2016-07-18

【Aiden in English】

        Finally, we're going into a brand new country. Not to offend any Englishmen, but you're getting old. Therefore, out with the old and in with the new. 

        Paris is the face of modern Europe. Although the UK literally runs every atom of the continent, France still has its symbol hammered into each century of the Common Era. Sure, English has the popular idea of dramatic wars and conquering other countries, but unfortunately, Napoleon was French. Nowadays, he lays, dead of course, in a museum, in Paris. I must say, he was quite a guy, a favorite of mine. Just not the death in exile part. People often say the English beat the French in many wars, including the battle for North America. Then again, the colonialists were allied with the French, and they beat the English. The unique architecture is continually a win for France, particularly Paris. 

        Sorry England, but Paris has pretty much left London in the dust in terms of architecture. Try matching up the Tower of London with Notre Dame, or the Big Ben with the Eiffel Tower. In fact, Big Ben wasn't even the architect’s name! It was his middle name, since it was either that or Big Richard, which I guess you can see why that didn't come to fruition. I'm quite thankful for this selection. While the Tower of London may be just as famous, I find it quite... dull. There isn't any color, and even if the Crown Jewels of previous successors are on display, the overall view does not change. Looking at the interior of Notre Dame, the stained glass windows, with the colorful decorations, it all seems so grand. And finally, to bundle it all together with a red velvet tie, the gothic dome was raised high up, giving a sense of grandness. It might just have been the rain of that day in the London Tower which made my perspective so negative. 

        Speaking of the weather, I must comment on the beauty of this day in Paris. Probably the best difference between France and Britain is the color 'yellow'. The 'yellow' I'm describing is the kind that comes on television on the weather channel. You know the yellow circle with the yellow rings around it. Yeah, the U.K. doesn't seem to grasp that concept all too well. France, on the one day we are here, treated us nicely, having an eighty-degree day, with scattered, fluffy clouds that weren't selfish and actually shared with the sun. Looking out from the bridges over the Seine was amazing, and the beautiful 'yellow' made the waters a turquoise shade. In fact, the yellow color became more of a golden blaze afternoon, rebounding off of roads, walls, and windows. Of course, the city was quite golden even before the sun decided to bathe it in its brightness. The Eiffel Tower, with its spider web design, although dulled from the years, stood strong in the spotlight. Thanks, Paris for lighting up our English Isles cruise. That comes in more ways than one.

【红霞译文】

        最后，我们好不容易要出游另外一个国家，这里丝毫无意得罪英国佬，不过你们确实快成了古董，现在正是吐故纳新的时候。

        巴黎反映现代欧洲风貌，尽管原则上大英帝国无处不在，但进入公元纪年，每个世纪人们都能感受到法兰西的影响。没错，英国佬气盛好战，擅长统治它国，但半路杀出个程咬金，拿破仑竟是法国鬼，如今他，当然早已魂归故里，身后打造的巴黎如同博物馆一般灿烂辉煌，我承认他功不可没，除被放逐外，我对他佩服得五体投地。有人常谈英国多次打败法国，即使远在北美领土同样如此，话又说了回来，在殖民者名单上，法国可比英国遥遥领先，别出心裁的建筑不断让它独放异彩，巴黎更是首当其冲。

        对不起英国，在建筑上巴黎把伦敦甩得远远的，不信就拿伦敦塔与巴黎圣母院对比，或者让大本钟与埃菲尔铁塔对决。实际上，大本钟并非源于建筑师的真姓大名！充其量够得上中间名字，当初若不叫大本钟兴许就叫大理查德，由此可见它甘拜下风。我很乐意选择这两个建筑物进行比较，伦敦塔可能与埃菲尔铁塔齐名，其实我倒觉得相当……一般，它没有什么色彩，即使展出以往各代帝王将相皇冠上所配戴的珍稀宝石仍然无法为它增辉添艳。纵观巴黎圣母院内景，富丽堂皇的彩色玻璃窗与五颜六色的装饰图案，将庄重肃穆的天主教堂点缀得尽善尽美。最后还有，通向天国的哥特式圆顶气势雄伟，巧妙地把整个圣殿推向极致。也许因为参观伦敦塔的当天正赶上下雨，总之我对它印象不佳。

        提起天气，我必须对巴黎美言几句。英法两地之间的最大差异可能在于“黄色”，这里所谓的“黄色” 指的是电视气象台惯用的颜色。如你所知，屏幕上假如阳光普照就会涂满一道一道黄圈。呃，英国似乎没法享受这种福分。别看我们只在法国逗留一天，可巴黎却让我们感到宾至如归，80oF／27oC风和日丽，闲舒飘逸的云朵毫无唯我独尊之意，在这里慷慨地与太阳共享欢乐。穿过塞纳河上座座小桥，映入眼帘的是风景如画的都市风情，金灿灿的火焰照耀在河面，河水泛起兰绿色余光。过了晌午，黄色挥洒到马路墙壁窗沿之后再被折射成金色，整个巴黎宛如披上华丽的盛装。蜘蛛网状结构的艾菲尔铁塔虽然早年并不受人待及，如今业已成为游客必经之地。感谢巴黎将此次英伦诸岛之行笼罩在我们头顶上的乌云一扫而光，让我们的生活变得丰富多彩。