By the time you read this, I will be in California. A few days after that, I will return to Hong Kong. Seeing Hong Kong from a plane window always makes my heart race whether during the day or night. The night view from a plane window seat always takes my breath away. Hong Kong harbour has one of the world’s best nighttime views. I never get tired of looking at it. The expression “makes your heart race” is used when you are very excited. Taking drugs also makes a person’s heart race.
If something takes your breath away, it means you are full of admiration because it is so beautiful. The expression can also be used for a beautiful person. When I lived in Hong Kong, I sometimes took the Star Ferry to Kowloon. There are places for people to sit above ground level near the clock tower. I would bring a small bottle of wine, buy a hamburger, find a good seat, and enjoy the night view. The day view from a plane window is also stunning, which means extremely impressive or attractive. I can see all the skyscrapers and the daytime harbour view.
I was born in Hong Kong. That’s why it always excites me when I return. I mostly speak English in the US except when I am talking on the phone with friends in Hong Kong. But in Hong Kong I can speak Cantonese with my friends and English with my foreign friends. It’s the best of both worlds, which means you can enjoy the advantages of two very different things at the same time.

當你讀到這篇文的時候，我已身處加利福利亞州。待在那兒幾天後，我便將回到香港。從飛機的窗口望到香港，不管是日間還是夜晚，總是令我心跳加速（makes my heart race）。從飛機靠窗的座位觀看夜景，往往令我驚嘆不已（takes my breath away）。香港的海港是世界最佳夜景之一，我看它是百看不厭。習語“makes your heart race”是用來形容你興奮莫名。吃藥也會令一個人的心跳加速（heart race）。
若某事物 takes your breath away，那即是你對它讚嘆不已，因為它美得令人透不過氣來。這個習語也可以用來形容一個人美得驚艷。我以前住在香港時，有時也會搭天星小輪到九龍。在鐘樓附近，在地面以上的樓層有地方供人閒坐，我會帶上一小瓶酒，買個漢堡包，找個好位置，然後觀賞夜景。飛機窗口看到的日間景致同樣stunning ，意即美不勝收、令人目眩神迷。我可以見到所有摩天大樓和日間的海港景色。
我在香港出生，因此每次回港，也會令我心神激盪。我在美國主要說英語，除了跟香港的朋友打電話聊天。但在香港，我可以跟我的朋友們說廣東話，跟外籍朋友說英語，這真是the best of both worlds，即是一舉兩得，你可在兩樣不同的物事中各取所長。

[email protected]
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻