il Giardino Romantico

無論您還在猶豫究竟申請哪所學校，或是正在籌備出發前往利物浦就讀的階段，這篇留學利物浦的FAQ，希望能提供您更多的資訊，讓您了解更多，並有助於您做決定或是行前準備。

Whether you're still deciding which university to apply for, or whether you're already preparing to come to study in the University of Liverpool, hopefully this list of FAQ will provide some answers that you might have, and help you decide or prepare for your trip to Liverpool.


1. 【資訊】留學利物浦常見問題集 申請流程篇 FAQ concerning application process

2. 【資訊】留學利物浦常見問題集 生活篇 FAQ concerning living in Liverpool

Before perusing this article, it is recommended that this article be read first.

閱讀此文前，建議先看『讓雕像告訴你莎士比亞名劇的故事』。 

This is a story about a prince’s vengeance.  

述說一段王子復仇記。

Before perusing this article, it is recommended that this article be read first.

閱讀此文前，建議先看『讓雕像告訴你莎士比亞名劇的故事』。

 

The play begins with a tempest on the sea, leaving the Duke of Milan and his entourages on a deserted island.  It turns out that the tempest was conjured by the magician dwelling on this island – Prospero.  His daughter has a hard time understanding her father’s actions, thus he explains to her his reasoning.  Twelve years ago, because he had been too obsessed with books and magic, he had neglected his duties as a duke.  Because of this, he brother sought the chance and usurped his dukedom.  Not only that, but he also banished him and his daughter onto this deserted island. 

一開場的一場暴風雨，將米蘭的公爵以及隨行的一群人漂泊到荒島上。原來這場暴風雨是魔術師Prospero精心策劃過的。 一旁Prospero的女兒米蘭達一直很不能理解父親爲何會這麼做。Prospero才告知小女，12年前，因為自己沉迷於書本以及魔法，忽略了公爵一職的工作。也讓自己的兄弟有機可趁的奪走了自己公爵一位，還將他與小女放逐至荒島。

Originally, this was supposed to be the last of the Shakespeare's Hometown series.  However, I could not think of an easier way to present all the photos AND all the words that must go along with them within one article.  After thinking about this for a few days, I've decided that it would be impossible to do this within a single article.  Especially after one whole year of torment, there was no way I could recount any of Shakespeare's works within one or two sentences.  However, I did want to use this opportunity to introduce, in the easiest way possible, his works to all my readers.  That is why this is nothing close to 'the last' of this series.

原本，這篇文章應該是【莎翁故鄉】系列的最終回。不過這幾天一直在想，要怎麼樣將圖多文也多的文章『輕鬆』的呈現。想了好幾天，我得到的結論是：不可能。圖片多，或許看得輕鬆。但經過了一整年的折磨，要我三言兩語就交代整齣莎劇的劇情是不可能的事。但又希望藉此機會與大家以最簡單的方式了解莎劇劇情。只好又把他拆為好幾篇比較小篇的文章。

The inspiration for this subseries, comes from the 'essence' mentioned in my previous article.  Although they only make up a tiny bit of the whole garden, and you must pay very close attention in order to see all of them, just a glimpse, and you'll see why they are such successful artworks.  The 'essence' refers to the sculptures of Shakespearean plays. Other than the dramatis personaes, you can easily grasp the main plot and theme of each of the plays by looking at them.  Now, do you understand why I simply cannot cram all of this into a single entry?

This was the last four of the five Shakespeare's Houses that we visited.  Because of time and energy, we had to give up on the last and furthest one - Mary Arden's Farm.  However, as I had repeatedly stated, you get enough worth of the five-house ticket by going to more than two houses already.  Nash's House, does and doesn't have any direct relation to Shakespeare, depending on how you look at it.  The house belonged to Thomas Nash, first husband of Shakespeare's granddaughter, Elizabeth Barnard.  The most significant fact is that the space next to it, now called 'New Place' once stood the house where Shakespeare resided after retirement, and it was also the place in which he died.  The house had long been demolished, and the grounds had been transformed into a garden.  I personally think that the essence of the whole place lies in the back garden.  After your tour of the house, come out through the side door into the garden.  Since the back garden contains the so-called 'essence' of the whole place, it deserves its own separate article.  Let's take a short look at the house itself, and the garden by it.

Nash's House正是我們參觀的莎士比亞五間屋子裡其中四間的最後一站。因為時間以及體力的關係，我們捨棄距離最遙遠的Mary Arden's Farm。不過正如我ㄧ再強調，只要看到兩間以上，套票的價錢就已經比單獨一間還要划算了。其實Nash's House，與莎士比亞算有關，也算沒關係。屋主Thomas Nash是莎士比亞孫女Elizabeth Barnard的第一位丈夫。而這裡最主要的重點，其實是旁邊所謂的New Place。此地曾經是莎士比亞退休後以及往生前所居住的房子所在地。不過該房子早已經被拆了。因此這個地方就被改造成公園。Nash's House參觀完之後，可從旁邊的小門通到花園。天仙認為，旁邊的花園雖然美，但後花園更是精華。不過因為是精華，所以值得單獨一篇介紹。此篇文章就先來瞧瞧Nash's House以及New Place花園的景色吧。


Photography is forbidden in the house, so I took many pictures of the outside to make up for it.

我的天啊，時間過的真快。怎麼一下子又要介紹優格了？還好這次回神的快，不然這個月又要開天窗啦！不過話雖如此，我還是想了好久到底這個月要以什麼樣的主題，介紹誰的優格好呢？後來想到，何不來個『素食優格』為本月主題呢！？相信看了許多天仙張貼的英國美食『炸魚&薯條』很多人應該都早就忘了基本上天仙還是傾向素食主義的。［不過會爲了這道菜破戒那麼多次，想必一定很好吃吧！？沒錯，我要當一下壞人...］。

其實天仙的飲食概念與一般吃素的人稍微有點不太一樣。遇到聚餐的時候，或者是與家人共餐(我家只有我一個人吃素)常常會問一句：這，你可不可以吃？其實天仙想要解是一下，我不是爲了宗教信仰才開始吃素。也不是爲了還願許願吃素。純粹是覺得無肉生活對自己的精神以及身體狀況比較優。所以沒有所謂的『可不可以』，只有所謂的『敢不敢』。吃過那麼多次炸魚&薯條，當然漸漸的可以接受魚的味道了。但是雞肉、豬肉、牛肉，我還是不敢碰。也不想碰。說實在的，魚類我也很少在吃。對外也還是宣稱是素食者。也會持續維持以素食為主要的飲食方向。

不過以下要介紹的這幾位可就特別了。如果你也是茹素者，或是喜歡素食，千萬不能錯過以下這幾位的優格。除了結交素食格友，更能夠取得各式各樣不同的資訊。


 Belito的香格里拉

If you come to Stratford-upon-Avon, this place is almost as unavoidable as a lot of the other places in this town.  The statues in the following pictures are located in Bancroft Gardens, by the river Avon.  Collectively, they are called the Gower Memorial.  These life-size statues of Shakespearean characters come from Hamlet, Henry IV, Henry V, and Macbeth.  Each statue represents a different theme of Shakespearean plays.

來到Stratford-upon-Avon，很難不去注意到下列這些照片中的莎劇雕像。這些位於Avon河邊的Bancroft Gardens中的雕像，集體稱為Gower Memorial。特色就是有四座真實比例的莎翁劇中的人物雕像。這四座雕像分別出自於：哈姆雷特、亨利四世、亨利五世以及馬克白。而每一座雕像象徵的意義也不同。


The prince of melancholy - Hamlet.  He represents philosophy.
憂鬱王子，哈姆雷特。象徵的是哲學。

I've been saying that the weather had not affected our enjoyment of this Shakespearean enlightening trip.  I know that sunny days make Stratford even more glorious, and it would definitely be more convenient to walk around, but even under the grey clouds and sprinkly rain, it emits a unique and unforgettable scene.  Unless there is a tempest, there is no reason why the 'weather' should spoil your trip to Stratford-upon-Avon!

我一再強調，陰天雨天，完全沒有影響到我們享受這趟莎翁知性知旅的閒情逸致。雖然陽光照耀的Stratford，比起雨中行走要方便許多，但是陰天雨天的Stratford， 還是散發出自己獨特的氣氛。漫步在Avon河畔，除非是狂風暴雨，否則無論是晴天、雨天，相信你都可以照樣很享受當下的Stratford-upon-Avon。


A little 'park' beside the Swan Theatre (under construction at the time)

Generally speaking, a lot of people probably don't know much about Hall's Croft.  Neither did we, and we were Shakespearean academics... This, is actually the house of Shakespeare's daughter, Susanna, and her husband John Hall. It contains a small collection of 16th and 17th century paintings and furniture.  Because John was a doctor, the house also exhibits a wide range of medical equipments used in those days.

別說一般人了，就連專攻莎士比亞領域的我們，其實對這間屋子也很陌生。事實上，他原是屬於莎士比亞女兒Susanna和女婿John Hall所有。這間屋子的展示品，包含了十六以及十七世紀的藝術品以及傢具。不過比較特別一點的，應該算是當時身為醫生的John Hall所會用上的一些醫療工具。

I wouldn't necessarily call this visit 'worth the while'.  It was, afterall, very small, and there was a limited amount of things that could be displayed.  To compound, the exhibit had very little to do with Shakespeare himself.  But since we had purchased ourselves five-house tickets, it seemed reasonable to include this in our itinerary.  I think, and my friend would probably agree, too, the most interesting aspect of the whole house was the beds.  I recall noticing from previous blog-browsing experience how small European beds used to be back in those days.

攝於卡地夫中央車站
Cardiff Central Station

來到威爾斯，像是來到一個新的國家。所有的標示，除了英文以外，還會附上威爾斯語。這點讓我覺得挺特別的。雖然大家都說北威的風景比較美，建議我若是要去威爾斯，一定要去北邊瞧瞧。不過我在那沒有朋友，所以要去北威的話，除了交通，還得安排住宿。因此我就偷懶，選擇了南邊的威爾斯首都 - 卡地夫。

Arriving at Wales, felt like arriving at a new country.  All the signs were bilingual - English and Welsh.  I thought this was rather interesting.  Although everyone's been telling me how beautiful northern Wales is, seeing that I have to arrange my own accommodation if I go, I took the easier way.  I went to southern Wales, the capital city - Cardiff, instead.