兔年首集｜圣诞新年春节旅行新发现 Our trips during Christmas and new years
真的好久好久没有和大家唠嗑了鸭！不敢相信2023年已经是第二个月了呢！真是时光飞逝啊～在过去的两三个月，圣诞、元旦、春节三个节日一个接着一个，我们在过去的冬季假期有分开旅行，也有一起旅行。菠萝的台湾兄弟之旅、豆腐坎坷的归家之旅、和久违的澳门之旅，我们在这一集将会分享一些有趣的故事和新发现。在最后会有一个重磅消息公布哦！
对了，提前祝大家情人节快乐鸭～
It’s been such a long time since we say hi to you guys! I can’t believe it’s already February in 2023. How time flies! In the past three months, we had quite a festival season with Christmas, New year and Chinese New Year festivals following one another. During this period of time, me (MC Tofu) and Mr. Bolo have travelled either separately or together in Taiwan, Tofu’s hometown and Macau. In this episode, we will share some interesting stories during our trips. In the end, there will be an important announcement!
By the way, early happy Valentine’s day!
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内容文稿
Hello guys, welcome to Talkyah!
-- Intro -- 01:36
豆腐: It's been such a long time since we last met (but not like "long time no see")
菠萝: For a lot of reasons actually - we recorded one episode before Christmas, which hasn't been released yet.
豆腐: Yeah, and we got busy with Christmas, travelling, and soon - it's Chinese New Year! I mean, shortly after[wards].
菠萝: Yeah, shortly after meaning - the Gregorian Calendar New Year, the Western Calendar.
豆腐: So we are recording this on the 4th day of Chinese New Year. How was your Chinese New Year? And how was your Christmas, if you [celebrated] it?
-- Happy New Year -- 03:38
菠萝: Okay let me ask you, if I say to you, "Happy New Year'' - first of all, let's just put it out there - over New Year, we separately went our own ways travelling, right? I guess this is part of the update which we need to tell the audience about. The question is - what have we been up to up until now, i.e. since the Christmas/New Year break? My [other] question was going to be, if you say "Happy New Year!", will [中国人] think of the 1st of January, or 春节? The reason why I [ask] is because I went to Taiwan over New Years, and you went back to your hometown, and I sent you all these voicenotes, happy text messages - and NO REPLY, NO RESPONSE. From me -- to you, with nothing from you -- to me. I was crushed!
豆腐: I don't even stay up for Chinese New Year countdown, let alone for [Western] New Year.
-- 豆腐's time in China -- 05:40
豆腐: I went back to my hometown in China's Mainland [over] December - so a little bit before Christmas to New Year. So I basically went back to my hometown before the Covid policy changed in China. So I still had to win a lottery to cross the border from Hong Kong to Zhuhai / Shenzhen, and quarantine for 8 days, and then go back. When I got back, I think it was the peak [time] of everybody getting Covid, so I couldn't see most of my family members, except for my parents. Obviously we didn't celebrate Christmas, and I don't think we celebrated the New Year - I think we watched the show? It is a festival, but people don't celebrate as much as Chinese New Year - maybe a dinner? I don't think any fireworks? At least not in my area.
菠萝: In your city/town, are there decorations put up?
豆腐: I don't remember... I didn't go out much, I couldn't go out.
菠萝: Your story is quite sad: you spent a lot of time [and] money to go back, but unfortunately you couldn't see many people. Fortunately though, there was nothing too serious for your family.
豆腐: They all got Covid-19 and [have all] recovered.
菠萝: Covered insurance wise!
-- 菠萝's time in Taiwan -- 08:54
菠萝: To contrast that, what I did was - I went to Taiwan, for the first time ever! I tried some of the local delicacies.
豆腐: Like sweets? I thought delicacies meant desserts?
菠萝: No, like local cuisine. The first meal that I had was just in a food court, and it was great! It had 冬瓜茶，as like the standard drink that comes with everything - and [I thought] this place is so good for food. And then, we did a few days in Hualien (花蓮), [before returning] back to Taipei (臺北市). In Hualien, we went to a night market, which was really cool, and they had a cold 大麦茶, which anybody can take - like in a big container. So [I thought], all of my favourite food and drinks! [Unfortunately] I never got the try the 大肠包小肠。。。but we kind of had a local Taiwanese friend in our group who helped a lot about the local cuisine and delicacies. We did scootering, saw fireworks off Taipei 101.
豆腐: Did you countdown?
菠萝: Yeah! Of course!
豆腐: From the chick-flick dramas-
菠萝: Oh the kiss? Well, I mean you weren't there! So I had a picture of you... and I was kissing the picture. I'm joking ... but I might not be. The most sexy...
豆腐: So me in a duck costume?
菠萝: of clubbing (夜店) on New Year's Eve... so yeah. My first trip to Taiwan. Even before that, I had a week that I had to spend by myself.
-- Back in Hong Kong -- 14:30
菠萝: But anyway since 一月二号回家, we've basically been preparing for 春节.
豆腐: Just trying to get used to Hong Kong after being in my hometown for so long.
菠萝: And you said when you were in your hometown, all day everyday you were speaking -
豆腐: My dialect. Yeah. [The pace] is like a retirement-friendly city. And I basically stayed at home all day watching TV series using my mum's memberships from all different [TV Platforms], watching only Chinese shows. I tried not to be on social media, so I had a nice break from all the social media stuff. And then [since coming back] to Hong Kong, first of all, [I've been] a bit stressed out from the pace of people walking on the street, and also the feeling of the fast-paced-ness of Hong Kong.
菠萝: You're like, "Please please, don't cross the road to the MTR! Guys, guys, wait up!"
豆腐: I think when I was in my hometown, I was like x0.25 speed, and in Hong Kong its double the speed. The first day I went to the office, I went to the mall, and it was so weird, modern, and flashy. So after 2 weeks, I got used to Hong Kong - and now it's Chinese New Year!
菠萝: Well first of all, we had to take down all of the Christmas decorations, and put up all the Chinese New Year decorations!
-- Following CNY traditions -- 17:40
菠萝: Oh - obviously, 我知道春节g很多很多传统的东西，是吧？Like changing the bedsheets, buying new clothes, not taking a shower, not cutting the hair
豆腐: Wearing red stuff, lighting up fireworks...
菠萝: Making dumplings etc. but I saw an article recently that said some of the traditions aren't really followed, like not taking a shower.
豆腐: Yeah I've never heard that, maybe [moreso] in the old days.
菠萝: So does everyone in your family follow the traditions quite religiously?
豆腐: Mmm, I would say there are different traditions in the North and in the South. I feel far in the North, people really follow traditions step by step, or people really in the South, like Guangdong 广东 area, people have their own set of traditions to follow, but people in the middle, like the "in-land" like my hometown, it's kind of loose, kind of chill.
菠萝: Why?
豆腐: Don't know... maybe [because] we're just in the middle, we're kind of merged, neutralised?
菠萝: Okay. 比如说，like what don't you follow?
豆腐: In the Guangdong area, people do things like 萝卜糕, buy orchids, and give out red packets (红包) to workers you meet at work. So those traditions were new to me.
-- Orchids -- 19:59
菠萝: Actually this orchid thing - so we hosted a small party/get-together/event for 春节, and I think it's the first time I've had an orchid as a gift. But I don't know what's the reason for giving an orchid as a gift.
豆腐: I don't either, but I guess it means [prosperity], it's a lucky flower, it's a precious flower too. You can see in all the markets in Hong Kong - they all sell orchids, right? Even in the wet market! In any market, there are all orchids.
菠萝: Okay here we go，look. "Orchids: Beautiful, and elegant flowers in China. They have long been considered to be symbolic of many children, or fertility and abundance.
豆腐: Ooh!
菠萝: Thank you for the sound effects. "Orchids also signify refinement, luxury, and innocence. These flowers make for valuable gifts in this season."
豆腐: Yeah. Orchids are one of the four flowers in Chinese culture 梅兰竹菊 right? So it's a very noble flower. But still, it's not a thing in my hometown. Maybe we couldn't afford it. It's very expensive to buy, with [300HKD per branch].
菠萝: You think if it only has one branch, it'll be like 100HKD?
豆腐: Then it doesn't look good. People don't like to be solo. In Chinese, things have to be in duos, triples, etc. And then in the North, people really care about making dumplings, fireworks. Especially if its a snowy city. In some small towns, they even do lion dances. In the Canton/Guangdong area, people like Lion dances.
菠萝: Yeah - in London, before, I always caught Lion dances in Chinatown.
豆腐: You don't have a public holiday for Chinese New Year right? Did you have to take a day off?
菠萝: Well our family didn't really celebrate it that much. My mum would, on a couple of occasions, cook a big meal. I think I got most of my 红包 from my friends.
豆腐: Rich friends!
菠萝: You know who you are ;)
-- Bolo during CNY -- 24:20
豆腐: I think we actually have minimal traditions that are followed - but for my household, its mainly a big family dinner.
菠萝: Yeah you guys always have 鞭炮
豆腐: Yeah my household will have 年夜饭, and then at 12am, we'll do firecrackers and fireworks.
菠萝: So all of the kids and all of the elderly will be asleep?
豆腐: Yeah the kids will be asleep, elderly people will also be asleep. Just the middle-age, the uncles and young kids. Whoever can stay up, will stay up late.
菠萝: So you'll be asleep, and I'll be part of the cool kids?
豆腐: Mm. And they might ask you to light them up, risking your life.
I'll do that.
豆腐: The next day, the first day of Chinese New Year 初一 it’s really important for all the family representatives, each household has one person to go to a local temple as the first thing [to do] in that new year's day, to pray for the family.
菠萝: For good fortune, health, and prosperity, and everything, you know?
豆腐: Yeah everything. [It'll be] your first Chinese New Year in my hometown next year.
菠萝: Once the policy opens up! Can I say that? Can I also 拜拜？
豆腐: But if you pray for it, you'll need to pay for it!
菠萝: Ah...that might be a problem.
豆腐: Show your respect.
-- Macau -- 26:33
菠萝: One more thing to update everyone on. We literally just got back from a trip from Macau! The good news is, Macau is really really good if you want to gamble at the casinos and have a really good, rich gambling experience (no pun intended) and also if you want to do luxury shopping and luxury dining, its a really good place for you to go to. The bad news is, we don't do that.
豆腐: We didn't do much shopping
菠萝: You went into the casinos and asked, "What are they playing, what are they playing?"
豆腐: It's my fourth time to Macau, and I still haven't figured out how to play any gambling games. So now my focus becomes comparing free drinks at casinos.
菠萝: I'm not a big gambler, because i'm not that lucky. I'm lucky in life, not in games. So I don't really gamble. But you're there like "I want to gamble!", and I'm like "Why?", and you're like "I wanna play, I wanna play! But I don't know how to play!"
豆腐: Yeah I was a bit FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
菠萝: I don't think they look that happy though - especially the staff
豆腐: The staff are like soulless - their eyes are not looking anywhere. It must be so boring to have that job.
菠萝: And we even went quite early; 9 or 10 o’clock in the morning. And they’re already dead.
豆腐: Yeah I really feel bad – if you’re this soulless, from this time...
菠萝: Other than that it was pretty good. We went to the MGM, had afternoon tea
豆腐: Our favourite experiences were the MGM exhibitions, the dining experience, especially the afternoon tea-
菠萝: So there was this afternoon tea, and that was really cool because they had this tiger 包-
豆腐: Lion
菠萝: Basically like a work of art. But it was huge! You couldn’t even finish it.
豆腐: I saw it on the website. First of all, after knowing the news that there were a lot of free tickets [being] sent out to the Hong Kong residents, I knew that the restaurants would be so busy. So I started to get on the websites, try to book some restaurants, saw this afternoon tea set – and saw this dim sum created by this MGM chef. Which [was] this Lion head bun, with very good details. From the picture, [they] looked very small, that’s why I booked two, even emailing them. When we got [them], it turned out each one was as big as our palm.
菠萝: But it was still quite impressive, we spent about 15 minutes taking photos and videos – more time taking photos than eating!
豆腐: [By the time we had] the third bite, we were full.
菠萝: But then, all of a sudden, while sitting in the middle of the MGM 美高梅 lobby, every 2 hours it has a performance. So: 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm. It's about 4:55 - great, there's going to be a performance in about 5 minutes. What is it? We look up and there are these VR/AR screens (Virtual/Augmented Reality) and "What's that?" - up on the balcony you can see penguins! Penguin balloons. The performance starts, and there are 4 or 5 HUGE air-filled penguin balloons, and they jump off the balcony and start swimming, flying...I don't know what you call it.
豆腐: It's like they flew their balloons to the ceiling, flying around to turn the whole space into like a sea.
菠萝: But these are huuuge balloons, with their fins and tails flapping.
豆腐: They look very candid, they look like [they're really] moving.
菠萝: They look like real penguins! Other than the fact that they're balloons.. but they do flips
豆腐: And flying around in certain directions, not just floating.
菠萝: So you can imagine the scene, we're eating our Lion heads, and all of a sudden there are these flying penguin balloons flying everywhere. That was cool.
豆腐: We like these human-made artificial things.
菠萝: So we highly recommend this afternoon tea set in MGM. Sponsor us please. Even though we don't gamble.
-- Recommendations for Macau -- 34:11
菠萝: It's not only MGM you would recommend right?
豆腐: The
