Then there is the hugely profitable cheese export, which may be the reason for all the ‘cheese-head’ mutterings11) abroad. The Netherlands produces over 630,000 tons of cheese, and almost 500,000 tons of it are shipped out to the United States and the rest of the world, to earn the title of World’s Biggest Cheese Exporter.
荷兰人素以喜爱奶酪而著称。这么说吧,来自荷兰的明信片上如果没有郁金香,就很可能会有奶酪。事实上,荷兰人喜爱吃奶酪几乎世人皆知,以至于在国外人们都称荷兰人为“奶酪脑袋”。
不难看出,奶酪对于荷兰人的生活方式是多么重要。只要看一看荷兰人对奶酪不同寻常的巨大消费就可知晓他们对奶酪的喜爱程度:平均来说,每人每年大约要吃掉十五公斤奶酪。有些科学家认为,荷兰人奶酪吃得多,所以有高于常人的平均身高;而几乎所有人都认为,荷兰人奶酪吃得多,所以有大于常人的平均腰围。
于是荷兰人就有了利润极高的奶酪出口贸易,这也许就是为什么其他国家的人们都不满地称他们为“奶酪脑袋”。荷兰每年的奶酪产量高达六十三万多吨,其中有近五十万吨出口到美国和世界其他国家,因此被称作“世界上最大的奶酪出口国”。
National Anthem国歌——威廉王子的“迷你”自传
The Dutch national anthem is supposedly the world’s oldest, but it’s also one of the strangest. It’s basically just a short autobiographical summary of Prince William12) of Orange, as sung by himself. So when you sing the Dutch anthem you are essentially speaking as the prince, which sounds a bit odd. Here are the lyrics: William of Nassau13) A Prince of Orange
Am I, of German descent Am I, free and fearless
Loyal to the fatherland The king of Spain
I will remain until I die I have always honored
荷兰的国歌据说是世界上最古老的国歌,但同时也是最古怪的国歌之一。它基本上就是奥兰治王朝(编者注:也译作“橙色王朝”)中威廉王子的一个简短自传,由王子本人演唱。因此,当你在唱荷兰国歌时,也就相当于在以王子的口吻讲话,听起来实在有点古怪。下面就是这首国歌的歌词:
拿骚的威廉 奥兰治王朝的王子
就是我,日耳曼的后裔 就是我,自由、无畏
忠于祖国 西班牙王
至死不渝 是我永远的荣耀
Bicycle自行车——单车上的逍遥生活
In the everyday life of Holland the bike is a familiar sight. Sixteen million people own approximately thirteen million bicycles! Nearly everyone has one, and some people even have two: a Dutchman without a bike is like a fish without water! Holland is the ultimate cycling country. The Dutch use the bicycle as a means of transportation rather than just a recreational sport: using their bike for daily shopping and to commute to work.
Obligatory separate bicycle lanes are indicated by the round blue sign with a white bicycle in the middle. In many parts, you will find superbly indicated special routes for cyclists which will lead you through some of the most attractive regions of Holland. Holland’s excellent bicycle path network is clearly marked with the ANWB’s (Royal Dutch Touring Club) red and white signs and mushrooms-shaped posts, indicating the quickest route from A to B. Many companies specialize in the rent and repair of bicycles. Special events for cyclists are regularly organized. In short, Holland is a “cyclist friendly” country with a climate characterized by mild winters and comfortable summers.
在荷兰人的日常生活中,自行车随处可见。一千六百万的人口拥有大约一千三百万辆自行车!几乎人手一辆,有的人甚至拥有两辆:荷兰人离开了自行车,就像是鱼儿没有了水。荷兰是自行车的终极王国。荷兰人把自行车当做交通工具,而不是娱乐性的运动:他们骑自行车进行日常购物、上下班。
与其他道路分离开来的固定自行车道的标志是一个圆形的蓝色标志,中间是一辆白色的自行车。在荷兰的许多地方,你都会发现专为骑自行车者设计的标识清晰的特殊路线,它们会引导你穿过荷兰最引人入胜的一些地区。荷兰卓越的自行车交通网络都清晰地标有荷兰皇家旅行俱乐部的红白标记以及蘑菇形状的柱子图形,标明A、B两地间的最快路线。许多公司专门从事自行车租赁和维修业务,此外还会定期举办专为骑自行车者设计的特别活动。总之,荷兰的气候冬天温和,夏季舒适,是“骑车者的乐园”。
Marijuana 大麻——毒品也合法
There is a widespread belief in much of the world that pot14) is 100% legal in all of Holland. In reality the situation is much more complex. Generally speaking, pot is only to be smoked indoors, either in your private home or in a licensed bar. Smoking pot anywhere else, especially in a public place, is as frowned upon—and illegal—in Holland as it is anywhere else. Possessing five ounces of marijuana is not illegal, but any more than that and you could get busted for drug possession.
All this being said, “pot” and “Holland” are increasingly becoming synonymous, and these days the drug is frequently used as a tourist attraction of sorts. In many tourist towns—Amsterdam especially—you can buy all sorts of crap with marijuana leaves on it, like T-shirts, ashtrays, keychains, and backpacks. The famed “Coffee Shops” in which pot is legally allowed to be smoked are also becoming big attractions for the international stoner15) crowd.
在世界上许多地方都有一种普遍的观点,认为大麻在整个荷兰都是百分百合法的。但实际上情况要复杂得多。一般来说,大麻只能在室内吸食,要么在你自己家里,要么在政府特许的酒吧里。在其他任何地方吸食大麻都是不受欢迎且不合法的,尤其是在公共场合——在这一点上,荷兰和世界其他任何地方都是一样的。拥有五盎司的大麻并不算违法,但超过这个量你就可能会因为私藏毒品而身败名裂。
虽然如此,“大麻”和“荷兰”正愈来愈成为一对同义词,而且大麻近来也经常被用作某种吸引游客的东西。在许多旅游城市——尤其是在阿姆斯特丹——你可以买到各种印有大麻叶子的廉价物品,如T恤、烟灰缸、钥匙链和背包等等。一些著名的“咖啡店”是吸食大麻的合法场所,那里正以巨大的吸引力吸引着来自世界各地的大麻吸食者。
1. rattle off:(不费力地)飞快说出(或写出);rattle [5rAtl] vi. 发连续短促的尖叫声
2. cliché [5kli:FeI] n. 陈词滥调,用滥了的套语
3. as of late:最近,近来
4. marauder [mE5rC:dE(r)] n. 掠夺者
5. Ottawa Tulip Festival:渥太华郁金香节,世界上最大的郁金香节,于每年的5月举行。
6. clog [klC^] n. 木屐
7. klompen [5klRmpEn] n.荷兰人穿的木底鞋
8. holdover [5hEJld7EJvE(r)] n.〈美〉自前一时代过来的人(或物);剩余物
9. staple [5steIpl] n. 主要产品(或商品)
10. turbine [5tE:bIn, -baIn] n. 涡轮机
11. mutter [5mQtE] vi.小声抱怨
12. Prince William:威廉王子(1533～1584),即荷兰奥兰治王朝的开国国王(1559～1584年在位),被荷兰人称为“祖国之父”。
13. Nassau [5nAsC:] n. 拿骚,巴哈马首都
14. pot [pCt] n.〈口〉大麻
15. stoner [5stEunE(r)] n.〈口〉(尤指吸食大麻的)瘾君子