2016-07-08
【Aiden in English】
The first stop of our English Isles cruise is at the small island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands, the Sunshine Island. The natives are "stubborn as a mule, with a kick like a horse!" Being a part of the Crown dependencies, it is considered the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy, although not part of the UK. In other words, the Guernsey people take great pride in their alliance with Britain but are not controlled by it. This explains the beginning of the self-governing or autonomous system and the decision not to be in the European Union. Now that you look at it, with the UK leaving, it seems like a good idea. The island has a long history of wars. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Guernsey pledged allegiance to the Crown, which greatly upset the French. Fueled by a fiery hatred burning for centuries, the two countries went to war for over 300 years. Throughout the wars, many bunkers and castles were constructed around the island. The "sunshine island" had become a war zone. Ironically, the exact bunkers and fortifications started another bloody scene on the island nine centuries later. I'm still scratching my head over why an island measuring five miles wide by nine miles long and an area of 30 square miles is worth a fight. It was more of an excuse to cut off the other guy's head. In June 1944, World War II was in full swing. Not that it's a good thing, but it did make a few stories. Guernsey was not considered a valuable point to capture. The tiny piece of land was easy to surround and easy to bomb. So, the Allies handed the island over by evacuating every person in Guernsey. Unfortunately, the Germans attacked before the evacuation was complete, but not in the way that you would think. While flying around, scouts reported the fortifications of the century-old bunkers and castles with high, strong walls. Mistaken for a defensive stand, the scouts bombed the parts of the island, ones with civilians. Around thirty people were killed, and the oddest mistake came when the bombers saw a convoy. The trucks were transporting food and necessities for the people, and the Nazis thought they were surface-to-air missiles. These events plagued Guernsey's history, but the one similar aspect that hasn't changed after the bombs is nature. The Guernsey cow and goat are world-renowned animals, sacred and domestic to the island. They produce one of the best butters and milks in the world, which is creamy and rich. The butter has a tinge of gold, which is why it is known as gold butter. The island produces its ice cream as well and is known around the globe. These animals were endangered and on the verge of going extinct, but the population has steadily grown after being herded into farms. Another quick naturalistic fact is that the island has no spiders, snakes, or foxes, which draws in many immigrants, I'm sure. After surviving wars and bombs, the island of Guernsey has rebounded better than ever. Although small, it has a large heart, and Mother Nature is healing like it will naturally do (bad pun). 【红霞译】
我们巡游英伦诸岛的第一站是海峡群岛上一个阳光灿烂名叫根西“绿岛”的世外桃源，当地人“固执时像头骡子，暴躁时又像匹野马”！根西被视为中世纪诺曼底“北方人领地”公国最后一块保留地，虽不受英国管辖，但却隶属皇家海外领地，难怪根西人不无骄傲，只跟英国佬结盟而不受其摆布，正因为根西采用自治体制，所以一开始便决定不加入欧盟组织，如今英国宣布退出欧盟，看来根西人似有先见之明。
根西历经战争纷扰，随着1066年黑斯廷斯“严厉者之子”战役结束，根西人开始效忠英国皇室，因此而得罪法兰西人，从那以后仇恨如同星星之火燎原了几个世纪，两国之间旷日持久的战争横亘300多年历史，许多碉堡城堡应运而生，“阳光岛”逐步演变成比武场，颇具讽刺意味的是九个世纪之后，这些防御工事再度遭受战火洗礼。我疑惑不解，这样一个5英里宽、9英里长、30英里见方的海岛为何成为兵家必争之地，莫非有人杀鸡给猴看借机想称王称霸。
1944年6月第二次世界大战鏖战正酣，这里我不想说应该打仗，而是要讲几个跟战争有关的趣事轶闻。根西没有什么战略价值，别说围剿这样一个弹丸之地无需大动干戈，就是把它炸成灰烬丝毫不费九牛二虎之力，于是盟军把战前躲避事宜交给根西老百姓自己去做，不料德军在他们疏散完毕之前便发动进攻，结果大大出乎意外。敌机在空中侦察飞行时发现了已有上百年历史的古碉堡老要塞以及高大坚实的围墙，由于误判成针对他们的防御工事，所以该岛便成为轰炸的目标，流弹殃及到无辜百姓，大约有30名人被杀，其中最不可思议的厄运落到德军看到的运输车上，当时卡车装的都是当地人所需食物和日用物资，纳粹却以为是地对空导弹，血雨腥风就这样在根西历史上上演了一幕又一幕的悲剧，狂轰滥炸过后唯一没有改变的就是根西自然本质。
根西乳牛和根西山羊举世无双，被当成上天赐给本岛的特殊礼物，这里生产的奶产品全天下数一数二，黄油油金灿灿的素有“黄金奶油”之称，岛上加工制作的冰激凌遐迩闻名；根西乳牛和根西山羊因濒临灭绝而被列为珍稀动物，近年来通过农场饲养，牲畜数量得以稳步提升。此外，根西天生没有蜘蛛、蛇和狐狸，相信会吸引不少外来动物到这里安家落户。 经过战争磨难及炮火考验，根西已建设得比以前更加美好，虽说地盘不大，但人心善良，大自然正逐渐恢复元气，完全不以人的意志为转移（双关语用得欠妥）。
Today in History(历史上的今天): 2016: The Channel Islands, UK(英国英吉利·海峡群岛)
2016: Guernsey the Donkey Island, UK(英国根西“绿”岛·倔驴之岛) 2014 World Cup—BRA vs. DEU(巴西对德国世界杯足球赛) 
QE2 Marina @ St. Peter Port (圣彼得“磐石”港·救主女王二世游艇码头 07-08-2016)  St Peter Port Lighthouse (圣彼得港灯塔 07-08-2016)
Idyllic Landscape (乡村田园 07-08-2016) 
Little Chapel of Guernsey Featured in the Game Monopoly in 2013 (根西小礼拜堂·2013年被纳入《大富翁》棋盘游戏系列)  Mosaic Style in Art Brut @ Little Chapel of Guernsey
(根西小礼拜堂·非主流艺术马赛克设计流派 07-08-2016) 
Ten Island Parish Crests Surmounted by the Guernsey Crest (根西盾徽之下其它十岛教区盾徽 07-08-2016) 
Gardens @ Bruce Russell & Son Goldsmith Jewellers (密林·红皮肤父子金银珠宝店——花园 07-08-2016)  Caribbean Princess across the Channel Islands w/ Two Nationality Flags
(航行在英吉利海峡群岛上的“公主·加勒比‘勇者’”号游轮 07-08-2016)
 HMS Daring D32 Destroyer in Distance
(背景为英国皇家海军45型驱逐舰 07-08-2016) 
Condor Ferry across the English Channel (穿梭于英吉利“高贵”海峡的神鹰渡轮 07-08-2016)  Sports Deck of Caribbean Princess
(“公主·加勒比”号游轮——运动甲板 07-08-2016) 
Champagne Waterfall @ Caribbean Princess (“公主·加勒比”号游轮—香槟瀑布秀 07-08-2016)  Palm Dining Rm @ Caribbean Princess
(“公主·加勒比”号游轮—棕榈餐厅 07-08-2016)
 苹果木熏鸭胸脯、蔬菜炒虾、白酱宽面、乡村美味
 香煎澳洲肺鱼、烤迷迭香羊腿、蟹肉与杰克干酪乳蛋饼、柑橘奶油巧克力榛子棒
 Golden Guernsey Dairy Goat (金根西奶羊)
 Portraits of Golden Guernsey Goats
(金根西山羊·容貌)
 Guernsey Goat (根西山羊)
 Guernsey Cattle (根西奶牛)
 Portraits of Guernsey Cow (根西奶牛·尊容)
 Shetland Pony (设得兰矮种马驹)
 Guernsey Waterfowls (根西水禽)
Crosslinks(相关博文): Guernsey(出游根西“绿”岛) UK(出游英国)
Europe(欧洲掠影) 7th Grade(初中二年级) |
