水城威尼斯 浓情二月，浪漫水城威尼斯

　　Narrow canals[河道] replace streets, with tiny arched[拱形的] bridges connecting the old buildings; colorful cascades[小瀑布] of flowers spilling from balconies[阳台] take the place of concrete walls; gondolas[凤尾船] and a variety of boats replace cars; and in lieu of[代替] honking[鸣喇叭] horns, the sound of singing gondoliers[凤尾船船夫] echoes[回响] down the canals and cobblestone[圆石] streets. Alleyways wind through the city like a maze[迷宫], opening up into the surprising, sunny little piazzas[广场], complete with fountains. During the evening, patches of fog curl[缠绕] mysteriously[神秘地] through the city in the moonlight, giving it an ethereal[轻飘的], magical atmosphere.
　　Where can we find such a romantic place? Yes, it"s Venice! Venice is considered among the most beautiful and best-preserved cities in the world. It is beautiful beyond comparison. The city"s canals with their gondolas, the ancient buildings and the sweet narrow streets give this unique city a breathtakingly[激动人心地] romantic flair[本领]. Appearing just as it did long ago to traders and travelers on merchant ships approaching from distant lands, Venice continues to enchant[迷住] vacationers and honeymooners[度蜜月的人] arriving by boat today. The city speaks to the heart of lovers and dreamers, business tycoons[大亨] and vendors[小贩]. Nothing new can rival[比得上] its ancient splendour[光辉]; and its store of hidden treasures and mysteries can never be exhausted. The anticipation[期望] of new discoveries belongs to long-time residents and visitors alike as they motor or paddle out to its veiled silhouette[轮廓] on the sea[注1] .

　　Venice is built on top of over a hundred islands, between which run about 150 canalsost of which are very narrow. There are over a hundred little communities[社区] or neighborhoods on each little island. And more than 430 bridges cross over the canals to connect these communities. Generally, each community has its own church, which faces onto the public square. The public square, which contains a water well, is the nucleus[中心] of the community. Around the square are the homes combining shops. Shops often inhabit[居住于] the first floors with the residence on the second floor. The grand stately[高贵的] palaces, built by the historically wealthy Venetian merchant families, all have their main entrances facing onto the canals. However, the means of transportation for most natives is the small narrow pedestrian[行人] paths and alleys. Given the relative instability[不稳定性] of the ground, the houses are all built on wood pilesany are more than 400 years old.
　　Venice currently has a population of 65 thousand. This number is, however, in constant decline[下降]. Tourists swell[增长] this number to around 25 million each year. Central Venice is divided into six administrative[行政管理的] districts: St. Mark"s district, which lies in the heart of the city, is the most-visited of the six. The attractions include St. Mark"s Square, the Doge"s Palace and St. Mark"s Church. In St. Mark"s Square, visitors can purchase corn from vendors in the square and feed the birds. Almost everybody goes home with a picture of pigeons[鸽子] with St. Mark"s Church in the background.
　　In Venice you have two optionset around on foot or by boat. Walking in Venice is fun and is an essential[必要的] part of the Venetian experience. You will encounter numerous bridges, boutique shops[时装商店] selling glass souvenirs[纪念品] and squares with outdoor restaurants and cafes. While it"s easy to get lost in the narrow streets, you can always find your way back to St. Mark"s Square and Rialto[注2] by following many signs attached to buildings.

　　If you choose to have a tour on the water, you shouldn"t miss the opportunity of taking a romantic gondola ride. Gondolas have been a tradition in Venice for centuries. Initially[最初], they used to transport goods down the narrow Venice canals. Today, gondolas are primarily used for sightseeing[观光] and ceremonial functions. The fastest way to get around Venice is by water taxi. When it rains, taxis are especially convenient since they have a closed cabin[船舱]. Taking a gondola ride in Venice gives you a completely different perspective[景观] of the city than exploring it on foot. If you go for a walk around St. Mark"s in the evening, many gondoliers stand near bridges offering gondola rides.
　　Venice by day is in complete contrast to Venice by night. During the day, Venice is a busy city. Its canals are filled with water taxis and delivery boats, while the narrow streets are full of shoppers and sightseers[观光游客]. Venice is at its most busy between 10A.M. and 4P.M. Many tourists come to the city on day trips and leave in the afternoon. However, early in the morning you can catch a glimpse[一瞥] of a different Venice. The narrow city streets are empty, except for an occasional local hurrying to work. On the river bank, you can watch rows of gondolas in the calm waters of the lagoon[泻湖]. In the morning, St. Mark"s Square is cleaned and prepared for the daily visitors while the pigeons begin to stir and take test flights to the roof above the square.
　　Late in the afternoon, you will notice the change of pace[步速] as the day draws to an end. As the day-trippers leave, the city becomes calmer and more romantic. The best time for a romantic gondola ride is late in the afternoon after the delivery boats have left the narrow canals. As you walk along the narrow streets and squares, you can listen to the songs of the gondolier and the sounds coming from open-air restaurants and cafes. After dinner, two cafes feature live open-air orchestras[管弦乐队] in St. Mark"s Square. They play popular pieces while visitors sip[呷] their drinks.
　　Venice is definitely a place where many a poet and painter, prince and pauper[乞丐], politician and pundit[学者] came to find rest and inspiration[灵感]. It is also the best location for an Italian wedding, too. No wonder the city attracts a large number of lovers to celebrate Valentine"s Day. It has even become a hotspot[热点] for romantic Parisians[巴黎人].
　　
　　狭窄的河道代替了街道，小拱桥连接起古老的建筑；阳台上色彩斑斓的花卉如瀑布般下垂着，覆盖了厚实的墙；“贡多拉”（意大利威尼斯的凤尾船）和各式各样的船只替代了汽车；还有放声高歌的“贡多拉”船夫的歌声取代了汽车喇叭的鸣响，歌声在河道上和圆石小巷中回荡着。小城里的街道迂回曲折，犹如迷宫，街道意想不到地延伸到阳光充沛的小广场，广场内有喷水池。晚上，缕缕薄雾在朦胧月色的映衬下神秘地缠绕着水城，营造出几分轻飘魔幻的气氛。
　　我们到哪里可以找到如此浪漫的地方呢？没错，就是威尼斯！威尼斯被公认是世界上最美丽以及保存得最完好的城市之一。它的美丽无与伦比。水城里的河道与河道上的“贡多拉”，古老的建筑物以及怡人的狭窄街道使得这座独特的城市拥有令人动心的浪漫风情。很久以前，乘坐在商船上的商人和旅客从遥远的地方来到威尼斯，如今这座城市依然吸引着坐船而来的假日旅行者和度蜜月的人们。水城说出了情侣们与梦想者、商业大亨和小贩们的心声。没有什么新事物能比得上水城古老的光辉；水城所隐藏着的财富和神秘永远也不会耗尽。在此已久的老居民和老游客期待在这里获得新发现，他们启动马达或划起船桨出海到威尼斯鲜为人知的小岛上。
　　威尼斯建在一百多个岛上，有150条河道纵横其中―大部分的河道都很狭窄。每个小岛拥有一百多个小社区或居民区，有四百三十多座桥梁横跨于河道上，把这些社区连接起来。一般来说，每个社区都拥有各自的教堂，教堂面对着公共广场。广场有一口井，是每个社区的中心。围绕着广场的是商住两用的楼房，通常商铺设在一楼，而二楼则住人。由家世显赫的威尼斯商人家族建起的住宅雄伟豪华，其主要入口都正对河道。然而，对于大多数当地平民百姓，其交通要道则是窄小的行人道和小街巷。由于当地的地面相对不稳定，因此房子都是以木桩支撑的―许多房子已有四百多年的历史了。
　　目前威尼斯有6.5万人口。然而，这个数字还在不断下滑。每年到访的游客则远远超过这个数字，约达2500万人。威尼斯市区分为6个行政区：坐落在市中心的圣马克区是6个区中最多游客前来游览的地区。这里的景点包括圣马克广场、总督府和圣马克教堂。在圣马克广场，游客可以从广场上的小贩那里买到玉米来喂鸟儿。几乎所有人都带着一张以圣马克教堂为背景的鸽子照片回家。
　　在威尼斯观光，你有两个选择―步行或乘船。漫步威尼斯很有趣，而且是威尼斯旅程必不可少的一部分。你将会遇到数之不尽的桥梁、售卖玻璃纪念品的时装店和有露天餐馆和咖啡店的广场。尽管在狭窄的街道上很容易迷路，但沿着建筑物上的许多标记，你总能找到通向圣马克广场和里亚尔托桥的归途。
　　假如你选择水上观光，那么就一定不要错过乘坐浪漫的“贡多拉”了。数世纪以来，“贡多拉”一直是威尼斯的一大传统。最初，人们用“贡多拉”在狭窄的威尼斯河道上运送货物。如今，“贡多拉”主要是供游客观光和聚会。四处逛逛威尼斯的最快捷方式就是坐水上出租车。下雨的时候，坐水上出租车尤为方便，因其拥有一个封闭的船舱。乘坐“贡多拉”游览威尼斯别有一番情趣，它让你领略到完全不同于步行时所见到的城市景色。如果晚上你在圣马克地区附近散步，可以看到那里有很多“贡多拉”船夫站在桥的附近招揽“贡多拉”水上游生意。
　　威尼斯的白天与黑夜迥然不同。白天，威尼斯是个繁忙的城市。河道上穿梭着众多水上出租车和运载船只，而狭窄的街道上则是熙熙攘攘的购物者和观光游客。从早上10点到下午4点是威尼斯最繁忙的时段。许多游客来这里都是一日游，下午就离去了。然而，清晨你可以看到威尼斯与众不同的一面。除了偶尔有个当地人匆匆赶去上班外，狭窄的街道是空荡荡的。在岸边，你可以看到在泻湖中平静的水面上那一排排的“贡多拉”。早上，圣马克广场已被打扫干净，准备迎接白天到访的游客，而鸽子则开始活动，试飞到广场屋顶上。
　　黄昏时分，随着一天快要结束，你会发现人们步速的变化。随着一日游旅客的离去，水城变得更加平静和浪漫。乘坐浪漫的“贡多拉”的最好时间就是在傍晚―运载船只都离开狭窄的河道后。当你沿着狭窄的街道和广场漫步时，你可以听到“贡多拉”船夫的歌声，还有从露天餐馆与咖啡厅传来的声音。晚饭过后，在圣马克广场两间咖啡厅有露天管弦乐队现场表演，他们会演奏一些流行的曲子，这时游客可以品尝各自的饮品。
　　威尼斯确实是一处有许多诗人和画家、王子和乞丐、政客和学者前来寻找安宁与灵感的地方。这里也是举行意大利式婚礼的最佳地点。难怪这座城市吸引了一大批情侣前来庆祝情人节，它更成为浪漫的巴黎人的热衷之地。