BlogDay 2005

這是今天下午收留言的時候才得知的消息。原來，今天（2005/8/31）是國際部落格日，許多部落客響應今年的活動，在自己的網站上推薦五個部落格，敝站有幸被Yiling選上推薦。這是第一次知道Yiling，據說她注意到我，是因為她的blogger和我選了相同的背景，我剛剛上了她的樂多網站看了一下，很喜歡她站上帶給人的閒適感，有興趣的朋友可以去看看。

要推薦五個部落格，就讓我來講講這一陣子每天都會去報到的友站。

1. 三年級的背包
這是近期最歡喜的發現，原來是在中時部落格的嚴選優格推薦上看到，看到站主墨綠姨寫下阿茲海默症患者家屬的心路歷程，後來也慢慢在站上看了墨綠姨在紐西蘭生活的種種。因為墨綠姨勤於更新，我每天上去都會看到新文章，所以她的站也成了我這一陣子開電腦以後必定去報到的地方。

2. 晨光下的漫步
發現這個站大概將近一年了，怎麼摸上去的我倒是忘了，只記得是個偶然。站主小葛跟我同月同日生，住在德州，利用文字作為出口，儘管生活忙碌，還是常常花時間寫文章分享她生活中的點點滴滴，文字詼諧幽默，不過看到她經歷的種種，還是不免為她在異地生活的辛苦感到心疼。

3. 愛默生愛說話
這是從Qui-Blog聯播中找到的寶貝。我猜想這位部落客大概住在歐洲的某個角落，他筆下的文化批判，總是讓我受益良多，也更讓我感覺到自己的渺小。對我來說，上站閱讀可以增加工作方面的知識，對於歐洲藝文觀察有興趣的朋友，可以去看看。

4. 一根筋的黑白亂想
小新是我透過網友認識的網友，基本上我頭昏到連我們第一次到底是怎麼碰面都給忘了，還是前一陣子某次聊起來，才被提醒，其實在某一次我回台灣探親的時候，就已經在某次網友聚餐中見過面（事實上我也是從那天才知道她的存在）。小新在文章裡的表達往往一針見血，常常讓我對她許多精闢的見解大為佩服。她到法國留學以後，曾經藉著遊玩到威尼斯的機會，轉到維琴察來找我玩，一整天相處的感覺，讓我覺得這個人很‘漫畫’，有著超可愛的性格。

5. 丁丁飆英文
我常常上去練英文的地方。到目前為止只是潛水魚一隻，因為自覺程度不足，在他面前有班門弄斧之感，所以在丁丁那邊還是一名沉默的觀眾。

Happy Blog Day to ALL!!

Ferrara Buskers Festival 2005 - Home coming

從抵達費拉拉停好車的那一刻，就不停地在走動著，完全沒有停下來休息。撐到半夜，即使情緒仍然高亢，我在體力上仍然不堪負荷。即使市區還是人聲鼎沸，完全沒有止息的跡象。想到接下來還要面對一個半小時的車程，只好忍痛拋下眼前精采的節目，慢慢地往車子的方向開始移動。
From the moment we parked the car we didn’t stop walking. We kept going around until midnight. Though my mood was still high, my physical condition couldn’t really bear it anymore. It’s still crowded and busy in the city center, and the shows seemed to keep going. Thinking that we still had to face the trip home, another one and half hour in the car, we had to give up the wonders in front of us and started moving towards our car.

邊走著，我已經開始期待明年…
While walking, I’ve started to look forward to the coming year…

Ferrara Buskers Festival 2005 - Fringe Programs

在費拉拉街頭藝術節中，非音樂性的藝穗節目也是多采多姿，往往是可以看到藝術家們各顯創意的時候。
There are various fringe artists participating the buskers festival as well, perfect time to see the creativity of the artists.

吹氣球向來是街頭藝術中不可或缺的項目，每次在街頭藝術節中，至少也會看到四五個專精此道的藝術家。各色的長汽球在藝術家的手中，轉眼成了彩色貴賓狗、中世紀武士頭盔、寶劍、甚至卡通人物，讓人眼花撩亂。可惜的是，近年來已經很少看到自己動口吹的藝術家了，大部分人為了省力，都是用工具來打氣，在我眼中，總是少了那麼點味道…
The balloon artists are indispensable in the buskers. There’re at least four or five artists of this kind every year. Colorful balloons are turned into poodles, helmets of medieval warriors, swards or even cartoon characters. It’s a pity that most of the artists turn to balloon pump for help and don’t blow the balloon by themselves any more…

當然，也有那種看起來好像有點創意，實際上卻不太精采的表演，像這位號稱是「世界上最慢的人」，動作不太順暢，乍看之下也不知道他在做什麼，不過街頭藝術也是這一點有趣，有時，在你走過的當下並不會意識到這個藝術家在做什麼，而是後來的幕然回首，讓人回味無窮。
Of course, there’re certain kinds of performances that seem to be creative but eventually are not too successful. This man is said to be “the slowest man in the world”. At the first sight I didn’t realize what he’s doing, but later when I got to know it, his actions didn’t seem to be too smooth… However, that’s one of the interesting parts of the fringe arts. Sometimes when you walk by you won’t realize what the artists are doing. It’s when you think back that you start to enjoy its flavor.

觀賞街頭藝術，最可貴的就是表演者和觀眾之間的互動交流。精采之處，觀眾們忍不住鼓掌叫好，表演者一個微笑、一個眼神，呼應著觀眾，越演越有勁。照片裡這個團體，每個演出者都是技巧高超的操偶師，小舞台上的爵士禿鷹和鱷魚們，隨著音樂舞動，唯妙唯肖的演出，讓許多觀眾忍不住佇足多看兩眼。
The most precious thing in busker performances is the interaction (or I should say conversation) between the audience and the performers. The audience cheers when it comes to the spectacular parts of the show, and the performers answer back with a smile or an expression in his eyes. Both pump up energy for the show. Members of the group in the photo are all good puppet theater performers. The marvelous performance of the vulture and crocodiles attract lots of audiences’ attention.

特色商品也不會錯過推銷的機會。圖片中的每一個掌中玩偶，是用各種顏色的海綿切割組合而成，看了真是讓人愛不釋手，我差點就想帶幾個回家。
Makers and producers of characteristic products won’t miss the chance to promote their art pieces. The puppets here are made of various colors of sponge, cut and assembled. They look just lovely and I was almost about to bring some home.

特技表演當然也不會缺席。到了夜幕低垂之際，市中心的大廣場成了各種雜耍表演的主要場地，最多人圍觀的，無非是吞火、噴火、耍火棒等特技演出。
Acrobatic performances won’t miss its place in such event. When the night falls, the big square in the center is turned to the major location for various kinds of acrobatic shows. For sure the most attractive one is the fire eating/breathing kind of show.

Ferrara Buskers Festival 2005 - Music Programs

今年的藝術節以巴西為主題，因此受邀的二十組藝術家中，有三分之一來自巴西。其中讓我們駐足觀賞的並不是太多，因為平日聽多了爵士藍調等，此類演出自然就不是我和米奇觀注的焦點，機會難得，當然要來點不一樣的！
The main focus of the year is Brazil. Among twenty groups of invited artists, one third are Brazilian groups. We didn’t spend much time hopping from one concert to another. Our focus is not on jazz or blues, coz that’s kind of “common” in our life. Of course we have to take the chance to see something different.

由五個來自塞維爾的堂表姊妹所組成的佛朗明哥歌舞團Las Primas。當初在網站上看到有這麼一個團體，就被我列入目標之一。我向來喜歡佛朗明哥的熱情奔放，有機會觀賞演出決不錯過。她們帶來五首風格各異的演出，雖然歌喉平平，不過舉手投足之間所傳達的情感，還是深深吸引著我。
Las Primas, a flamenco group of five sisters and cousins from Seville. When I saw the info on the Busker official website, I’ve decided to look for their performance during my visit. I always enjoy the passion and enthusiasm delivered by flamenco dance and songs and wouldn’t miss it if there were any chance to see it. They brought five songs with different styles. Even though their singing is not outstanding, I was still attracted by their posture, dance and emotions.

Amadeu Alves & Fabricio Rios Group是我最喜歡的巴西團體。很夏天、很清爽的音樂。演出的時候，兩個打擊樂手不斷地變換著手中的樂器，一件件我很少看到的打擊樂器，也讓我多了視覺上的饗宴。
Amadeu Alves & Fabricio Rios Group is my favorite Brazilian group. Their music is very summery and refreshing. During performance, the two percussionists continuously change their instruments. One piece after another, many of them are new to me. Apart from listening, it has also become a “visual festival” for me.

Didgeridoo這種澳洲原住民樂器，在街頭藝術似乎成了一種流行。這次就看到兩個以各種尺寸形狀的didgeridoo表演的音樂家。一位帶著合成器，邊吹邊錄邊採樣，一層層地把音樂疊了起來；另一位則純粹以didgeridoo表演，技巧上似乎勝出前者一籌，吹奏時的韻律感，讓人忍不住在旁邊打起節拍。
Didgeridoo is a kind of Australian aboriginal instrument. It seems to become a fashion among street artists. There’re two didgeridoo artists this time. They bring with them didgeridoos of various sizes and shapes. One performs with a synthesizer. He performs, records and samples at the same time to build up his music layer by layer. The other one uses only didgeridoos and his techniques seems much higher than the previous one. The dynamic rhythm invites people to tap along.

今年的我們，似乎特別容易受到豎笛所吸引，兩個讓我們佇足許久的三重奏，都有豎笛演出。這兩組人馬似乎都來自東歐，一組以手風琴、豎笛和打擊所組成，另一組則是小提琴、豎笛和吉他。他們的演出，都再再讓我回想到六月底在布達佩斯渡過的美好時光。
We seem to be attracted by clarinet music this year. Clarinet appears in both trios that we stopped to listen to. Both groups are from east Europe. One is composed of accordion, clarinet and percussion. The other is violin, clarinet and guitar. Their music reminds me the happy time we’ve spent in Budapest.

Ferrara Buskers Festival 2005

每年八月底，最期待的就是費拉拉街頭藝術節的到來。這個在今年邁入第十八個年頭的藝術節，打從我搬到義大利以來，就是每年夏天必然去報到的節目之一。來自世界各地的街頭藝術家齊聚一堂，規模雖然不如愛丁堡藝術季來得盛大，不過也成了費拉拉本身文化價值以外的特色之一。這個保留中世紀建築的古城，因為有著許多錯綜複雜的小街道與廣場，特別適合此類活動的進行，轉個角換條街，多采多姿的藝術世界，有待觀眾挖掘。
Every August, I excitedly expect the coming of the Ferrara Buskers Festival. It’s coming to the 18th edition this year. Since I moved to Italy, it’s one of the must-go in summer. Buskers from various countries come to Ferrara. Though it’s not as big as the Edinburgh festival, but it has become one of the characteristics of Ferrara apart from its cultural value. There are many tiny complex streets and squares in this medieval city and it is perfect for such activities. Turing to another street, one might find a totally different atmosphere created by various artists, awaiting audience to discover their beauty.


第一場表演在傍晚六點開始，雖然不是週末假日，市中心還是人山人海，好不熱鬧。
The first performance starts at 6PM. Though it’s not weekend, crowds flood into the city center and make it a busy place.