Firefly and Swallow

 

很想看的萤火虫，今年还是没有看到。

门口的小燕子，每年都会来筑窝。今年窝里有三只小燕子，到我们走的时候，已经剩下一只了，有两只从窝里掉下来摔死了。据我们的分析，是一只小燕子把其他的两只推出来摔死的。生存的压力真的很残酷。

希望下一次，可以看到传说中的萤火虫。小的时候，妈妈带我们暑假回家探亲，郊外的夜里有很多很多的萤火虫。有萤火虫的夜晚，是神奇的童年的夏日的夜晚，总是让我很开心和向往。

Fireflies didn't show up this year, again.

Swallows come back every year to make nests and what extraordinary nests they always make. There were three chicks when we arrived but only one left just after two days, two of them found dead under the nest on the stone floor. Most likely one of the baby swallows pushed the other two out, we thought. Dangerous life, we all lead.

I hope I can see some fireflies next time, I haven't seen them for many years. Fireflies, for me, are always associated with the long cool summer nights I spend with my cousins in Nanning's suburbs. They bring magic to the air, transform summer, give me endless joy and happy memories.

Photo by Gwyn

Highway Road Signs

Signs 2 On Highway A28
标志 二 高速公路A28号边上的城镇标志

法国的高速公路经过的城镇村庄都在公路边立有独特标志,充分体现当地特点风情,又别有艺术感,与在别处看到的大有不同,足现法国艺风之盛。只是从车中要拍到一闪即过的路旁标志，可也不是那么容易的事，所以看不清的就包涵了:)
French highways are lined with individual road sign for the villages and towns passed. Many of them are about local scenery, some even abstract, but none of them will be the same.

	These are signs with seaside scences 这些是海边的城镇地名标志,展现着海边景色

Signs with local buildings 画着本地建筑的地名标志

  

	A town famous for its lace design and production 产蕾丝的小镇
Ponds are abundant in the area 此地的有很多沼泽和池塘	Marquenterre has one of only two bird sanctuaries in the whole of France 这里是野生鸟类保护区
Foret de Perseigne is a natural forest reserve are, you can also see the tip of mans cathedral from here 这里有森林保护区，还可以远眺mans的圣母院	Tank museum, you might have a real French Resistance as your guide if you are lucky 坦克博物馆，里面可有真正的地下党当导游哦
an abstract one 找到一个抽象派的

后记 ps
哇，终于把路标这一集贴完了，想想经过一个路标就举着手机的情景真的蛮可笑的，还拍到了好多空白的路面树木等等。最喜欢的一个很卡通的城堡标志还是没有拍到。
It was not easy catching the signs in a fast car. I have ended up with lots of empty roads or trees on my mobile. Sometime the sun is at the "wrong" direction and it's impossible to get a shot. My favorite sign, a funky castle, is still missing from my library.

Gites de France

标志（一）  Signs (1)
喜欢到处留意路边墙上的标志，觉得很有当地风土民情
I like signs, they are always trying to tell you something and there is always something new to know

Gites de France 法国乡村客栈协会会员的标志
Gites一般是指条件相对简单的乡村小客栈，从上个世纪五十年代兴起由主人自己的乡村住所改建，有很温馨的住家感觉,住客尽可体会原汁原味的法国乡村生活。自理饮食是它们与"夜宿+早餐"型客栈(bed&breakfast)的区别之处。现代的乡村客栈也分很多级别，也有豪华型的建在大城堡的侧翼。级别以麦穗显示，级别高的麦穗就多。有有这个标记的是乡村客栈协会下属的五万多客栈之一，但也有很多乡村客栈是独立经营的。
Gite generally refers to self-catering country accommodation. They are owned by farmers who live in the same farm or nearby who will give guest welcome upon arrival. It's one of the best ways to experience rural french life. There are more than 5500 gites under Gites de France. Of course there are city posh gites and ones operate indepently to Gites de France.

乡村客栈的标志为以法国地图为背景，窗台上站着一只高唱的高卢鸡。乡村客栈的其中一个分类就是儿童客栈，有专门为小朋友们涉及准备的设施。旁边的小朋友标志是不是儿童客栈的标志我还没有查到。
The sign for Gites de France has a roof with a smoking chimney, a map of France under the roof and a red cockerel sitting  from a window in the map. I guess the children's sign on the right means it's a children's gite but I am not sure.

Montreuil-Bellay 城堡的挂牌

圣母村可是鲜花村哦，不过只有一星级：）
One star flower village

雪晚村村牌，上面可以看到村里的酒窖

村里的邮箱 Post boxes in the village

A Sample Meal

吃的一天 Food, food, food...

这么大一块牛股肉，是不是让食肉族哗啦哗啦的掉...
When is the last time you seen this huge flab of meat..

不过火还是要生，食饕们请慢慢地等...
Can't wait? we have to start from the spark...

烧烤的火是用的陈年的葡萄酒木，有很特别的香味。
The wine wood used in the bbq came with the barn and gave a unique flavour to the meat

Our wonderful host, talented chef and carpenter is having a rare but well deserved relaxed moment after fixing the dinning chair
我们的停不下来的主人，高级厨师和木匠在修理好餐椅之后正在享受难得一见的浮生半刻闲


Hostess's famous drop-dead-gorgeous Coq Au Vin, the best scene for me was of course the fire after cognac!
女主人的拿手好戏法国乡村菜红酒鸡，最好看的时节在于浇上白兰地之后点起的火焰！

With the help of local mushrooms
本地产的白蘑菇为这道菜肴增添色彩

红酒鸡的菜谱（四人份）

一瓶好红酒
3-4根新鲜百里香
2片月桂页
1小勺红莓果冻
1个小洋葱，插上两颗丁香
2根西芹
1颗胡萝卜
4颗蒜头

少许盐，胡椒，面粉，橄榄油，黄油
3大勺白兰地
75g意大利熏肉
20颗小洋葱头
20颗白蘑菇

老母鸡一只

光原料都写晕了，其余省略100字...


上一道诱人的沙拉
Fresh salad to counter-balance

美食过后当然是通宵的拼字游戏
Required sitting after wonderful meals

Le Zoo De Doue

The Zoo de Doue is only 5 minutes' drive from where we were and is perhaps one of Europe's best. It is sited in an old quarry and the enclosures and visiting routs are arranged around previous troglodytic dwellings. There is lots of shade provided by the great trees, palms, bamboo and acacias. Doue动物园离我们的住地只有五分钟车程，听说是欧洲第二大动物园，有六百多种野生动物包括小熊猫，河马，犀牛，雪豹，狮子，鳄鱼等等; Red Panda 小熊猫 There are more than 600 species of animals,including red pandas, rhinoceros, lions, snow lepards, crocodiles and more, many of them are on the endangered list. Flamingo 天堂火烈鸟 Do you know its name? 犀牛 rhinoceros Zebras 斑马

From bamboo woods to rain forest, from rivers to canyons, we walked in many different shapes of land. The ever changing tunnels and stairs shaped the whole dwelling. These unique designs all helped along to creat a fun and cool stroll. 在参天树木下行走，感觉荫凉。在地道中穿入穿出，还很有探险的感觉。原来这个动物园也是在穴居人的旧址上重建的，还可以看得到许多原来的穴居痕迹哦。园里还有河流和峡谷，极力仿造野生动物的环境。

园中很多大型的动物雕刻，不少雕刻还在进行中。刻者介绍说，这些都是美洲杉木，颜色漂亮，而且木质也非常适于雕刻。雕刻这么一个大象大概需要一两个星期。 There are many large animal sculptures in the zoo and more of them are being made in situ. He told us that the wood is Sequoia and its qreat for sculptures. It may take one to two weeks to finish one this size.

最受欢迎的节目要算山羊沟了。我们老早买好了爆米花，山羊一点也不怕人，在你手上嚼嚼嚼的，巨可爱。听说以前有小小山羊更可爱，可能现在都长大了吧，我们没有见到。 The zoo favourite of the day had to be the adorable goats. We have come prepared: popcorns brought from the reception. Goats love to eat them off your hand. There were no baby goats this time, disappointing to some third-time visitors. This is my favourite 这个家伙我最喜欢，有沧桑感！

You can tell who's Berty's favorite!

长颈鹿也很受欢迎，排名第二 Giraffe is also up there on the popular list as number two

SuperU

French Supermachet 法国的超级市场
表面看来，法国的超级市场和英国的大同小异，物品也相近。但仔细看看他们卖的蔬菜水果，都是以本地的物产为主，很新鲜，季节性很强，不象英国的东西都是全世界运来的，四季供应,方便的同时却产生很多长途运输的费用，人们没有一种接近自然的感受。我们从英国带来的大颗饱满的草莓吃完了就在这里想买，可是跑了好几个超市都没有，才意识到这里草莓已经下季了！

French supermarkets look very similar to their English conterparts from the outside but have different products if you look closely. The fruit and vegetables are mainly local products, fresh and seasonal. We were looking for strawberries high and low, after the ones brought from England have finished, but realised that strawberries are ment to be out of season now after the fruitless search. 

The button mushrooms in the area account for two-thirds of French production. They are mostly growed in underground or hilltop caves abundant in the area. Remarkably fresh and tasty indeed.

圣母镇是远近闻名的蘑菇乡,白蘑菇产量是占法国三分之二。从超市里就可以看出来，别的可以没有蘑菇可是每天都很多很新鲜，比在英国买到的蘑菇更为香嫩。

面包蛋糕不用说，连酸奶慕斯冰淇淋这些东西都比英国买到的好吃好多倍，想起来就叭嗒叭嗒的。说起来好像有法国的月亮比较圆的感觉，不过事实如此，凭什么只隔一个海峡，我们就只能吃到二流产品呢？同样的达能酸奶，在英国买的味道显然不如这边的产品。
 



一个顾客的购物车：数一数有多少根大棍？
Someone's shopping cart: how many sticks are there?