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 part of the Crown dependencies, it is considered the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy, although it is not part of the UK. In other words, the people of Guernsey take great pride in their alliance with Britain but are not controlled by it. This explains the origins of the self-governing or autonomous system and the decision not to join 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 conflict and war. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Guernsey pledged allegiance to the Crown, which greatly upset the French. Fueled by a fiery hatred that had burned 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 easily accessible and vulnerable to bombing. 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 one might expect. While flying around, scouts reported the fortifications of the century-old bunkers and castles, which featured high, strong walls. Mistaken for a defensive stand, the scouts bombed the parts of the island, ones with civilians. Around 30 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 have plagued Guernsey's history, but one aspect that remains unchanged 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 also produces its own ice cream and is known around the globe. These animals were endangered and on the verge of extinction, but their population has steadily grown after being herded into farms. Another quick naturalistic fact is that the island has no spiders, snakes, or foxes, which likely draws in many immigrants. 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). 【紅霞譯】
我們巡遊英倫諸島的第一站是海峽群島上一個陽光燦爛名叫根西“綠島”的世外桃源，當地人“固執時像頭騾子，暴躁時又像匹野馬”！根西被視為中世紀諾曼底“北方人領地”公國最後一塊保留地，雖不受英國管轄，但卻隸屬皇家海外領地，難怪根西人不無驕傲，只跟英國佬結盟而不受其擺布，正因為根西採用自治體制，所以一開始便決定不加入歐盟組織，如今英國宣布退出歐盟，看來根西人似有先見之明。
根西歷經戰爭紛擾，隨着1066年黑斯廷斯“嚴厲者之子”戰役結束，根西人開始效忠英國皇室，因此而得罪法蘭西人，從那以後仇恨如同星星之火燎原了幾個世紀，兩國之間曠日持久的戰爭橫亙300多年歷史，許多碉堡城堡應運而生，“陽光島”逐步演變成比武場，頗具諷刺意味的是九個世紀之後，這些防禦工事再度遭受戰火洗禮。我疑惑不解，這樣一個5英里寬、9英里長、30英里見方的海島為何成為兵家必爭之地，莫非有人殺雞給猴看藉機想稱王稱霸。
1944年6月第二次世界大戰鏖戰正酣，這裡我不想說應該打仗，而是要講幾個跟戰爭有關的趣事軼聞。根西沒有什麼戰略價值，別說圍剿這樣一個彈丸之地無需大動干戈，就是把它炸成灰燼絲毫不費九牛二虎之力，於是盟軍把戰前躲避事宜交給根西老百姓自己去做，不料德軍在他們疏散完畢之前便發動進攻，結果大大出乎意外。敵機在空中偵察飛行時發現了已有上百年歷史的古碉堡老要塞以及高大堅實的圍牆，由於誤判成針對他們的防禦工事，所以該島便成為轟炸的目標，流彈殃及到無辜百姓，大約有30名人被殺，其中最不可思議的厄運落到德軍看到的運輸車上，當時卡車裝的都是當地人所需食物和日用物資，納粹卻以為是地對空導彈，血雨腥風就這樣在根西歷史上上演了一幕又一幕的悲劇，狂轟濫炸過後唯一沒有改變的就是根西自然本質。
根西乳牛和根西山羊舉世無雙，被當成上天賜給本島的特殊禮物，這裡生產的奶產品全天下數一數二，黃油油金燦燦的素有“黃金奶油”之稱，島上加工製作的冰激凌遐邇聞名；根西乳牛和根西山羊因瀕臨滅絕而被列為珍稀動物，近年來通過農場飼養，牲畜數量得以穩步提升。此外，根西天生沒有蜘蛛、蛇和狐狸，相信會吸引不少外來動物到這裡安家落戶。 經過戰爭磨難及炮火考驗，根西已建設得比以前更加美好，雖說地盤不大，但人心善良，大自然正逐漸恢復元氣，完全不以人的意志為轉移（雙關語用得欠妥）。
Today in History(歷史上的今天): 2016: The Channel Islands, UK(英國英吉利·海峽群島)
2016: Guernsey the Donkey Island, UK(英國根西“綠”島·倔驢之島) 2014 World Cup—BRA vs. DEU(巴西對德國世界盃足球賽)  QE2 Marina @ St. Peter Port
(聖彼得“磐石”港·伊麗莎白“救主女王”二世遊艇碼頭 07-08-2016)  St Peter Port Lighthouse (聖彼得港燈塔 07-08-2016)
Idyllic Landscape (鄉村田園 07-08-2016) 
Little Chapel of Guernsey Featured in the Game Monopoly in 2013 (根西小禮拜堂·2013年被納入《大富翁》棋盤遊戲系列)  Mosaic Style in Art Brut @ Little Chapel of Guernsey
(根西小禮拜堂·非主流藝術馬賽克設計流派 07-08-2016)  Little Chapel of Guernsey, a Miniature Version of the Grotto & Basilica @ Lourdes, France
(根西小禮拜堂·法國盧爾德“陡峭”石窟與聖殿的微縮版 07-08-2016) 
Ten Island Parish Crests Surmounted by the Guernsey Crest (根西盾徽之下其它十島教區盾徽 07-08-2016) 
Gardens @ Bruce Russell & Son Goldsmith Jewellers (密林·紅皮膚父子金銀珠寶店——花園 07-08-2016)  Caribbean Princess across the Channel Islands w/ Two Nationality Flags
(航行在英吉利海峽群島上的“公主·加勒比‘勇者’”號遊輪 07-08-2016)
 HMS Daring D32 Destroyer in Distance
(背景為英國皇家海軍45型驅逐艦 07-08-2016) 
Condor Ferry across the English Channel (穿梭於英吉利“高貴”海峽的神鷹渡輪 07-08-2016)  Sports Deck of Caribbean Princess
(“公主·加勒比”號遊輪——運動甲板 07-08-2016) 
Champagne Waterfall @ Caribbean Princess (“公主·加勒比”號遊輪—香檳瀑布秀 07-08-2016)  Palm Dining Rm @ Caribbean Princess
(“公主·加勒比”號遊輪—棕櫚餐廳 07-08-2016)
 蘋果木熏鴨胸脯、蔬菜炒蝦、白醬寬面、鄉村美味
 香煎澳洲肺魚、烤迷迭香羊腿、蟹肉與傑克乾酪乳蛋餅、柑橘奶油巧克力榛子棒
 上：根西金奶羊 | 下：根西奶牛
 根西山羊、設得蘭“劍柄之地”矮種馬駒
 Guernsey Waterfowls (根西水禽)
Crosslinks(相關博文): Guernsey(出遊根西“綠”島) UK(出遊英國)
Europe(歐洲掠影) 7th Grade(初中二年級) |
