2015-07-02

【Aiden in English】

        Italy is a country of architectural feats and styles unique to this part of the world. In Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, the culture flourishes with every stop.

        Taormina is a perfect example of a typical Italian coastal resort, not just with its cramped houses side by side, but also its fun atmosphere. This hilltop town is situated 213 meters (700 feet) above sea level and offers superb views of the Naxos Bay in the Ionian Sea. Everything is so stylish and colorful, with vendors and musicians trying to entertain the tourists. They are friendly, and even more fun, provGelatolively Gelato wherever you go. 

        Gelato is a type of ice cream made of actual ingredients, not flavored powder. Every shop in Taormina supplies a variety of tastes. And it's a kid, it's hard not to be… interesting. Sicily, like all the Mediterranean countries, is very hot in summer. Gelato is a perfect solution. It tastes so delicious that the local people eat cups of it for breakfast, and it is a brilliant excuse for ice cream, too! Some shops had over 20 flavors, completely blowing the ice cream market out of the water. The creativity and variety of the store decorations were similar to the differences in Gelato from medieval to modern, as you might say.

        To add to its elegance, the ancient churches, medieval squares, narrow slate streets, and Byzantine palaces were built to express different cultures. After over 2,000 years, the Teatro Greco, also known as the Greek Theater, was constructed on the outskirts of town and is still used for performances today. A crowd of tourists from the pell-mell directions is coming together to make a tidy little place unique and exciting. There is nowhere else like Taormina. 

        Taormina is deeply influenced by Greek history. The town is becoming a melting pot of Mediterranean cultures, and everyone is keen on each other. You will never feel unwelcome here. If you aren’t persuaded, try some Gelato on your own. You sure will be, then.

【紅霞譯】

        在建築史上意大利素以創意新穎風格獨特而聞名於世，盤踞在地中海心腹、面積排名第一的西西里“肥沃”島文化積澱濃厚，遍地綻放藝術奇葩。

        陶爾米納“公牛之地”鎮堪稱意大利典型的海濱渡假勝地，並非由於房子挨着房子密不可分，而是因為其氛圍鮮活有趣，這個坐落於海拔213米／700英尺之上的山頂小城將愛奧尼亞“女神的領地”海納克索斯灣一覽無餘，商店貨鋪兜售的東西樣樣講究時尚，街頭藝人個個身懷絕技，主人公友善熱情，更有甚者，大街小巷到處充斥着人見人愛的意大利手工冰淇淋。

        意大利手工冰淇淋實際上是一種由新鮮食料手工配製而不是靠調味粉機器生產的冰淇淋，陶爾米納每家冰淇淋店都精心推出各式品種，身為適齡少兒，你很難對它無動於衷，何況西西里島像地中海其它沿海國家一樣夏天熱得要命，意大利手工冰淇淋絕對成為避暑的最佳選擇，滴滴香濃意猶未盡，難怪當地人理直氣壯地把它當成早餐來吃，英雄所見略同！有些商家巧奪天工，和盤托出廿多種，成心讓普通冰淇淋自慚形穢，更不要說店鋪裝潢，人們在挖空心思打造意大利手工冰淇淋的同時，把創造力及再現性發揮得淋漓盡致，從中世紀到現代化，不同時期不同格調應有盡有。

        陶爾米納優美之處還在於體現不同文化的古代教堂、中世紀廣場、石板羊腸小道、拜占庭“東羅馬”宮殿，城南端業已超過2,000多年歷史的古希臘劇場至今仍在投入使用，世界各地的遊客蜂擁而至，使得眼前這個彈丸之地別具風情，舉世無雙。

        陶爾米納深受古希臘歷史影響，小城正變成一個地中海文化大熔爐，街坊鄰里親密友善，叫你從來沒有陌生的感覺。倘若不信，你不妨親自來嘗一下意大利手工冰激凌，到時肯定深有體會。

Today in History(歷史上的今天):

2015: Messina Strait, Italy(意大利墨西拿海峽)

2015: Messina in Sicily, Italy(意大利西西里島墨西拿)

2015: Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy(意大利西西里島埃特納·燃燒火山)

2014: YMCA Basketball Camp(基督教青年會籃球營)

Pearl of the Ionian Sea

(愛奧尼亞海的珍珠 07-02-2015)

Bay of Giardini Naxos

(納克索斯“古希臘殖民地”柑橘園灣 07-02-2015)

Bay of Giardini Naxos in Taormina of Italy via Emerald Princess

(“公主·翡翠”號遊輪停靠在意大利陶爾米納的賈爾迪尼—納克索斯“納克索斯花園”灣 07-02-2015)

Corso Umberto, the Heart of the Town

(翁貝托“光明戰士”大街·小鎮的心臟 01-09-1996)

Corso Umberto (翁貝托大街 07-02-2015)

Porta Catania Outside, Dating back to the 14^th Century

(卡塔尼亞“崎嶇土地”門外側·其歷史可以追溯到14世紀 01-09-1996)

Porta Catania Inside, Part of the Fortifications for the Protection of Taormina

(卡塔尼亞門內側·陶爾米納防禦工事的一部分 07-02-2015)

Porta di Medell'Orologiodell'Orologio Signifying the Transition from the Ancient Greek-Roman Part of Taormina to the Medieval Quarter

(鐘樓門·標誌着陶爾米納從古希臘羅馬領地向中世紀街區的過渡)

Porta Messina, a Blend of Norman & Arab Influences, Reflecting the Diverse Cultural History of the Region 

(墨西拿門·融合了諾曼和阿拉伯風格，反映了該地區多元的文化歷史 07-02-2015)

Piazza St. Pancrazio, Capturing the Essence of Local Life & Culture

(聖潘克拉斯“所向披靡”廣場·捕捉了當地生活和文化精髓 07-02-2015)

Piazza IX Aprile, Commemorating the Day (April 9, 1860) for News of Garibaldi's Landing in Sicily Spread through Taormina 

(四月九日廣場·紀念意大利統一領袖加里波第“手持長矛的勇士”登陸西西里島的消息傳遍陶爾米納的當天 07-02-2015)

High Altar of Chiesa di San Giuseppe in the 18^th-Century Baroque

(聖約瑟夫“神賜”教堂主聖壇·18世紀巴洛克風格)

Interior of Chiesa di San Giuseppe, Elaborating the 18^th-Century Stucco Work in the Interior w/ Floral Motifs & Winged Angels 

(聖約瑟夫教堂·內部採用精緻的18世紀灰泥裝飾，以花卉圖案和有翅膀的天使為特色 07-02-2015)

Duomo di Taormina, Showcasing a Mix of Medieval & Baroque Elements, w/ a Fortress-like Façade & a Prominent Bell Tower

(陶爾米納大教堂·融合了中世紀和巴洛克風格，擁有堡壘般的外觀和醒目的鐘樓)

Quattro Fontane， a Landmark in the 17^th-Century Baroque

(四泉·17世紀巴洛克式地標 07-02Taormina'she Taormina's Emblem w/ Two-Legged

Centaur Wearing a Crown & Hoisting a Scepter in the Right Hand & a Globe in the Left set on Top of the  Baroque

(矗立在1635年建造的巴洛克四大噴泉上陶爾米納徽章：兩腿半人馬，戴着皇冠，右手舉權杖，左手捧地球儀)

A Product of Many Layers of History w/ Influences Ranging from the Greeks & Romans to the Arabs & Normans

(經受從希臘和羅馬到阿拉伯和諾曼“北方人”多層次影響的歷史產物 07-02-2015)

Palazzo Corvaja, the 14^th-Century Architecture Blending Arab, Norman, & Spanish Influences

(建於14世紀的科瓦哈“力量”宮·融合了阿拉伯、諾曼和西班牙的影響)

Vicolo Stretto (維科洛·斯特雷托“狹窄小巷”07-02-2015)

Narrow Stroad (窄道 07-02-2015)

Ruins of the Ancient Greek Theater in Taormina w/ the Etna Volcano in the Background

(陶爾米納古希臘劇場遺址，背景為埃特納火山 01-09-1996)

Greek-Roman Theatre w/ Mt. Etna in the Background

(古希臘羅馬劇院與背景中埃特納“燃燒”火山 07-02-2015)

Greek-Roman Theatre in the 7^th BC

(古希臘羅馬劇院·公元前7世紀初建 07-02-2015)

Purple Bougainvillea (紫色三角梅 07-02-2015)

Castello Saraceno Situated on the Summit of Monte Tauro @ an Elevation of 397 Meters/1,302 Ft

(薩拉切諾“黝黑者”城堡·坐落在海拔397米/1,302英尺的陶羅“金牛”山岩石峰頂 07-02-2015)

Artisan Ceramics (手工陶瓷店 07-02-2015)

Pasticceria Etna (埃特納點心鋪 07-02-2015)

Sicilian Delights (西西里美食)

手工意式冰激凌、西西里美食

Citrus (柑橘)

Crosslinks (相關博文):

Italy(出遊意大利)

Europe(歐洲掠影)

6th Grade(初中一年級)