2015-06-21
【Aiden in English】 Imagine having a house up in the mountains that seems to hover in the air. Wow, imagine living in it. Imagine surviving without the internet, roads, or cars, and reaching any other civilization meant walking straight down. That came around about 400 years ago. Nowadays, roads allow tour buses to reach Meteora in Greece. Its spectacular landscape has been derived from extensive ongoing gravel deposits and has become the well-known "columns of the sky." Perched on remarkable pinnacles of sandstone rocks are the orthodox monasteries that functioned as a refuge to avoid the Ottoman invasion and dangerous bandits back in the medieval era. And just saying, the hermit monks went to extremes to build the wonder of the sheer cliffs high atop, where it was once virtually inaccessible. What are these things? There used to be 24 monasteries, but six smaller ones survived the churning tides of Egypt's pyramids, which were unbelievable to build, considering how heavy the stones were. The Great Wall of China was incredible, just thinking about creating something long over three dynasties. The settlement of all monasteries was just as grueling and challenging to build as any other ancient great structure. The climb from the bottom is exhausting to even think about. At times, the mountain stood vertically, and a tower of the rock formation known as stone pillars jutted out from the sides. And for a quest for solitude and enlightenment, instead of setting up shop in the mountains like normal people, the monks 400 years ago decided to place their religious monuments on the rock towers. They traveled using rope ladders and a rope pulley system with a net basket. The rocks went straight up, so the monks still inside had to collect water daily. Yet, there are still some of them who face life's hardships. They prayed all day, but their chores changed over the years. With the help of technology, tourism has also given the monasteries some money. I wonder if a landlord charges tax in this area. The isolation comes with gifts as well. The monks were blessed with a fantastic view of the surroundings. Four hundred years ago, this gift was used to scout enemies and to be on the lookout. Tourism changed the gift into a flurry of amazing photographs. A small town of simple, triangular-roofed red houses began at the slope of the mountain. A ring of lush mountains surrounded the area, reminding me of a giant crater. But the guide said that it used to be an enormous lake. Throughout the ages, earthquakes changed the geography of the land, and the water flowed away. What remained was Greece's most fertile agricultural land. Most of the land became farms, and the fields came with the freshest olives, cotton, and corn. One's loss was another's treasure, a saying that will survive forever. I would happily take the president's trash. I'm sure something valuable will be hiding there. Through the years, this area grew more and more famous. Incidentally, the quality of places is also viewed as time flies by. Meteora's monasteries were built four centuries ago, and time has made this area a priceless artwork that is stunning to anyone who enjoys treasure hunting. Why? It is the very land that is a treasure itself. And imagine that the motivation gave impetus to do it. Religion can be a driving force in the workforce at the time. Four hundred years ago, a group of monasteries was built by hand, the supplies were carried back, and the experience was filled with sweat and tears. Four hundred years later, who would know that a young boy is writing about the effort spent to make this marvel what it is today? IT’S ME, IF YOU DON’T KNOW! 【红霞译】
试想一下，群山峻岭之巅高悬空中楼阁；哇噻，设想一下栖身于此每天的日常起居；再细想一下，生活在没有互联网、没有道路、没有汽车、惟有万仞峭壁与外界相通的世界。
上述场景定格在400多年前，如今旅游大巴浩浩荡荡开进希腊被誉为“悬空”的迈泰奥拉，大自然鬼斧神工，逐渐将这一带砂岩地貌打造得怪石突兀嶙峋、峰林层峦叠嶂。位于石柱顶尖，具有中世纪遗风的东正教修道院巍然耸立，当时为了躲避奥斯曼入侵远离匪徒骚扰，隐士僧人无畏艰辛困苦，勇敢地挑战自身极限，在人迹罕至的悬崖壁上创出奇迹，随着时光推移岁月磨蚀，原本廿四所修道院中仅剩下规模较小的六所得以幸存。古埃及巧夺天工，用巨大无比的石头修建金字塔，令人叹为观止；中华民族气吞山河，三个朝代前仆后继筑起万里长城，名声传遍天下；古希腊别具匠心，愣把宗教精神寄托到遥不可及的净土乐园里，别说爬了，就是从底部抬头朝顶部望去，心中顿感慌恐不安。有时山势陡峭垂直，石柱从侧面凸起，400年前苦行僧们非同凡人，既耐得住孤寂又干得出大事，打定主意一定要在半空悬柱上开辟新天地。他们把绳索做成梯子，并将滑轮绑上筐子当作交通运输工具；尽管岩石直起直落，可住在石柱顶上面的人每天都要下来取水，生活的艰辛由此可略见一斑。僧人们终日祈祷，一年四季轮流打理不同事务。新技术的出现以及游客的馈赠，使得修道院的生活条件得到改善，但我心存好奇，不知道地主是否从中抽利。
与世隔绝的地方定有独到之处，身居其中的隐士有幸饱览周围壮丽山色，而这些奇观异景从前均被用作瞭望台来观察敌人动向，到此一游的朋友无不以此为快，噼哩啪啦按下快门。山坡下面的小镇三角形红色房顶耀眼夺目，郁郁葱葱的群山环抱山谷，令我禁不住联想起巨型火山口，不过据导游介绍，很久以前这里一片汪洋，多年来地震改变了地质形态，从此河床从视线中消失，结果遗留下来的土地成为希腊最肥沃的农业基地，该地区大部分土地被用来开垦农田，主要农作物有橄榄、棉花、玉米和小麦，失之东隅收之桑榆，古谚说得千真万确，保不齐我也乐意给总统当差，没准能发掘意外收获。碰巧的是，越是古老的宝地越发受人瞩目；无疑，具有四百年历史的悬空修道院堪比一件艺术珍品，尤其对那些爱好寻古探幽的人来说，为什么呢？无非渊于自然景观，其潜在的动机无不打动来访者内心深处，当时的宗教思想激发人们斗志饱满。 400年前的昨日，建造修道院群完全用手搭靠背扛，勤劳的汗水和辛酸的眼泪交织在一起；400年后的今天，有谁想得出一位风华少年正挥笔记录自己的所见所闻，如果你不认识他，那么让我来告诉你，正是本人！ Today in History(历史上的今天): 2014: Baltimore Natl Aquarium, MD(马里兰州巴尔的摩国家水族馆) 2012: Descriptive─Memoir(应用文─回忆录) 2010: 甜言蜜语(Sweet Nothings) 2009: 童声合唱(Children Choir)  Castle in the Sky, the Backdrop of 007's For Your Eyes Only
(天空之城·电影《007·最高机密》取景地)  Rock Formation (岩层)
 Immense Natural Pillars & Hill-like Rounded Boulders
(大型天然石柱和山丘状圆形巨石)  Adrachti Tower @ 630-m/1,890-ft
(630米/1,890英尺高的大圣岩)  Rock Towers (岩塔)
 Rock Pylon (岩门 06-21-2015)
 Rock Cliffs (岩崖)
 Rock Pillars (岩柱)
Trees on the Cliffs (悬崖上的树木)  Twiggy Mullein (虎尾鞭)
 Scarf Cavern (围巾洞穴)
 Close-up of Scarf Cavern (围巾洞穴近观)
 Theopetra Rock (天父石灰岩)
 Rock Pillar Weathered by Water, Wind, & Extremes of Temperature on the Vertical Faults
(水风和垂直断层上极端温度风化形成的岩柱)  Precipitously Built Complexes of the 6 Remaining Monasteries
(廿四座中六座幸存下来悬浮的修道院 06-21-2015)
 Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Built in 1475
(1475年建造的三一修道院)  Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Filmed in the James Bond Movie For Your Eyes Only
(三一修道院——詹姆斯·邦德电影《最高机密》拍摄地 )  Frescoes @ Monastery of the Holy Trinity
(圣三一修道院·壁画)  Monastery of Rousanou (Barbara), a Convent in 1988 & Currently Housing More Than 15 Sister Nuns
(圣鲁萨努“芭芭拉”修道院· 1988年成为尼姑庵，目前有至少15名修女)
 Monastery of Rousanou (Barbara), Devoted the Old Monastery of Roussanou to St Barbara
(圣鲁萨努修道院·将鲁萨努老修道院献给圣芭芭拉)  Interior of the Monastery of Rousanou (Barbara)
(圣鲁萨努修道院·内景) 
Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas, the 1st Monastery Open to the Public on the Way to Meteora from Kastraki Village (圣尼古拉斯·阿纳帕萨斯修道院——从卡斯特拉基“小城堡”村前往迈泰奥拉途中第一座向公众开放的修道院)  Monastery of Great Meteoron, the Biggest & Oldest of the Meteora Monasteries
(大迈泰奥拉“高空”修道院·迈泰奥拉修道院群中规模最宏大、历史最悠久)  Monastery of Great Meteoron, the Beginning of Organized Monasticism for Meteora
(大迈泰奥拉修道院·整个迈泰奥拉修道制度的开端)  Interior of the Monastery of Great Meteoron
(大迈泰奥拉修道院·内景)  Hermit Monk @ Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas
(圣尼古拉斯·阿纳帕萨斯“人民的胜利·休憩之所”修道院——隐士 06-21-2015)  Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas, a Serene Symbolizing Spiritual Refuge & Hospitality for Travelers
(圣尼古拉斯·阿纳帕萨斯修道院——象征着旅行者的精神庇护和热情好客的避风港)  Interior of the Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas
(圣尼古拉斯·阿纳帕萨斯修道院——内景) 
Monastery of Varlaam, Located Atop a Rock Formation (瓦拉姆“独居”修道院·位于岩层顶部)  Monastery of Varlaam, the 2nd Largest Monastery in Meteora
(瓦拉姆修道院·第二大的圣徒修道院)  Interior of Varlaam Monastery (瓦拉姆修道院·内景)
 Monastery of St. Stephen, the Backdrop of 007's For Your Eyes Only
(圣斯蒂芬“皇冠”修道院·电影《007·最高机密》取景地)
 Monastery of St. Stephen in Combination of Byzantine and Gothic Styles
(圣斯蒂芬修道院·融合了拜占庭和哥特式风格 06-21-2015)  16th-Century Post-Byzantine Icons @ Monastery of St. Stephen
(圣斯蒂芬修道院·16世纪后拜占庭“东罗马”式圣像)  Holy Monastery of St. Stephen Converted into a Nunnery in 1961
(圣斯蒂芬修道院·于1961年改建为尼姑庵)
 Town of Kalambaka， Viewed from Meteora
(从迈泰奥拉俯瞰首府所在地——卡拉巴卡“堡垒”镇)  Meteora Looked up from the Town of Kalambaka
(从卡拉巴卡镇仰视迈泰奥拉城)  Meteora Valley (迈泰奥拉山谷)
 The Countryside of Larissa (拉里萨“悦”城乡下)
 Larissa Barns (拉里萨农仓)
Volos, the Newest of the Greek Port Cities (沃洛斯“牛神”·希腊最新的港口城市) 
Church of Agios Nikolaos Almiros (阿吉奥斯尼古拉斯“圣尼古拉斯”·阿尔米罗斯“咸”教堂)  Greek Orthodox Church (希腊东正教会)
 Greek Orthodox Church (希腊东正教会)
 Eastern Orthodox Church (东正教会)
 Greek Orthodox Church (希腊东正教会)
 Boticelli Dining Rm of Emerald Princess
(“公主·翡翠”号游轮——波提切利“小酒桶”餐厅 06-21-2015)  晚餐：杏脯鸭罐头肉牛肝菌蘑菇褐色汤、肉馅饺子炖小牛膝汤、韭菜汁烩多宝鱼片、蓝莓鸡尾酒冰糕配蜜饯柠檬
 肉馅饺子炖小牛膝汤、花椒牛肉柳扒、小点心、三色冰激凌·荔枝、褐色椰香酒与香草巧克力
Crosslinks(相关博文):
Greece(出游希腊)
Europe(欧洲掠影) 6th Grade(初中一年级) | 
