Saturday, 28 February 2015

那几天: 15/2/15-17/2/15

15/2/15

外婆今早举殡。

出殡之前,我们丧家众多儿孙、媳妇、女婿
为她做了几项说不上名字的仪式。
在跪拜外婆时,我突然想起《甜蜜蜜》的歌词、
忆起她生前的笑容,不禁悲从中来。
双手合十于胸前,肩膀却不听话地抖动,
眼泪决堤滑落脸颊。

合上双眼垂低头,睁眼又见浊泪流。
上香前,我的脸被泪水打湿,却不敢用手去抹,
因为手里还持着线香。
任它流吧,眼泪。
我意识到,这是我最后一次送外婆,
以后我们真的阴阳相隔。
我带着沉重的心情缓缓鞠躬、上香。

我们这些送殡的家属撑伞跟在柩车后面,
走了一段很长的路。
看到其他车让路,我心想,
这下全镇的人都知道我们治丧。
真不好意思,阻碍交通。
太阳很猛,还好我们不必走完前往坟山的路。
走了一半的路,我们下跪对着灵车拜一拜,
然后乘搭巴士到坟场。

到了坟山,我们先拜大伯公、卸下腰间的孝带、
再请来送别外婆的客人们吃烧肉。
时辰到了,我们家属徒步到外公、外婆的双人坟前。
鞠躬、上香、抓土抛在棺木上、说声“婆婆,安息”、
手抹在裤子上、转身、头也不准回地走下山。
Abrupt, mechanically。
我们随后将鲜色的衣服搭在右肩上,
做个仪式“旺一旺”自己,
再跨火、洗手、领个钱币、换上刚才的鲜色上衣。

回到家,我们再一次跨火,然后轮流洗澡。
这时的气氛明显轻松了一点。

外家的家属亲戚都在饭后离开,只剩丧家的家属。
我没跟其他的外戚们走,选择留下来陪妈妈多两天。
听她说还有一个仪式要做,做了之后她跟几位阿姨搭火车回雪隆。
我担心我妈不熟路、担心她手提大袋小袋的东西,
所以我早就准备好多几套衣服,以防万一我“逾留”。
她为这起丧事忙碌、累透了,这几天的记忆力没有平时的好。
陪她也好,看着她也罢,我实在放不下心才多住几天。

16/2/15

我没有想到我会为我留下来的决定而感到后悔万分。
在众多表弟表妹们,只有我是外孙,
而且我大他们很多,融不入他们的世界。
我没参与长辈们的闲谈、只和孩子们一同吃饭,
就这样被几位长辈说我“太静”、“不懂得『掺』人”。
我点头,不解释也不为自己辩护,
因为有时候我的话一针见血,直插要害。
我怕我一开口就让子弹乱飞、得罪他们。

熟悉我的人应该懂我原本就是一个话不是很多的人。
再者,外婆刚刚仙逝,我只是尊重场合,
给他们一个不吵杂的空间静思。
做人真难:静也不能、吵也不行、胖是过错、瘦是罪过。

闷闷不乐的我庆幸自己带了一本书和耳机,听歌看书打发时间。
本来的一片孝心没被察觉,那不打紧,
反而要我承受冷言冷语人身攻击,这才教我心痛。

17/2/15

一早醒来我又被嫌话少、没幽默没笑容。
这次我直接还击:“其实我也不是时时都这样静……”
抬头看到他们点点头,一脸认真。
“……看是对谁而已。”
一针见血。

今天大家为外婆办了场“圆坟礼”之后,买椰水解暑。
大伙儿说好吃了午饭就启程回雪隆一带各自的家。

小姨和小姨丈没想到我会多住几天,
以为只是需要载两个阿姨和我妈。
两个小时左右的车程对背和腰的考验很大,
于是我提议我自己搭火车回,
这样一来三位长辈们可以坐得舒服一些。
我妈认为要特地载我到火车站很麻烦,
而且车票都未必买得到,驳回我的建议。

我想和他们分开回,其实个中也有我自私的原因:
我不希望在这么长的车程里再次被人说三道四。
我想,一个人静一静也好,平复自己的情绪。
我妈似乎搞不清楚状况,抑或假装不知道。
我说我有些朋友要见面,坐火车回方便聚会,
不用再驾车出来参与恼人的车龙。
她不吃这套,叫我改时间、要不就推掉。

为什么我这么傻傻地留下来?
真是活受罪、现眼献世。

回到家的时候,已经是傍晚六点多。
心情糟糕透顶,捶胸号啕撕心裂肺。
晚饭还没吃的我直接倒头入睡。

Friday, 27 February 2015

那一天: 14/2/15


经过两个小时多的车程,我们终于回到怡保。
自中学毕业后,我再也没踏足这片山清水秀的土地。
这里的变化不及吉隆坡市的快——
较为明显的是光秃秃的矿山有过度开发的迹象,
还有小镇的交通灯多了几盏。
食物依然好吃、依然便宜。

我还记得前天傍晚当我接到关于外婆的噩耗时,
我楞住、不知所措的样子。
我还以为阿姨打错字,误将“妈好多了”写成“妈好走了”。
外婆走得太突然,我一时不能接受,所以到庭院去浇花。
我还记得那时的斜阳传来的暖意,以及空气中湿土独特的味道。Petrichor。
走了?就这样走了?

妈妈打点好行装,就说要自己驾车到大舅家看外婆最后一面。
我想到傍晚放工时间是车流量偏高的时候,
在加上我妈天黑黑驾车危险、心情糟透精神恍惚驾车险上加险,
所以我提议我载她去。

那是前天的事了。
前天感到意外,昨天心是麻木,现在回到外婆的老家,
心里不是味儿。
脱了鞋,我领着妹妹们叫了声“婆婆”,
说我们回到了、叫她一路走好。
我的声音明显地颤抖。
上香后,我们仨瞻仰外婆的遗容。

前天晚上我和母亲赶得及在外婆的遗体运回家乡前,看她最后一次。
当晚外婆的脸蛋泛黄双唇微微张开,
现在她脸庞上了妆、梳了头发、擦了些口红/唇蜜。
我将早已准备好的话对着外婆说——
今天是洋人情人节,因此我提到她对我们的爱。
我声音微微颤抖地感谢她这么多年来照顾、疼惜我们三兄妹,
我们才长大成人,从她身上学会爱别人、照顾别人。
虽然很舍不得她,但我叫她别挂念着i我们、要安心上路。

我为我自己挤不出半滴眼泪而感到不好意思。
不过,哀愁逼不出来也装不出来,只好等它来咯。

凭着去年为堂小姑折小元宝的经验,我花了整个下午为外婆折往生钱。
期间也不敢高谈阔论,因为听说大姨丈和小姨丈不久前发生争执。
小姨丈是地道的香港人,他所熟悉的治丧气氛是严肃静默的。
而阿姨们有说有笑、有个表弟昨晚还大声尖叫,小姨丈看不过眼,
认为我们家完全没有办丧事的态度,不尊重逝者。

我一边折纸一边回忆我跟外婆共度的时光。
绝大多数是开心的回忆,我也忍不住微笑。
其实过于严肃又如何——病魔缠身的外婆渡过的最后几年是痛苦、不开心的,
现在她走了,也许她解脱了。
想想外婆、想想以前开心的事自然而然地笑——这还不算什么不尊重啊。
她在世的时候,我逢年过节都载妈妈去探望她;
大舅一家出外旅行的时候,我们晚辈轮流陪外婆。
该做的都做了,算是尽了孝道。

晚上,我们吃过简单的晚饭,就开始打斋。
舅舅阿姨们和表弟表妹们身穿黑衣,而我们这些女婿们、外孙们身着白衣。
我们像是分成两帮人,连戴孝也不同颜色分得那么清楚——
这还是第一次亲身经历这种事(外公去世时我还小,不记得)。
收起笑容、板着脸孔、跟着大家做……
没记错的话,我们总共做了五项仪式。
其中有个环节,我听到几位阿姨哭得凄惨,我鼻头酸酸的,可是没流出眼泪来。
南无佬边领着大家做法事,边哀嚎。
有够夸张的,我看不过眼,皱了眉头。

烧了纸扎、煮了寿饭,都是接近凌晨一点的事了。
由于亲戚太多,所以我和小舅一家人挤一挤,随便找个地方睡。
隐约听见客厅传来的“南无阿弥陀佛”。
恍恍惚惚地睡了几个小时。

Sunday, 22 February 2015

Siem Reap Trip 2015

Tonle Sap

Tonle Sap. The floating houses are usually anchored and form small villages, spread over five provinces. The people used to fish as many as they like, but when conglomerates came in and over-fished, the government restricted fishing for the people: 1kg for each family per day. How to survive? The poor made poorer, the rich get richer.

Floating basketball court. "What happens when a basketball fall into the water?" "Swim and get it back."

"Consider buying things from or leaving money with the community market. That way, your money won't go into the pockets of corrupt police. The market will hand over resources to the local school and benefit the children, like cooking for them."

 

Beng Mealea


Krishna overcoming the serpent Kaliya.

'Growing strong: The juxtaposition between the dead and the living.' (my name for it, haha) This tree grows among the ruins at Beng Mealea, thick and tall.



At Beng Mealea, the lesser known "sibling" of Angkor Wat. Depicts "The Churning of the Sea of Milk" from Vishnu lore.

Pre Rup. The reddish hue is due to its laterite and brick make-up

Cambodian/Khmer food named "amok". Tasted like lots of blended serai (what's its name in English?) and coconut meat. Not spicy, very fragrant.

Instead of a grand piano, our hotel lobby has a Cambodian traditional instrument, "roneat." Live performances every morning.

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm. Best approached from its East gate, as it's more quiet and shady than West gate, where Korean guided tours arrive in throngs. Best time to visit is between 8-9am (beat the other tourists lol).

Reach for the skies.

Spot the Buddhas.

 

Bayon

Bayon at Angkor Thom, a "rojak" of buildings with so many styles.

Bas-reliefs at Bayon depicting Angkor soldiers battling the Cham invaders on Tonle Sap.

Part of the bas-reliefs at Bayon. This one depicts everyday life of the common folk.

 

Baphuon

View from atop of Baphuon at Angkor Thom. Dizzying height.

Monks on Baphuon. Dress code is stricter here, the largest "mountain-temple" at Angkor Thom, than other sites. A few tourists before us were stopped by a guard because they wore clothing that exposed their knees (skirts, shorts) or shoulders (straps).

Do they look like elephant trunks?

Elephant Terrace.

 

Angkor Wat

What sets Angkor Wat apart from other temples within the Angkor group of buildings: it is oriented to the west, rather than the east. The significance of this feature is open to debate. Some scholars argued that since Angkor Wat faces the west, and west, where the sun sets, symbolises death, the temple may be its founder, King Suryavarman II's mausoleum/funerary temple. Other scholars preferred a simpler explanation. Angkor Wat was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, who was associated with the west, so it's not surprising that Angkor Wat has a westward orientation.

The sandstone blocks that made up this avenue have sunk and become uneven, making walking difficult for most tourists and painful for those who have knee problems.

Vertigo.

On top of Bakan at Angkor Wat.

"One of the 2000++ apsara carvings at Angkor Wat. She's wearing a very fashionable dress."

"We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and things that are more distant, than they did, not because our sight is superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up, and by their great stature add to ours." - John of Salisbury, 1159. p.s. The lighting was good, but too bad I'm no photographer.

People become contemplative, posed as if deep in thought around these ancient columns of squarish windows, for that perfect square Instagram-worthy picture, with a little caption underneath that sounds vaguely spiritual, if not religious. I guess the builders and sculptors of this site wouldn't mind, having achieved with their hands, so many years ago, the goal of inspiring awe within individuals who see their work, set in stone, constant in the relentless flux of technology.

Sunset at Angkor Wat.

晚霞 • Overheard: "The colours of the monks' robes - red and saffron - took after that of the sun."

Moonrise over the temple, skies were blue and the sun was just setting.

Sunset over the moat at Angkor Wat.



Naga (dragon) balustrades at the entrance of Angkor Wat moat causeway.

 

Phnom Kulen



Cows crossing the road, on the way to Phnom Kulen mountains.

Reclining Buddha at #phnomkulen. Carved from a rock

Kbal Spean. Lingas carved in the rock. Water said to be purified and holy.






Waterfall at Phnom Kulen

Night market, where buyers and sellers haggle using calculators.

Old Market. Fresh produce.





Pictured here is a basin full of jasmine petals, as an offering. Khmer New Year coincides with Georgian calendar's new year, hence the flowers. The Cambodian people's love (and veneration) for jasmine flowers is such that one could easily find jasmine-scented hand soaps/sanitisers in both urban and rural places, most commonly at temples, restaurants and airports. It wouldn't be too wrong to call jasmine the national scent.

It's been an eye-opening trip. Good times with the family and relatives. Till we meet again, Cambodia.

© Lumière
Maira Gall