然後去了三間書店，看看有什麼書買。其中一間是國風堂，一間專門賣內地出版的語文書籍的樓上書店，找了很久，才找到一本意大利文的書，付款時問老闆為何那麼少意大利文書，他說因為內地也很少，可能內地也較少人學意大利文吧。我不知真與假，定還是他少入意大利文的書。
回家後看看個首日封，發覺當年的英文比較好，起碼較自然，似是用英文思考才寫出來。近年買的首日封，看看封上的英文介紹，覺得好翹口手，似是用中文寫了，然後翻譯成英文，又長又o尋，如果單看英文，未必知道講什麼。就算是中文，當年的中文也比現在簡單流暢。不如看看兩者作比較：
1992年奧運首日封：
英文版本：The Hong Kong Post Office is most pleased to co-sponsor the 1992 Olympic Games to be held in Albertville, France and Barcelona, Spain. This set of stamps is the first Olympic stamps issued by the Hong Kong Post Office.
The photographs shown on the front and back of this cover, together with the torch shown on the souvenir sheet, are reproduced by courtesy of Champion Sports Magazine (photographer Mr. Sunny Wong). They were taken at the 24th Olympic Games held in Seoul in 1988.
中文版本：一九九二年奧林匹克運動會，定卜尽法國阿爾貝比利及西班牙巴塞隆納舉行。香港郵政署非常榮幸，能夠成為這項盛事的其中一個贊助機構。這套郵票是郵政署發行的首套奧運郵票。
首日封封面和封底的照片，連同小全張上的火炬，均蒙奪標體育世界雜誌慷慨提供刊登。這些照片是由攝影師黃日明先生，在一九八八年漢城舉行的第二十四屆奧林匹克運動會上所拍攝。
2013年蛇年首日封：
英文版本：The use of animals to mark the 12 components of the Lunar New Year Cycle is a long-held tradition in China. Frequently used as the theme for Chinese arts and crafts since ancient times, the 12 Chinese zodiac animals have profound significance in Chinese folk handicrafts. 2013 is the Year of the Snake. This issue is the second Lunar New Year special stamp issue in the fourth series released by Hongkong Post. The four stamps use different types of traditional Chinese arts and crafts to signify the theme of the Year of the Snake.
$1.40 - Paper-cutting is a traditional Chinese art. During the Lunar New Year, families will decorate their homes by displaying a variety of red paper cutouts on windows and doors to welcome the propitious Spring Festivals. The distinctiveness of snakes is captured by incorporating Chinese paper-cutting techniques.
$2.40 - Chinese painting is a unique form of art with a long history. Rendered in Chinese ink and wash painting, the slithering movement of a snake is vividly portrayed in the stamp, highlighting the style of the Lingnan School of Painting which attaches great importance to a lively and energetic interpretation of the subject.
$3 - Seal carving, commonly known as Zhuanke, is a type of traditional art originated in China. The stamp depicts two seals - one carved with the bronze inscription of the word "snake" (left) and the other with a motif of a snake (right).
$5 - Jade carving is one of the oldest carving arts in China. It has been used for centuries to create decorative accessories and art collectibles. A coiled snake shape jade pendant depicted in the stamp is carved according to the natural colour and shape of the jade.
Depicted as a woodblock print, the colourful stamp sheetlet highlights the vibrant snake with a glowing pearl in its mouth surrounded by tongues of flame against a splendid gold backdrop embellished with a multicolour design to give a note of festivity. Woodblock printing is an artistic form of printmaking in which a reverse image is carved into the surface of a wooden block before being printed onto a piece of paper. Hongkong Post will also release a silk stamp sheetlet for the occasion. Silk, a symbol of nobility and elegance, is perfect for highlighting the magnificent grandeur of an agile snake to herald a blissful year ahead.
中文版本：十二生肖在中國社會流傳已久，是傳統華夏文化。自古以來，中國民間工藝常以十二生肖為題材，可見生肖文化對民間工藝創作影響深遠。二零一三年歲次癸巳是蛇年。是次發行的是賀歲生肖郵票第四輯的第二套。一套四款郵票以中國民間工藝帶出蛇年的主題：
$1.40 剪紙是中國傳統工藝。農曆新年，家家戶戶喜歡在門窗上貼上用大紅紙剪成的各種國案，增添新春喜氣。郵票運用剪紙藝術，勾勒出靈蛇的神韻。
$2.40 中國繪畫歷史悠久，是一門獨特的藝術。郵票以中國水墨畫繪畫，畫中靈蛇蜿蜒游走，栩栩如生，突顯嶺南畫派講求氣韻生動的風格。
$3 雕刻印章通稱篆刻，是中國特有的傳統藝術。郵票展現兩個蛇形篆刻，左為鐘鼎文的蛇字印，右為蛇的肖形印。
$5 玉雕是中國最古老的雕刻藝術之一，自古至今，經常用作配飾和藝術珍品。郵票中的蛇形玉珮，根據其天然色澤和形狀，雕琢成蛇軀盤繞的形態。
郵票小型張展示蛇形的木刻版畫，版畫所見，靈蛇銜珠，生動傳神，襯以火舌及金碧輝煌的背景，鮮豔奪目，充滿節日氣氛。木刻版書是在木板上刻出反向圖像，再印在紙上的一種版畫藝術。此外，香港郵政發行絲綢小型張，以高貴典雅的絲調，襯托出靈蛇獻瑞的尊貴氣派，迎來吉祥如意的癸巳蛇年。
唔知大家點睇呢？
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