This is thin noodle cooked with sweatened soup, plus a boiled egg. Since her first birthday that she can remember, it has been the only treat that was given to Mother on the morning of her birthday. And it was the same treat that Mother gave to herself and children when they came to honor her birthday.

The wooden chopsticks bore the marks of age and weather, like most things in the kitchen. But at 95, Mother was happy and independent. She did everything herself from morning (usually as early 4:30) till night (mostly before 8:00), buying food from the marketing place, then cooking, cleaning, bathing, and even sewing. (How often do you see a 95-year-old pedaling away on a foot-pedal sewing machine?)

In this small town of Shima, people carry on without much ado. They make a living, and enjoy themselves, any way they can. They make do with whatever is at hand. They ride motorcycles without any protective gear. Cars never stop at the pedestrian crossing line to let pedestrians pass. A lot of the townsfolk also smoke, a lot. (For a collection of 30 images of smokers, click here.)

Skyscrapers continue to rise at high speed, so are housing prices and inflation. But people are living better, much better, than in the Mao era, so this is where hope lies. Besides, those who can, can venture out of this small town to make a better living elsewhere.

妈妈生日那天早上，她给自己和我们煮了这样一碗甜面线加煮鸡蛋。木筷子使用久了，有些颜色。甜面线煮鸡蛋也不算佳肴。但这是我们会传承的传统，因为妈妈习惯了，

在家乡石码，习俗和传统很少有人去质疑。例如当街搭戏棚娱乐或搭帐篷举丧。或者贴告示说“人行道上不得行驶或停放非机动车”（可能是“机动车”的笔误吧）。无论大城市小城市，行人在斑马线上过马路时，机动车统统不停不让。到处是抽烟人（这里有一组吸烟人的照片，共30张），即使在明文规定不得吸烟的出租车里。至于公共场所不得抽烟，或公共场所得有残疾人轮椅通道，在中国显然还办不到。以人为本，本不应该只是发达国家的专利。

中国这些年经济急速发展，高楼大厦林立。环境污染，通货膨胀成了大问题，但人民生活比老毛时代绝对是改善了很多。而且农民不再被捆绑在土地上，人们不再被捆绑在某个“单位”里。个人跋涉的自由也有了。时代在进步，中国在进步，石码也在进步。今天（2013年11月3日）下雨，我们家的电话在雨止后有通，下雨时无拨号音。打电话去电信局，几小时后就来了人，半小时后就修好了。再过一小时，接到电信局的自动跟踪电话，说满意按 1，不满意按 2，问题仍存在按 3。显然，竞争机制在起作用，大家都重视顾客服务，重视民生了。这就是进步。

回乡后都呆在妈妈身旁。漳州去了几次，厦门去了几次，都是当天来回。福州去了三天三夜，没去任何景点。问题和不足之处是看到了一些，但巨变与进步是主流。家乡人、故国人聪明又勤奋，日子是会越来越好的。95岁高龄的妈妈仍然生活自立。四点多起床，六点多去菜市场买菜。回来后煮吃洗涤，样样自理。中午和晚饭后定时看天气台和生活台的电视节目，好告诉儿孙们第二天该穿几件衣服，多少天该吃一粒苹果。到八点她就上床休息了。妈妈记性特好，买东西心算比小商贩和我算得快。“古早”的陈年芝麻旧事，几辈人的亲戚关系、姓名和工作，她都记得清清楚楚的。她自小家贫。结婚后也是贫。解放后更是贫。在“龙海桥”当营业员的那几年，她每天快速走路来回五公里，练就了一付好身板。这几天天气凉爽了，我也开始每天步行五公里。

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(will switch to part 11b of China Trip in 20 minutes; 二十分钟后自动转到 燕南故国行第十一集B)