakers have a distinct formula of their own. The film's opening, with its upbeat, optimistic melody followed by the perspective of a pigeon flying briskly between buildings, which would make people mistakenly think that they are watching the opening of a French romantic love film — until the very next second, two lifeless legs of a person who hanged himself fell from the top of the frame. What follows is a series of desperate souls jumping from the city's gray high-rises buildings, startling the doves into a frenzy of fluttering feathers and shocked expressions. And yet, the film ends with the kind of happy resolution which most people enjoy to see: "Life is all about happiness and good food, after all :)". Looking back at myself that day—listening to a French chanson that praises happy times, picturing the dark movie scenes that matched the lyrics in my head, and meanwhile wearing a bizarre smile — to jump off a building :D (mainly for the stress-relieving purpose~)

在梦中情塔上吃梦中情挞。/ Enjoy custurd tard with the view on Macau Tower.

可能是预感自己会再来澳门，所以第一次去澳门塔蹦极选了高飞跳，算是第二次蹦极笨猪跳的一个预览。从塔底买完票乘电梯上去，在塔顶的前台登记完按照指示去储物柜存放东西和随票附送的T恤。塔顶墙上贴着各国明星来澳门塔蹦极观光的签名照，音响里放的都是节奏极强振奋人心的流行乐，给来挑战极限的观光客们加油打气。称完体重穿上防护设备后去塔边蹦极，工作人员态度非常亲和专业，全程都在和即将蹦极的游客们闲聊分散他们的注意力，从问大家自哪里来的澳门观光，做什么工作，在哪儿上学，再到被问“要是我一会儿不敢自己往下跳了怎么办？”的时候回答：“放心我们会推你下去的: )”让蹦极前略显单调无聊的准备工作也充满了趣味性。从存放东西的时候我就在努力往下压自己不自觉上扬的嘴角，被问：“你害不害怕紧不紧张“的时候终于没忍住笑出声说：“不会，觉得好兴奋哦。” 高飞跳的速度相较笨猪跳而言较慢，时速最快只有75公里，过程却有20秒左右，个人觉得不是非常刺激，下落过程中身体是全程和地面天空保持平行的，可以在高空动态俯瞰澳门全景。蹦完在塔底再次乘电梯到澳门塔的观光层，凭票领了附送的一颗葡挞，在窗边欣赏景色的时候就着红茶吃下去，心情是两三年内没有感受过的极致愉悦。

Probably because I had a feeling that I would come back to Macau, so I chose the SkyJump —a sort of preview for the bungee jump I planned for my second visit. After buying the ticket at the bottom of the tower, I took the elevator up, and after registering at the front desk on the top of the tower, I followed the instructions to store my belongings along with the complimentary T-shirt. On the wall of the top of the tower, there are autographed photos of celebrities from all around the world who had visited Macau Tower for the thrill. Meanwhile, high-energy, adrenaline-pumping pop music blasted through the speakers, hyping up the visitors who come to challenge their limits.

After weighing in and gearing up, I made my way to the edge of the top of the tower. The staff were incredibly friendly and professional, constantly chatting with the tourists who were about to bungee jump to ease their nerves — asking where they come from, what they do for a living, or where they go for school. When someone asked, “What if I’m too scared to jump by myself later on the spot?” they reassuringly replied with a big smile on their faces, “Don’t worry, we’ll literally push you down. :)” which made the slightly monotonous and boring preparations before bungee jumping unexpectedly fun.

From the moment I stored my belongings, I had been trying to suppress the unconscious grin creeping onto my face. When I was asked, “Are you scared? Nervous?” I finally couldn’t hold back my laughter and said, “No, not at all, I’m so excited!”

Compared to a traditional bungee jump, the SkyJump is much slower, reaching a maximum speed of just 75 km/h, but the descent lasts around for 20 seconds. Personally, I didn’t find it particularly exhilarating. Since the body remains parallel to the ground and sky throughout the whole descent process, I was able to take a breathtaking aerial view of Macau in descending motion from a high altitude.

After the jump, I took the elevator back up to the observation deck, where I redeemed my ticket for the complimentary custard tard. Sitting by the window, savoring the pastry with a cup of black tea, I felt a sense of pure, unfiltered joy—something that I hadn't experienced in two or three years.

第二次起飞前的天空。/ Sky before my second departure to Macau.

“我去过澳门两次，都是因为工作原因参加会议，下午开完会中国人都跑去赌场消费了，欧洲人都跑去旅游景点观光。”第二次出发前正好结束了暑期实习，散伙饭桌上被问到接下来有没有什么出行的计划后公司的芬兰高管跟大家分享他去澳门的经历，我笑了笑说：“很典型嘛。”

"I've been to Macau twice, both times for work-related conferences. After the meetings ended in the afternoon, the Chinese attendees headed to the casinos, while the Europeans went sightseeing." Before my second trip to Macau, I had just finished my summer internship. When asked at the farewell luncheon if I had any upcoming travel plans, the company's Finnish executive shared his experience in Macau at the table with everyone. I smiled and said, "Typical."

自己这么接话是因为觉得这个例子很好地总结了中西方因为文化教育背景不同而导致出行选择上的差异。在以结果为导向和提倡竞争的东亚环境里无论做什么，哪怕是娱乐消遣休假都是要去争个高低输赢的，买了多少东西，拍了几张照片，花了多少钱，玩了几个项目，都可以拿来当作炫耀攀比的资本，目的单纯地去度假反而会被质问“那有什么好玩的？”。平时看闲书读到日本的上班族周末去主题公园玩也是把游乐园里的项目当作完成任务一样挨个去排队，把自己搞得满头大汗，看不出任何在放松消遣的意思。西方人讲究人生阅历，比较的是个人经历的独特性，以及参与的过程有没有在放松和享受。在中西方的环境都长期生活过，谈不上有什么特别深刻的理解，但又自信对双方都足够了解。在上海工作的两三年因为疫情封城和文化差异导致的沟通障碍日子过得不算愉快，因为自己明明长着一张东亚面孔内在却被西化程度较深，因为成长环境的缘故说中文时不自觉夹外文而被莫名指责装样子，因为被卡在中西方文化的夹缝里，因为不愿意根据学历家境抱团歧视排挤打压别人，因为不愿意踩着别人的头顶往上爬，因为只愿意和所有人都尽量做到平等交流，因为在西方世界的留学背景而被别人投射到我身上的不切实际的肮脏设想，对自己的精神世界和个人边界都造成了极大的损伤，觉得身边没有任何可以值得信任的人，还和一位在音乐节上偶然认识很合拍的朋友因为误会断了联系，对生活中的一切事物都失去了兴趣。感觉每天都是在没有任何保护措施和任何经验的情况下身处万米高空被蒙了眼睛赤手走钢索，精神极度紧绷的同时情绪也极端麻木。到最后只能去参加一些极限运动，比如蹦极，靠过程中释放的肾上腺素来给自己最大程度上的解压。并不是在说哪种文化语境要更剩谁一筹，归根结底还是经济发展阶段不同，资源分配不均，文化背景各异而导致的，也有态度随和的东亚人和热衷攀比的西方人的存在。不过要提起我自己在澳门最开心的经历之一，是在山顶教堂拍澳门塔景的时候，偶然拍到了一只蜻蜓入镜。

在澳门拍得最满意的照片之一。/ One of the best memories in Macau.

The reason I responded that way was because I felt his example perfectly captured the essence of the differences in travel choices shaped by cultural and educational backgrounds between East and West. In East Asia, where competition and results are deeply ingrained values, even leisure and vacations become something to compete over—how much money you spent, how many photos you took, how many attractions you visited—all can be points for showing off and putting up for comparison. Simply going on vacation for the sake of relaxation would invite questions like, "But what’s the fun in that?"

I once read about how Japanese office workers spending their weekends at theme parks, treating each ride as a task to be checked off, while making themselves sweat profusely, showing no signs of relaxation or entertainment at all. Westerners, on the other hand, tend to value life experiences, focusing on the uniqueness of their personal journeys and whether the process of participation is relaxing and enjoyable.

Having spent years living in both cultures for quite a long time at my age, I wouldn’t claim to have profound insights into both parties, but I am confident that I understand both sides well enough. The two to three years I spent working in Shanghai were far from pleasant — between lockdowns during pandemic and cultural clashes, I struggled to find a sense of belonging because of the communication barriers. I looked East Asian on the outside but had been deeply Westernized internally. Because of my upbringing, I would sometimes mix foreign words when speaking Chinese unconsciously, which led to baseless accusations of "putting on an act." or "being pretentious." made by those who were born and raised in mainland. I felt stuck between two cultures. Due to my unwillingness to participate in the social hierarchies built on pedigree and wealth, unwillingness to step on other people’s head just to climb a little bit higher, I was ridiculed by only wanting to interact with everyone on equal footing. Yet, due to my Western educational background, people projected unrealistic, often malicious and filthy assumptions onto me, which caused severe damages to my spiritual world and personal boundaries.

I felt that there was no one around me who was trustworthy. Because of a misunderstanding caused by all the above, I also lost contact with a friend who I met by chance at a music festival and got along very well with. Eventually, I lost interest in everything in life. My life felt like walking a tightrope at a 10,000-meter height, blindfolded and without any safety measures—simultaneously hyper-tensed and emotionally numb. In the end, the only way I could decompress was through extreme sports like bungee jumping, relying on the adrenaline rush to relieve the crushing pressure.

I’m not arguing that one cultural context is inherently superior to the other. After all, these differences stem from different economic development stages, uneven resource distribution, and diverse cultural backgrounds. There are laid-back East Asians and competitive Westerners existing in this world as well.

Still, if I had to pick one of my happiest moments in Macau, it would be when I was photographing the Macau Tower from the top of the Penha Hill, by pure chance, captured a dragonfly in the frame.

临近澳门（左）-斯德哥尔摩上空（右）/Apporaching Macau (Left) - Sky over Stockholm (Right)

行程第二天一早去看展的路上。/ On my way to the art exhibition the next morning.

第二次去澳门相比第一次来看略显从容，飞机降落前看舷窗外海上散布的零星翠绿小岛，恍惚间感觉自己又回到了斯德哥尔摩的上空。行程第一天一早在地图软件上找了酒店附近的一家理发沙龙，打算编两条麻花辫再去蹦极，理发店的工作人员大概是葡国人，有着南欧人典型的浓眉大眼长相和立体的面部轮廓，交流的时候发现对方听不太懂普通话，而我又不太会讲粤语和葡语，所以全程用英文沟通，还算轻松愉快，照例收到了“你头发好多哦”的评价，付完钱甩着两条轻快的鱼骨辫子，一蹦三跳地去车站等车去澳门塔蹦极，途中路过画展的宣传海报，记下来安排进第二天live like local的行程里。

展览上最喜欢的两幅，西洋画的笔法所描绘出的东方女子的灵动神韵。/ My two favorite pieces at the exhibition: the vivid charm of two Eastern women, captured through the exquisite techniques of Western painting.

The second trip to Macau felt more relaxed than the first time. As the plane descended, I looked out the window at the scattered emerald-green islands on the sea and, for a moment, felt like I was back in the sky over Stockholm.

On the first morning of my trip, I searched for a hair salon near my hotel on the map app, planning to get my hair braided before bungee jumping. The hairstylist seemed to be of Portuguese descent, with the distinct thick eyebrows, deep-set big eyes, and defined facial features typical of Southern Europeans. When exchanging words during our conversation, I realized they didn’t understand much Mandarin, and since I wasn’t fluent in Cantonese or Portuguese, we communicated entirely in English—which was quite smooth and pleasant. As expected, I received the usual comment: “You have a lot of hair!”

After paying, I bounced out of the salon, my two fishtail braids swinging behind me, and hopped towards the bus stop to head to Macau Tower for my bungee jumping booking. On the way, I passed a promotional poster for an art exhibition and made a mental note to include it as a part of the next day’s “live like local” trip.

个人着装风格：朋克仙女。🖤🧚🏻‍♀️/ Personal style status: Punk Nymph.🖤🧚🏻‍♀️

第二次出发去澳门前意外扭伤了脚，导致行程中每天都要回宾馆几次给伤口喷云南白药，还把穿了七八年本来打算扔掉的旧马丁靴翻出来穿上以固定脚踝，配上碎花长裙，觉得自己是玩混搭风的朋克仙女。逆反心理再次作祟，又一次订了蹦极的票，轻车熟路地登上澳门塔顶，工作人员在照流程走问最近有没有做手术有没有扭伤，我不假思索答没有，然后就睁大双眼毫不犹豫地从塔顶边跳了下去。笨猪跳的速度很快，跳的时候头顶向下，时速最高可达每小时两百公里，时长只有短暂的4-5秒，因为肾上腺素的缘故而感到极度喜悦和亢奋，丝毫没有畏惧的感受，下落停止的时候还能反身伸手去拉挂住让自己悬空回弹的绳索。

Before my second trip to Macau, I unexpectedly sprained my ankle, which meant I had to return to the hotel several times a day to spray Yunnan Baiyao (Medicine Spray) on the wound. To stabilize my ankle, I dug out my old pair of Dr. Martens that I had worn for seven or eight years and was planning to throw away to fix my ankle. Paired with a floral dress, I felt like a punk nymph experimenting with mix-and-match fashion.

Once again, my rebellious punk roots kicked in, and I booked another bungee jump. Familiar with the process by then, I effortlessly made my way to the top of Macau Tower. When the staff went through the standard safety questions — asking if I had undergone any recent surgeries or had any injuries, such as a sprained ankle — I answered "no" without any hesitation. Then, with both eyes wide open and absolutely no second thoughts, I leaped off the edge of the top of the tower.

Bungee jumping is much faster than SkyJump from the first time. When jumping, the head is facing downwards, and the speed can reach up to 200 kilometers per hour and lasts only about 4–5 seconds. Fueled by adrenaline, I felt nothing but pure exhilaration and euphoria, with not a single trace of fear. When the fall stopped, I even managed to fold my body upward midair and reach out to pull the rope that had caught me, letting myself rebound in the air.

夏日天空中棉花糖一般的云彩。/ Cotton candy clouds in the summer sky.

行程的最后一个下午从给自己设定的live like local的语境里跳脱出来，出于好奇也出于作为游客的本分，决定去路氹的赌场酒店度假村晃晃吃点东西。发现在美国最喜欢的一家甜品店在澳门设有分店，走进去点了一客当季新品，就着果汁入口的瞬间感觉又回到了在加州念书的时候和家人在洛杉矶海边度过的阳光夏日午后。从赌场酒店度假村吃完东西出来，太阳刚好下山，抬头看到的，是相机拍不出来的，比人工营造出来的天花板顶还要梦幻的现实世界的蓝粉配色的天空。

On the last afternoon of the trip, I stepped out of the "live like local" mindset I had set for myself. Out of curiosity and as a tourist, I decided to check out casino resorts in Cotai and grab a bite to eat. I discovered that one of my favorite confection brands back in the U.S. had a branch in Macau, so I went in, ordered the seasonal special, and as I took a sip of juice, it felt like I was transported back to a sunny summer afternoon by the beach in Los Angeles with my family, during my time studying in southern California. After finishing my meal at the casino resort, I stepped outside just as the sun was setting. Looking up, I saw a sky in shades of blue and pink that no camera could capture, even more dreamlike than the artificially painted ceiling.

人在Macau，吃得很好。/ Dining in Macau, all I say is WOW.

牛杂+咖喱鱼丸，点的小份根本吃不过瘾。/ Beef offal + curry fish balls—ordering a small portion is just not satisfying enough!

澳门特色经典小吃：猪扒包。/ Macau classic street food: Pork Chop Bun.

我的人生里真的很缺无数碗这样的双皮奶。/ What's been truly missing in my life is countless bowls of double-skin milk pudding like the one in the picture above.

葡式腊肠，炸马介休球，葡挞。/ Portuguese sausage, pastéis de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), custurd tarts.

番茄屋葡式美食的葡式烧猪颈肉。/ Torresmos de Vinha d’Alhos (Portuguese Marinated Pork ) from Cafe de Novo Tomato

旅行过程中早起的动力来源：广式早茶的透明虾饺。/ The motivation for getting up early during the trip: Shrimp dumplings from Cantonese dim sum.

夏日午后的必需品：杨枝甘露。/ A must-have for a summer afternoon: Mango sago with pomelo.

身为仙女怎么可能不点带仙草的糖水点心吃。/ As a nymph, how could I not order dessert with grass jelly (spells godly grass in Chinese)?

豆腐无论甜咸都好吃。/ Tofu is delicious whether it's sweet or savory.

炸鸡翅，我真诚地想念您。/ Fried Chicken Wings, I miss you dearly.

谁不喜欢吃新鲜烤鱿鱼呢？/ Who doesn't love a freshly grilled squid?

官也街的傍晚，买了钜记的猪肉脯回去送给家人当手信，吃前用微波炉热了一下满屋飘香。/ Evening on Rua do Cunha — bought Koi Kei Bakery's pork jerky as a gift for my family. Heating it in the microwave before eating fills the whole house with its delicious aroma.

官也街第一次去的时候被游客挤得密密匝匝的，无论想要吃点什么都躲不开要排队，在人头攒动的嘉模墟边上寻得一家卖葡式辣鱼的小店，因为去的时候因为店里游客太多，匆忙买了一盒番茄沙丁鱼罐头（豆豉鲮鱼罐头，南欧版）和葡挞别针就走了。回上海后搭着苏打饼干吃完，感觉像是带了一小片澳门回去，也算是作为朝九晚五上班族枯燥生活中的难得点缀。第二次去的时候是晚上，广场上的游客较上一次有些稀疏，尾随着一只小猫走进葡式辣鱼店里，笑得很有亲和力的店家拿了几款明星产品配上饼干出来给试吃，试吃完又端出两杯口味不同的法瓦托葡式小甜酒给品尝，整个过程行云流水，让人心甘情愿掏钱买单，把浸在辣鱼和甜酒里的澳门与葡萄牙装进行李里一齐带回家。

The first time I went to Rua do Cunha, it was packed with tourists, and no matter where I wanted to eat, I couldn’t avoid the long queues. I found a small shop called Loja das Conservas Macau which sells Portuguese-style canned fish near the bustling Feira Do Carmo, but because it was so crowded the first time I went there, I hurriedly bought a can of tomato sardines (Cantonese Canned pangolin in black bean sauce, Southern European Ver.), along with a custard tard pin, and left in a hurry. After returning to Shanghai, I ate the canned tomato fish with some soda crackers, feeling like I had brought a small piece of Macau back with me — a rare embellishment in my monotonous routine as a nine-to-five office worker The second time I went there was in the evening, and Feira Do Carmo was less crowded than the first time I was there. I followed a kitten into the Loja das Conservas, where the friendly shopkeeper brought out a few of their star products along with crackers for a tasting. Afterwards, they served two glasses of different flavors of Portuguese sweet wine, Favaíto, as supplementary tasting. The whole experience was seamless, made me more than willing to pay for it, and packing the flavors of Macau and Portugal — the canned fish and sweet wine — into my luggage to take back home.

为什么想去澳门呢？想去蹦极也只是因为工作生活上的不顺心而临时起意，几年前刚回国的时候就一直挂念着要去澳门，追本溯源大概算得上是一种一见钟情。几年前偶然刷到《国家地理》在东望洋新街机位的新葡京街拍，盯着出神看了很久，隔着手机屏幕怎么看都觉得不像是现实中会存在的真实场景，所幸那时候人工智能还没有发展得很成熟，不然真的会被自己归类为电脑算法生成的虚拟场景。一张照片带给我的震慑力已经足够巨大，到澳门的第一天便满怀期待地出发去拍摄地，从东望洋新街侧边小巷子的台阶一级一级往上走，终于看到新葡京从老城区的楼侧才刚露出金色尖尖角的时候，禁不住发出一声WOAH，俗气也好凑热闹也罢，当作为游客的我亲眼见证魔幻成为现实的那一刻，手中相机的快门键就没停下来过。

Why did I want to go to Macau? The idea of bungee jumping emersed simply because I was experiencing frustration with work and life, so it was a spontaneous decision. A few years ago, when I had just returned to China, I had always been thinking about visiting Macau. If I trace it way back, it could probably be counted as a sort of “love at first sight.” A few years ago, I stumbled upon a street shot of the Grand Lisboa from Guia New Street in National Geographic. I stared at it for a quite long time, and no matter how I looked at it through the phone screen, it didn’t seem like a real-life scene that could exist in reality. Fortunately, artificial intelligence wasn’t that advanced back then, or else I might have thought of it as a virtual scene generated by a computer algorithm. The impact of that one photo was so overwhelming that on my first day in Macau, I set off to visit the filming location with high expectations. I climbed the stairs of the small alley on the side of Guia New Street, and when I finally saw the Grand Lisboa peeking its golden pointed tips out from behind the old buildings, I couldn’t help but exclaim a "WOAH!" Whether it’s cheesy or just for the fun of it, as a tourist, witnessing the moment when magic turned into reality with my own eyes, the shutter button on my camera never stopped.

新葡京街拍经典机位反方向的巷子也是很好拍的。/ The alley in the opposite direction of the classic photo spot at Grand Lisboa is also great for photos.

自订了去澳门的行程那一刻起，因为算法缘故，各个社媒平台的推荐页都被澳门相关的内容堆满了，在等登机的时候因为同质化内容太多刷到失去耐心，往往视频配音还没听完第一个字就迅速地被我划上去，直到刷到一个在介绍澳门有什么免费的羊毛给游客薅的介绍才猛然停下来。从来是不愿讨别人任何便宜的，但在西方资本主义社会和十里洋场凡事皆有标价的上海待久了，看到印象中纸醉金迷的澳门居然对游客如此随和大方而感到不可思议，再加上我向来对能让我整个人脱离地球表面的项目是十分感兴趣的，而且世界上所有最美好的事物都是免费的，例如空气，阳光，花香，雨露，所以选了一个行程安排得不算紧凑的下午，去永利皇宫排队坐免费缆车。

永利皇宫前的免费缆车。/ The free cable car ride at Wynn Palace.

Since the moment I booked my trip to Macau, due to algorithms, the recommendation pages on various social media platforms were filled with Macau-related content. While waiting to board the plane, I lost my patience to the repetitive content that I would swipe past the videos before even hearing the first word of the video dubbing. I didn’t stop scrolling until I came across a video introducing the free perks available for tourists in Macau. I’ve never been that kind of person to take any advantage of others, but having spent a long time in Western capitalist society and in Shanghai, where owns the reputation for everything has a price tag, I was surprised to discover that the seemingly extravagant Macau was so generous and accommodating to her tourists. On top of that, I’ve always been drawn to activities that can lift my whole body off the surface of the Earth, at least for a while. And since all the best things in life are free, such as air, sunshine, the scent of flowers, rain and dew, I decided to set aside an afternoon, not too packed with plans, to queue up for the free cable car ride at Wynn Palace.

永利皇宫缆车上可以看到马路对面的米高梅，觉得看上去是很大气高级的外观。或许，可以蹲一个眼影盘联名嘛？🥺/ From the Wynn Palace cable car, you can see the MGM across the street — captivated by its grand and luxurious exterior. Could I wish for a collaborative eyeshadow palette with any beauty brand?🥺

在澳门当地打过交道的居民以及学校遇到的葡语同学给我的感觉也像他们当地的气候一样，是外向热情，活泼阳光，大方自信的，自来熟这种放在其他人身上必定会让性格偏内向的我觉得被打扰到然后转身就走的特质，在他们身上就显得相当自然合理，甚至是讨喜的。

The residents I interacted with in Macau, as well as the Portuguese-speaking classmates I met at university, gave me the same impression as their local climate: they were outgoing, enthusiastic, lively, sunny, generous, and confident. Traits like striking up conversations out of nowhere or forming connections without any hesitation when meeting for the first time, which would make an introvert like me feel disturbed and want to walk away immediately, seemed perfectly natural, reasonable, and even charming in them.

觉得澳门街头的中文加葡语的青花瓷配色街牌很独特好看，在纪念品店买了两块冰箱贴在学生公寓的冰箱上，结果一日请来公寓吃饭的葡萄牙小女生见了告诉我，“Bruxas可不是仙女的意思是女巫哦！” 本人心情: 所有人都是娘们，我就是仙女。

很漂亮所以一下买了俩。/ Too pretty to just buy one.

I think the blue and white porcelain street signs written in Chinese and Portuguese on the streets of Macau were quite unique and beautiful, so I bought two fridge magnets at a souvenir shop and put them on the fridge in my student apartment. One day, a Portuguese girl who I invited over for dinner saw them and told me, " Bruxas doesn't mean nymphs, it means witches!”. and I was like: Everyone's a basic chick, I'm the only sparkling nymph here.

Subtitle Translation: Everyone's a basic chick, I'm the only sparkling nymph here./出处：俄剧《背叛》/ Source: Russian TV Drama: *Betrayal*

虽然不会说，也完全听不懂，但觉得葡语整体听起来还是很有意思的，而葡萄牙本地人讲的葡语和巴西葡语听起来又完全不一样。很令我感到意外的是，在听两位葡萄牙同学对话的时候，还以为自己是坐在俄罗斯餐厅里喝罗宋汤，语调和谈话的节奏听起来实在是太像俄语了。其中一个词在对话中出现频率极高，“tipo”, 没忍住发问，翻译过来居然是极具加州特色的美式口语，“like（就像）”。在美国待久了，除了一些具有东亚特色的文化符号自己能一眼认出并能讲出文化背景和代表意义外，很多时候觉得一些事物的存在毫无意义，缺乏依据且令人费解，文化语境方面的问题又难以在网路上找到详尽的信息，有时候三言两语又很难给出全面深刻的说明，这让爱刨根究底的我感到十分迷惑且痛苦。来欧洲念书，课余时间出去观光旅行与当地人交流的过程中再往回看在美国念书生活的几年积攒下的文化语言生活习惯上的不解与困惑，在此刻当下，自然而然就一点便通了。

某位家喻户晓在加州被创作出来的经常说“就像”的比基尼海滩居民。/ A well-known Bikini Bottom resident created in California, who says "like," a lot.

Although I cannot speak or understand it at all, I still find Portuguese overall sounds quite interesting. And yet, the Portuguese spoken by Portuguese locals sounds completely different from Brazilian Portuguese. What surprised me the most was that when I listened to two Portuguese classmates talking, I thought I was sitting in The Russian Tea Room slurping borscht — their tone and rhythm sound so much like Russian. One word that appeared very frequently in their conversation was "tipo," and I couldn't help but ask about it. It turns out it translates to a very California-style American slang, "like." After staying in the United States for a long time, apart from being able to recognize some East Asian cultural symbols and understanding their cultural background and significance at a glance, there are many things that I often find meaningless or puzzling, lacking context and being hard to comprehend. Cultural context issues are also hard to find detailed information on the internet, and sometimes it’s difficult to give a full and profound explanation in just a few words. This left me feeling confused and frustrated. After coming to Europe to study, spending my free time sightseeing and engaging with locals, in addition to that, I started to reflect on the misunderstandings and bewilderments I accumulated in terms of culture, language, and lifestyle during my years of studying and living in the U.S. At this moment, things just started to make more sense naturally and became clear to me.

行程结束的前一天晚上打算坐公车回宾馆，在车站等了很久的车都没来，手机也快没电所以心情有些焦躁，突然想起来还没有买当日份的豆腐花吃，便去马路对面的超市找。出来刚好看到自己之前在等的公车就在超市门前的车站停着，想都没想就直接跳了上去，顺利回到宾馆休息。后来到瑞典念书，开学时系里办破冰活动，听到被分到一组的其中两位非洲同学在寒暄：“你们那的车是靠左行还是靠右行?”“你问这话是什么意思？”“因为你们那要是被英国佬殖民过就是靠左行啊;D” 爆笑之余也恍然大悟为什么那晚在澳门去超市之前在等的公车一直没来，原来是站反了马路的方向，自己当时只顾得上欣赏葡语街牌，忽略了澳门之前也被英国佬殖民过的事实，再加上在内地和美国生活多年带来的思维惯性，以及在机场打到的驾驶座在左边的计程车导致在我离开澳门前都以为当地的车也都是靠右行的。其实人生也一样，只不过我们有几次能及时意识到不是自己在做无用功，只是站错了方向，并顺利搭上开往目的地的车呢？

The night before the end of my trip, I planned to take the bus back to my hotel. I waited for a long time at the bus stop, but the bus never came, and my phone was running out of battery, so I was getting a little anxious. Then, I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t bought the sweet tofu pudding for the day, so I went to the supermarket across the street to look for it. As I stepped out, I saw the bus I had been waiting for all night, stopped right in front of the supermarket. Without thinking, I hopped on it and made it back to the hotel smoothly.

Later, when I go to study in Sweden, during the ice-breaking event at the beginning of the semester, I heard two African classmates who were assigned to the same group as me casually chatting: “Do cars drive on the left or on the right side back in your country?” “What do you mean by that?” “Because if you were colonized by the Brits, you’d be driving on the left side. ;D” After laughing together, I suddenly realized why the bus I was waiting for before going to the supermarket in Macau that night never came — I had been standing on the wrong side of the street. I had been so focused on admiring the Portuguese street signs that I had forgotten Macau was also once colonized by the Brits. Plus, the years of living in mainland China and the U.S. had shaped my habitual way of thinking, and when I hailed a taxi at the airport, I saw that the driver's seat was on the left side, which made me think that all the cars in Macau must be driven right-sided like the place I used to live in.

In fact, I think life is just like that in some way as well, although, how often do we realize that, sometimes in life, we’re not doing something completely pointless, but just standing in the wrong direction, and once we notice, the bus that we are supposed to board will show up in time take us to our destination?

澳门是疫情两年后第一次让我重新爱上城市生活的地方，从别处积攒的压力和消极情绪，似乎随着澳门塔上的两次一跃而下之后一并烟消云散了。澳门对我而言就像是将死之人大病初愈味觉恢复后第一次吃到自己最喜欢的饭菜，是不期而遇的惊鸿一瞥，是阔别已久后的久别重逢，是一见钟情，甜口良药，也是契阔相逢，佳肴珍馐。再回看《自杀专门店》也是以自杀专卖店店主的整天满面笑容的小儿子设计销毁了店里的所有自杀用的道具，二女儿因为遇到爱情而消减了自卑情绪，大儿子的个人爱好也从磨刀片和画阴暗素描变成了摊煎饼，卖自杀用品的小店也因此成功转型为专门贩售法式可丽饼的点心店为结局结束的。与电影里压抑阴晦为基调的城市背景色调对比来看，在我眼中现实生活中的澳门也是与之截然相反的，是灵动鲜活，色彩艳丽的。漫步在澳门的街头巷尾的几天给我一种身处法语浪漫爱情电影片场的感觉，回忆起来都是带有玫瑰色滤镜的，也确实是像那首法语香颂唱的那样：‘Y’a d’la joie’ (欢乐时光)，纯粹的快乐，值得再去。

Macau was the place that made me fall in love with urban living life again after two years of the pandemic. The stress and negative emotions accumulated from other places seemed to vanish completely after two jumps from the Macau Tower. To me, the trips to Macau feel like the first meal that a dying man taste after recovering from a fatal illness— it is the first glimpse of an unexpected encounter, a long-awaited reunion after prolonged absence, love at first sight, a sweet remedy, and also much-anticipated, exquisite encounter with fine delicacies.

Looking back at Le Magasin des Suicides, it ends with the youngest son of the shop owner, who’s always smiling, destroying all the props used for suicide in the store, the second daughter overcoming her inferiority complex because of the encounter of her true love, and the eldest son changing his hobby from sharpening blades and drawing gloomy sketches to making crêpes. The shop that once sold suicide props has successfully transformed itself into a confectionery store specializing in selling French crepes at the end of the film. In contrast to the oppressive and depressing tone of the city in the film, Macau in real life seems to be the complete opposite to me — vibrant, lively, and colorful. Walking the streets and alleys of Macau for a few days gave me the feeling of being on the set of a French romantic film, and when I look back, everyday spent there feels like looking through a rose-colored filter. Just as the French chanson sings: ‘Y’a d’la joie’ (Happy times) Filled with pure joy, Macau is a place that definitely worth going back to.

总要回去把澳门通的余额用完吧:D / I have to go back at some point and use up my Macau Pass balance, right?:D

Reason why I call myself a nymph is because in Chinese mythology, young single women are often considered as a symbol of divine and pureness. They fall off the pedestal after choosing to live the ordinary and mundane life by becoming someone’s wife.

歌单/Spotify Playlist：

Sailing Away — Travis

Lambada — Kaoma

La Isla Bonita — Madonna

Y’a d’la joie — Charles Trenet

Adrenaline — Zedd， Grey

Something New — Axwell /\ Ingrosso

未经允许，禁止转载。/ Without permission, reproduction is prohibited.

All photos are shot and edited with SONY’s products.

魔力澳门 Macau Magic

¨Tant pis pour moi si je suis malade，Je m’ennuyais toute seule dans mon coin¨