2016-07-04

【Aiden in English】

        Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, commonly known as "Venice of the North". Although it is not considered an ideal coastal city because its port is too shallow to accommodate a big cruise line like Regal Princess, the drive from the docks of Nynashamn takes barely an hour away. Small ships can sail along the Göta Canal and the Baltic Sea to reach Lake Mälaren in the city, which is quite a good idea. The sights are stunning along its waterways derived from 14 islands, and so is the city in general. 

        Europe has a monarch history of kings and queens, and armies conquering other nations. Sweden was a nation in the middle of the drama, with stories of conquering and being conquered. In the 16th-19th centuries, the Swedes went through a lot of battles, including taking over Finland for 40 years and then losing it to the former USSR. Stockholm, at the time, was only a town, and the town has survived to this date, being the modern city's old town of Gamla Stan. Most people can see the difference between the two parts of town, but it doesn't seem as if the recent buildings are sky-touching skyscrapers. The new technology is outstanding, though. Many interesting structures are present in the city, like the famous Absolute Ice Bar in Nordic Sea Hotel, which has now melted, and the tallest and first skyscrapers in Europe until the past half-century. Yet the city accepts its past buildings quite well, involving it with the daily culture. 

        I understand that Swedes can go through the Stortorget or the hub of Old Town daily without getting tired, but I hate how the floor is made up completely of cobblestone which the German had helped to pave. One misstep may result in an injury to anyone. Instead of looking at the sights, I was watching my step. Luckily, stops were made for the major scenes, and I was extremely grateful. The idea of the tour was to walk through most of the old town, which we did, as well as to see the more important places, such as the Royal Palace and Vasa Museum, which is definitely worth the time. 

        Of course, the decorations in the Swedish Royal Palace won't match up to the Peterhof or Catherine's Palace in St. Petersburg of Russia, but it did win in the category of artworks. It was built in the 17th century, and it is noticeably smaller, and it also doesn't have the trillion-dollar value. However, it has many more portrait paintings and sculptures, most of which are previous kings and queens of Sweden. Each image seemed to have a story, like when a queen was plotting to overthrow the crown or even King Gustav III who changed in public. Although it was interesting to hear the tales, I realized the paintings oddly narcissistic. But usually, that's how rich countries are. The only moment I found a shard of respect in the rulers was the idea of using the other guest's porcelain. Paintings also held symbolic value, such as the phases of a grown man, and certain even mentioned religion. Surprisingly, the one sculpture that was obviously religious wasn't Lutheran, but Greek. It explained how the Milky Way was formed, but don't ask me how. 

        Stockholm, when you look at the city, is a great city, good at heart. It does many positive deeds, such as provide many beneficial deals. There are free health care, free schools including colleges... even with high-income taxes, and it sounds much better than the USA. In addition, it hands out the Nobel Prizes in Grand Hotel, as well as the banquet for the winners in Stockholm City Hall. Karma does its job, and returns the deeds back to the country of Sweden.

【紅霞譯文】

        斯德哥爾摩是瑞典的首都，俗稱“北方威尼斯”，由於港口水位淺，難以容下像“帝王·公主號”這樣龐大的遊輪，因此算不上理想的海濱城市，而我們停泊的尼奈斯港碼頭與首都之間需要大約個把鐘頭的車程，當然小型客船完全可以從約塔運河及波羅的海直搗城中梅拉倫湖，說來甭提有多省事，何況一路上所經十四個大小島嶼風景如畫，斯德哥爾摩同樣叫人賞心悅目。

        歐洲歷史上出現過以國王女王為最高統治者的君主制度，他們不惜訴諸武力強奪它國地盤，瑞典便是這樣一個征服被征服的國家。十六～十九世紀期間，它四處征戰，統治芬蘭長達四十年之久，後來又失手讓給前蘇維埃政權。當時斯德哥爾摩不過是一個默默無聞的小鎮，但是打那開始，昔日古城舊貌換新顏，逐漸發展成為今天頗具現代化規模的繁華都市，不少慕名前來拜訪的遊客在目睹巨大變化之餘無不感觸極深，這裡雖然高科技發達，但當地人始終沒有把摩天大樓開發市場納入城市規劃之中，倒是有意添加許多調劑生活情趣的溫馨元素，譬如北歐海洋酒店著名的冷凍酒吧，可惜現在六月初夏什麼東西從那裡拿出來都會蒸發融化，要知道半個世紀前，這家酒店曾以歐洲之最而聞名遐邇。總而言之，斯德哥爾摩在保持民族傳統的前提下，不忘注入時代氣息，從而使歷史文化別具魅力。

        我知道當地人即使整天在古城老區里逛盪絲毫不會發一句牢騷，可自己做不到，誰叫古城到處都是德國人一手修建的鵝卵石馬路，稍有疏忽便會遇到麻煩，因此我不得不追求實際，與其抬頭看景，不如把注意力放到腳上，幸好每到一處，大家都要停下腳步稍事休息，真是謝天謝地。其實今天出遊純粹為了徒步遊覽古城，這正是為什麼剛才我們馬不停蹄走街串巷，此外，像皇宮及瓦薩沉船博物館之類的代表性景點也值得花些時間好好看看。

        毋庸置疑，瑞典皇宮遠不及俄羅斯聖彼得堡彼得宮和凱瑟琳宮奢華，但其藝術作品別有特點。該宮殿建於十七世紀，占地面積較小，沒有什麼價值上兆的罕世極品，不過卻展出不少肖像繪畫和宮廷雕塑，其中前任國王王后所占比例極高，每幅作品都隱含各種各樣的趣事軼聞，打個比方來說，王后略施小計推翻國王、國王古斯塔夫三世當眾更衣。以本人所見，閒暇之餘聽些天方夜譚也蠻有意思，然而畫中人物顯得自負冷艷，衣食無憂的國家通常都會這樣，我幡然醒悟，統治者只有在一定的時候方才意識到他人存在。繪畫本身極具象徵意義，例如將時間凝固在一個人成長過程中某一階段；還有些繪畫帶有宗教色彩，其中有一幅作品對本國所信奉的路德教避而不談，相反竟出乎意料地渲染希臘天主教，並由此推論銀河系的形成。拜託，千萬別問我怎麼來的。

        當你身在其中，肯定認為斯德哥爾摩堪稱一個非同尋常童話般的人間仙境，市民們福利豐厚，享受公費醫療，從小學到大學學費全免……即使個人稅收高昂，聽起來仍然好過美國。此外，斯德哥爾摩先在自家開設的大酒店向世人頒發諾貝爾獎，然後再到市政廳為獲獎者舉行盛大的慶功晚宴，好人必得好報，愛心回報愛心，瑞典以此為榮。