又中又英｜Far from the madding crowd

Before I left Hong Kong for the US in 2021, I often had short holidays in Penang. Hong Kong people prefer Japan or Thailand. I like Penang because it is far from the madding crowd. To be far from the madding crowd means to be in a place that is quiet and peaceful. Penang is not as popular as Japan, Thailand, or South Korea. Tourists flooded Japan to see the cherry blossoms during March and April. Some friends suggested I go too while I am in Hong Kong. But I chose Penang.

Instead of staying in a hotel this time, a good Penang friend got me a room at the Penang Club. The club was established in 1868 during British colonial rule. It's a beautiful heritage building that has been renovated several times, but the club preserved the colonial design and features. The Penang Club is a small private Club with an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, several restaurants with an extensive menu of Chinese, Malay, Western, and Indian food. It has a large outdoor dining area overlooking the sea with live music on weekends. The club has eight guest rooms on two levels for members and their guests.

My friend, a committee member, got me a ground floor room with a patio leading to a large lawn and the sea. A patio is a paved outdoor area. My room was not luxurious, but it was large and comfortable with a private bathroom. It cost me about HK$300 a night which included a full breakfast! I ate a small breakfast every morning on my patio to enjoy the sea view. My friend and I sometimes went to the club's watering hole for happy hour. A watering hole used this way means a pub or bar.

我2021年离开香港往美国前，就不时到槟城作短途旅行。香港人偏爱日本或泰国，我则喜欢槟城，因为它是far from the madding crowd——to be far from the madding crowd是指远离尘嚣、宁静而平和的。槟城并不如日本、泰国或南韩般受欢迎。3至4月期间，游客拥至日本赏樱花盛开，我在香港的时候，一些朋友建议我也去一去。不过我还是选了槟城。

我今次并不住在酒店，一位在槟城要好的朋友给我在槟城俱乐部订了一间房间。这个俱乐部兴建于英国殖民统治时期的1868年。它是一幢美丽的历史建筑，亦已翻新了好几次，但俱乐部仍保留了其殖民时期的设计与特色。槟城俱乐部是个小小的私人会所，有一个露天泳池、一个健身房，以及几间餐厅，餐单囊括了中式、马来、西式及印度美食。它还有一个很大的户外餐饮区，周末期间可以远眺着海景听现场演奏的音乐。俱乐部有8间客房分布在两个楼层，给会员和他们的朋友租住。

我的朋友是委员会委员，给我订了地下的一间客房，有个阳台（patio）通往一个大草坪和大海。A patio就是铺好地的户外庭院。我的房间并不豪华，但它偌大而舒适，且有一个私人套厕。住一晚才约300港元，还包含早晨全餐！我每个早上都会到我的阳台（patio）吃一份小小的早餐，好能边吃边观赏海景。我的朋友和我有时会去俱乐部的watering hole来个欢乐时光。A watering hole在这里解作酒吧。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻