不能说的秘密！亚述尔群岛的神秘桃源

　　世间幸有几处世外桃源，尚未受到旅游产业的惊扰。

　　The Azores can be counted as nine of them as this is the number of islands that make up the Portuguese² archipelago, Europe’s westernmost point in the Atlantic Ocean.

　　亚述尔群岛可算这些世外桃源中的九个，因为这是一组群岛，共有9个，位于葡萄牙境内，在欧洲最西端的大西洋洋面上。

　　My first glimpse from the air of craggy volcanic³ cones⁴ and brilliant blue lakes in ancient craters⁶ didn’t disappoint.

　　当我第一眼从空中瞥见这些群岛，看见突兀的火山丘和火山坑中湛蓝的湖水，果然不会令人失望。

　　These captivating castaways, all with their own individual charms, are a nirvana for nature lovers. The lushness of the countryside with green pastures and tidy stone walls seemed at times as familiar as the Yorkshire Dales.

　　这些摄人心魄的世外之景，以其独特的魅力，成为了自然爱好者的伊甸园。乡村地区绿树成荫，满眼葱郁，整齐的小石墙让人联想到约克郡谷地的英伦风光。

　　不能说的秘密！亚述尔群岛的神秘桃源

　　Waterfalls tumbled down sheer cliffs, fantastic ferns fanned gently in the breeze, and puffs⁷ of vapour hissed⁸ an escape from deep underground.

　　瀑布从陡峭的山崖上倾斜而下，巨大的蒲叶在微风中摇摆，不时从地壳深处呲的噗出一股水蒸气，煞是有趣。

　　It was like stumbling on to the film location of Jurassic Park without the dinosaurs⁹.

　　我们好像误入了一个拍摄电影的取景点，一个没有恐龙的侏罗纪公园。

　　At our stylish¹⁰, Art Deco Terra Nostra Garden Hotel, there was a thermal¹¹ pool in the grounds.

　　我们下榻在高端的Art Deco Terra Nostra花园酒店，一楼有温泉泳池。

　　The water looked murky¹², but on hearing that the mineral mix is an elixir¹³ of youth, I plunged¹⁴ straight into the balmy bath and didn’t want to get out again until I looked half my age.

　　温泉中的泉水看起来很浑浊。不过听说池中的矿物混合物具有返老还童的功效，我便立刻跳入池中，洗了个油膏澡，赖在池中不愿出来，除非我看起来年龄只有现在的一半。

　　The hotel’s restaurant is one of many in the area that serves up ‘Cozido das Furnas’.

　　旅馆中的餐厅供应当地特色“火锅宴”，在本地许多餐厅你都能找到这样的菜。

　　After one active morning canoeing in the crater⁵ of Furnas Lake, we stepped ashore¹⁵ to watch men unearthing¹⁶ these meaty casseroles that had been slow-cooked underground by the heat of the volcano.

　　在佛纳思火山湖的火山口泛舟伐船，开心地度过了一早上之后，我们上岸并看见当地人正在掘出埋在土里的砂锅，砂锅里煮着各种肉食，都是利用地下火山岩溶的温度慢火细焖而成。

　　Seafood-lovers will relish¹⁷ specialities such as octopus¹⁸ in red wine, and fish you’ve never heard of.

　　爱好吃海鲜的人会非常喜欢这里的特色海鲜菜，包括红酒章鱼，还有各种你闻所未闻的鱼类。

　　My favourite lookout¹⁹ – the panorama²⁰ over the Green and Blue Lakes from the Vista²¹ do Rei (or King’s View) – has been voted one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Portugal.

　　我最喜欢的景色是从Vista do Rei纵观碧蓝湖的全景，这一景观被誉为葡萄牙七大自然奇观之一。

　　Now I’ve let you in on this well-kept secret, I doubt these serene²² hideaways will ever be forgotten – least of all by me.

　　现在我已经将这个常年来无人知晓的秘密告诉了你，我怀疑是否人们真能将这个静谧的世外桃源遗忘掉——至少我是不会的。

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