2015-07-02

【Aiden in English】

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

        Taormina is a perfect example of a typical Italian coastal resort, not just the cramped houses side by side, but also the fun atmosphere. This hilltop town is 213 meters/700 feet above sea level and offers superb views of the Naxos Bay of the Ionian Sea. Everything is so stylish and colorful, with vendors and musicians trying to entertain the tourists. They are friendly, even to up the fun, and provide lively 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 being 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 ice cream over. The creativity and mixture of the store decorations were similar to the different flavors of gelato from medieval to modern, as you name it.

        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, or the Greek Theater, was constructed on the far side of town and is still used for performance 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.

【红霞译】

        在建筑史上意大利素以创意新颖风格独特而闻名于世，盘踞在地中海心腹、面积排名第一的西西里“肥沃”岛文化积淀浓厚，遍地绽放艺术奇葩。

        陶尔米纳“住在金牛座”镇堪称意大利典型的海滨渡假胜地，并非由于房子挨着房子密不可分，而是因为其氛围鲜活有趣，这个坐落于海拔213米／700英尺之上的山顶小城将爱奥尼亚“女神的领地”海纳克索斯湾一览无余，商店货铺兜售的东西样样讲究时尚，街头艺人个个身怀绝技，主人公友善热情，更有甚者，大街小巷到处充斥着人见人爱的意大利手工冰淇淋。

        意大利手工冰淇淋实际上是一种由新鲜食料手工配制而不是靠调味粉机器生产的冰淇淋，陶尔米纳每家冰淇淋店都精心推出各式品种，身为适龄少儿，你很难对它无动于衷，何况西西里岛像地中海其它沿海国家一样夏天热得要命，意大利手工冰淇淋绝对成为避暑的最佳选择，滴滴香浓意犹未尽，难怪当地人理直气壮地把它当成早餐来吃，英雄所见略同！有些商家巧夺天工，和盘托出廿多种，成心让普通冰淇淋自惭形秽，更不要说店铺装潢，人们在挖空心思打造意大利手工冰淇淋的同时，把创造力及再现性发挥得淋漓尽致，从中世纪到现代化，不同时期不同格调应有尽有。

        陶尔米纳优美之处还在于体现不同文化的古代教堂、中世纪广场、石板羊肠小道、拜占庭“东罗马”宫殿，城南端业已超过2,000多年历史的古希腊剧场至今仍在投入使用，世界各地的游客蜂拥而至，使得眼前这个弹丸之地别具风情，举世无双。

        陶尔米纳深受古希腊历史影响，小城正变成一个地中海文化大熔炉，街坊邻里亲密友善，叫你从来没有陌生的感觉。倘若不信，你不妨亲自来尝一下意大利手工冰激凌，到时肯定深有体会。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2015: Messina Strait, Italy(意大利墨西拿海峡)

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

2015: Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy(意大利西西里岛埃特纳·燃烧火山)

2014: YMCA Basketball Camp(基督教青年会篮球营)

Pearl of the Ionian Sea (爱奥尼亚海的珍珠)

Bay of Giardini Naxos

(纳克索斯“古希腊殖民地”柑橘园湾 07-02-2015)

Corso Umberto, the Heart of the Town

(翁贝托“光明战士”大街·小镇的心脏 01-09-1996)

Corso Umberto (翁贝托大街 07-02-2015)

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

(卡塔尼亚“崎岖土地”门外侧·其历史可以追溯到14世纪 01-09-1996)

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

(卡塔尼亚门内侧·陶尔米纳防御工事的一部分 07-02-2015)

Porta di Mezzo or Torre dell'Orologio Signifing the Transition from the Ancient Greek-Roman Part of Taormina to the Medieval Quarter

(钟楼门·标志着陶尔米纳从古希腊罗马领地向中世纪街区的过渡)

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

(墨西拿门·融合了诺曼和阿拉伯风格，反映了该地区多元的文化历史 07-02-2015)

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

(圣潘克拉斯“所向披靡”广场·捕捉了当地生活和文化精髓 07-02-2015)

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

(四月九日广场·纪念意大利统一领袖加里波第“手持长矛的勇士”登陆西西里岛的消息传遍陶尔米纳的当天 07-02-2015)

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

(圣约瑟夫“上帝增加”教堂主圣坛·18世纪巴洛克风格)

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

(圣约瑟夫教堂·内部采用精致的18世纪灰泥装饰，以花卉图案和有翅膀的天使为特色)

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

(陶尔米纳大教堂·融合了中世纪和巴洛克风格，拥有堡垒般的外观和醒目的钟楼)

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

(四泉·17世纪巴洛克式地标 07-02-2015)

The 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喷泉上陶尔米纳徽章：两腿半人马，戴着皇冠，右手举权杖，左手捧地球仪)

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

(经受从希腊和罗马到阿拉伯和诺曼“北方人”多层次影响的历史产物)

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

(建于14世纪的科瓦哈“力量”宫·融合了阿拉伯、诺曼和西班牙的影响)

Vicolo Stretto (维科洛·斯特雷托“狭窄小巷”)

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

(古希腊罗马剧院与背景中埃特纳“燃烧”火山)

Greek-Roman Theatre in the 7^th BC

(古希腊罗马剧院·公元前7世纪初建 07-02-2015)

Purple Bougainvillea (紫色三角梅)

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

(萨拉切诺“肤色黝黑者”城堡·坐落在海拔397米/1,302英尺的陶罗“金牛”山岩石峰顶)

Artisan Ceramics (手工陶瓷店 07-02-2015)

Pasticceria Etna (埃特纳点心铺 07-02-2015)

Sicilian Delights (西西里美食)

Sicilian Delights (西西里美食)

Gelato (手工冰激凌)

Citrus (柑橘)

Crosslinks (相关博文):

Italy(出游意大利)

Europe(欧洲掠影)

6th Grade(初中一年级)