2015-06-16
【Aiden in English】
And I thought the lemons were taking over the world. Witnessing the activity on Crete in the Aegean Sea of Greece, the olive headquarters of the operations, I knew a contest was quickly approaching for those two plants. Crete is the most southerly point in Europe and is filled with lush olives, and I think they might have a shot at beating the lemons to a common goal: world domination. The island of Crete is the largest in Greece and is home to approximately 41 million olive trees. Each tree produces more olives. Their numbers grow daily, and it seems there is no barrier to their expansion. I said "virtually." The lemons have their spies in the world to stop potential competitors in their tracks. With the rising threats of the olives, these spies are sending some "f" iend." The olives are now being shipped out by the millions. They are brought to execution facilities, where the olives are crushed slowly, and the blood is collected and bottled, sold to the world at a high price, and the money influences more people to buy. The lemons lower the price, attracting more people to make a purchase. When the demand for olives rises, the more olives cripple. They are being plucked off their branches quicker than ever. However, this trap was set by the ancient olive trees thousands of years ago. They have created a great story of gods and monsters. The only thing was that it was true. It began with the union of the sky and Earth, or Uranus and Gaia, resulting in the birth of the Titans. The Titans then brought the gods into the world. However, only the gods revolted against themselves, bringing an era to an end and ushering in a new one. This incredible story captured the world's attention, directly alerting the entire population of the Earth to the island of Crete. The olives have activated their own defense. Around the world, the temperature begins to rise. Humans thought this was a natural phenomenon, but it was just a protocol activated during the Ice Age. It is known as global warming. The heatwave has increased olive production, but it has also led to a decline in tourist interest in visiting Crete to purchase olives. Five thousand years ago, another battle between the lemons and the olives raged. This time, the battle occurred in the ancient Greek fortress, the Palace of Knossos. Both sides suffered significant losses, and the olives fended off the lemons. The Palace of Knossos was an enormous complex at the time, containing five levels, over 1,400 intimate rooms, a marvel of frescoes, Minoan relief figures, murals on plaster, and graceful columns. This architectural wonder was the home to the mythical Minotaur. King Minos, the son of Zeus, built the palace. It was a sacred place, so Lemon couldn't leave the island from then on. The holy grounds protected the olives from the lemons because Zeus was born here, bringing olives with him. Zeus then protected Crete from any attack, godly or… lemon-ly. Unfortunately, his powers were failing, and the struggle raged once again. And the result might be a world without either. The rivalry between the olives and the lemons can’t be settled without bloodshed, which in this case is juice-shed. When the day comes, and the war ends, we… there won’t be that day. So, it’s every man for himself. 【紅霞譯】
我本以為只有檸檬一統天下，但當置身愛琴海希臘克里特“強大”島橄欖腹地親眼目睹植被概貌時，我立刻感到橄欖氣勢磅礴，這個位於歐洲最南端的島嶼幾乎掩映在鬱鬱蔥蔥的橄欖樹林之中。如同檸檬一樣，橄欖正席捲全球。
克里特島是希臘最大的島嶼，擁有4,100萬棵橄欖樹，每棵都碩果纍纍，並且數量與日俱增，看起來好像自然繁衍，沒錯兒，“好像”如此。這下檸檬棋逢對手，終於碰到橄欖這個半路殺出來的程咬金。隨着競爭白熱化，橄欖也亦步亦趨深入“敵”後，數以百萬計的橄欖果子被運到工廠脫皮加工，其汁液裝瓶打包，再以高價行銷世界各個角落，有了錢可以說服更多的顧客購買，而檸檬則靠的是薄利多銷。橄欖油需求提高，橄欖產量相繼增大，採摘頻率比過去加快了很多，但這種策略部署早在幾千年前就已經形成，自古以來橄欖油一向根據供需關係生產，希臘因此還創造出眾神與惡魔的故事，聽上去盪氣迴腸。盤古開天，蒼穹之神烏拉諾斯與大地女神蓋亞生下泰坦，泰坦把諸神帶進了這個世界，但卻被後輩神靈徹底推翻，一個時代的滅亡標誌着另外一個時代的興起。這麼動人的畫面不能不引起全世界的極大關注，而克里特島恰是整個故事的發源地。橄欖與時俱進，自身調整適應機制，以不變應萬變，正如地球變暖，溫室效應隨冰期以後氣溫上升逐漸顯現出來。這裡的橄欖產量雖然有增無減，但遊客卻被熱得望而卻步。
5000年前檸檬和橄欖之間的競爭已經難解難分，這回索性把戰場搬進名叫“克諾索斯宮殿”的古希臘城堡，雙方損失慘重，橄欖乾脆把檸檬擋在牆外。克諾索斯宮殿規模巨大，有五層平台，超過一千四百多間居室，至今依然保留撼世珍品米諾斯石膏人物浮雕、繪畫及擎天石柱，希臘神話中的牛頭怪曾出生在這個奇葩建築里。整個宮殿根據米諾斯國王的旨意興建而成，米諾斯是神王宙斯的兒子，遂之成為神聖的地方。從那時起，檸檬再也無法在這片土壤上攻擊橄欖，聖地是橄欖經久不衰的後盾，因為宙斯早年在克里特島誕生的時候，橄欖相伴左右，從那以後，宙斯一直福佑克里特島不被外界神化的或……檸檬式的侵犯。不幸的是，宙斯神力逐日衰竭，對立面重新揭竿而起，爭來斗去的結果不是你死就是我活。 橄欖和檸檬之間的爭鬥非打得頭破血流汁液滿地不可，屆時大家才會消停下來。當然我們……不會看到這一天出現，因此雙方繼續自以為是。
Today in History(歷史上的今天): 2015: Olives in Crete, Greece(希臘克里特島的橄欖) 2014: Hospital Visit(醫院探訪) 2012: Persuasive─Sell(勸說文─推銷) 2011: 二年級結業典禮(Second Grade Ceremony) 2010屆賓州光華中文學校畢業典禮(2010 GHCS Commencement, PA)  Mount Ida, the Highest Mtn on Crete
(伊達“林地”山·克里特島之最)  Heraklion Port (伊拉克利翁“英雄榮耀”港)
 Venetian Fortress of Koules Castello, a Mare (1523–1540) in the Inner Harbor of Heraklion
(海上威尼斯海堡·1523年—1540年建在伊拉克利翁內港)  Local Roads w/ No Traffic Lights on Crete
(克里特全島所有公路沒有紅綠燈)  Mirabello Bay, the Largest Bay on the Greek Islands
(米拉貝洛“美”灣·希臘諸島之最)  Palaiochora, Popular w/ Hippies
(帕萊奧霍拉“古老村莊”·嬉皮士的度假勝地)  Agios Nikolaos (聖尼古拉斯“人民的勝利”城)
Heroes Monument in Agios Nikolaos (聖尼古拉斯·《英雄紀念碑》)
 Spinalonga, a Leper Colony from 1903 to 1957 & Island of the Living Dead
(斯皮納龍格“長刺”島·1903年—1957年為希臘主要的痳瘋病人隔離所，即活死人島 06-16-2015)
 Spinalonga Fort, Built by the Venetians in the 16th Century, Surrendered to the Ottomans in 1715, & a Leper Colony in 1904, w/ the Last Inmate Evacuated in 1957
(斯皮納龍格堡·16世紀由威尼斯人建造；1715年向奧斯曼“強大”帝國投降；1904年成為麻風病人隔離區，最後一位患者於1957年撤離)
 Elounda, a Fishing Village (伊羅達鎮·漁村 06-16-2015)
 Elounda Center (伊羅達鎮中心)
Souvenir Shop w/ Natural Sponges @ Elounda (伊羅達鎮·天然海綿紀念品商店 06-16-2015) 
天然海綿、橄欖木廚房用具  Sacks of Various Spices & Dried Condiments
(各種香料和干調味品袋子)  Orthodox Priest @ Elounda
(伊羅達鎮東正教牧師 06-16-2015)  Lake Voulismeni Connected to the Sea @ Elounda
(伊羅達鎮沃利斯梅尼“淹沒”湖·與大海相連 06-16-2015)  Elounda Beach, a Sandy Beach w/ Crystalline Light-Blue Waters
(伊羅達海灘·擁有晶瑩淺藍色海水的沙灘 06-16-2015)  Elounda Cat (偶遇伊羅達狸貓 06-16-2015)
 Knossos, Remains of the Minoan Bronze Age Civilization Built after c. 2000 BC
(米諾斯·青銅時代文明遺蹟，建於公元前2000年之後 06-16-2015)  Palace of Knossos (克諾索斯王宮)
 Knossos w/ Charging Bull Fresco
(克諾索斯王宮·與奔牛壁畫 06-16-2015)  North Portico Featuring a Tribute to the Magnificent Beast Minotaur, Probably the Minoan High Priest Wearing a Bull's Helmet as a Bull Deity @ Knossos
(克諾索斯王宮·北門廊壁畫向雄偉的牛頭怪致敬，米諾斯大祭司頭戴公牛頭盔，象徵着牛神)  Façade of the Fully Restored Throne Room Complex of Knossos Palace
(克諾索斯宮·全面修復的王座室建築群正面)
 King's Megaron & Stoa @ Knossos
(克諾索斯宮·國王的大廳和柱廊)  Columns in the Portico of the King's Megaron or Hall of the Double Axes @ Knossos
(克諾索斯王宮·國王大廳即雙斧大廳門廊的柱子)  Queen's Megaron @ Knossos
(克諾索斯王宮·王后大廳)  Throne Rm @ Knossos (克諾索斯王宮·王座室)
 Throne Room Floor @ Knossos (克諾索斯王宮·王室地面)
 Fresco of Griffin Couchant Facing Throne @ Knossos
(克諾索斯宮王室壁畫·面對寶座的獅身鷹首獸躺椅)  Fresco of Minoan Figures @ Knossos
(克諾索斯王宮壁畫·米諾斯人物形象)  Prince of the Lilies Plaster Relief about a Priest-King @ the End of the Corridor of Processions, Wearing a Crown w/ Peacock Feathers & a Necklace w/ Lilies, Leading an Unseen Animal to Sacrifice, Knossos
(克諾索斯王宮石膏浮雕《祭司王子》·位於儀禮行列通道盡端，“祭司王”戴有孔雀羽毛王冠和百合花項鍊，牽着一隻看不見的動物去獻祭 06-16-2015)  Storage Magazine of the West Wing w/ Pithoi @ Knossos
(西翼儲藏庫與陶罐)
Pithoi or Storage Jar @ Knossos (克諾索斯王宮·儲物罐) 
Carving of Labrys (石刻《雙刃斧》) 
Wooden Throne @ Justice Hall of Knossos (克諾索斯王宮·正義大廳木製王座)  Art Auction @ Emerald Princess
(公主·翡翠號遊輪——藝術拍賣 06-15-2015)
 Sunset @ Aegean Sea
(愛琴“波浪”海日落 06-16-2015)  Lunch under Gourd Trellis @ Elounda
(伊羅達鎮·葫蘆架下午餐 06-16-2015)  Local Lunch @ Elounda (伊羅達鎮·當地午餐)
 Boticelli Dining Rm of Emerald Princess
(“公主·翡翠”號遊輪——波提切利“小桶”餐廳 06-16-2015)
 晚餐：地中海式海鮮湯、油煎調味金槍魚片、俄式牛柳絲配奶油蛋面、蛋黃醬汁鐵扒牛柳
 香煎檸檬魚片、番茄羊乳酪炒蝦仁
 杏樹、鐵海棠、球薊、檸檬樹
Crosslinks(相關博文):
Greece(出遊希臘)
Europe(歐洲掠影) 6th Grade(初中一年級)
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