A stone’s throw

2020/09/24 04:12:37 網誌分類: 生活

24 Sep

        　　Something came in the mail recently which reminded me of when I lived in Wanchai some years ago. Although I grew up in Tsim Sha Tsui, I know Wanchai well because my father had a shop there when I was in primary school. Some years ago, I moved from Central near Lan Kwai Fong to Ship Street in Wanchai. I liked the area because my apartment was a stone's throw from the Star Street precinct, which is a chic bar and restaurant area. But I hated my apartment because my upstairs neighbour played the piano all day long. I moved out and returned to Central. I was reminded of Wanchai when Swire Properties sent me a package with interesting details about the Star Street precinct.

        　　When something is "a stone's throw" away, it is very close or just a short distance from you. The word "precinct" has several meanings but used this way it means an area of a city that has many shops and restaurants. In some countries, such precincts are off-limits to traffic, which means vehicles are not allowed. The French word "chic" (pronounced sheek), which has also become an English word, means stylish and fashionable. Lan Kwai Fong is boisterous rather than chic. The word "boisterous" means noisy, energetic and rough. Aside from being chic, the Star Street precinct also has an enthralling history. The word "enthralling" means fascinating or something that keeps and holds your attention.

        　　The precinct consists of Star Street, Moon Street, Sun Street, St Francis Yard, and Electric Street. Electric Street was the first street in Hong Kong to have electric street lamps in 1890. St Francis Yard was the birthplace of one of Hong Kong's first Catholic communities. Star Street was originally a dilapidated working class area with car repair shops and commercial printers. The word "dilapidated" means old and deteriorating. Swire started buying properties in the area from 2004 and turned it into a chic precinct of bars, restaurants, fashion, and culture. Now that bars are open again, I will go there for a drink!

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        　　最近有一個郵包，令我回想起好些年前我住灣仔的日子。雖然我在尖沙咀長大，可我對灣仔也很熟悉，因為我讀小學時我父親在那兒有間店舖。好些年前，我從中環蘭桂坊附近的住處搬到灣仔船街。我喜歡那個地區，因為我的單位跟星街小區（precinct）只是擲石之遙（a stone's throw），那小區有着時髦的（chic）酒吧與食肆。但我討厭我的單位，因為我樓上的鄰居全日都在彈鋼琴。後來我就搬走了，重回中環。我想起了灣仔，是因為太古地產寄了一個包裹給我，內含有關星街小區（precinct）的有趣資訊。

        　　當某物是“a stone’s throw”away，意即它跟你很近，只是一箭之遙的距離。“Precinct”有幾個意思，但在這裏是指城市中一個有許多店舖和餐廳的小區。在一些國家裏，這樣的小區（precincts）是off-limits to traffic，意即車輛禁止進入的的步行區。法語“chic”（讀音是sheek）亦已成為了英語，意即時尚、雅致的。蘭桂坊則是boisterous多於chic；boisterous是指喧嘩、熱鬧、粗豪的。星街小區（precinct）除了時髦（chic）之外，還有一段引人入勝的（enthralling）歷史；enthralling是解迷人的、吸引人注意或留神的。

        　　這個小區（precinct）由星街、月街、日街、進教圍和電氣街所組成。電氣街是一八九○年香港首條設立電街燈的街道。進教圍則是香港首個天主教社區的發源地。星街原本是荒廢的（dilapidated）勞工地區，有着車房和商業印刷公司。Dilapidated是指老舊、殘破的。太古於二○○四年起開始購入該區的物業，將之發展成一個滿載酒吧、餐廳、時裝和文化的時髦小區（chic precinct）。現在，酒吧已經重開，我會到那裏喝上一杯！

        mickchug@gmail.com

        中譯：七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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