又中又英 | Highway robbery | 褚簡寧

　　By the time you read this, I will be back in Hong Kong. I could already be chowing down fish ball noodles by the time you read this! The slang word “chow” means food. To “chow down” means to eat, especially in an informal way, like at home or at a cha chaan teng. I often see people gobble down food at buffets. To gobble down or gobble up food means to eat it very quickly and greedily. Or you can simply say “gobble food”. I never gobble food, preferring to eat and drink at a leisurely pace. To eat at a leisurely pace means to eat slowly and in a relaxing way.

　　I like being in Hong Kong, but friends have told me it’s become very expensive now. One friend told me a well-known Chinese restaurant chain charges over HK$140 just for take-out stir-fry noodles with beef. That’s highway robbery.  The expression “highway robbery” is used when businesses charge too much for something to increase profits. The same stir-fry noodles and beef dish costs less than half of that in Taipei even if I dine in rather than do take-out. No wonder so many Hong Kong people go to the mainland during weekends and holidays where they get better value for their money.

　　While in Hong Kong, I will make a side trip to Penang. I like the leisurely pace (relaxed and unhurried lifestyle) and affordability of Penang. I was there last year and stayed at the Penang Club, a beautiful heritage building with just a few guest rooms overlooking the sea. My friend is a club member and has arranged for me to stay there again.

　　當你讀到這裏的時候，我便已經身處香港了。你讀着的當兒，或許我已經在盡情地吃着（chowing down）魚蛋麵呢！俚語“chow”是指食物；to“chow down”是非正式的用語，是指在家或茶餐廳這些地方大快朵頤。我不時見人們吃自助餐時狼吞虎嚥（gobble down）。To gobble down或gobble up food是指大口大口、狼吞虎嚥地吃；又或者你可以簡單地說“gobble food”。我就從不會狼吞虎嚥（gobble food），情願悠閒地（leisurely pace）吃喝。To eat at a leisurely pace是指緩慢而悠閒地吃。

　　我喜歡待在香港，但朋友們都告訴我現在香港的物價變得高昂。一個朋友跟我說，在一間知名的連鎖中餐館外賣牛肉炒麵，盛惠140元！那真是highway robbery—習語highway robbery是當商舖為了增加利潤而開天殺價，就像「公路搶劫」。在台北，同樣的一碟牛肉炒麵，即使我堂食而不是外賣，也還不到一半的價錢。無怪乎有那麼多香港人在周末和假期期間到內地遊玩，那裏消費更物有所值。

　　我在香港時，會順道去一趟檳城。我喜歡檳城的休閒（leisurely pace）和容易負擔的物價。我上年在那兒，住在檳城俱樂部，那是一幢美麗的歷史建築，只有幾個能眺望大海的套房。我朋友是俱樂部的會員，已經安排了我再度入住。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻